Topic: Top 7 Uniquely Canadian Car Features

[AutoTrader.ca]

Can you guess which everyday features in your car are different from those that hail from south of the border?
Read more...

[bridgecity]

This illuminating feature has been required on all new Canadian cars since September 2021 and it turns the lights on automatically whenever the car is running.

2021? I thought DRLs have been mandatory in Canada since late 80s/early 90’s?

[tortoise]

I just found an article that said DRL's were made mandatory in 1990.

Thought a recent law change makes new vehicles also have to have their tail lights on with the DRLs.  I am ok with this.

[quadzilla]

Manufacturers have recognized the severity of Canadian winters for decades, and many Canadian cars are made with heftier starting systems to help ease the difficulties of winter car starting. These unique features include bigger batteries and powerful starter motors and alternators.

Really? Curious which car(s) this is true for.

It’s not uncommon to see an electric plug dangling from the front of a Canadian car’s grille. Our winters can be treacherous, and trying to get your car started in the heart of winter when it’s snowed in is a big reason why.

Ever been to North Dakota? Alaska? I don't even know a person with a block heater and would guess less than 2% on this forum have one. The majority of people living in Canada don't even live in an extremely cold area.

If you look back at the colour palette of 1955 Chevrolets, you’ll see that Canadians had unique colours unavailable in the States. These custom colours included Crocus Yellow, a lime-like colour, and Dusty Rose. More recently, the Volkswagen Golf GTI was released with 35 magnificent paint options in Canada and only five in the U.S.

1955? Many on this forum weren't even born yet.    I also thought the USA had the extra colours for the GTI.

oday, English and French are required on regular everyday products like a can of soup or a toothbrush, and the same is true for new cars in Canada.

 

It has been a while since I've been to Quebec but I can't remember finding English on many products or road signs. But don't worry, in Toronto they are.

[quadzilla]

Thought a recent law change makes new vehicles also have to have their tail lights on with the DRLs.  I am ok with this.

I'm a 2022 and all my lights don't come on.  If I remember correctly it was an option of this, or that, or else, kind of deal so basically they never made all lights come on all the time unless the manufacturer wanted them to.

[OliverD]

More recently, the Volkswagen Golf GTI was released with 35 magnificent paint options in Canada and only five in the U.S.

1. This was for the German-built Golf R and e-Golf, not the Mexican-built GTI.
2. For 2019 VW did in fact offer all of these colours on the Golf R in the U.S. market as well. So Canada had it first, but the U.S. got them too.

[OliverD]

Some newer models that were available here but not in the U.S. have included the Buick Allure, VW Eurovan, Kia Rondo, Nissan Micra, Mercedes B-Class, Mitsubishi Lancer Hatchback, and the diesel Smart car. Sometimes, cars even have different names here than they do in the U.S. The Nissan Qashqai, for example, is called the Nissan Rogue Sport in America.

The Buick Allure was just a LaCrosse with a different name.

[Arthur Dent]

Ever been to North Dakota? Alaska? I don't even know a person with a block heater and would guess less than 2% on this forum have one. The majority of people living in Canada don't even live in an extremely cold area.

Maybe some sports cars don't get them but basically every new car sold in Alberta gets a block heater.

[quadzilla]

Ever been to North Dakota? Alaska? I don't even know a person with a block heater and would guess less than 2% on this forum have one. The majority of people living in Canada don't even live in an extremely cold area.

Maybe some sports cars don't get them but basically every new car sold in Alberta gets a block heater.

I'm assuming this a dealer installed item.

[JohnnyMac]

Thought a recent law change makes new vehicles also have to have their tail lights on with the DRLs.  I am ok with this.

I'm a 2022 and all my lights don't come on.  If I remember correctly it was an option of this, or that, or else, kind of deal so basically they never made all lights come on all the time unless the manufacturer wanted them to.

I thought I saw something about Toyota making it mandatory that if the car was moving both the front and rear lights were on all the time, there was no defeating it.  But in years past the back lights could be off with the front DLR on, which always never made sense to me.  I also hate seeing people who leave their fog lights on all the time, there is no need.

[dkaz]

Thought a recent law change makes new vehicles also have to have their tail lights on with the DRLs.  I am ok with this.

I'm a 2022 and all my lights don't come on.  If I remember correctly it was an option of this, or that, or else, kind of deal so basically they never made all lights come on all the time unless the manufacturer wanted them to.

I thought I saw something about Toyota making it mandatory that if the car was moving both the front and rear lights were on all the time, there was no defeating it.  But in years past the back lights could be off with the front DLR on, which always never made sense to me.  I also hate seeing people who leave their fog lights on all the time, there is no need.

https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/safety-standards-vehicles-tires-child-car-seats/using-your-vehicle-lights-see-be-seen

New lighting standard
As of September 2021 the Canadian Vehicle Lighting Regulation will require that all new vehicles sold in Canada have one of the following:

tail lights that come on automatically with daytime running lights
headlights, tail lights, and side marker lights that turn on automatically in the dark
a dashboard that stays dark to alert the driver to turn on the lights
This standard will apply to all new vehicles (cars, trucks, SUVs, 3-wheeled vehicles, motorcycles and heavy trucks).

[PJungnitsch]

One nice feature on the Crosstrek is the lights revert to the auto setting on startup. Wish we had that feature on the fleet vehicles

[quadzilla]

Thought a recent law change makes new vehicles also have to have their tail lights on with the DRLs.  I am ok with this.

I'm a 2022 and all my lights don't come on.  If I remember correctly it was an option of this, or that, or else, kind of deal so basically they never made all lights come on all the time unless the manufacturer wanted them to.

I thought I saw something about Toyota making it mandatory that if the car was moving both the front and rear lights were on all the time, there was no defeating it.  But in years past the back lights could be off with the front DLR on, which always never made sense to me.  I also hate seeing people who leave their fog lights on all the time, there is no need.

You may have read it but it hasn't as of when my car was produced.

I have three choices. 1) AUTO 2) parking lamps 3) ON

While I haven't tried it yet, I'm sure I could turn on my parking lamps only and drive at night with no headlights on.

There is also a setting for when wipers are on all the lights come on. There is a delay (maybe 1 minute?) when you turn the wipers off before the lights turn off.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Thought a recent law change makes new vehicles also have to have their tail lights on with the DRLs.  I am ok with this.

I'm a 2022 and all my lights don't come on.  If I remember correctly it was an option of this, or that, or else, kind of deal so basically they never made all lights come on all the time unless the manufacturer wanted them to.

I thought I saw something about Toyota making it mandatory that if the car was moving both the front and rear lights were on all the time, there was no defeating it.  But in years past the back lights could be off with the front DLR on, which always never made sense to me.  I also hate seeing people who leave their fog lights on all the time, there is no need.

You may have read it but it hasn't as of when my car was produced.

I have three choices. 1) AUTO 2) parking lamps 3) ON

While I haven't tried it yet, I'm sure I could turn on my parking lamps only and drive at night with no headlights on.

There is also a setting for when wipers are on all the lights come on. There is a delay (maybe 1 minute?) when you turn the wipers off before the lights turn off.

If I recall, the law was written such that there must be an auto setting, or lights always on if no auto setting.

[Arthur Dent]

Ever been to North Dakota? Alaska? I don't even know a person with a block heater and would guess less than 2% on this forum have one. The majority of people living in Canada don't even live in an extremely cold area.

Maybe some sports cars don't get them but basically every new car sold in Alberta gets a block heater.

I'm assuming this a dealer installed item.

Yes, but you'd have to special order not to get one.

[OliverD]

Thought a recent law change makes new vehicles also have to have their tail lights on with the DRLs.  I am ok with this.

I'm a 2022 and all my lights don't come on.  If I remember correctly it was an option of this, or that, or else, kind of deal so basically they never made all lights come on all the time unless the manufacturer wanted them to.

I thought I saw something about Toyota making it mandatory that if the car was moving both the front and rear lights were on all the time, there was no defeating it.  But in years past the back lights could be off with the front DLR on, which always never made sense to me.  I also hate seeing people who leave their fog lights on all the time, there is no need.

You may have read it but it hasn't as of when my car was produced.

I have three choices. 1) AUTO 2) parking lamps 3) ON

While I haven't tried it yet, I'm sure I could turn on my parking lamps only and drive at night with no headlights on.

There is also a setting for when wipers are on all the lights come on. There is a delay (maybe 1 minute?) when you turn the wipers off before the lights turn off.

If I recall, the law was written such that there must be an auto setting, or lights always on if no auto setting.

See dkaz's post above.

[JohnnyMac]

Thought a recent law change makes new vehicles also have to have their tail lights on with the DRLs.  I am ok with this.

I'm a 2022 and all my lights don't come on.  If I remember correctly it was an option of this, or that, or else, kind of deal so basically they never made all lights come on all the time unless the manufacturer wanted them to.

I thought I saw something about Toyota making it mandatory that if the car was moving both the front and rear lights were on all the time, there was no defeating it.  But in years past the back lights could be off with the front DLR on, which always never made sense to me.  I also hate seeing people who leave their fog lights on all the time, there is no need.

You may have read it but it hasn't as of when my car was produced.

I have three choices. 1) AUTO 2) parking lamps 3) ON

While I haven't tried it yet, I'm sure I could turn on my parking lamps only and drive at night with no headlights on.

There is also a setting for when wipers are on all the lights come on. There is a delay (maybe 1 minute?) when you turn the wipers off before the lights turn off.

In my opinion, there should only be one setting for a driver to have access to, and that's AUTO.  The only people who should be able to turn off the lights is the techs and that should be some type of process to make it happen, similar to VW and how to bring the wipers up for servicing.  I hate when you go to the dealer and they switch your lights from auto to anything else and don't put them back before releasing the vehicle.

[quadzilla]

In my opinion, there should only be one setting for a driver to have access to, and that's AUTO. 

But AUTO doesn't work in fog or other inclement weather which makes cars hard to see to other drivers.

[dkaz]

Depends. My Fords have been really sensitive to anything resembling low light. My Mazdas will drive all day long in inclement weather with the lights off.

[JohnnyMac]

In my opinion, there should only be one setting for a driver to have access to, and that's AUTO. 

But AUTO doesn't work in fog or other inclement weather which makes cars hard to see to other drivers.

What do you mean?  If it's foggy out or rainy during the day, you saying that the high beams should be on?  In auto your taillights should be on at all times, same with your DLR.  If it's foggy, turn your fog lights on.