Auto Talk

The Accord has achieved considerable success, especially in North America, where it was the best-selling Japanese car for 15 years (1982-97) in the U.S., topping its class in sales in 1991 and 2001, with around 10 million vehicles sold.

Lexus has improved a very good sports sedan into a great sports sedan this model year. BMW should take note. There was a time when the German car maker set a standard for fun to drive cars.

Following its launch in the 2007 model year, the Ford Edge quickly became a standout among the expanding crossover vehicle market.

The top of the line Civic Touring at $28,000-plus is very much a bargain for a car its size and carrying the features it does.

During its long history Mercedes Benz has built many noteworthy vehicles some of which became desirable classics. It is not likely the 2016 GLE 350 diesel Coupe SUV will join that elite group.

I'm glad there are manufacturers like BMW and Volkswagen that still offer wagons. The right mix of options provides a car that can be fun to drive and functional when needed.

The Ford Explorer topped Canadian sales charts for three-row SUVs and crossovers in 2015 leaving domestic and foreign competitors well behind. Will this year also see strong sales? A good question as the recession deepens in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Kia's largest SUV has been refreshed and it's worth investigating for anyone shopping the $40,000 plus price range.

I'm told the 2016 Honda HRV sub-compact CUV is selling in very respectable numbers right now. Ford has nothing in this market segment but appears to have a sub-compact in Europe that will fill the slot.

The 2015 Golf won just about every meaningful award in the auto industry from North American Car of the Year to the Canadian Automotive Jury Best of the Best. No matter what model you choose, it is a very well engineered car.