As families get bigger most people decided to drop the cool factor of their vehicle and purchase a minivan. Minivans are hard to beat when you consider a minivan’s height and sliding doors, spacious interiors and the ability to fit six or seven people plus luggage.
As family-friendly as they are minivans are gas guzzlers and not exciting or cool to drive. Now you don’t have to sacrifice practicality for luxury because here is a list of vehicles that provide both.
1- Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
2- VW Golf Wagon TDI
3- 2010 Acura MDX
4- Ford Flex
5- Mercedes-Benz GL350 BlueTEC
6- Volvo V70
7- Hyundai Veracruz
8- Mazda CX-9
9- Nissan Cube
10- Two Honda Fits
According to MSN Autos
Obama will arrive to his inauguration with class… and basically in a tank:
The 2009 Cadillac CTS-V has broken the eight-minute mark for a lap around the Nurburgring Norschleife, putting in a lap time of 7:59:32 during testing, which may be the fastest lap time ever for a sedan. Read more…
Cadillac’s new Escalade Hybrid should get up to 50 percent better fuel economy in the city and 20 percent better fuel economy on the highway.
2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
With its new Escalade Hybrid, Cadillac is the second manufacturer to bring a hybrid luxury SUV to market. But unlike the first, the Lexus RX 400h, this one is more rugged and capable of towing and hauling heavier loads.
To allow better fuel economy, the Escalade Hybrid has a smaller and less powerful 6.0-liter V8 engine than the standard Escalade. It puts out 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque, versus 403 hp and 417 pound-feet of torque from the 6.2-liter V8 in the regular Escalade. Read more…
In a contest back in 1954, car designer Alden Giberson came up with a name that would power a hot new Ford product every bit as effectively as its standard V-8 engine. That name was the Ford Thunderbird, and, for his efforts, Giberson won a $95 suit and a $42 pair of trousers.
Even when you adjust for inflation, it has been a long time since a car company paid that little for a name as good as Ford Thunderbird.
Today the right name can easily cost a car company $50,000, though for a sum like that, the naming consultant might throw in a few extra letters, such as XT, XL or maybe even a ZZ, into the deal
The per-letter prices of $5,000 or $10,000 are about the greatest rewards of authorship around. And there’s a reason the prices are high. It’s quite a trick to come up with a good name when so many are already taken. One option is to coin an entirely new word. Another is to set off in search of the absolutely perfect characters to add to and electrify an existing name. Still another is to do both.
But in their extreme form, the results can look like untidy snippets of mutant gene code or meaningless debris from some Martian game of Scrabble. Some consultants point to examples like the Cadillac STS, the Pontiac G6, the Honda Civic Si Coupe, the BMW X3 SAV, the Taurus X, the Nissan Xterra, and many more.
It’s as though consumers “are going to go on vacation to outer space,” says George Frazier, a partner at naming firm Idiom in San Francisco.
“If there’s a pattern, it’s to appeal to younger buyers,” Frazier says. “Xterra is clearly a part of the whole X Games phenomenon. If you go down the scale from cars to mountain bikes to snowboards and skateboards, the names get wackier and wackier.”
Automakers wouldn’t be taking this approach if they didn’t think it was paying off, says Frazier. He believes their goal is to push the envelope and appeal to the market that really matters to them: the youth market. Those appeals often work with older buyers, too.
“Auto buffs love to rave about burled walnut, custom rims, and V-12 engines, but most car buyers just want a pleasant car at a good price. Especially now. With the housing-boom excesses dragging down the economy and a possible recession looming, extravagance is out. Like investors fleeing exotic securities for the safety of gold or T-bills, it’s time for car shoppers to make safe, practical purchases that will hold up through tough times, if necessary.
So we’ve scoured our data on hundreds of models and highlighted the cars that offer the best mix of value, performance, and curb appeal. These aren’t necessarily the cheapest cars or the most priggish gas misers—standard-issue econoboxes tend to lose their value quickly, plus they’re usually dull and joyless. Instead, we’ve included cars that offer lots of conveniences and safety features for the money, get decent mileage, handle well, and score above average in the U.S. News Best Cars and Trucks rankings. Those scores account for important factors like expected resale value and the long-term costs of maintenance and repairs—things that can affect your wallet directly down the road.” - Rick Newman on www.usnews.com
| Model | Base MSRP | Mileage (city/highway) | Strong Points | Weak Points |
| ECONOMY CARS | ||||
| Honda Fit | $13,950 | 28/34 | Versatile seating; good standard features; fun to drive | Subpar seat comfort and support |
| Kia Rio | $10,890 | 27/32 | Six air bags; good gas mileage; perky engine | Spartan interior; spotty crash-test results |
| Toyota Yaris | $11,300 | 29/36 | Cute design; decent storage; spacious front seats | Slushy pickup; poor crash-test results without optional curtain air bags |
| Hyundai Accent | $10,775 | 27/32 | Good entry-level value; strong set of safety features; long warranty | Weak acceleration; dull design; cramped rear seat |
| Nissan Versa | $12,630 | 26/31 | Seats five comfortably; decent cargo space; cool six-speed manual | Wimpy engine; noisy; worse mileage than competitors |
| Honda Civic | $15,010 | 26/34 | Stable, comfortable, and quiet ride; chipper interior; good handling | Minimal storage space |
| Hyundai Elantra | $13,525 | 24/33 | Fun to drive; comfy seats; lots of safety features; strong crash-test results | Iffy handling; tricky manual transmission; bland interior |
| Mazda3 | $13,895 | 24/32 | Peppy pickup; sporty handling; bold design | Cramped interior; weak crash-test results without curtain air bags |
| Saturn Ion | $12,300 | 23/32 | Better power than some competitors; dent-resistant polymer body | Bland interior with low-quality materials |
| MIDSIZE CARS | ||||
| Nissan Altima | $18,230 | 23/32 | Sporty; good 4- and 6-cylinder engines; stylish interior | Antilock brakes not standard; cramped back seat; complex options |
| Mazda6 | $18,990 | 21/29 | Sporty, zippy acceleration; good handling | Cramped interior compared with competitors |
| Hyundai Sonata | $17,670 | 21/31 | Spacious; good standard features and safety features; long warranty | Spongy handling; weak base engine; generic design |
| Honda Accord | $20,360 | 22/31 | Roomy; stylish; superb engine choices | Limited trunk space; no folding rear seat |
| Chevrolet Malibu | $19,345 | 22/30 | Bold, sporty styling; spacious rear seat; tasteful interior | Outdated 4-speed transmission |
| Kia Optima | $16,995 | 21/31 | Good mileage; spacious; cheaper than competitors | Sluggish on highway; key safety features optional instead of standard |
| Ford Fusion | $17,770 | 20/29 | Pleasant Euro-handling; classy interior; large trunk | Fine-print instrumentation; no standout qualities |
| Saturn Aura | $19,745 | 22/30 | Pleasant road manners; good power for the price | Plasticky interior parts |
| LARGE CARS | ||||
| Hyundai Azera | $24,535 | 18/26 | Luxury feel; loads of features; good engine choices | Squishy handling; no navigation or Bluetooth options; not a Bimmer |
| Dodge Charger | $21,675 | 18/26 | Bossy styling; spacious cabin; decent handling | Weak base engine; some cheap materials; poor rear visibility |
| Chevrolet Impala | $21,310 | 18/29 | Can seat six; thoughtful interior; good engine options | Blasé design; ho-hum handling; old 4-speed transmission |
| Chrysler 300-Series | $24,595 | 15/22 | Vast interior; dramatic styling; tasteful interior | Lethargic base engine; some key safety features not standard |
| UPSCALE CARS | ||||
| Audi A4 | $28,900 | 20/31 | Great handling and acceleration; classy cabin | Gets pricey with options; requires premium fuel |
| Lexus ES | $33,720 | 19/27 | Quiet ride; luxurious cabin; top safety features | Bland styling; uninspiring handling |
| BMW 3-Series | $32,400 | 18/28 | World-class performance; great safety features | Complex electronics; gets very pricey with options |
| SPORTY CARS | ||||
| Mazda MX-5 Miata | $20,585 | 22/27 | Primo handling; easy-to-manage convertible roof; high fun-per-dollar ratio | Cramped (duh); weak base stereo |
| Hyundai Tiburon | $16,875 | 20/28 | Good power and handling; sleek design; good value | Small rear seats; key safety features not standard |
| Volkswagen GTI | $22,730 | 21/29 | Powerful; great handling; strong standard features; convenient hatchback | Economy-car design; requires premium fuel |
| WAGONS | ||||
| Toyota Matrix | $15,510 | 26/33 | Versatile seating; good mileage; higher seating than other wagons | Noisy engine; inscrutable gauges |
| Kia Rio5 | $12,915 | 27/32 | Six air bags; good mileage; funky design | Spartan interior; options quickly inflate price |
| Scion xB | $15,650 | 22/28 | Good safety features; spacious cabin; cheap, oddball design | Noisy, underpowered engine; oddball design |
| Subaru Outback | $21,995 | 19/26 | Powerful engines; right height; smooth carlike handling | Tight rear seat |
| Volkswagen Passat-Wagon | $25,115 | 21/29 | Fun to drive; friendly cabin; strong safety features | Pricier than competitors; spongy brakes; spotty reliability history |
| COMPACT SUVs | ||||
| Ford Escape | $18,770 | 22/28 | Muscular styling; quiet interior; comfortable seats | Stale driving dynamics |
| Honda CR-V | $20,700 | 20/27 | Lots of space and storage; sleek design; smooth ride | Lacks third-row seat option; no V-6 available |
| Hyundai Tucson | $16,995 | 20/25 | Cheaper than CR-V or RAV4; decent features; long warranty | Sluggish engine; cheap materials; road noise |
| Jeep Patriot | $15,475 | 23/28 | Boxy Jeep styling; versatile and roomy interior; simple controls | Cheap interior materials; uncomfortable rear seat |
| Toyota RAV4 | $21,100 | 21/27 | Great handling; feisty 4-cylinder engine; optional (if cramped) third row | Hinged rear door can be awkward; no navigation option |
| Honda Element | $18,980 | 20/25 | Cargo space; easy-to-clean interior; low ownership costs | Awkward “suicide” doors in rear; uncomfortable rear seats |
| Kia Sportage | $16,050 | 19/25 | Sound handling; stylish, classy interior; roomier than most small SUVs | Weak base engine |
| MIDSIZE SUVs | ||||
| Hyundai Santa Fe | $20,945 | 17/24 | Good standard features; strong crash-test results; long warranty | Subpar handling and braking |
| Toyota FJ-Cruiser | $22,545 | 16/20 | Cool retro design; real off-road capability; decent ride on pavement | Big blind spots; awkward rear “suicide” doors; marginal gas mileage |
| Mazda CX-7 | $23,750 | 17/23 | Sporty, carlike handling; quick engine; aggressive styling | Cramped rear seat; sleek design compromises cargo space and visibility |
| Nissan Murano | $27,750 | 18/23 | Smooth handling; modern styling; strong engine with good mileage | Sleek design cuts into cargo space |
| Ford Edge | $25,330 | 16/24 | Quick acceleration and smooth ride; intuitive controls; roomy | Gets expensive with options; no third row available |
| Honda Pilot | $28,395 | 16/22 | Loaded with standard features; spacious; carlike ride | Bland design; mediocre fuel economy |
| Saturn Outlook | $27,820 | 16/24 | Strong engine with decent mileage; spacious; third row; nimble handling | Clunky transmission |
| Toyota Highlander | $27,300 | 18/24 | Versatile seating; third row; good standard safety features | Soft handling; little cargo room with all seats in use |
| MINIVANS | ||||
| Chrysler Town & Country | $22,460 | 17/24 | Smooth ride; buslike interior space; numerous seating configurations | Sluggish base engine; nerdy square styling |
| Kia Sedona | $20,695 | 16/23 | Generous standard features; strong safety ratings; long warranty | Middling cabin; no navigation system available |
| Honda Odyssey | $25,860 | 16/23 | Great handling for a minivan; versatile seating; can fit eight passengers | Bland styling; it’s a minivan |
Consumer Reports’ Top 10 Family Cars:
- Audi A6
- BMW 5 Series
- Cadillac CTS
- Honda Accord EX
- Honda Odyssey EX
- Infiniti M
- Lexus RX
- Toyota Avalon
- Toyota Highlander Limited
- Toyota Sienna XLE
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