The top achievers in fuel economy for the 2009 model year are hybrids, nabbing five spots on our Top 10 list. Retaining the throne for 2009 is the Toyota Prius, with EPA mileage estimates of 48/45 mpg city/highway. There are diesel representatives on the list, too, with the Volkswagen Jetta diesel’s manual and automatic versions taking spots seven and eight. New this year is the new-for-2009 Smart ForTwo. See the complete list here.A large number of 2010 models are already on sale, but many more...

The great survivor of the sports car world – the Porsche 911 – has evolved again. Porsche today unveils the latest in a long line of 911s and the new one heralds the arrival of Porsche’s new twin-clutch transmission (dubbed PDK) and direct-injection. Amazingly, it makes the coupe nearly as fuel efficient as a family car, nudging 30mpg. Porsche 911: the 2009 model yearThere’s no new model designation this time: it remains a 997 at heart and Porsche calls the latest 911 a ‘second-generation 997’,...

We are seeing a growing preference for cars with a sense of openness. In line with this trend, Kia Motors is focusing on developing cars that provide a wide field of vision and openness in the relatively confined space of an automobile. A great way to create a bright and airy interior is to put in a sunroof.More and more people are opting for sunroofs for added convenience and style.A sunroof provides increased headroom for the driver and passengers. It also gives you a bigger sense of freedom...

IRVINE, CA - Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (VCNA) announced pricing for its 2010 model year lineup. The announcement continues to illustrate the tremendous value across the Swedish automotive manufacturer's entire line of cars, wagons and SUVs.The 2010 Volvo vehicle line has undergone enhancements to its model mix along with the introduction of the exciting XC60 with standard City Safety. The XC60 3.2 expands the line with a lower MSRP, front-wheel drive and improved fuel consumption (estimated...

The 79th International Geneva Motor Show sees the introduction of the exciting new 2010 Model Year Lotus Exige S with a newly designed front end, a new rear wing and impressive emissions of just 199 g/km CO2.The Lotus Exige is a renowned high performance coupe that has a well earned reputation of choice for drivers who demand uncompromised performance, both on the road and on the track.Lotus has always pursued efficiency and fuel economy and for the 2010 Model Year Lotus Exige S, Lotus has reduced...

HERNDON, Va., August 7, 2009: Audi is the first car manufacturer in the U.S. to feature FSI direct injection technology in all of its gasoline engines.-- Innovative 3D navigation with SIRIUS traffic on all models (except A8).-- Two TDI clean diesel models launched within one calendar year in 2009.-- All Audi models have available or standard LED daytime running lights.PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)Audi S5 CabrioletAudi today released pricing for many of its 2010 model-year offerings, which...

16 cars in 5 hours. That was the number of cars and time allotted to ride, drive and test them at the Ford, Mazda and Volvo 2010 Model Reveal. An 8 mile loop on So Cal Freeways did give one the chance at least get a feel for the cars and identify those I want to spend more time with on some of the fun roads to drive in the LA Area.We were asked to drive a variety of cars from the basic transportation variety to all out fun sporty cars. The one request by Octavio Navarro of Ford was to keep in mind...

Okay, okay. Hands up! We've miscredited the car pictured here as being the new, 2010 model year Discovery. Land Rover's not showing the facelifted Disco until next month, and we thought this was the 2010 Disco out early. But we got this one wrong... it's a bodykitted current gen Discovery.We at CAR Online aren't too big to admit when we were wrong, so here's our correction. But the gist of the original story is still bang-on. So read on for the detail of the 2010 Disco – just ignore the bodykitted...

- S4 sedan is repositioned to be more attainable without compromises in performance or features.- A5 and S5 Cabriolet mark the expansion of the successful A5/S5 model line as the convertible model moves from the A4/S4 lineup.- A5 and S5 Cabriolet employ an innovative acoustic soft top that features a 15 second folding time, integrated rear reading lights, and flat-folding 50:50 split rear seats.HERNDON, Va., Aug. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Audi today announced the U.S. manufacturer's suggested retail prices...

Lexus today announced Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) for the 2010 IS 250 and IS 350 luxury sport sedans, IS 250 C and IS 350C luxury hard-top convertibles, IS F high performance sedan, SC 430 hardtop convertible, RX 350 luxury utility vehicle, RX 450h luxury hybrid utility vehicle and LX 570 premium luxury utility vehicle, which will arrive at dealerships later this month.The MSRPs do not include a delivery, processing and handling fee of $875.Lexus Enform(TM) with Safety Connect(TM)...

In order for the Acura TSX to be the BMW 3 Series fighter that Honda so desperately wants it to be, the sedan needs two more cylinders and rear-wheel drive. Acura aims to give us half of what we want for the 2010 model year with the TSX V-6.Acura 3.5-liter V-6The Acura's 3.5-liter V-6 bears a striking resemblance to the engine in the Honda Accord V-6.(Credit: Acura)The TSX V-6 will be equipped with a 3.5-liter--you guessed it--V-6 engine that looks suspiciously like the 3.5-liter mill that powers...

Ford's big stars for the 2010 model year are obviously the Mustang and Taurus. But less flashy--and perhaps nearly as important--are more subtle improvements throughout its product portfolio, including nicer interiors and a fine-tuned version of Sync that could help the Blue Oval win customers and improve its image in the marketplace.The idea is to fortify its lineup with refinements "experienced immediately in a five-minute test drive," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of global...

If you're hip to The Motor Company's operating procedure, you already know that the new model lineup is typically unveiled at its dealer show, usually just before the start of the Sturgis Rally. Along with the machines, Harley rolls out its new Parts & Accessories and latest MotorClothes merchandise here as well.Anybody who reads the business pages also knows that The MoCo has had its share of financial woes these last few quarters (the company expects to ship from 212,000 to 228,000 motorcycles...

General Motors Co. is now considering whether it should retain its Opel and Vauxhall operations in Europe, a strategic reversal that raises new questions about the struggling car maker's direction and creates complications with the governments of Germany and Russia.GM's new board of directors has instructed the company's management to consider new options for Opel/Vauxhall, including pulling together a $4.3 billion financing plan to rejuvenate the operations rather than sell them, as had been the...

More Audis a-comin'! The Detroit Free Press reports: Audi to invest $15.7 billion; grow line from 22 to 40.We're big fans of Audi but we have no idea how they are going to double the models they are selling. Unless they count the coupe and sedan as different models (we don't). And adding that sweet, sweet V-8 doesn't count, either.But, what do we know? If Audi says they can come up with another 18 models, praise be to them.What do you think Audi is going to introduce over the next few years (in...

Acura announced it will debut a prototype of the all-new ZDX luxury four-door sport coupe at the New York International Auto Show. The prototype features striking coupe-like styling with the added benefit of a commanding presence and flexible utility to define a new luxury category.“The ZDX prototype is unlike anything you have ever seen before from Acura,” said Jeff Conrad, vice president, Acura sales. “The prototype showcases a new level of luxury, style and refinement for Acura and speaks volumes...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., 04/06/2009 The Hyundai Veracruz and Hyundai Santa Fe were named 2009 “Best Bets” in the SUV and Crossover category by Cars.com, the leading destination for online car shoppers.“Both the Hyundai Veracruz and Santa Fe are exactly what value car buyers are looking for,” said Mike Hanley, an editor at Cars.com. “They offer stylish features, quiet cabins, leading safety features and are backed by the best warranty in the industry. These are vehicles our editors would love to...

Ford Racing has gone through the official NASCAR submission and approval process for the new car, and, once templates are finalized, production of Mustang parts will start so teams can build the first cars for testing later this fall.The 2010 Ford Mustang will join the 2010 Fusion (Sprint Cup) and the 2009 Ford F-Series (Camping World Truck Series) as Ford’s competitive entries in NASCAR’s three major professional series.Since its debut in 1964, Mustang has compiled more than 2,000 professional...

The front end of the 2010 Volkswagen Golf Variant was completely redesigned. From now its appearance is defined by clear horizontal lines and bold headlight styling. The car’s engine lineup was adopted directly from the Volkswagen Golf 2-door and 4-door models. In the interior, the high-end instruments of the current Volkswagen Golf set the tone. In Europe, first units of the new VW Golf will be delivered in September 2009.The new 2010 Volkswagen Golf Variant will be offered in the three equipment...

Bucking industry convention, Bentley chose not to unveil its glitzy new Mulsanne at an auto show, but rather take it directly to the people who can afford to buy one. The new flagship, which brings back the Mulsanne name and effectively replaces the heavy and huge Arnage, was rolled onto the verdant lawns of the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where the tarps came off at high noon.My, What Big Eyes You Have!Six inches longer than the Arnage but similar in height and width, the Mulsanne is...

Meet the new 2010 Volkswagen Polo. If we ask nicely and the volks in Wolfsburg agree, this will be yet another subcompact offering in North America.Although the model has quite a large following in both South America and across Europe, the Polo's never been offered in the U.S. With Americans newfound acceptance of subcompact cars like the Honda Fit, VW thinks there's a chance the Polo could do well in the New World.We'd have to agree with that notion. Although the car is sized like a Fit (albeit...

When folks first happen upon BMW’s peculiarly proportioned X6, they can’t get over its skyscraper butt. Many can’t get around it, either. Were you to walk into the X6’s liftgate at midnight outside the Sidetrack Tap, the thing would nail you not in the gut but in the Adam’s apple. But we’re not here to dissect styling. The proposition before us is power. One would have thought that the 400 horses under the hood of the X6 xDrive50i might have been sufficient. BMW’s M division didn’t think so. And...

Getting the best zero-to-60 acceleration time out of a Porsche 911 with a manual transmission requires a bit of a sadistic streak. Dropping the clutch in the rear-heavy coupe for a wheelspin-induced launch creates a violent bucking—known as axle hop—that resonates throughout the entire car and feels certain to dislodge a few expensive components. Surprisingly, we’ve found that Porsches survive this punishment unscathed—at least for a few runs. Do it correctly in a Carrera S via the following steps,...

Getting the best zero-to-60 acceleration time out of a Porsche 911 with a manual transmission requires a bit of a sadistic streak. Dropping the clutch in the rear-heavy coupe for a wheelspin-induced launch creates a violent bucking—known as axle hop—that resonates throughout the entire car and feels certain to dislodge a few expensive components. Surprisingly, we’ve found that Porsches survive this punishment unscathed—at least for a few runs. Do it correctly in a Carrera S via the following steps,...

The Gillies household rarely disagrees about vehicles. I will tend to talk more about the finer details of the handling, brakes, and power delivery than Jane and the twins, but we can usually agree whether a car’s good, bad, or indifferent. The only exceptions are that Emma likes everything that has a Mercedes-Benz badge on it, while Cameron thinks that the Bugatti Veyron is the greatest car in the world, because the BBC’s Top Gear team says it is and won’t listen to Dad’s protestations about it...

If you walked up to the cashier at your local grocery store with a gallon of milk in hand and said, “It says $2.49 on this sticker, but I’ll give you a buck-fifty,” you’d be going home thirsty. If you walked into McDonald’s and said, “I don’t see a lot of people eating Big Macs today. I’ll take that value meal off your hands for just three bucks!” you’d leave hungry. But walk into a car dealership, and you are expected to bargain with the salesman. Pay sticker, and you’re giving the dealer hundreds...

A brand-new standard-issue Chevrolet Corvette remains an incredible performance-car bargain. For less than two-thirds of the price of a Porsche 911, the latest C6 thunders to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds flat, corners at 0.99 g, and tops out at 190 mph. And for a two-seat rocket, a Vette is also very practical, with 57 percent more luggage capacity than a Honda Accord and tall gearing that, during relaxed highway cruising, squeezes more than 25 miles from each gallon of premium fuel.Even so, the Corvette’s...

When the Mini brand relaunched for 2002, we wondered how a brand built around one retro car could stay fresh for longer than a product cycle. The answer, it seems, is variants. With two body styles and a third on the way, as well as Cooper S and John Cooper Works trims, there are many Minis to choose from. And it looks like there will soon be one more: a fully electrically powered model.While most additions to the Mini range have focused on upping performance or changing the shape and/or size,...

If there’s one thing antithetical to the Mini ethos, it’s SUVs. But the company is committed to such blasphemy and these photos suggest that it isn’t wavering much from the shape of the concept crossover shown at the 2008 Paris auto show. We had some unkind things to say about the concept, mainly that we thought it was ugly. We’re sorry about that, but mostly because the preproduction mule looks a lot like the homely concept.Like the concept, the mule seen here is upright and narrow, exactly what...

A “new” Buick crossover will launch in 2010 with two direct-injected engines, followed by a plug-in hybrid variant in 2011. We say “new” because, while the as-yet-unnamed crossover is indeed new to the Buick brand, it appears to be largely based on the Saturn Vue. Following GM’s post-bankruptcy brand consolidation, which includes the imminent sale of Saturn to Penske, it appears the company has found a way to salvage the work done for its two-mode plug-in architecture while giving Buick a crossover...

In a widely anticipated move, General Motors today became the second Detroit-based automaker to recently file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Despite receiving nearly $20 billion in loans from the U.S. Treasury Department, along with last-minute, debt-for-equity deals with bondholders and concessions from both its U.S. and Canadian worker unions, GM’s U.S. operations have joined rival Chrysler in court protection as both companies try to downsize themselves in a drastically depressed market.In what...