I recently had the opportunity to visit the Canadian International Auto Show held at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. The Auto Show has been a tradition of mine for years as I never miss the chance to spend a day (or two!) eyeing all the hot new cars manufacturers have lined up for us to ogle. With nameplates like Ferrari, Maserati, McLaren, and Porsche all on display, it’s easy to start thinking about buying a few more lottery tickets or selling a body part to make a down payment.

But as much fun and excitement the exotics offer, a good portion of the show’s 600,000 square-foot floor is dedicated to everyday cars and trucks purchased by Canadians daily. With over 1,000 vehicles on display, it’s the best place for visitors to comparison shop without any pressure or hassles. Having checked out various makes and models, here are a few of my favourite picks for Canadians:

Mazda3

At the show Mazda won 2014 Canadian Car of the Year for their mid-sized Mazda6 sedan. While the floor was buzzing with excitement over the win, I found myself just as excited by its smaller brother the Mazda3. With gorgeous flowing lines, the bold grill and swept-back headlight assembly completes a package that says, “Hey! Let’s go someplace fun today!”

Inside I found controls to be within easy reach, while its BMW-esque dashboard (particularly the center display unit) gives a sense of premium styling and features. Fuel economy is also a key feature with Mazda’s Skyactiv suite of technologies delivering impressive results while maintaining Mazda’s peppy drive characteristic. With a choice of sedan or hatchback, there’s plenty of options and trim levels to appeal to a wide array of buyers (personally I love the GT hatchback with the larger 2.5L engine). I wasn’t too thrilled with the overly sized center tachometer, but that’s a minor detail I’m willing to overlook given how terrific the rest of the car is. [Read more…]