honda
#PRODUCTWATCH: 2019 HONDA PILOT TOURING
Some cars leave a deeper imprint on your heart than others and while it’s been a while since we’ve previewed a Honda Pilot, reuniting with it was like catching-up with a dear friend allover again this past week. Times have been tough. Those of you who follow me on Social Media know that my mom broke her leg last week amidst the ice and snow pile that blanketed Southern Ontario. It has been stressful figuring out accommodations for her and it hit particularly hard that she would be in the hospital this Chinese New Year instead of home. My dad, now well into his 80s, has been stressed also. Above this, I found out that Billy’s Lymphoma has returned. Hence while my test drive of the Pilot was originally intended to attend my niece and future nephew-in-law’s engagement party out near Niagara Falls, it wound-up serving another purpose. Being there for my family when they needed me most.
While I love the strength and security the Pilot gives me, especially in these unpredictable road conditions, I always have found it a bit excessive for my needs as a bachelor with a dog. This is not to say it isn’t perfect for a young family, of which many of my Readers now have or are starting. In fact, my friend Jennifer, a mother of two after seeing me post about the Pilot, asked me what I thought about it as she was considering it for her family. I had nothing but raves for her. With an optional three rows of seats which would work for her – I drove with two – the Pilot empowers you to be there for your friends and family, seating up to eight. You should see how spacious its trunk is! Mini-Van practicality, SUV style and sensibility.
It boasts a 3.5L engine, 24 valve, Direct Injection, SOHC, i-VTEC V6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management and a nine-speed Automatic Transmission with Grade Logic Control. The Pilot is all about power, dominance and being in control of the road. I’ll never forget picking-up some Roast Pork on Chinese New Year’s Eve and the owner seeing me drive-up asked me what I did for a living to drive a car like that. “Lawyer? Businessman?” , he inquired as he chopped the pork into bite size pieces on his wooden board. The Pilot is about status and prestige and I felt elevated in it, and not just physically!
With a combined 11L per 100 km fuel economy, I honesty was expecting the car to be a gas guzzler but it wasn’t, thanks to its amazing ECON mode option. I had to drive twice this week out to the country in Milton to see historic Sam-Son Farm‘s first foal of 2019 one day and also celebrate sweet Princess’ fifth birthday the next day in Caledon. This, plus also trekking downtown and back to the suburbs twice in a week, totaled just $60, thank you also in due part to low gas prices!
Let’s talk about its opulence. While I speak of power and performance, the Pilot is undeniably stylish. I previewed it in a luxuriant White Diamond Pearl, feeling like royalty in its perforated leather-surface seats (steering wheel too!) with heating and cooling, and was in awe at the climate control options for the passengers at the back too. We love that Honda recognizes the needs of the passenger too, making it a hit for everyone. They even get a 10-inch WSVGA screen to view Blu-rays and media streaming apps. And headphones too! Jealous!
Its audio system is comprised of a flashy 600-watt, 11- speaker and 5.1 Surround Sound capability. The world is at your fingertips with the Pilot’s 7-inch touchscreen display, letting you navigate the roads, your listening experience and whatever menu needs you have.
Connecting through Bluetooth to my Spotify playlists was a cinch and of course it it was Sirius XM-enabled, making it tricky for me to get out of the car at times. Not a bad problem to have!
We love that it has auto headlights so we never have to fuss when driving, our line of vision always being clear. And of course we adore the moonroof, which we wished we could’ve enjoyed under better weather than what we’ve had this past week. Driver’s Seat Position Memory and Proximity Key Entry (we loathe fumbling for our keys!) make our lives that much easier, with one less thing to worry about. Ambient blue lighting can be found within the car, with cupholders lit in the dark. A large storage under armrest is super-convenient, while wireless charging and tons of USB ports are very today in terms of needs to stay connected.
I have never felt safer in any offering from the Honda family than in the Pilot, and considering the Carmaker’s reputation for safety, this is extremely high-praise. Its Forward Collision System, Collision Mitigating System, Lane Departure System, Four-Wheel Anti-Locking Brake System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Advanced Front Airbag System, SmartVent Side Airbags and three-row Side-Curtain Airbags serve their purpose and beyond. Rear-view camera aids in perfect parking no matter what the conditions, even with dirt and slush caked onto it.
While the Honda Pilot won’t solve all my problems in life, it certainly was an honourable sidekick this past week, transporting my dad to visit my mom daily safe and warm. It got me to work without a hitch, hassle-free even in the worst road conditions. And while this might be my last Chinese New Year with Billy, I made it memorable, sneaking into the mall with him to get his favourite Hong Kong Style Egg Waffles. And I got a moment to escape in style to the countryside to visit the horses, letting me forget about my worries for bit. These are things I’ll never forget and memories that are irreplaceable.
The 2019 HONDA TOURING starts at $52,490 CAN. More here.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#PRODUCTWATCH: HOLIDAYS IN THE 2019 HONDA ACCORD TOURING
Santa certainly delivered this Holiday season as we had the opportunity to test drive the brand-new 2019 Honda Accord Touring! True to form, this vehicle captures the Accord’s luxe legacy with the practicality and then some, of today’s consumer tastes.
At 192 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque, the Accord comes with a 1.5 litre, 16-valve, Direct injection, i-VTEC turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive, allowing us to power through from city to countryside to suburbs in style in a fitting Platinum White Pearl on our Holiday travels.
As gas prices continue to plummet, we took full advantage with the car’s ECON mode, getting the best bang for our buck. Parting with the car was super-tough at the end of it all and we’ll definitely miss this our stylish sidekick and the adventures it took us on. A SPORT mode also is available for performance.
We love the Accord‘s Display Audio System with Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System. It understands our obsession of staying connected with wireless charging and charging ports. Connecting to the Bluetooth Audio on our Blackberry Key 2 was simple, as we streamed whatever our heart desired on Spotify. And we always enjoy our morning drives downtown listening to Sirius XM Hits 1 on its 452-watt AM/FM Premium Audio system with 10 speakers including subwoofer, enabling us to hear details on songs we never heard before.
Heated front and rear seats with perforated leather-trimmed seating surfaces give the Accord Touring remarkable style and passengers in the back also had charging ports because passengers matter too. We were never cold for long with its heated steering wheel and we’ve totally gotten the hang of Honda‘s unique push-button gears. We’re a huge fan of its easy-clean floor mats and its trunk also had a similar for practicality as our snow brush retained moisture from our messy morning brushes. The moonroof is a thing of beauty and we wouldn’t want to experience the Accord any other way than with the ambient lighting it provides.
Lane Departure Warning, Brake Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Traffic Sign (including speed limit) Recognition, Vehicle Stability Assist, 4-wheel Anti-lock Brakes, Auto High Beam and its i-SRS Airbag System are potential lifesavers. Safety features on the Honda Accord Touring seem limitless and we felt safe and secure always no matter what terrain or conditions this winter threw at us.
Small quirks included the anxiety-inducing Tire Pressure Low warning light appearing suddenly on Christmas Day shortly after driving over a speed bump in the country. When we were finally able to get to a gas station and monitor our tire pressure, all appeared fine. A quick Google search taught us to re-calibrate by going into Vehicle settings on the Accord‘s touch-screen display and under TPMS Calibration, we selected the Calibrate option which made the warning go away. Also amidst the cold to warn transitions, a small crack developed on the windshield already although this easily can be addressed. Otherwise, the car is near-perfection.
The Accord, designed for all conditions
#PRODUCTWATCH: 2018 HONDA CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID
This is the future! We had the pleasure of test-driving the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid and it was pure innovation. The car is a mixture of old school charm (especially in Moonlit Forest Pearl!) complete with velvet trimming and retro air vents and state of the art Honda technology and we’ve never seen anything quite like it. With a 1.5-litre, 16-valve, Atkinson cycle DOHC, 4-cylinder engine, Eco-Assist System and a combined total 212 horsepower, this wide and low-riding vehicle places fuel economy and consciousness first. Would you believe we filled half a tank of gas for less than $15? With gas prices plummeting over the past week, we fully capitalized on this, taking our travels from City to Countryside and the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid was game for whatever we threw its way.
Furnished in a classic style, we got the best of new and old school with this spacious, push-button shift ride which seats five comfortably. USB Charging Ports are tucked away neatly out of view so not to tamper with the vehicle’s sleek aesthetic. And we cannot get enough of that 8 inch display with Honda Satellite-linked navigation, allowing us to control climate, listen to Sirius XM, the radio and also stream Spotify off our smartphone. Our Blackberry Key 2 had no issues syncing here and we were relieved! Its eight-speaker audio system sounded so fantastic, we couldn’t help but do Caraoke with it! More to come on that.
There are a litany of safety features which highlight the Clarity. We love that it has brake assist, a four-wheel anti-locking brake system, hill assist, lanewatch blindspot display, forward collision warning, lane departure and lane-keeping assist. In terms of passive safety, it has Smartvent side airbags and side curtain airbags and even a front driver knee airbag! We felt safe and even on the worst road conditions in our rural driving, we never slid once.
Now for a few quirks, which we ever rarely have had to report about with Honda vehicles. The Clarity‘s deep drink holders are designed specifically for the equivalent of a coffee tumbler or a Venti-sized beverage. This means we fumbled reaching for our Grande-sized beverage, resulting in messy, hot spills as we squeezed our cup a bit to hard trying to grip it out of the holder. One cool thing though, we got a notification to check our smartphone on the display after the connected USB cable became wet from the spilled drink. The car’s acoustic windshield wipers we found a tad loud and jarring when in operation and defogging the rear-view and passenger mirrors was a bit challenging in these wet, frigid conditions. Some rear-window wipers would’ve made a world of difference.
While we applaud the Clarity‘s ambition of encouraging drivers to go the electrical route, one drive home from downtown wiped-out the battery charge completely. While we love the $15 half-tank of gas, we found ourselves having to fill-up more frequently and this takes a bit of getting used to. Admittedly it still is tough to find electrical charging stations around town, especially in our travels outside the City.
We’re glad we got to experience the Clarity‘s sophistication and we’re sure the best is yet to come with this one.
Some adventures from the weekend!
Canadian Christmas Pet Expo
Baby Zeke – I’m an uncle again!
View this post on Instagram
Welcome to the world, Baby Zeke! ❤ Congrats Christine x Franz! I’m an uncle again!! #NikonD3400
Visiting the Godkids!
View this post on Instagram
Picture-perfect day with the godkids @mrwillthehorse and @apicbymrwill. #NikonD3400
Celebrating Cheap Gas!
Flawless in the 2018 @HondaCanada Clarity. $17 to fill half a tank of gas. 👏 pic.twitter.com/z6LB6C7nAe
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) November 27, 2018
Caraoke in the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid: MY GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST!
The 2019 Honda Clarity is coming soon. More here.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#PRODUCTWATCH: 2018 HONDA CIVIC 5D SPORT
Last TIFF we had the joy of making a splash around town in the Civic 5D Sport and we were so thrilled to be reunited our Birthday Week with the 2018 edition of this gem! Over the course of the week, we practically adopted it as our v. own, learning its intricacies, rhythms and flows.
Fuel economy and performance make for that perfect combination in the 2018 Honda Civic 5D Sport. We’ve never felt more at home in a vehicle and would seriously consider making it ours. Plummeting gas prices this past week were a double-win for us, taking us far on value. We calculated two return trips from the east end to our day job downtown, barely leaving a mark on its fuel gauge using the car’s famous ECON mode. Not a surprise considering its combined 7.3L/100 km fuel economy. The car took us on many adventures, urban and rural performing with versatility on everything from highway to dirt roads. We were in control with its 180 @ 5500 (MT) / 180 @ 6000 (CVT) horsepower and 1.5-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.
The Honda Civic 5D Sport’s six-way adjustable driver’s seat is a new gold standard and we won’t accept anything less than that anymore! Spacious passenger seating (everyone gets heated seats!) meant friends could share in my journeys, including out favourite of all, little Billy! We saw the gorgeous countrysides of Caledon, the stunning Katherine Heigl and even our dream dad Tony Danza in a rare appearance out in Burlington of all places, making time for a stopping-off at one of our favourite spots, Kelly’s Bake Shoppe for a Birthday Cupcake!
Quality Time with the Prince and Princess
The car’s jam-packed with goodies and to us, great acoustics are almost just as important as the drive itself. Now, we were a little annoyed our Blackberry Key 2 simply wouldn’t pair via Bluetooth, fortunately we have our Samsung S8 Plus from which we streamed our Music. The Honda Civic 5D Sport comes with a 180-watt AM/FM audio system with MP3/Windows Media®Audio playback capability and 8 speakers. Our Birthday Week scored pretty much by the amazing A STAR IS BORN Soundtrack, only meant one thing! We had to do Caraoke to our favourite I’ll Never Love Again from the Film! We hope we did Lady Gaga some justice!
We are obsessed with the car’s highly-customizable climate control, which is managed through its 7″ colour TFT display system, giving driver and passenger each options for their own temperatures. A wireless phone charging plate and USB ports give us piece of mind that we’ll always be connected. The car’s deep armrest with slideable drink holders for our Birthday Reward Americano from Starbucks, is a thing of genius and a new standard we’ll hold others to. We love to shop, stocking-up when we have a car and that sizey hatchback trunk nails all the marks in practicality.
Safety as always with Honda vehicles is a priority. Its brake assist, forward collision warning, vehicle stability assist, i-SRS airbag system and SmartVent™ side airbags are life savers. We love that it also gave us sufficient notice that the car we test drove was due for maintenance soon.
We had such a tough time giving this one back, but can you blame us?
Learn more about the 2018 Honda Civic 5D Sport, starting at $21,790 CAN here.
Superb drive to work today in the 2018 @HondaCanada Civic 5D Sport. Found that perfect traffic-free route to work. Got my @StarbucksCanada, @ladygaga and good to go! pic.twitter.com/sc3ELsXvRB
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) October 16, 2018
It was a Birthday Week for the books and we couldn’t have done it without the 2018 Honda Civic 5D Sport!
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#PRODUCTWATCH: 2018 HONDA ACCORD HYBRID TOURING
A bad experience in the Honda Accord? Never! The 2018 HONDA ACCORD HYBRID TOURING nails all the marks once again and this Civic Day long weekend we had the pleasure of a test drive in this latest from the outstanding Honda Canada family of vehicles.
Performance wise, the 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring is pure power. We’ve driven several options from the Civic family which we think highly of already, but you realize the difference right away with the Accord‘s 1.5-litre, 16-valve, Direct injection, DOHC, i-VTEC turbocharged 4 cylinder engine, 192 horsepower @ 5500 rpm and 192 lb.-ft torque @ 1600-5000 rpm. Fuel economy is a top selling point for us and we have come to expect this with vehicles by Honda Canada. Our drives were long and out trips frequent and we were impressed just how far its ECON mode took us and for how little!
Spilling with luxury, this flashy headturner in platinum white pearl, garnered us a few DMs from friends who spotted us driving about, inquiring about the ride. One commented, that they saw us gliding smoothly through speed bumps, which is the truest testament as this isn’t something a friend has gone out of their way to say to us before.
We are in love with the Accord’s super-sizey 7″ colour TFT meter display, giving us access to its display audio system, compatible via Bluetooth with our smartphone’s music library and of course the now-necessary Spotify. We never take for granted the SiriusXM capability and the Accord‘s 452-watt premium audio system with 10 speakers including subwoofer are simply majestic and make every drive a symphony!
Staying safe and connected via text messages which are readable via the meter display when convenient for us, plus being able to accept and make calls easily, allows us to be efficient and make the most of our time-crunched day. We love that there are multiple charging ports, plus also a charging plate for our smartphone so we never have an excuse to miss anything!
We love those perforated leather-trimmed seats with heated steering wheel, front and rear seats, which would be ideal in our chilly winters. The seats even cool down too for our hot summers! In terms of climate control we don’t think we’ve sat in a car with more powerful air circulation and those sitting in the back would agree also, with its rear console ventilation.
We don’t recall what life was like without that handy proximity remote entry and being able to pop our trunk open with our hands full of bags (and Billy!) and Honda Canada once again asserts its place as a leader in innovation and user-friendliness.
Safety continues to be a huge priority for the Automaker. We admit we are a little obsessed with the holographic windshield speedometer which actively lets us know when we are exceeding or reaching the speed limit. Its Blind Spot Information System (BSI) is pardon-the-pun spot-on, particularly handy together with its rearview camera letting you know when you are backing-out of a parking spot and cars are in the vicinity. The same applies to its Forward Collision Warning, keeping us aware and alert of potential dangers. The Accord‘s i-SRS Airbag System and front knee airbags are best in class and we drive assured knowing the Accord has our back… and front!
We have nothing ACCORDlades for this beauty.
See some Snaps:
Just some of our awesome weekend adventures. Wish you were there!
The 2018 HONDA ACCORD HYBRID TOURING starts at $35,890 CAN. More here.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#PRODUCT WATCH: 2018 HONDA CIVIC TOURING
It was a hectic weekend with it being both Canada Day and the Queen’s Plate, but it wouldn’t have been the same without the 2018 HONDA CIVIC TOURING! As you know from having followed me, the Queen’s Plate is my party of the Summer and now being expanded to a three day Festival, mobility was crucial. We’ve been busier than ever and we looked forward to a weekend finally with even the slightest of “me time” in there. Work-life balance always is good, although we’ve been feeling pretty work-work only lately. With Billy just finishing his Chemotherapy and my going through a lot of work changes in scheduling has proven a bit stressful. We wanted a car we could rely on, which was no fuss as we already had more than enough on our mind.
A marriage of style and practicality, there is a reason why Canadians keep choosing the Honda Civic as their favourite car – a top-seller in the Country for 20 years. This edition more than ever veers further to the luxury with upscale fixings like a power moonroof, sleek leather seats (eight adjustable positions for the driver), the almost requisite rear-view camera, smartphone charging plate, rain-sensing windshield wipers and keyless entry/ignition. More importantly, with fuel being as pricy as it is right now, its ECON mode certainly will win a fan or two over. We test drove the 2018 HONDA CIVIC TOURING, far-stretching runs, and still hadn’t used a tank of gas six days counting. The car nails all the marks.
Boasting a 1.5-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, turbocharged 4-cylinder, 174 hp* engine, we felt empowered every step of the way. Safety comes first with Honda Civics and its lane departure and lane watch systems were hard at work even when we tired after long days in the sweltering heat this past weekend. We are obsessed with the easy to use climate control panel and air conditioning kicked in at remarkable speeds when needed badly.
Connectivity is a huge selling point for us. Its charging plate, which worked well with our Samsung Galaxy, wouldn’t recognize some iPhones (iPhone 7) and newer Blackberrys (Key 2). Either way, the trusty USB port was an easy fix to that issue. A 452-watt AM/FM Premium audio system with 10 speakers (including subwoofer), sounded glorious and it’s always a blast catching-up with SIRIUS XM, although we went to Spotify a lot for our drives this time.
Some Snaps:
Alas, we had a bit of “us time” today by the water, courtesy of the 2018 Honda Civic Touring and we are grateful for it. Always make time for those you love most. One day you’ll look back and wish you did.
Our “Us Day”:
Some fun at the 2018 Queen’s Plate Festival:
More on that here.
The 2018 Honda Civic Touring starts at just $29,472.50 CAN. Learn more about it here.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#PRODUCTWATCH: 2018 HONDA FIT LX
Good things come in small packages and this would be the case with the 2018 HONDA FIT LX. We had a chance to test drive this Chinese New Year and Family Day weekend, the compact and workmanlike vehicle in a thematically-fitting Milano Red, which rates high on value. Whether it be our ties to rural areas of southern Ontario or the bustle of our downtown life, the FIT gave us the gift of connecting with our loved ones this long weekend.
Equipped with a 1.5-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine, 128 horsepower @ 6600 rpm and 114 lb.-ft of torque @ 4600 rpm, the 2018 HONDA FIT LX displays a versatility for both urban and suburban driving.
With a combined highhway/city fuel economy of 7.4 L/100 km, plus and Eco Assist™ system, the car is as good for the environment as it is your wallet.
While we don’t often think of the HONDA FIT as being state-of-the-art in bells and whistles, it hits the mark in several places. We loved that it still has heated seating, a touch panel for audio, Honda Sync and navigation, plus a rear-view camera for reversing/parking. Its climate control with actual knobs and buttons is extremely user-friendly. Also, there are multiple charging ports which is all-important.
We love too that there is a thoughtful driver’s side cupholder and large wing mirrors that are handy. We can never have enough coffee.
Vehicle Stability Assist, side airbags and an intuitive Lane Departure System highlight some of the safety features here.
While we have been spoiled with some more luxurious offerings from the HONDA Canada family, we will say that we wish that features like keyless ignition, more audio speakers (the FIT comes with four) proximity unlock and being able to open/shut the hatchback via remote were native to the FIT LX. We cannot deny that starting at only $20,373 CAN that this can be overlooked.
More Snaps from the weekend, from family (human and furry) to friends to stars. Hover cursor left and right to navigate slideshows.
More #SHAZAM Cast sightings including @smugorange (#TheWalkingDead), Grace Fulton and @JovanArmand! #DCComics #ShazamMovie pic.twitter.com/NsYaDOlze9
— MR. WILL WONG 🏮 (@mrwillw) February 20, 2018
Creating new traditions. Happy #YearoftheDog. pic.twitter.com/OCg4A6YzQ4
— MR. WILL WONG 🏮 (@mrwillw) February 16, 2018
More on the 2018 HONDA FIT here.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#FIRSTLOOK: THE 2018 CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL AUTOSHOW
Giving automotive fans front-of-the-line access to activations, prizes, promotions, speakers and special events, the 2018 CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL AUTOSHOW takes place at Metro Toronto Convention Centre between Friday, February 16 to February 25, 2018.
Major events this year include HotWheels‘ 50th Anniversary, Porsche‘s 70th Anniversary, plus a chance to see up-close the world’s fastest car in-production, the Koenigsegg Agera RS Supercar.
Luxury Carmakers Tesla, Maserati, Mini, Mercedes, BMW, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce plus several favourites like Ford, Acura, Honda and more unveil their exciting new lineups. The latter just was awarded Canadian Car of the Year for their 2018 Honda Accord.
Getting tons of buzz was FORD‘s unveiling of their centerpiece, the 2019 Mustang Bullitt. The car commemorates the 50th anniversary of iconic Steve McQueen-starring Film Bullitt. We were thrilled to be among the first to preview the gorgeous Mustang Bullitt, the third edition of the car, mirrored closely to the original in green paint, with a dark grille and signature fuel cap. It has attitude, it has presence. It will be available to the public in manual transmission.
Other highlights on the Ford roster include the 2019 Ford Edge ST and the 2019 Ford Ranger Pickup Truck.
We spoke with Gonzalo Contreras, Product Marketing Manager from Ford Canada who tells us more about the hotly-buzzed 2019 Ford Edge ST, due for a summer 2019 release. “It is built right here at our plant in Oakville, Ontario which is creating Canadian jobs and is fantastic.”. “Our Ford Performance Team has fine-tuned it to have 335 horsepower and 380 lbs of torque per foot.”. It comes complete with a cutting-edge Rotary Shifter (versus a stick) which includes a Sport mode for those who like performance and drive a little more aggressively.
See some Snaps. Hover left and right with cursor to navigate slideshows.
See our BULLITT Movie! You best not take my parking spot! Things might just get a little salty! You can get your own Movie made at the Show!
More about the 2018 CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL AUTOSHOW here.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#PRODUCTWATCH: 2017 HONDA ACCORD TOURING
It was a blue Christmas, literally. We were overjoyed this Holiday to reunite with our friends and family thanks to the 2017 HONDA ACCORD TOURING. This luxurious beauty in Vortex Blue Pearl not only was visually fetching, but performs just as flawless as it looks. Come snow, fog or slippery roads, we were armed with the peace of mind that we were in a vehicle that had not only my back, but also the backs of friends and family who traveled along with me.
With its 2.0 litre, 16-valve, Atkin Cycle DOHC, i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine, 143 horsepower and 128 lb.-foot of torque at 4000 rpm, we traveled with power and purpose through the City from the suburbs to downtown core, all the way to country where we spent some festive quality time with Billy and Princess in picturesque snows.
Being Torontonians, often we dream of a White Christmas and at long last we were gifted with that pleasure this year. We’ll always have the Touring to remember it all by, driving through a shower of snowflakes landing upon our windshield and moonroof.
With the beauty of snow sometimes come unsafe driving conditions and we never once doubted our safety with the Touring‘s Vehicle Stability Assist® guiding us through a couple close calls. A Collision Mitigation-Brake System™, Collision Warning System, plus dual-stage, multi-threshold air bags and a Smartvent ™ side airbags all are there for us in the event of anything ever going wrong.
Nailing all the marks, the Touring also is conscious and cost-efficient with its ECON mode and ECO ASSIST ™ System. We made it through Christmas with three separate one hour-plus drives outside the City on about $50 of gas. You can’t beat that.
The Touring is none the short on detail. Sleek, perforated leather-trimmed seats have driver and passengers sitting comfortably. All seats in the car have individualized temperature control which is an asset in these frigid conditions. Pardon the bun.
A charging plate, which sadly wasn’t large enough for our Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus was at our service, but still with multiple USB charging ports we were able to stay charged and connected at all times. None can deny the importance of being reachable when driving conditions are unpredictable especially during the Holidays.
We can’t get over how gorgeous the Car’s Display Audio System is as we toggled with ease between tunes on our phone’s playlists to Sirius XM™. Their Holiday Traditions station was pretty much the soundtrack of our Holiday and we unapologetically blasted that big band festivity from the Touring‘s 360-watt audio system with seven speakers and subwoofer.
We are a huge fan of the Touring‘s proximity entry. We don’t know about you, but we ain’t got time to fumbling for our keys! The remote key’s push-button trunk opening was super-handy whether we were lugging bags doing some last-minute Holiday shopping or transporting gifts.
This recipient of the 2017 Best Resale Value Awards for Hybrid/Alternative Energy Car certainly has earned its acclaim. The 2017 Honda Accord Touring is priced at $37,400 CAN. Learn more here.
Follow HONDA CANADA on Social Media:
Some Snaps from our time with the Touring. Hover cursor left and right of each post to navigate slideshow:
#TIFF17: OUR JOURNEY IN THE 2017 HONDA CIVIC 5D SPORT TOURING
This TIFF we were so blessed to be able to test drive the 2017 HONDA CIVIC 5D SPORT TOURING. Compact, fuel-efficient with breathtaking style, this vehicle is an exceptional value which in Rallye Red, gave us that lift of confidence to absolutely ‘own it’ this Festival. Check-out our coverage TIFF ’17 here. You won’t wanna miss this!
We’ve driven many cars from the HONDA family over the years but the 2017 HONDA CIVIC 5D SPORT TOURING stands out as being among the best. It straddles the line perfectly between luxury and utility, being exactly the car we need at this point in our lives. Its leather seats are sizey with a heated option (front and back) and driving through the City with majestic skyscrapers peering down at us from its moonroof is something of awe.
Hover left and right to navigate slideshows:
Its spacious hatchback trunk was more than enough to transport luggage and various gifts we were given at lounges this Festival, plus also our own luggage travelling downtown to our hotel, the Novotel Toronto Centre. Above this, we could fit even Billy‘s cushy jumbo bed into that trunk space, which popped-open with the easy click of our remote.
Performance wise, it comes with a 180-hp, 1.5-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.
It also has a dual centre exhaust with a sharp, distinctive look that helps you stand out on the road. Truly this car is something remarkable outside and in.
The ECON fuel option helps us get the most for our dollar in a conscious manner. In fact we survived TIFF on a half-tank of gas!
The 2017 HONDA CIVIC 5D SPORT TOURING‘s rear-view camera and parking assist made navigating those tight parking spots in Entertainment District a real breeze. Above this, highway driving also is made simple even in our zombie-like state with lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and road departure mitigation.
It is incredibly intuitive with collision mitigation braking and forward collision warnings, so you can drive with that piece of mind that this car has your back. Visibility is not an issue in our unpredictable weather, climate controls is ultra-powered to defog those windows and there also are rear-window wipers which is a must for us.
We are all about the sound and the car’s 542-watt AM/FM Premium Audio System with 12 speakers is nothing short of glorious. We adore Sirius XM Hits the way it was meant to be enjoyed in a sound system this wonderful. We also loved how easily the car connected with our Android device and that wireless charging plate that kept us connected always to you with updates throughout TIFF ’17!
Saying bye always is so hard! Used only a 1/2 tank of gas all #TIFF17 with fuel-efficient 2017 Honda Civic 5D Sport Touring! @HondaCanada pic.twitter.com/Qi4M6BjKSZ
— MR. WILL WONG (@mrwillw) September 19, 2017
More on the 2017 HONDA CIVIC 5D SPORT TOURING here.
(Photo/video credit: Honda Canada/Mr. Will Wong)
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com