What’s new
No changes known to GM for 2022.
Comments
Shunned by buyers, the undersized 2013-2016 Malibu was replaced by this generation in 2016 and sales increased smartly for a while, however, as this segment has evaporated so have sales of the Malibu. The cabin reprises the twin-cockpit design theme used since 2008, and is fully competitive in terms of style, fit, and finish. Rear legroom, which was a significant shortcoming of the previous Malibu, is quite generous due to a much longer wheelbase. The front seats are supportive but the rear seat is mounted a touch too low for adult comfort.

A 160 horsepower 1.5L turbo four is the base engine, which is hooked up to a new CVT. The 1.5L engine is quick and smooth.

Small-displacement turbo engines flatter the U.S. government fuel economy tests, but the real-world reduction in fuel consumption is likely to be modest at best, and the more complex engine may increase service and repair costs. A 2L turbo four is optional and is mated to a conventional nine-speed automatic transmission.  

The ride of the conventional 1.5L Malibu is reasonably absorbent. Road noise is high for a vehicle in this segment. Pleasantly weighted steering and solid braking.

Pricing
The base LS trim is nicely equipped and would suit the needs of many buyers. Moving up to the RS adds sporty trim and a power driver's seat at a tempting price. Migrating to the LT looks expensive. With leather seating, navigation, the powerful 2L turbo engine and complete active safety suite including autonomous emergency braking, active cruise control, blind spot, lane departure and forward collision warnings and a lane keep assist system, at what appears to be an enormous price bump. With only 1600 sold last year, the Malibu is fading slowly and likely won't be replaced.    

Reliability
Not rated. Insufficient data. A few complaints have been received regarding fauity throttle pedals on the current Malibu.  

Sm. Front Driver: G

Mod. Front: G

Side: G

Roof: G

Sm. Front Pass.: M

Head/Seat: G

Headlight: NR

What’s new
No changes of note for the Accord in its fifth year on the market.

Comments
The 10th generation Accord was a radical re-imagining what the Accord could be and totally rebooted the nameplate. Its silhouette has echoes of the Civic but eliminated a lot of the extraneous styling gargoyles of that car, resulting in a sleek elegance. The cabin looks upscale and is constructed from attractive components. A 1.5L turbo four is standard, with a 2L turbo optional. The 1.5L is hooked up to a CVT; with the 2L mated to a conventional 10-speed automatic transmission. A hybrid model is also available. Responding to negative comments about the infotainment system in the Civic and Pilot, Honda developed a new infotainment interface for the Accord that is straightforward to use. The climate controls are not only easy to use but its control knobs turn with satisfying precision. Seating is comfortable, but the very wide centre console is in exactly the wrong spot for drivers with long femurs, resulting in knee pain. The rear seat is supportive, legroom is abundant but headroom may be tight tor the super tall. The trunk of the Accord is spacious. 

The 1.5L turbo four powering the Accord is quick, flexible and quiet when cruising but drones annoyingly at low speeds and when gentle acceleration is needed. The CVT harnesses the power of the 1.5 turbo very well. The powerful 2L four accelerates with authority and is quiet while cruising but is not silent while gathering speed. While numb, the steering is precise and nicely weighted and brake pedal weighting and feel are excellent. Honda has done a good job at reconciling ride and comfort on the Accord. Driver's sit low in the new Accord and the high beltline results in less than panoramic visibility. The fastback-like rear window gathers snow quickly and the rear defroster could be more effective.   
Pricing
The Honda Sensing active safety suite is standard on all trims. With alloy wheels, a power driver's seat and heated front seats, the base SE is nicely equipped. The Sport trim adds a sunroof, upgraded audio and a heated steering wheel and is a bargain. The Touring 1.5L adds navigation, a head up display system and a few minor items, but is overpriced. The 2L turbo engine is a $3000 option on the Touring trim and $3200 on the Sport. The 2L Touring is a roomier and quieter car than the related Acura TLX, and is cheaper. An Accord hybrid is available and sells in small numbers. The Accord used to be a big seller and is more popular than many cars in the segment, with only 6403 sold last year, sales are down 50 percent than a few years ago.

Reliability
Above average reliability has been a feature of previous Accords. However, reports of engine turbo wastegate failures on Honda's 1.5L turbo is a concern. Waranty coverage on the turbo and intercooler ends at three years/60,000 kilometres. Honda seems to have addressed the intitial issues with poor running and no heat in cold conditions on 1.5L turbo in a satisfactory fashion. Unproven CVT and 10-speed automatic transmissions. The three-star rating of the Accord is largely due to the issues experienced by early owners of 1.5L Accords, the short warranty on the turbo and intercooler and some reports of turbo wastegate failures.     

Sm. Front Driver: G

Mod. Front: G

Side: G

Roof: G

Sm. Front Pass.: G

Head/Seat: G

Headlight: A

What’s new
The N-Line gains blind-view monitors in the main gauges, 360 degree view monitors and a memory system for 2022. The Ultimate hybrid gains no-occupant self parking, L.E.D. headlamps and a panoramic sunroof. Hyundai closed its order books for 2022 models in early 2022. 2023 models can be ordered by no info or pricing are available. 

Comments
Most Sonatas feature crisply marked conventional gauges but the Ultimate trim replaces them with transistor film technology (TFT) instrumentation. Other controls are logical and  straightforward, a Hyundai hallmark. Cabin materials on the top-spec model examined are well up to the standards of the current class leader, the Honda Accord. Comfortable seats are installed front and rear and legroom is good for all riders. The low-slung roofline adds to the elegance of the new Sonata but makes getting in and out more difficult than it is in taller cars like the Toyota Camry and Subaru Legacy.

Initially a 1.6L turbo four was supposed to be the sole engine for Canada but a normally-aspirated 2.5L four has emerged as the base engine for the car here. The 1.6 turbo produces 180 horsepower, 11 less than the normally-aspirated 2.5L four, making it look like something other than the upgrade Hyundai thinks it is. Power to the front wheels via a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission. The "N" model, with a 290 horsepower 2.5L turbo four,  hooked up a new dual clutch eight-speed automatic transmission, was phased in during the 2021 model year. The hybrid combines the efforts of a 2L four and an electric motor to create 192 total system horsepower. Power reaches the front wheels via a conventional six-speed automatic transmission. 

Safety equipment includes Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection. The system alerts the driver visually and sonically of an impending obstruction and will apply the brakes if no action is taken. Active cruise control with stop and go is standard equipment as well. Lane following assist will maintain the car in the centre of its lane in town or on the highway. Safe Exit Assist alerts occupants when a vehicle is approaching from behind, preventing accidents caused by open doors. Blind spot, driver awareness and and rear cross traffic monitors are all standard. A 360 degree monitor is fitted on models starting with the Luxury trim. The Sonata went on sale in early 2020. With 4138 sold last year, the K5 outsold the Kia K5 nearly three-to-one last year. 

Pricing
The base Essential trim, the only one available with the normally-aspirated 2.5L four, is, with a complete active safety suite, L.E.D. headlamps, heated front seats and steering wheel and alloy wheels, nicely equipped. 

The Sport trim adds a dual-panel sunroof, a power driver's seat and a dual-zone climate control system, looks expensive. The Sport is powered by a 1.6L turbo that adds nothing compared with the 2.5L four, except for unwanted complexity. The Luxury model includes leather seating, heated rear seats, ventilated front seat, a power passenger seat and a Bose audio system, at a reasonble price. The N-line trim adds a blind view monitor for left and right lane changes, a head up display, a TFT gauge pod and a wealth of minor features which is worth well in excess of the money asked, but also includes the 2.5 turbo engine, making it a bargain. Only offered in hybrid form, the Ultimate is, with out-of-car remote parking, is good value if you want the hybrid powertrain. The base 2.5 L model doesn't seem to interest a measurable number of buyers. The 1.6 T version of the Sonata accounts for account around 85 percent of sales, the N-Line high-performance model takes about 10 percent of sales with the hybrid tempting five percent of Sonata buyers. Wait times for the Sonata are about three months.

Reliability
The Sonata should exhibit average to above average reliability during the warranty period.  

Sm. Front Driver: G

Mod. Front: G

Side: G

Roof: G

Sm. Front Pass.: G

Head/Seat: G

Headlight: M

What’s new
Kia's new logo is appended to the 2022 K5.

Comments
Built on a 45 mm (1.8 inch) longer wheelbase than the Optima, the K5 is 50 mm (1.9 inches)  longer overall, the same width and 20 mm (almost an inch) taller.The new K5 is fronted by a slim grille in Kia's unique Tiger-mouth shape twinned with a large air intake below the bumper. Complex headlights are complimented by L.E.D. accents on their outside edges and rest above the very au courant jagged triangular shapes containing fog lamps. The side profile of the K5 is very sleek, with a interesting bright accent that flows from the top of the windows and trails down the roof pillar and join up at the end of the trunk to form a horseshoe shape. The driver faces a free-standing gauge pod with crisply-marked conventional gauges in most models, with the GT model having a wide-field, configurable transistor-film-technology (TFT) screen. A free-standing screen flows off the right side of the gauge pod. The rest of the cabin features some interesting shapes and textures and is roomy and comfortable. 

The K5 was launched with a 180 horsepower 1.6L turbo four, which sends power to all wheels via a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive gives Kia a unique market position compared with the front-wheel drive-exclusive Hyundai Sonata. On the GT-DCT model, Kia offers a 290 horsepower 2.5L turbo four that is now making its way into various Hyundai-Kia-Genesis vehicles. The 2.5L turbo hooks up to an eight-speed dual clutch automated manual transmission. Kia makes a big point in saying the the dual-clutch transmission features "wet" clutches. Dry clutches were a factor in the poor performance and durability of the Getrag-Ford dual clutch unit in the Ford Fiesta and Focus. The 2.5L turbo is exclusively front-wheel drive. Kia notes that forward collision, blind spot, rear cross traffic and driver alertness warnings are standard, as are autonomous emergency braking and a lane keep assist system. Collision Avoidance Assist with Junction Turning, which will stop the car if a left turn that would result in a collision is about to happen, is optional, as is active cruise control.

The 2.5L turbo is fast, flexible and pretty smooth for a large-capacity, highly stressed engine. The eight-speed dual clutch transmission on the car driven by the APA exibited hesitation at low speeds that led to comments from passengers. Steering and handling are crisp but rear passengers complained of a choppy ride on poor surfaces. Strong air-conditioning and welcome seat chillers but the audio system performance was just adequate, especially given the ultra-premium spec. of the GT turbo. Despite being an all-new and fairly compelling car, the K5 only shifted 1335 units last year. 

Pricing
The base LX, with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a number of other features, is nicely equippied. Moving up to the EX trim adds a dual-panel sunroof, a heated windshield, wireless cellphone charging, adaptive cruise control and rear parking sonar and is priced to reflect its additional equipment. The GT-Line adds ventilated front seats, navigation and a variety of additional features, at a fair price. The front-wheel drive GT-DCT, with a 2.5L turbo engine, a Bose-branded audio system, a head up display system and a larger central infotainment screen, has enough content to justify the price bump but does lack all-wheel drive.  

Reliability
The K5 should exhibit average to above average reliability during the warranty period.

Sm. Front Driver: G

Mod. Front: G

Side: G

Roof: G

Sm. Front Pass.: G

Head/Seat: G

Headlight: A

What’s new 
The SR trim gains a "Midnight Edition" suffix.. 
Performance
Nissan’s normally aspirated 2.5L four is the sole engine offered in the new Altima. Except when accelerating very slowly or while cruising, the 2.5L sounds coarse. It is especially unrefined when moving from a stop in fast-moving suburban traffic situations when quick acceleration is required. The throttle requires a determined push to engage any meaningful acceleration and makes the car feel lethargic most of the time.br>The Nissan CVT is programmed to mimic the operating style of a conventional hydraulic automatic transmission and generally works very well.
Steering is engaged by a thick-rimmed, small diameter wheel that is a pleasure to hold. While the steering is nicely weighted, accurate and holds its line well, if feels detached, a Nissan trait.
The Altima’s ride-handling compromise is pretty well sorted for a family touring car but some APA drivers thought the car felt loose and they detected some creaks from the suspension. Unlike some cars, which reveal their excellence as you become more familiar with them, the Altima makes a good first impression but then starts unveiling its deficiencies the more you drive it.
Visibility to the front and out the front side windows is very good but the triangular rise of the rear door belt line and the high rear deck limit the view for reversing and lane changes.  
The minimum possible temperature for the climate system is 18 centigrade, too warm for some drivers in really hot weather. 
The Bose-branded audio system in the Platinum range-topper delivers unimpressive sounds.

Comments
After a bizarre styling mis-step with the previous Altima, Nissan joined the contemporary mainstream with the latest iteration of the nameplate.
The interior is clean and modern and features class competitive space. The iOS/Android cellphone interface is standard and the car can sync up to the iOS and Android watches as well.
With direct injection and 80 percent of its internal components redesigned, the 2.5L four is, according to Nissan, virtually new. The Altima is exclusively all-wheel drive. The 2L turbo four, offered in the U.S. with front-wheel drive, is not available in Canada. 
The Platinum range-topper, with leather seating, a name brand audio system, is well equipped but its leather upholstery does not project the aura of luxury expected. 

Pricing
Standard all-wheel drive, an Altima draw at one time, is less of a factor now as many competitors now offer it. The Altima SE, with a power driver's seat, an active safety suite, rear parking sonar, alloy wheels and a remote starting, is nicely equipped. The Sport-themed SR Midnight Edition, adds bigger wheels, a sunroof, navigation, vents for rear seat riders and a heated steering wheel and is good value. With leather seating, a Bose-branded audio system, ProPilot 360, which includes active cruise control with stop and go, a 360 degree camera system, accoustic front door window and a power passenger seat, is very good value. With only 1218 units sold last year, the Altima may be nearing the end of the road.  
Reliability
New vehicle, not rated. Below average reliability is likely. CVT failures can occur on after the warranty ends.    

Sm. Front Driver: G

Mod. Front: G

Side: G

Roof: G

Sm. Front Pass.: G

Head/Seat: G

Headlight: A

What’s new
2022: The Outback Outdoor XT has been given enhanced off-road capability and renamed the Wilderness XT 

Comments
Following Subaru’s philosophy of gentle design evolution, both cars bear a strong resemblance to their predecessors.
Compared with the previous Legacy and Outback, the new cars are marginally larger overall but still trim for a cars in their class. The new Subarus are the last mainstream Subarus to move to its Global Platform that debuted on the current Impreza. Subaru notes that the platform of the new cars is 70 percent stronger than its predecessor. The Legacy and Outback are powered by a 2.5L flat-four, but Subaru says that 90 percent of the engine internals are new and it gains direct fuel injection this year as well as a stop-start system. The 2.5L engine produces 182 horsepower. The previously-available flat-six engine has been discontinued in favour of a 260 horsepower, 2.4L turbo flat-four that debuted in the Ascent. Power reaches all wheels via a CVT transmission regardless of engine choice.
Like the exterior, the design of the cabin of the new Legacy and Outback is one of gentle evolution rather than significant change. The biggest departure from the past is the 11.6 inch touchscreen that dominates the dash centre stack on higher-end models. The cars are roomy and comfortable and the cabins are nicely finished. The new cars have very roomy cabins, with a commanding driving position and big windows to aid outward vision. The trunk on the sedan is commodious, and while the cargo bay on the Outback is long and quite wide, it is shallower below the windows than some other competitors. 
Subaru’s Eyesight active safety suite is standard on all trims. Added for this new-generation car is a Driver Mitigation system that uses facial recognition software to detect driver drowsiness or distraction. Adaptive cruise control, long an Eyesight feature, now includes a new lane centring device.

Pricing
Legacy. With the Eyesight safety suite a good level of equipment, including a power driver's seat, the base Convenience model Legacy is well equipped and avoids the large touchscreen that incorporates the tiresome, screen-based fan speed and air distribution controls into the screen. Moving up to the Touring trim adds alloy wheels, a sunroof, fog lights, the larger touchscreen, dual-zone auto temperature controls and a variety of other comfort and convenience items, at a price that reflects the value of the additional content. The Limited trim adds leather seating, a Harman-Kardon branded audio system, navigation and more soft-touch cabin surfaces, and is reasonable value. Adding the turbo engine to the Limited trim adds $2900. Moving up to the Premier range-topper adds Nappa leather, a CD player, ventilated seat power-fold door mirrors, at a reasonable cost. With only 971 units sold last year, the Legacy is not resonating with customers.

Outback: the Outback parallels the Legacy lineup for trim upgrades. The base Convenience trim lacks alloy wheels but is otherwise well equipped and allows buyers to avoid the larger touchscreen that incorporates fan speed and air distribution into the screen. Moving up to the Touring adds a sunroof, alloy wheels, a power tailgate and dual-zone auto climate controls, at a price that reflects the value of the content. Upgrading to the Limited adds leather seating, a Harmon-Kardon branded audio system, navigation and a host of minor features and is reasonable value. The Premier trim includes Nappa leather, ventilated seats and power-fold door mirrors at a price that is fair. Upgrading to the turbo engine costs an extra $2800 on the Limited and Premier trims. The Wilderness trim is, with multiple skid plates and an "X-Mode" terrain system as well as a very interesting specification that delivers a nicely-equipped car powered by the strong turbo engine. If you allot $2800 of the $6600 price bump to move from the normally-aspirated Touring model to the turbo Wilderness, the trim is a bit overpriced. If you accept that the station wagon body style of the Outback is worth about $1500 more than the sedan format of the Legacy, the Outback, at $4400 to $4700 more expensive that a Legacy of the same trim level, must be a highly profitable vehicle for Subaru. With nearly 14,000 cars sold last year, the Outback is the most popular car ion the midsize segment. 

Reliability
Predicted reliability is above average up to around 100,000, after which engine durability problems with the mainstream 2.5L four could become a factor. Subaru claims the oil leaks and expensive head gasket failures have been addressed, but only time will tell whether they have been fixed.  

Sm. Front Driver: G

Mod. Front: G

Side: G

Roof: G

Sm. Front Pass.: G

Head/Seat: G

Headlight: G

What’s new
Conventional model: All XLE trims have been discontinued as has the LE AWD model. A heated steering wheel has been added to the SE trims. Hybrid: New Nightshade trim.

Comments
The eighth-generation Camry is now in its third year after a successful debut. Power stems from a 2.5L four or a 3.5L V6, both of which mate to an eight-speed conventional automatic transmission. Also available is a hybrid model using a 2.5L four hooked up to a CVT. The Camry is about the last volume midsize passenger car to technically offer a V6 engine but getting one released from a dealer is unlikely.  

The all-wheel drive Camry uses the multi-link rear suspension and drive system from the conventionally-powered RAV4. The sole engine available is the normally-aspirated 2.5L four. An "on demand" system, the all-wheel driveline defaults to front-wheel drive until it detects wheelspin, when it will send up to 50 percent of available torque to the rear wheels. The drive to the rear wheels will cease once wheelspin has been eliminated.  

Toyota’s Safety Sense-P, with pre-collision with pedestrian detection, dynamic cruise control and lane departure warning and assists, is standard, with blind spot and rear cross traffic warnings optional.

With an expressive dash centre stack and some wild shapes, Toyota pulled out all the stops when they designed the new Camry’s cabin. Clear instrumentation and logical controls are a snap to use. Substantial seats and good room welcome riders. The front seat headrests tilt forward more than some drivers will be comfortable with and could be a deal breaker. Large windows lend an airiness to the cabin and deliver visibility which is exceptionally good in an era plagued by limited glazing.  

Driven briefly, the large capacity normally-aspirated 2.5L four delivers a smooth, linear flow of power and strong acceleration. The conventional eight-speed automatic transmission impresses by its ability to function totally unnoticed. Once a very soft riding car with slightly nautical handling, the Camry, with nicely weighted steering, a good ride-handling balance and solid-feeling brakes, now mimics the performance parameters of the Honda Accord. Tne Camry hybrid was a strong performer and very economical. The normally-aspirated 2.5L model was very abstemious with fuel in steady-state cruising in the 80 to 100 kilometre per hour speed range.  

Pricing
Two parallel thems, (L)uxury and (S)port, are offered to Camry buyers. The base L trim is pretty basic for this segment and doesn't have much appeal to mainstream consumers. The LE, with alloy wheels, heated front seats and a power driver's seat, is good value and equips the car in a way most buyers expect. The LE Upgrade package adds dual-zone climate control, blind spot and rear cross traffic monitors, wireless cellphone charging, auto dim rearview mirror, push button start and is reasonable value. The SE, the base trim of the sporty-themed Camrys, is quite nicely equipped for its price. The SE Upgrade package includes a sunroof, dual-zone climate control, sunroof, blind spot and rear cross traffic monitors, wireless cellphone charging, a heated steering wheel and a number of other features, is good value. The XSE adds a dual panel sunroof, a six-way power passenger seat and ambient lighting, but is a bit overpriced. When additional equipment is accounted for, moving up to the V6 engine on an XSE model will set you back $3700. However, the V6 is more of a catalogue mention than a real car as dealers don't stock them and Toyota seldom releases one even when an order is placed. All-wheel drive, available only with the 2.5L four, all-wheel drive is an $1800 option on the SE and XSE trims. The all-wheel drive Nightshade trim lacks value. The hybrid costs an extra $2000 over the price of a conventional front-wheel drive 2.5L model of the same trim level.  Moving up from the LE to XLE hybrids brings a wealth of features at a fair price. Migrating from the LE Hybrid to the SE Hybrid is good value. The Nightshade trim has no value to cover its $900 price. Moving up to the XSE trim represents reasonable value. With nearly 12,000 units sold last year, the Camry outsells the Honda Accord  by two-to-one but trails the top segment seller, the Subaru Outback. 
Reliability
Predicted reliability is Above Average as the engine is normally-aspirated and the automatic transmission is a conventional, hydraulic design. The previous Camry hybrids have been reliable and durable. 

Sm. Front Driver: G

Mod. Front: G

Side: G

Roof: G

Sm. Front Pass.: G

Head/Seat: G

Headlight: A

What’s new
The front-wheel drive Tech model gains fog lights. A new light switch leaves the rear lighting on at all times.
Comments
The cabin of the Prius, with high, centre-mounted readouts, continues the Prius tradition but the quality of materials, with lots of soft-touch surfaces and matte finishes, is quite good now. The Prius remained popular even when gasoline prices were moderate. Interest will only grow with high gas prices now but supply is very tight so many intenders will be disappointed. Driven briefly by the APA, the current Prius, with sharp steering, crisp handling and a more controlled ride, is a big improvement in terms of vehicle dynamics than the Prius of the past. Outward vision is very good to the front but the rising window line of the rear doors places metal where the windows should be, forcing drivers to rely on their mirrors for making lane changes. The tailgate glass is bisected by a solid bar where the horizontal and vertical sections meet, which can block the mirror view of a vehicle following the Prius. The bigger batteries of the Prime plug-in model use up more trunk space than the conventional model.  

Pricing
Prius
The base Prius is reasonably well equipped. The Tech package adds blind spot and rear cross traffic monitors, wireless cellphone charging, sunroof, rain sense wipers a a power driver's seat, but is overpriced. On the base trim, all-wheel drive costs only $1000 extra. The AWD-e Technology trim is overpriced. Very good resale value and used cars find new homes quickly. Before you buy the regular Prius, take a look at the Prius Prime that can generate a good rebate.  

Prime
Moving up to the Technology group adds blind spot and rear cross traffic monitors, a power driver's seat, an 11.6 inch info screen, wireless cellphone charging and navigation, at a reasonable price. The Technology group adds a JBL-branded audio system, a head up display system and a number of other features, at a reasonable price. A Federal government rebate of $2500 is available as are rebates of $1500 from B.C. and $4000 from Quebec. 

Reliability
Above average reliability with no serious complaints about the complex hybrid system and good service from a dealer network very familiar with the car.   

 

Sm. Front Driver: G

Mod. Front: G

Side: G

Roof: G

Sm. Front Pass.: A

Head/Seat: G

Headlight: A