Driving’s award-winning cadre of writers test and pass opinion on nearly every new car. The range is eclectic to say the least — the list runs from an entry-level commuter car like the 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage, Canada’s most affordable car (discontinued for the 2025 model year), to the rarified atmosphere of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the most expensive car sold in Canada.

Between these bookends you’ll find the meat of the market. Here are Driving’s most popular reviews from 2024, a little peek into what you readers clicked on the most.

First Look: 2025 Toyota 4Runner’s engine and interior

Derek McNaughton kicks things off with his First Look at the 2025 Toyota 4Runner. “The longest gestation in automotive history has ended with the birth of an all-new Toyota 4Runner — the first new edition since the fifth-gen arrived some 14 years ago in 2010.” That, in the automotive world is almost three lifetimes! However, as McNaughton notes, the infusion of technology, new engines. and safety equipment says “modern” without forsaking tradition.

Key is the same boxed ladder frame that underpins the Tacoma, Land Cruiser, Tundra, and Sequoia. This backbone gives it strength; the top I-Force Max hybrid powertrain with 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, a new eight-speed transmission and optional full-time auto 4WD system with a locking centre diff give it some needed brawn.

The Trailhunter model adds ARB’s Old Man Emu (OME) suspension with 2.5-inch forged shocks, 33-inch Toyo Open Country A/T and a lift kit. The softer side is found in the new cabin with available 14-inch multimedia monitor and a 12.3-inch digital cluster, two-tone leather and Toyota’s usual attention to detail. McNaughton sums up the 2025 4Runner by saying it has “the ability to endure some of Earth’s most difficult terrain without breaking or getting stuck.”

2024 Honda Odyssey vs used 2014 Honda Odyssey

Renita Naraine asked if the 2024 Honda Odyssey is better than her own 2014 model. Ten years ago, the Honda Odyssey was offered with six trims. Back then Naraine’s EX had a starting price of $34,990 and was two trims above the base. It had a push-button start and LaneWatch, which displays your blind spot on one of the two centre screens.

In 2024, Honda ditched the base EX, leaving the $51,970 EX-L as the base trim. Yes, it gets more toys and stuff like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, but the difference is not the gulf 10-years of advancement might suggest. The 2024 Odyssey has a more powerful engine and 10-speed transmission, which helps when the minivan is loaded with riders. However, look at the key measurements and not much has changed.

Sadly, vehicle theft is on the rise and has become a serious problem in Canada. “While the Odyssey isn’t on the top 10 list, you can still add Honda Locate ($978 for a five-year term) for some peace of mind.” If your vehicle is stolen, Honda works with local law enforcement to help trace it.

And so to the big question — Would Naraine sell her beloved 2014 Odyssey? “No. Why would I give up something that works perfectly fine just for something new?”

SUV Review: 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross

Jil McIntosh took the Toyota Corolla Cross out for a drive. “The station wagon may be almost dead, but its functionality lives on in the crossover, a name commonly used for something that’s taller than a car but not quite in SUV territory.” Toyota’s smallest crossover fits the bill. “The driving experience is what you’d expect from an everyday commuter runabout, which is a compliment. The handling is predictable, the ride is comfortable, and the steering is light and it’s easy to maneuver it in tight parking lots.”

However, the 2.0L four-cylinder engine makes 169 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque, which is the same as the Corolla sedan, which the Cross outweighs by 150 kilograms. Consequently, “acceleration is tepid, and drivers need to plan maneuvers such as highway merging and passing.” Another part of the reason is the Corolla Cross uses a continuously variable transmission, which makes the Cross noisy and feels “rubbery, making it seem like it’s not always in sync with the engine.”

Inside, you get what’s expected of an entry-level crossover – so a lot of hard plastic – but it’s put together well and looks good. What is McIntosh’s overall impression? “Before you decide, test-drive it thoroughly alongside the competition.”

SUV Review: 2024 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Brian Harper tested the 2024 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. After last year’s mid-cycle refresh and the addition of the upgraded Toyota Multimedia system, heading into 2024 the company added the Nightshade Edition that Harper tested. It spruces up the crossover with a blacked-out exterior package that flows inside — “black-upholstered seats with unique stitching.”

The Hybrid system twists out 243 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque. There’s also an electronically-controlled AWD setup that uses a rear-mounted electric motor to power the back axle when needed. The combo “is not going to get your heart pumping but that’s OK; anybody disappointed by the Hybrid’s lack of sporting vibes has inflated expectations.” The reason for going hybrid is fuel economy: “My week with the XLE Nightshade yielded an average of 8.1 L/100 km in a mix of driving that included wading through rush-hour congestion to get downtown as well as a substantial amount of highway use.”

Harper sums up his time behind the wheel this way: “Not the sexiest, sleekest or most opulent rig out there, the Highlander Hybrid nevertheless does its thing with a practicality that is hard to beat.”

Car Review: 2024 Mercedes-Benz S 580e

Elle Alder took Mercedes-Benz to task after reviewing the 2024 S 580e PHEV. It’s still luxurious and loaded to the nines, although it takes options to do the experience justice. Mercedes’ hybrid system is smooth and effective and makes good “use of free-wheel coasting to maximize kinetic travel with minimal driveline drag.” This helps to extend the electric-only range.

However, Alder took issue with the PHEV for the time needed to charge the battery. “Mercedes-Benz Canada claims that the S 580e’s 29-kWh battery can be filled to 80% in 2 hours, 15 minutes at 9.6 kW from an ordinary AC outlet. This is not mathematically possible.” After doing the complex math, Alder concluded the charge time would be “11.2 hours at best.” Likewise, Benz claims a “90-km electric range from a full charge, implying assumed consumption of 32 kWh/100 km. This isn’t great to start with, at some 50% higher than many electric competitors.”

Alder did praise the fully-charged PHEV’s smoothness and performance as well as the “pillowy air suspension.” The conclusion, however, was not great — the Mercedes-Benz S 580e “should be the finest car of its sort, but it very simply isn’t.”

Everything you need to know about the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

This collected coverage of the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander runs from the debut and First Look previews to Road Tests, Comparison Tests, Reader Reviews, and the ultimate Long-Term Test. It represents the collected wisdom of the Driving.ca team.

Coleman Molnar’s First Look described the extended-wheelbase version of Toyota’s midsize Highlander crossover as an “adult” experience across all three rows of seating. Matthew Guy said it “adds another arrow” to Toyota’s formidable arsenal. I think you get the point — it has people and cargo accommodations, which makes it versatile and a serious minivan alternative.

It also has three powertrain choices. The entry-level model is a gas-only 265-hp turbo-four; while the mid-level Hybrid twists out 243 hp. However, the serious punter will opt for the Hybrid Max, which comes with a 362-hp 400-lb-ft-torque hybrid system. It delivers economy and a spirited drive in large three-row package. The cabin is well-finished and richly appointed, with lots of technology and 2,761 litres of cargo space when all seats are folded. Leading the tech list is the 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. The graphics are clean and the menus easy to use. The available surround-view camera is sharp and can be rotated to take a look around the Grand Highlander.

Sami Haj-Assaad summed up Toyota’s largest crossover this way: “Unless you want premium and the attention it brings, more speakers and some other non-critical features, we’d easily recommend the mainstream Toyota Grand Highlander over its pricier Lexus alternative.” However, we’ll leave the final comment to Renita Naraine: “If only I could get it with sliding doors.”

Car Review: 2024 Toyota Crown

Peter Bleakney says the oddball Toyota Crown is a full-size four-door sedan with space-age lines, bold detailing, and two-tone paint treatment. It set heads spinning wherever it went during the test. Under the hood there are two hybrid powertrains. The Limited runs with a 2.5L four mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and three electric motors. The combination produces 236 hp. Step up to Platinum and the Hybrid Max system combines a 2.4L turb-four and a six-speed automatic transmission to an electric motor at the rear axle. Things do get more interesting with an output of 340 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque.

The drive is a serene and smooth experience that shields the riders from the stress of a rippled road with a “near-Rolls-Royce-esque disdain for a crappy road, especially when in Comfort mode.”

In the end, Bleakney says, “the Crown is the big, comfy sedan, intriguingly redefined by Toyota with all-wheel-drive, impressive fuel-efficient hybrid power, and up-to-date tech. It’s a daring piece, and a bold leap from its predecessor, the mild-mannered Avalon sedan.”

2025 Subaru Forester: Boxy, but good (very good, actually)

Andrew McCredie took a deep dive into the 2025 Subaru Forester. When it landed in 1998, it was one of Canada’s first compact crossovers, although it appealed to the station-wagon crowd more than competing with small SUVs. Testing it around the Pacific Marine Circle Route, a 263-kilometre (163-mile) loop on southern Vancouver Island, proved the 2025 model to be much more sport-utility than wagon.

For starters, Subaru traded in the bland and boxy exterior styling for something with “a more contemporary and dare we say rugged look.” Beyond that most of the updates are in the cabin — the Forester finally gets the optional 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen found in some other Subaru models. “It’s a great display, with large and intuitive buttons” and a welcome addition to the Forester family.

The 2.5L flat-four boxer engine has been updated and “more than 80% of transmission components have been changed to improve efficiency and acceleration and reduce vibration.” While the output is now rated 180 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque, McCredie was left wondering “if that power output is sufficient, particularly on hard alpine climbs” when loaded up for a weekend or week-long camping trip. That reservation aside, McCredie concluded “the new Forester is a solid, comfortable, and very capable compact crossover that should be on anyone’s shopping list who is looking in this segment.”

Owner Review: 2023 Lexus NX

Important features found on Driving.ca include owner reviews, including this one where Greg Williams sat down with John Storjohann. Returning from a cruise, his 2020 Lexus RX 350 wasn’t where they had left it, which was “a long story.” Anyway, Storjohann replaced the RX with a 2023 NX 350h Executive. “If this NX is stolen, we will not be replacing it with another Lexus.”

The NX hybrid arrived in 2015, with the second generation arriving in 2022. “I knew we wanted a hybrid,” Storjohann explains, “and we’d even sniffed around the NX hybrid in 2022. When we were forced to go shopping for a replacement for the stolen RX, we were comparing the new-generation RX and NX and just simply couldn’t justify paying an extra $9,000 for the RX.”

Asked what he likes about the NX, Storjohann lists the driver’s seat, the layout of the controls, and the dash, along with the heads-up display. He doesn’t find the four-cylinder engine and CVT as refined as his previous RX, but “the electric motors add a lot of oomph across the powerband,” he says. “And there are no issues with traction, thanks to the AWD-e function.” He concludes, “We have been happily driving the NX 350h for just over 10 months and are really enjoying it.”

Hybrid SUV Comparison: 2024 Honda CR-V vs Hyundai Tucson

Brian Harper pitted the 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid against the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid in one of Driving.ca’s comparison tests. These head-to-head tests highlight the pluses and minuses of the contestants. Lift the CR-V’s hood and there’s a 145-hp 2.0L Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine and a 181-hp electric motor. The combined output is 204 hp, while combined torque is 247 lb-ft. The engine works a continuously variable transmission.

The Tucson features a 180-hp 1.6L turbo-four and a 59-hp electric motor for a combined output of 226 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It works with a six-speed automatic transmission. Harper says, “Clinically speaking, both vehicles drive similar. No surprise, really, considering size, weight, powertrain numbers, and intent. Yet the Tucson Hybrid felt a little lighter,” on its tires.

Inside, The Tucson N Line is all logic. The major controls are laid out properly and the heated cloth front seats and heated steering wheel were much appreciated; the two 10.25-inch screens add some tech-y zing. The CR-V EX-L Hybrid counters with leather seats, a power passenger seat, and a nine-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Given how evenly matched these two contestants are in terms of size, fuel efficiency and, most importantly, intent, “the CR-V Hybrid needs to reduce its price to be more competitive with the stylish Tucson Hybrid. The Hyundai comes out tops in this comparison.”

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