Follow us on Twitter

Buying a Car?
APA’s new car buying is designed to save you time and money. We are more than just a car cost service. You will get fast information and professional advice to help you with every step so you can buy with confidence. Read more »


Lemon Aid Buyer's Guide
The Lemon-Aid Magazine is a unique summary of the APA's road tests, and information from consumers like you and the association's network of mechanics and body repair specialists.  Read more»


Investigations
Vehicle Defects, New Vehicle Dealer Ratings, Class Actions, Auto Repair Investigation and Used Vehicle Dealer Ratings. Read more »


Recently Driven 

2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
Read our review of the Sonata hybrid featuring a Litium-ion battery pack.

2012 Hyundai Accent GL Sedan
Read our thoughts on the APA's latest test drive: the 2012 Hyundai Accent.

Recently Driven Archive


APA in the NEWS 

The StarPhoenix
December 14, 2011: Snow tires aren’t the law, but they rule the road

Rennederg has been in the tire business for 11 years. He said it’s only in the last five or six years that the “winter craze” really took off. He believes the trend has everything to do with the improvement in winter tire technology ... APA is a strong proponent of snow tires. The organization said independent tests prove winter tires make winter driving much more safe. Read more>>

CBC News, The National
July 23, 2011: Internet Car Fraud
Police say con artists are increasingly targeting drivers who advertise their cars online... The Automobile Protection Association says it has seen an increase in this type of fraud... View the report >>

The Montreal Gazette
May 31, 2011: Magog gas station owner fined for retail price fixing
An 11th individual has pleaded guilty to conspiring to fix retail gas prices in Quebec... "These are not people in Italian (designer) suits working as oil company executives. They are retailers who run a dépanneur with some gas pumps outside”. Read more»

Toronto Star
May 27, 2011: Why do tires cost so much more in Canada?

"There’s little incentive for tire manufacturers to bend since they’re going to make the sale whether it’s on this side of the border or in the U.S."
Read more»


APA at the 2012 Montreal Auto Show Media Day
Three APA staff members were present at the well-attended press preview on January 12th. With a number of national debuts and access to senior auto-industry executives, the show was well worth attending. Among the significant developments for 2012, Greater Montreal will have an operational network of public EV recharging stations this spring, and the first Made in China car for the Canadian market was on display; it’s… a Honda! | Read the complete report

2011-2012 WINTER TIRE REVIEWS
This year's APA winter tire reviews are the most usable and comprehensive available in Canada. We surveyed tire experts and tire dealers for their ratings of winter tires. We then cross-checked the results against APA's test results archive from previous winters for tires that have not changed. This hybrid system offered several benefits, including the opportunity to rate over 50 tires -- a much larger selection that we could normally evaluate in a conventional tire test. | Read the full results

WHAT'S NEW

November 28, 2011 : It's time for Canada to revise its vehicle fuel consumption ratings
Identical vehicles sold in Canada and the U.S. have government approved fuel consumption ratings that are 15-20 percent apart. The Canadian figures consistently promise better mileage than the vehicle is able to deliver in real-world driving. For example, Toyota's smallest car, the Yaris hatchback, is rated at 5.5 L/100 km Highway in Canada, but a significantly higher (22% percent) 6.7 L/100 km in the United States. That works out to about seven miles per Canadian gallon less using the the U.S. rating, which is much closer to what Yaris owners report their vehicles actually consume. | Read More | Video

October 2011: Toyota Yaris Control Arm Failures
The APA is investigating reports of failing front suspension control arm bolts on the 2006 to 2010 Yaris. The cause appears to be corrosion. Symptoms reported by consumers include a thumping noise after braking or going over a bump. The APA recommends that BOTH front suspension control arm bolts be replaced. APA is writing Toyota Canada to request a warranty program or recall for this problem.
Read More | Fill out the complaint form

October 13, 2011: Car salesmen who overcharged by $25,000 will be able to sell again
George Iny, president of the Automobile Protection Association said the suspensions are still “significant” in view of the history of licence tribunals. | Read More

September 30, 2011: Automobile Protection Association vs. Toyota Canada
The deadline for submitting a claim in this class action has now passed. Toyota was ordered by the Court to repay fees paid by consumers to transfer its extra cost ECP warranty between March 31, 1996 and February 29, 2000... The APA found 520 consumers who had not received a refund cheque because Toyota's records were no longer current... The total value of their claims is approximately $55,000... | Read More

June 2011: Class action (Petro-Canada, Imperial Oil Limited/"Esso", Shell Canada Products, Ultramar Ltd. and Irving Oil Inc.)
A study conducted between 1999 and 2007 published by Measurement Canada (the government body that ensures the accuracy of measuring instruments in various types of business across the country) revealed that on average, 4.9 % of all gas pumps inspected exceeded the acceptable 0.5% margin of error and provided less fuel than the volume which appears on the pump. | Read More

April 2011: Time to Scrap Ontario's Drive Clean Program - Interview with APA's president, George Iny
Listen to the interview at CBC.ca

April 2011: Majority of shops unable to pass a simple test in the latest APA auto repair investigation
Thirty percent: that’s the percentage of repair shops that passed a simple test submitted by the APA in its latest auto repair investigation. Using three specially prepared vehicles and hidden cameras, the APA visited 31 repair shops in Toronto and Calgary for the correction of a simple problem. | Read More

April 2011: Report on the APA Auto Repair Investigation with CTV's W-FIVE
View it on the W5 website

Mercedes-Benz and smart d
rop warranty transfer fees in Quebec
On April 4, 2011, Mercedes-Benz Canada’s Warranty Manager, George Moffat, agreed to a request from the APA to drop the transfer fees charged on extended warranties sold to consumers in Quebec. | Read more

The Automobile Protection Association Issues Its Annual Review of the Auto Industry
The APA released its annual Lemon-Aid new car ratings today, available free on the APA’s website at www.apa.ca. The APA’s vehicle ratings are among the most complete available for the Canadian market, and include information on the options that offer the best value for each model, price comparisons between popular models, and the APA’s unique reliability ratings based on consumer complaints and the accumulated knowledge of the APA’s experts in the field of automobile service and repair. | Read More

Investigation of Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 2.3 l Engine and Catalytic Converter Failures An unusually high number of Mazda 3 and 6 with 2.3 l engine failures and obstructed catalytic converters has been reported to the APA. | Read more

March 2010: Report on the APA Used Car Retailing Investigation with CTV's W-5 | Read more
 

Avoid Lease Return Anxiety No charge consultation and appraisal service for APA members returning leased vehicles | Read more
 

Independent Trade-In Appraisal Service for New Car Purchases | Details
APA expands used car buying service. One month money back guarantee on locate orders. | Details
Free car lease and finance calculators | Lease Calculator | Finance Calculator
Get a Free Auto or Home Insurance quote at APA Group Rates Details | Details
Compare cheapest Auto or Home Insurance quotes instantly | Kanetix

Vehicle Inspection Service
Having the vehicle inspected prior to the sale is the most effective way of making sure you won't get stuck with a lemon or pay too much for a vehicle that needs a lot of maintenance. A proper vehicle inspection includes a road test and a superficial inspection to spot collision damage. The facilities that follow have been chosen from the list of shops provided to APA members, and have performed well in the past. >> VIEW THE FACILITIES

IMPORTING A NEW CAR FROM THE U.S.??

Canadian Warranty information on new cars bought in the U.S.

Advice for consumers planning to use CAMVAP
The published success rate for consumers is around 61%, but 54% of consent awards and 21% of arbitrated cases were ordered back to the dealer for yet another repair. For many consumers who have gone through the arbitration process, this is not a satisfactory resolution, but in CAMVAP's statistics they appear as a successful resolution. Some consumers who went through the arbitration process contacted the APA to inform us they wanted the vehicle replaced or a monetary award and were not happy with a return trip to the dealer. >> Read more