2013 Ford F-150 Lariat // Photo: Ford

By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos

As the old marketing axiom goes, it costs a lot less to keep a customer than win a new one, and America’s Ford continues to lead in keeping its customers coming back to its showrooms.

According to the U.S.-based Polk research firm, for the fist three months of 2013, Ford continues to win back customers with a brand loyalty rate of 65.1 per cent among new vehicle owners — the best in the industry. Toyota ranked second at 58.5 per cent, with Honda coming in third spot with a 57 per cent score. Chevrolet (56.2 per cent), and Mercedes-Benz and Nissan (tied at 55.9 per cent) rounded out the top six brands.

There always has to be losers in these types of reports. And sitting at the bottom of the surveyed brands was Mazda at 37 per cent. However, that’s a 7.8 per cent improvement from Polk’s rating from the first quarter of 2012.

MONTMELO, SPAIN - MARCH 01: Jenson Button of Great Britain and McLaren drives during day two of Formula One winter testing at the Circuit de Catalunya on March 1, 2013 in Montmelo, Spain. (Photo by Ker Robertson/Getty Images)

Honda's history in Formula 1 is long and full of ups and downs. It was the first Japanese manufacturer to win an F1 race way back in 1965 at the Mexican Grand Prix with Richie Ginther behind the wheel. In the '80s and early '90s, their engines were used by hot-shot teams like McLaren, Williams and Lotus. By the end of their participation in 1992, the company had provided power to six constructor's championships, and five driver's championships, including three for Ayrton Senna. 

The decision to supply engines to BAR in 2000 - the team started for Canadian Jacques Villeneuve - eventually led to the team's purchase, and then a decade of disappointment. In 2006, BAT became Honda Racing, which didn't improve matters. Finally, the company pulled the plug in '08, selling the team to Ross Brawn, who somehow managed to mate new Mercedes-Benz engines with the leftover chassis to finally create a winner.

Obviously, that debacle left the company with a bad taste in its mouth. So, with Formula 1 moving to small-displacement 1.6-litre turbocharged V6s from the current normally aspirated 2.4-litre V8s, Honda's hoping its expertise in both the original F1 turbo 'era' and the similar setups currently run in IndyCar, will create a winner. 

That McLaren is its first confirmed customer doesn't come as much of a surprise. Ever since McLaren split from Mercedes-Benz a few years back, you could tell the relationship was strained at best. This way, McLaren can completely break all its ties with Mercedes while trying to regain some of its '80s glory. However, since the organizational and naming changes with Honda won't take place until the 2015 season, McLaren will have one year with Mercedes' new turbo-six. Here's hoping they aren't lame ducks during the transition.

Photo: Nissan

It’s been five years since a new automobile plant opened in Canada. And the news this week that Nissan’s North American production expansion plans do not include our country makes us wonder: Will we ever see a new car plant be built in Canada again?

Since the Great Recession of 2008, global automakers have been shying away from Canada when it comes to so-called “greenfield” manufacturing commitments. Honda's new engine plant in Alliston, Ontario and Toyota's RAV4 assembly plant in Woodstock, Ontario in 2008 are the most recent, while Toyota has announced that it will add a new assembly line to its existing Cambridge, Ontario facility to start building Lexus RX 450 gas-electric hybrid crossovers next year. But the idea of an automaker building an all-new automaking facility in Canada seems as ancient an idea as the 1960s’ Auto Pact.

Bing: What is the Auto Pact?

For example, take Nissan’s North American expansion plans. The Japanese automaker currently builds vehicles in the U.S. and Mexico. But as part of a global effort to expand its Infiniti luxury brand, and in addition to producing the Infiniti JX crossover alongside its Nissan Pathfinder platform-mate in a Nissan pant in Tennessee, Nissan says it is considering adding a second production site in North America. But even after federal Industry Minister Christian Parades traveled to Japan to try and persuade Nissan to built the new Infiniti plant in Canada, Nissan Americas Chairman Colin Dodge told Automotive News that Canada is not on the list.

Now, Nissan hasn’t disclosed why its removed Canada from the list. In the past, the high cost of Canadian auto worker salaries and benefits (relative to some of their American and Mexican counterparts) and the lack of taxpayer-funded incentives to entice automakers here, have been cited as the two main reasons why a new auto plant in Canada is simply not going to happen any time soon.

A good example of what Canada is competing against comes from an announcement this week from Toyota. The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority has approved a $146.5 million U.S. tax incentive package to lure Toyota into expanding its Georgetown, Kentucky factory to start building its Lexus ES sedan there. Since it opened in 1988, the Kentucky pant has been the main production site for Toyota Camry sedans. With Toyota kicking in $531.2 million, the plant expansion could add up to 750 jobs on top of the 6,600 current workers.

Compared to the Kentucky, Toyota’s recent arrangement with the federal and Ontario governments for the new RX 450 hybrid expansion looks less attractive. Instead of outright tax breaks, Toyota is receiving $34 million Cdn. in “repayable contributions” after investing $125 million of its own money.

So what do you think? Do you feel Canadian governments should use taxpayer money to offer more subsidies to automakers to lure them to Canada? Should the autoworkers take lower salaries? Or are these sacrifices too high for the benefits of more manufacturing jobs?

Source: Automotive News

The very popular Hyundai Elantra family. Photo: Hyundai

By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos

We’re through the first three months of the year— or “quarter” for you econ grads out there — and Hyundai’s compact Elantra is nudging out Honda’s perennially bestselling compact Civic for “bestselling new car” honours in the country.

Now, just to be clear, neither the Elantra nor the Civic are the “bestselling new vehicle” in Canada. So far for 2013, that title goes to Ford’s all-conquering F-Series full-size pickup trucks. With 28,870 copies sold through the end of March, the Ford truck handily leads the second-place Ram truck family, which sold 18,189 units. But when it comes to cars, the Hyundai and Honda are in a sales dogfight.

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

Last week we mentioned that the Cadillac ATS and Ram 1500 were named the North American Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year at the Detroit auto show. However, neither were named as finalists in the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada's 2013 Canadian Car and Utility of the Year during the recent Montreal International Auto Show.

Why? Well, the Ram is easy enough to explain: there were simply no other new or significantly revised pickups for 2013, and thus no pickup category during last October's AJAC Test Fest.

The ATS is more complicated because it did win its Luxury Car category against the segment-leading BMW 3 Series, something that shocked more than a few people. However, in the final tally, the ATS wasn't able to swing enough votes and was left out of the top-three.

The vehicles that are nominated as finalists are: the Honda Accord sedan, the Hyundai Elantra GT and the Porsche Boxster. The three named for Utility Vehicle are: the Ford Escape 1.6L EcoBoost and the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T.

Perhaps having the ATS selected as a finalist for Design of the Year along with the Porsche 911 Carrera S and Boxster will help sooth Cadillac's tempers a tad.

The overall winners are set to be announced during the media preview of the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto on February 14.

What do you think? Agree or disagree with the selections? Let us know...

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

While the North American International Auto Show in Detroit just served up around 40 new designs or concepts, it looks like at least one company held back something for Canadians. The Montreal Auto Show media day was today and Honda surprised just about everyone by showing off its latest small-car concept, the GEAR.

Funny name, perhaps, but the three-door hatch and tiny footprint are perfectly suited for Canada, and Quebec in particular. The press release describes the design study as one inspired by 'fixies' (fixed-gear bicycles) and hits all the overused buzzwords that plague the industry: "young, urban, Gen-Y lifestyles," "simple, utilitarian, but also customizable, connected and full of personality."

Eh. Anyway, the GEAR is a real throwback to the original Civics and Japanese-market City microcars, but I'm sure it'd sell by the bucketload. 

What do you think? Is Honda's GEAR inspired or insipid?

By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos Canada

We’re less than one week away before the annual circus (a.k.a. "media days") comes to Detroit. And already we have a pretty good idea of what vehicles will and won’t be revealed. Some automakers may have a few surprises still hidden up their respective sleeves, but what 2013 Detroit show production or concept debuts that have already been officially — and unofficially — leaked or previewed are you most looking forward to checking out here at MSN Autos Canada next week?

By Mark Rechtin, AutoWeek

Honda will unveil a subcompact car-based SUV — smaller than the CR-V crossover — at the Detroit auto show in January, the automaker said Tuesday.

Given that Honda plans to build a crossover based on the Fit platform at its Mexico plant in 2014, this concept likely will preview what that vehicle will resemble.

In a release, Honda said the vehicle "is a global concept model combining a sporty and dynamic SUV profile with a spacious, functional interior."

Honda declined to give further details.

By Steve Mertl for MSN Autos

The question has to be asked: Was Honda hearing hoofbeats when it decided to refresh its bestselling Civic barely 18 months after introducing a completely redesigned model?

The Japanese automaker says no and it’s hard to quarrel with the numbers.

Despite lukewarm reviews for the 2012 Civic, it broke a record in the U.S. market as the bestselling compact. In Canada, where it’s been the top compact for years and the No. 1 overall passenger car so far this year, Civic sales to the end of October were almost 43,000, up 24.5 per cent from 2011. The Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla were second and third in the compact segment.

Civic remains on top year-over-year while the runners-up trade positions, says Honda Canada product-planning manager Hayato Mori.

By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos Canada

Prompted by criticisms in the automotive press, Japan’s Honda confirmed a long-standing rumour that its “emergency refresh” of its compact for 2013 Civic Sedan will debut at this month’s Los Angeles auto show with “a host of safety, feature, comfort, chassis and interior styling enhancements that will further define the top-selling Civic as the best car in the compact class.”