Each year, the editor of the Wheels section in the Toronto Star asks the car reviewers to name the best and worst cars they drove that year. For 2011, mine were the Chevrolet Volt and Volkswagen Jetta 2.0. Find out the details by clicking here.
« A Cadillac parade and Al Unser Jr: My best and worst of 2011 | Main | VW's Jetta: It appears I'm not alone ... »
December 30, 2011
The Chevy Volt and Volkswagen Jetta: My best and worst for 2011
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Pen Collection
- My collection of fountain and ballpoint pens - click on each photo to see it all!
Automobile Information
Auto Technology
Auto Safety
- "Auto Safety - A Primer"
- "Car safety gives owners pause," Toronto Star, February 20 2009
- "Eyes Are The Best Safety Tool A Driver Has," Toronto Star, April 8, 2011
- "Five Dumb Driving Habits You've Got To Break," Toronto Star, August 15 2009
- "Ford MyKey", Canadian Driver, March 17 2009
- "Hands-free cellphone may be legal but still unsafe," Toronto Star April 2 2010
- "New safety features try to be nanny for your car," The Toronto Star, February 16 2010
- "No cakewalk about being a pedestrian," Toronto Star July 19 2009
- "On the Front Line of Vehicle Safety," Toronto Star Wheels, April 18 2009
- "Pet Safety In Cars", Canadian Driver, March 3 2009
- "Preventing crash-related trauma," Canadian Driver, June 8 2010
- "Putting off repairs is no saving," Toronto Star, February 19 2010
- "Reclined seat makes deadly catapult," Toronto Star, May 15 2010
- "Safe drivers are like chess players," Toronto Star, April 29 2010
- "Stop Trying To Be Polite", Toronto Star, November 29 2008
- "The right tire can save you money - and your life," Toronto Star, April 4 2012
- "Vehicle Crash Rescue," Canadian Driver, May 19 2009
- "What You Need To Know If Your Car Is Under Recall," The Toronto Star, January 30 2009
- "Winter Driving Safety Tips," Canadian Driver, January 11 2010
- "Your concern over tires should never wear out," Toronto Star, October 17 2009
MAGAZINE FEATURES
- "April, New Orleans", Lichen, A Literary Journal, Fall/Winter 2004
- "Band of Brothers" (Neville Brothers), Where New Orleans, November 2004
- "Cloudy with a chance of delicious: Cask ale," Sharp, December 2009
- "Details make the difference," Pen World February 2010
- "King of the Spirits", Where New Orleans, May 2005
- "Net Gain: Web Sites Prove Helpful for Browsers and Buyers", Vancouver International Auto Show Guide, March 2007
- "Rejection or Refusal?", Writer's Journal, January/February 2005
- "Rolling on the River", Where New Orleans, July 2004
- "Smart Car, Smart Pen", Pen World, Jan. 2007
- "Start Your Engines! Introducing the C-Series by Cross", Pen World, April 2009
- "Thank You Notes", Pen World, November 2006
- "The Economical AutoTrac Tractor", Rural Delivery, September 2004
- "The Need For Speed", Pen World, December 2008
- "Ultimate Carriers" (Dog-Friendly Vehicles), Dogs In Canada, September 2004
- "War and Remembrance" (D-Day Museum), Where New Orleans, June 2004
- "What Do Women Want?", Pen World June 2010
- "What Kind Of Boss Are You?" Tire News December 2009
- "Yes, We Had A Fair", Rural Delivery, March 2007
MY CAR ARTICLES
- "A Century of GM Cars in Canada", Canadian Driver, November 20 2007
- "All hail the taxi!",
, April 29 2012 - "American Drivers Know How to Behave", Toronto Star, July 14 2007
- "Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum", Toronto Star, August 11 2007
- "Audi's Aluminum and Lightweight Design Center," Canadian Driver,September 29 2009
- "Automobile Features: What's Good and What Ain't", Canadian Driver, October 16 2006
- "AWD, 4WD is more complicated than you think," Toronto Star, November 19 2010
- "Bad Drivers Make For Bad Days", Toronto Star, December 15 2007
- "Beetle Road Trip", Toronto Star, July 14 2007
- "Behind The Scenes" at a model changeover, Canadian Driver, February 2 2005
- "BMW Hydrogen 7", Canadian Driver, September 9 2008
- "Canadian Truck King Challenge", Canadian Driver, October 2007
- "Car That Started It All At GM Canada", Toronto Star, November 17 2007
- "Car Tips and Tricks For When Your Life Is Going to the Dogs", Vancouver Auto Show Program, 2008
- "Car Wash Industry's Going Green," Toronto Star, April 21, 2011
- "Challenges of Alternative Fuels," Toronto Star, June 14, 2009
- "Chevrolet HHR Panel", CanAuto, August 2007
- "Convertibles Through The Ages", The Toronto Star, May 25 2008
- "Detroit is Forgetting Small Vehicles", Toronto Star, October 6 2007
- "Diesel and gas worlds apart," The Toronto Star, May 4 2009
- "Different Brands, But The Same Cars," Toronto Star November 18 2010
- "Don't Get All Warm N Fuzzy," Toronto Star, November 28 2009
- "Electric Cars Explained," Canadian Driver, March 9 2010
- "Falling For A Pretty Face", Canadian Driver, October 3 2006
- "Fatal Car Crashes: The Science of Collision Investigation", Canadian Driver, August 8 2006
- "Ford Owners Host A Model T Party", The Toronto Star, July 26 2008
- "GM's Rollover Crash Testing Facility", Canadian Driver, January 3 2007
- "GM's Stolen Vehicle Slowdown", Canadian Driver, October 14 2008
- "Good Old Days of Motoring", The Toronto Star, May 24 2008
- "Hershey Automotive Flea Market", Canadian Driver, November 7 2006
- "High Tech Loses Out to Basic Common Sense", Toronto Star, February 9 2008
- "Horseless Carriage Tour", Canadian Driver, August 8 2007
- "Horseless Driving From Years Ago", Toronto Star, August 4 2007
- "How To Test-Drive", Canadian Driver, March 27 2006
- "Hybrid FAQs", Canadian Driver, September 16 2006
- "Hybrids fuel confusion for buyers," Toronto Star, June 27 2009
- "Hybrids Not The Only Solution", Toronto Star, March 29 2008
- "Insider's Look: 2006 Detroit Auto Show", Canadian Driver, January 13 2006
- "Insider's Look: 2007 Detroit Auto Show", Canadian Driver, January 15 2007
- "Is high octane worth the premium?", The Toronto Star, May 4 2009
- "Keeping Wheels Clean", Tire News, February 2007
- "Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera", The Journal of Automotive Arts, June/July 2007
- "Michigan's Auto Museums", Canadian Driver, August 2 2005
- "No ifs or ands about butts on seats", Toronto Star, September 14 2008
- "Precious Metal: Chrysler LeBaron Convertible," Wheels Extra, November 29 2009
- "Precious Metal: Pontiac GTO," Wheels Extra, September 18 2009
- "Precious Metal: Cadillac V16", Wheels Extra, March 15 2009
- "Precious Metal: Datsun 240Z," Wheels Extra, October 18 2009
- "Precious Metal: Nash-Healey," Wheels Extra, May 24 2009
- "Precious Metal: Tucker 48," Wheels Extra, April 19 2009
- "Return of the Chevy Camaro", Toronto Star, June 16 2007
- "Road Rage Trigger Easy to Pull", Toronto Star, July 28 2007
- "Road Work Ahead: Setting Up A Mobile Office Starts with the Right Vehicle", Vancouver Auto Show Program, 2008
- "Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Tour", Canadian Driver, October 17 2007
- "SEMA 2007", Toronto Star, November 17 2007
- "Should you trust Car of the Year awards?", Toronto Star, October 31 2008
- "Six FAQs About Hybrid Vehicles," Metro August 12, 2009
- "Slow and steady wins gas-saving race," The Toronto Star, May 31 2008
- "Subaru practises solid program to reduce waste", Toronto Star, September 27 2008
- "SUV or CUV? Here's How You Can Tell the Difference," Toronto Star, December 14 2009
- "The Collector King" (Jay Leno interview), Toronto Star, March 20 2004
- "The Realities of Restoration", Carguide, June 2002
- "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems: What They Mean To You", Canadian Driver, October 10 2007
- "To Tow, Or Not To Tow? We're Glad You Asked The Question," Toronto Star, December 14 2009
- "Top tips for buying a used car," Toronto StarApril 23, 2011
- "Truck Drivers Get No Respect on the Roads", The Toronto Star, March 22 2008
- "Want To Save Gas? Ban Drive-Thrus," Toronto Star, August 1 2009
- "What do fuel economy figures mean?", Canadian Driver February 23 2010
- "What does Ottawa do with all those 'green' taxes on cars?" Toronto StarMay 20 2011
- "What's In A Name? More Than You Might Think (Trucks)", Toronto Star, December 14 2009
- "World's Largest Small-Car Maker Throwing 40th Birthday Bash" (Hot Wheels), Toronto Star, February 14 2008
- "Pickups need dose of practicality,"Toronto Star, August 27 2011
- Sympatico Autos Stories
MY OTHER ARTICLES
- "Aging Drivers: Balancing Public Safety with Private Mobility", Canadian Driver, May 26 2008
- "Aging Drivers: Public Safety and Private Mobility", Old Autos, June 2 2008
- "Dining at the Lenten Table", Toronto Star, February 25 2004
- "It's All Business In The Korean DMZ," Toronto Star July 27 2010
- "Legislature is a place for politics, not prayer", The Toronto Star, April 20 2008
- "Menace Drives By In A Maroon Car", Toronto Star, August 29 2007
- "Mom Passed On Her Passion," Toronto Star, May 10 2008
- "Perly's Was Essential For Cabbies", The Toronto Star, January 29 2005
- "Rock and Roll Gearhead from A to ZZ" (Billy Gibbons interview), Toronto Star, November 12 2005
- "Rosa Parks Bus", Toronto Star, October 29 2005
- "So long, cassette players, it's been good to know you," Toronto Star, March 19 2010
- "Tattoo a declaration of automotive devotion", Toronto Star, June 21 2008
- "The Generation That Went From Coal-Oil Lamps To The Moon," Toronto Star, August 22 1994
- "Tractor show and shine has everything but the dirt," Toronto Star, July 25 2009
- "Viva Las Vegas", Canadian Driver, May 4 2006
AUTO FUNNIES
Taxicab Collection
- My collection of taxicab memorabilia - click on each photo to view it.
Kentucky Derby 136 - May 1, 2010
- A lifelong dream come true: I go to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby!
Become a Fan
- I didn’t grow up loving cars, but when the bug finally hit, it took me by storm. I make my living writing about them, and I spend much of my spare time playing with them.
I’m a freelance writer and a member of the Automobile Journalists of Canada. My regular outlets include new-car reviews and special-interest articles for The Toronto Star (Wheels section); new-car reviews and features for Sympatico Autos; reviews and a technology column for the Toronto-area newspaper Metro; articles on antique cars for Old Autos Newspaper; and articles in the industry trade magazines Collision Management, Fleet Digest and Tire News. You can still find my work at Autos.ca, where I wrote reviews and features, and was the Assistant Editor.
But I’m more than just cars: I also write about food and drink, travel, pen collecting, celebrity interviews and pets, among others. My work has appeared in such publications as Sharp For Men, Maclean's, Harrowsmith Country Life, Pen World, Dogs In Canada, Gambit, Where New Orleans, Rural Delivery and Writer’s Journal.
AUTOMOTIVE LINKS
- AJAC: Automobile Journalists Association of Canada
- Auto 123
- Auto Reviews Online
- Auto-Venus
- Autofile.ca
- Automobile Protection Association (APA)
- Autos.ca
- Autowriters.com
- Be Tire Smart
- Canadian Rodder
- Canadian Street Rodding Hall of Fame
- Canadian Truck King Challenge
- Car Test!
- DriveSideways.com
- Driving Ms Miranda's Blog
- Driving Tests 101
- Energy, Climate, Transportation
- Find the Best Cars
- Internet Car & Truck of the Year
- Kool Rides
- Lance Sorchik - Hot Rods in the Second Dimension
- MOTRface.com
- Old Cars Canada
- Parkwood Estate
- Straight-Six.com
- Sweetie Girl Racing
- Sympatico Autos
- The Car Chat
- The Garage Blog
- The Powder Room (Map of Canadian highway toilet stops)
- The Road Trip
- The Safe Driver
- This is what I think of your car
- Thornhill Cruisers Car Club
- Torque About Cars
- Women Drivers
- Women's World Car of the Year
OTHER STUFF THAT INTERESTS ME
FOR PEN FANS (LIKE ME!)
FRIENDS' PAGES
- BiGG Shooter
- Brian Early - Loose Nut Behind The Wheel
- Car Keys - Kevin "Crash" Corrigan
- Danny Bailey Photography & Videography
- DriveSideways.com
- Ellen Roseman - "On Your Side"
- Footcircles: Travel for Life
- Gary Gray (my big brother!)
- Hot Rod Swag
- Indelibly Yours Freehand Tattooing
- Jim Kenzie
- Joe Rada - Writer and Editor
- John LeBlanc's Crank
- Justin Pritchard - Auto Videos and Reviews
- Kathy Renwald
- Kevin Allman: writing about writing
- Liz Kitzul's Lipstick Run
- Lorraine Sommerfeld
- Michael Banovsky - Cars & Culture
- Nika Rolczewski's Racerchicks
- Norm West's Blue Sky Glass
- This is What I Think of your Car
More Stuff
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- You Can, But You Shouldn't
