Opinions divided on the return of the Fiat 500
I have a 2012 Fiat 500. It’s fun to drive and park, but it cost me a lot of money in repairs: handle that stays in your hand, trunk that no longer opens, etc. I never got stuck in the winter, though. I love it, but it’s not a car that I would buy again, because the parts are very expensive.
Chantal P.
Will the Fiat 500e be offered in Quebec? I have a 2013 Fiat 500 Pop with 77,000 km on the clock, I love it, I’ve never had any problems with this car. I would love to replace it with the electric Fiat if it ever comes to us, otherwise, I will wear mine out until it dies.
Louise D.
For Louise D., remember that the Fiat 500e will be offered on the Canadian market from the first quarter of 2024. Still too early to say if this vehicle will be more robust following Chantal P’s comment. One thing is certain, the management of Fiat emphasizes that this time it has greater experience in the North American market. In addition, this vehicle, unlike the previous version, is not a derivative of a vehicle initially designed by another manufacturer (Ford Europe).
BYD, is it coming soon?
PHOTO ISSEI KATO, REUTERS ARCHIVES
The BYD company logo
Can you tell me why the Chinese manufacturer BYD is not present in Canada and Quebec or if it has plans in this direction? It seems to have some well-priced electric models with very interesting performance. In addition, it seems that in the United States, demand for electric vehicles is slowing and that dealers are finding themselves with surpluses to sell, while in Quebec, the opposite is true. Could we expect supply to increase here soon?
Robert D.
The BYD (Build Your Dreams) firm has big ambitions, but is currently focusing its efforts on Europe and Southeast Asia. The Chinese manufacturer then plans to target the United States and Canada within two or three years. Furthermore, there is indeed a temporary slowdown in demand in the United States and this will benefit consumers here. Moreover, several manufacturers already ensure shorter delivery times and some even have electric vehicles in stock.
It’s still a long way off, 2035
PHOTO PROVIDED BY VOLKSWAGEN
The 2019 Golf SportWagen
My rental car is a 2019 Volkswagen Golf and my lease ends in a year. I really like my car and I only have 15,000 km on the clock. At the end of my lease, should I buy it and keep it for a few years or invest in an electric car? My fear is that if I buy it and keep it for a few more years, I may have a hard time selling it or getting a good price since electric cars will be more popular. And there is the price of gasoline which will undoubtedly encourage buyers to turn to electric vehicles. I’m really undecided.
Mathilde A.
First of all, and at the risk of attracting the wrath of certain aesthetes, the automobile is generally not an investment, but rather an expense. Given your current mileage, the use you seem to make of it and the low consumption of this vehicle, it is better to keep it. Your fear about the growing popularity of electric vehicles is perfectly legitimate, but there will always be a demand for an internal combustion vehicle, even after the 2035 deadline (ban on the sale of new gasoline vehicles) set by the government .
To take the key to the fields
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SUBARU
The Subaru Forester has more ground clearance than a Toyota RAV4 or Nissan Rogue.
Given its underutilization, we sold our largest SUV. We kept our 2015 Toyota RAV4 with just under 150,000 km on the clock. However, even if it has all the advantages of a RAV4 (loading space, consumption, reliability, etc.), it has two major faults for us: a suspension that really leaves something to be desired and ground clearance that is quite limited for our fishing trips. We are looking for a 2020, 2021 or 2022 model and we are hesitating between the Nissan Rogue, another Toyota RAV4 or the Subaru Forester. Which one to choose ?
Emile P.
Of all your choices, the Forester wins hands down. Its greater ground clearance (especially if you opt for the new Wilderness version) makes it a better all-terrain vehicle than the other two.