Season Recap: Car We Want in Our Driveway

Now that we’ve tackled the best economy cars, hybrids, SUVs and concept cars, it’s time to decide which car we want in our own driveways. This post is kind of like asking us what we’d do if we won the lottery, but considering we’re a fickle bunch when it comes to cars, there’s a bit more to consider than pure fantasy.

Kelsey Mays: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V
Energy independence notwithstanding, I’d gladly shell out $4 a gallon for a CTS-V. The regular CTS is one of Lutz & Co.’s finest achievements yet, and the thought of 550 hp underfoot is stupefying enough to make me crave one. Reality bites, but this Caddy bites back: It still has a full backseat, commute-friendly amenities and a trunk that can fit a weekend’s baggage. Naturally, if I had one, most of my weekends would be spent at the track.

Season Recap: Concept We'd Like To See in Production

We’ve already recapped our favorite economy cars, hybrids and SUVs. Now it’s time for the concept cars to take center stage. This auto-show season carmakers were remarkably frugal in debuting new concepts. A stagnant economy and rocky financial situations for many of the major players might have had something to do wtih that, but we don’t like excuses. Those that brought the goods get our praise. Here are the concepts we’d most like to see go into production. 

David Thomas: Land Rover LRX
While I’d really like to see more interesting hybrids on the market, like the Toyota A-BAT, Honda CR-Z and GMC Denali XT, the only concept that floored me with how cool it and had a possible segment to conquer was the diminutive Land Rover. If Land Rover could come out with a miniature all-wheel-drive hatchback before Mini, I think it could bring in a lot of folks looking to downsize while retaining functionality and capability in their car.

Season Recap: The Best SUVs

We’ve already recapped our favorite efficient cars and hybrids, but what about the SUVs? Even with sky-high gas prices, new SUVs of all sizes are coming to market. This year brought some of the best interiors and fuel efficiency yet in this segment, but what glorified station wagon took our staff’s hearts?

Joe Wiesenfelder: 2009 Volvo XC60
Put simply, there were some impressive redesigns this year, but I have to go with an all-new entry — especially when it's a smaller alternative to an existing SUV: The XC60 is a handsome vehicle with a high-quality interior and all the safety features you could possibly want. It isn't too small in practical terms compared to the XC90, but it is smaller. These days, smaller is better.

Season Recap: Efficient Cars

As the last major show of the season wraps up in New York City this weekend, it’s time to choose the best of the best. After trips to Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago and New York, the Cars.com staff reflects on which vehicles we think will make the biggest impact this year and beyond. We’ll start the review with each of our picks for the Best Fuel-Efficient Car from the four shows.

Best Fuel-Efficient Car

David Thomas: 2009 Ford Fiesta
This wasn’t so tough: It came down to the new Honda Fit or the Ford Fiesta. I picked the Fiesta — in spite of the fact that it didn’t show up at any of the stateside shows as a finished production car — because I think it will be a game-changer for Ford. It’s good-looking, has a wild interior and will hopefully bring an affordable entry-level car to a domestic automaker that needs it.

Hyundai's Super Bowl Ads Show Revised Genesis

Hyundai has unleashed both of its planned Super Bowl spots. Narrated by Jeff Bridges, the subdued videos try to hammer home the message that Hyundai is indeed bringing big-car luxury at small-luxury prices.

At that it does a good job. But for us, we’re dismayed that the car in the commercials is sporting the Korean market’s grille and not the grille we fancied in Detroit, nor the alternate grille with the big H on it. Ho hum. Let us know what you think. The first ad is to the left, the second ad is below.

Green Thumbs: Thumbs Up and Down for Detroit's Green Cars

What has been an auto-show trend for some time all but ran away with Detroit's North American International Auto Show this year, and the trend will undoubtedly continue in Chicago and New York in the coming months. American and foreign manufacturers painted the town green with talk of their current fuel misers, future alternatives and no small amount of wishful thinking. To separate the truly green from the merely envious, I ran around the show floor in two videos — one to the left and one below — in which I rated many of the concept and production offerings with green thumb up or green thumb down. To fill in some of the gaps, I've expanded the ratings below. To be clear, I only address cars and technologies introduced at the Detroit show, and I make no claim of comprehensiveness. And, as if you couldn't tell, there is nothing scientific or sophisticated about this examination.

Through Ian's Lens: 2008 NAIAS Highlights

The North American International Auto Show in Detroit is gigantic. When I say gigantic, I truly mean GIGANTIC in terms of the number of new cars on the floor. It took me close to three days to see everything I wanted to see, and if I had stayed another day I probably would have found even more to look at. Here is a “Best of the Best” gallery I’ve put together from those three days of stomping around Detroit and the Cobo Center. Next year I’m bringing my Segway. A full set of photos is below.

Auto Show Head-to-Head: 2009 Dodge Ram vs. Ford F-150

The 2008 Detroit auto show was the venue for two important redesigned-pickup-truck debuts: the 2009 Ford F-150 and the 2009 Dodge Ram. They are two of the best-selling vehicles in the country, and we've taken a look at what the new trucks have to offer, category by category.

Exterior
Both the Ram and F-150 sport tougher new looks — not that either really needed them. The F-150's hood is taller than before, and it's now offered with even more distinctive grille designs that help separate the various trims. There are also new headlights, and all of these elements give the F-150 a look that's more similar to its Super Duty big brothers.

The Ram also has new headlights and a new take on its trademark grille. Dodge has given the Ram's grille a forward lean for 2009 that's a radical styling element for a pickup, even though it's appeared on sporty cars before. The look is traditional yet stylistically interesting, and that's what gives the Dodge the edge in this category.
Advantage: Ram

Chinese Automakers Eye U.S. Market

Four Chinese automakers displayed cars at the 2008 Detroit auto show, and while none of these models are available in the U.S. now, three of the companies said they plan to have cars for sale here in the future. We’ll believe it when we see them, but here’s a rundown on each company:

Pickup Logos: Mine's Bigger Than Yours

Welcome to the Battle of the Badges, an arms race among pickups to adopt a logo capable of obscuring everything between the lights and the bumper. You may think we’re kidding, but Dodge announced at the Detroit auto show that the Ram-head logo on its namesake pickup is 250 percent larger than before. Asked if the badge had reached critical mass, designer Ralph Gilles chuckled: “It’s about there.”

Evidently, the competition knows no limits. Ford’s redesigned F-150 comes with a blue oval decked out in three-dimensional chrome trim. GM’s pickups sport titanic Chevy and GMC logos, and the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan badges don’t lack for impact either.

Who wins? Ruler in hand, we hit the floor in Detroit to investigate. Some ground rules: We calculated total size in area — length times height — with measurements to the nearest quarter-inch. We counted whichever badge was biggest, whether it was on the grille or the tailgate. Only half-ton, hard-working pickups need apply, so no Ford F-450s or International MXTs here. On principle — many principles, actually — we also disqualified the Cadillac Escalade EXT and Lincoln Mark LT. (Dissenters, the point is moot: Both trucks were AWOL in Detroit.)

Let the badge-nauseam begin.

Hyundai, VW Look To Move Upmarket With New Models

Would you pay $40,000 for a sedan from Volkswagen — or from Hyundai? Both automakers are betting that at least some consumers will part with Lexus- or BMW-type money for their latest creations. Aside from each having four doors, the cars are seemingly disparate: The Volkswagen Passat CC is a four-seater with coupe-like styling, while the Hyundai Genesis is a bigger, full-blown luxury sedan. For their respective brands, though, each car represents a gamble by going upmarket.

At Volkswagen’s straight-laced confines in Detroit’s Cobo Center, head spokesman Steve Keyes seemed upbeat about the Passat CC’s chances. It won’t be another Phaeton, he assured us, referring to a $65,000-plus juggernaut Volkswagen unleashed earlier this decade that was a resounding sales failure.

“This maybe should have been the car we had before the Phaeton,” Keyes said, adding that the Passat CC will start “in the mid- to high 20s.” The two examples at Volkswagen’s display were loaded to the gills with massive sunroofs and button-strewn dashboards, while press materials detailed high-tech features like lane-departure prevention systems, dynamically adjustable suspensions and even a self-parking feature. Keyes said the cost of a fully loaded Passat CC hasn’t yet been determined, but it will likely be much more than the regular Passat, which tops out around $40,000.

Volkswagen does sell one model in this price range — the Touareg — but it’s an SUV, not a premium sedan. This is definitely new territory for VW, Keyes said.

F-150, Ram Get Much-Needed Safety Features

Brawny V-8s and inventive storage features aren’t the only improvements for two of Detroit’s best-selling pickups. When the redesigned Ford F-150 and Dodge Ram hit dealerships this fall, some important safety features will also be standard — namely, electronic stability systems to counteract skids and side curtain airbags to protect occupants in a collision.

The extra features mark a “huge development” for pickup trucks, said Russ Rader, spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Pickups have generally trailed the market in safety features, with just 8 percent offering standard stability systems in 2007, according to IIHS. That same year, 58 percent of cars and 87 percent of SUVs were equipped with those systems standard. Worse yet, head- and chest-protecting side airbags were standard on just 7 percent of pickups in 2007, Rader said.

The outgoing Ram offered stability control and side airbags as options, but the F-150 – America’s best-selling vehicle — had neither. Despite the bravado-fueled perception that occupants in pickups are safer in crashes, Rader said they may actually need these features more than those riding in cars.

Cars.com's Must-See Guide to the 2008 Detroit Auto Show

This is your one-stop shop to make sure you don’t miss any of the terrific concepts and production cars debuting at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Below are snapshots of each manufacturer with links to coverage, photos, video and even maps of where they are in the hall. For convenience’s sake, we’ve sorted the guide in a winding pattern of where these vehicles are on the show floor so you won’t have to walk more than you need to.

Ford
Concept

• Ford Explorer America (photo gallery) (video)
• Verve sedan — Editor's pick (photo gallery)

Production

• 2009 Ford F-150 — Editor's pick (photo gallery) (video)

2008 Detroit Auto Show Video: Ford Explorer America Concept

KickingTires’ own Suburban Dad took on the most suburb-tastic concept at the Detroit auto show and filed this video report. We have to say, the sliding seats on the center track are pretty nifty. But we never knew the tailgate of an SUV could provide an escape for mom and dad.

2008 Detroit Auto Show Ultimate Concept Winner: Land Rover LRX

Concept cars don’t have to meet the same requirements to win us over as do production cars. Concepts don’t need to prove they’re viable in certain segments, they just need to talk to the gut, inspire and basically wow us. The Land Rover LRX was a stunner, especially for an SUV, no matter the size. Still, it was the LRX’s small dimensions and daring — for Land Rover — design that impressed us most. Inside, an iPhone dock really pushed things over the top.

Mike Hanley said this is a “must-see concept” at the show, and senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder said “I watched the LRX spin a few times and found nothing wrong with it.”

Runners Up: Cadillac CTS Coupe, Ford Verve

2008 Detroit Auto Show Ultimate Production Winner: 2009 Hyundai Genesis

It wasn’t an awe-inspiring year for new production cars, trucks and SUVs; the biggest news was the introduction of redesigned pickups from Ford and Dodge. However, our editors found Hyundai’s attempt to go upscale the best of the bunch.

The 2009 Hyundai Genesis really is near-luxury in quality, with some parts on par with the big boys, like Lexus. A rear-wheel-drive setup and choice of three engines — including a powerful V-8 — really pushed it over the top. Now, if only Hyundai would pick a grille for it…

Runners Up: Ford F-150, Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid

2008 Detroit Auto Show Winners and Losers: Concept Cars

This year’s Detroit auto show was awash in concept cars; they outnumbered new production cars almost two to one. Cars.com’s David Thomas, Mike Hanley and Joe Wiesenfelder take the automotive visions and boil down what wowed and what fizzled.

Cadillac CTS Coupe

David Thomas: Winner
This was the only true “surprise” of the show, and it looked pretty darn good in person. The back end needs some work, but besides that this could and should be rolling through your cul-de-sac in short order.

Mike Hanley: Winner
I agree with Dave that the rear-quarter of the coupe could be better shaped, and it wouldn't hurt to make that part of the car a little smaller, too. On the whole, however, the car is a looker and it gets my nod.

Joe Wiesenfelder: Winner
I like it overall, though the tail definitely goes too far. I'm confident they'll build the thing. The CTS sedan is so strong, GM would be foolish not to spread it around.

2008 Detroit Auto Show Video: 2009 Toyota Venza

One of the most intriguing new production cars in Detroit was Toyota’s new crossover, the Venza. Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder got an exclusive up-close look at the interior, which is quite luxurious for Toyota. Also check out its trick center console. If you wanted to see more of the Venza, then this is the video for you.

2008 Detroit Auto Show Video: 2009 VW Passat CC

One of the stranger introductions in Detroit was the Volkswagen Passat CC. It was strange not for its looks — it was quite attractive — but for the fact that it’s so similar to the regular Passat sedan we’re not sure how the company can sell the two on the same lot. That conundrum didn’t stop Cars.com’s Kelsey Mays from checking out the upscale CC in the video here.

2008 Detroit Auto Show Video: Toyota A-BAT Concept

One concept that surprised us at the Detroit auto show was this compact hybrid pickup from Toyota. The A-BAT was a terrific size when you were standing right next to it. You don’t really find trucks this small anymore, and a hybrid power plant would certainly up its cache if it ever came to market. Check out the video with me as your humble host for a better look.

2008 Detroit Auto Show Winners and Losers: Production Cars

There weren’t nearly as many new production cars at this year’s Detroit auto show compared to the array of concepts, but Cars.com’s Mike Hanley, David Thomas and Joe Wiesenfelder take on each with gusto.

2008 BMW X6

Mike Hanley: Winner
If the BMW X6 is a success — which I think it will be with its muscular, athletic styling — it'll go to show that the AMC Eagle of the '80s really was before its time, as the X6 follows the path set forth by that all-wheel-drive hatchback. With a healthy helping of horsepower, the X6 looks like a smart way for BMW to attract more SUV shoppers without diluting the driving experience too much.

David Thomas: Loser
It’s neat-looking and I can’t wait to drive one with the turbo V-8, but otherwise the X6 doesn’t work for me. You can’t see out the back, you can’t fit in the backseat. It doesn’t have much utility at all, and it’s going to be expensive. Yeah, sign me up for that.

Joe Wiesenfelder: Loser
I like the idea of the X6, and I think it looks pretty good. I'm down on redundancy, though, and I don't see this model's necessity. I'd be more enthusiastic about the style and styling if it showed up as a next-generation X5.

2008 Detroit Auto Show Video: 2009 Dodge Ram

Definitely the biggest news-generator from Detroit was the new Dodge Ram full-size pickup. The new model was changed quite a bit, from its rear suspension and upgraded interior to a cool storage box built right into the body of the truck. Cars.com’s Mike Hanley walks us through it all in this video.

Through Ian's Lens: 2008 NAIAS Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe

This past week, I experienced my first North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and I think I fared pretty well. After my duties as a photographer for Cars.com were filled, I made sure to photograph the cars that need very little introduction. Major auto shows offer a forum in which I can indulge my weakness for four-wheeled works of art and the craftsmanship of ultra-luxury vehicles.

If I were to make a list of the great artistic manufacturers, Rolls-Royce would be in the top 10. Rolls-Royce took the opportunity to build a custom model just for the show, and at 18 feet, 4 inches long, the 2008 NAIAS Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé is one of the longest two-door cars out there. With its stainless steel hood and teak wood inlay, this car is a shining example of elegance and affluence. White leather and electronic controls round out the interior of this massive cruiser, while small touches — like an umbrella holder inside the door frame — make for a well-rounded experience. A full set of photos is below.

2008 Detroit Auto Show Video: 2009 Hyundai Genesis

One of the most impressive production cars at the Detroit auto show was Hyundai’s new Genesis sedan. Cars.com’s Mike Hanley takes you on a tour of the rear-wheel-drive sedan, showing off the numerous features the company hopes will make the Genesis a competitor with Lexus and other luxury automakers. Check out the video and let us know what you think.

Up Close: 2009 Toyota Venza

Hatchbacks aren't normally praised for their looks, but Toyota has somehow managed to develop a handsome one in its new Venza. Maybe it has something to do with the car's radically swept D-pillar and interesting taillights. A raked windshield complements the angle of the liftgate glass, and it doesn't hurt that the car's proportions are right on the money. The large grille is a little too upright for my taste, but on the whole the new Venza looks like a car that will appeal to shoppers looking for a large hatchback or an SUV-alternative.

2008 Detroit Auto Show Video: 2008 BMW X6

The BMW X6 is one strange SUV. Actually, BMW calls it an SAV (sport activity vehicle), but until the general populace starts using that term, we’ll stick with what we know. Kelsey Mays walks us through that debate from the show floor in this video.

First Drive: Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid

I assumed that a plug-in version of the Prius wouldn't be powerful enough when operating in electric-only mode, given that you have to accelerate gingerly in a regular Prius to achieve its top electric-only speed of 30 mph without triggering the gas engine. A drive in an experimental Prius plug-in hybrid, however, proved me wrong.

Here at the Detroit auto show — where sudden hybrid rival GM introduced an upcoming plug-in model and vowed to beat the Japanese pioneer to market — Toyota seized the opportunity to offer Cars.com a test drive. The modified Prius I drove is one of only a handful in the U.S., four of which Toyota has provided to the University of California,  Berkeley and Irvine, in conjunction with the Clean Mobility Partnership.

2008 Detroit Auto Show Video: 2009 Ford F-150 Bed Features

Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder already walked us through the new F-150. In this video he shows off the new truck's configurable bed.

Today on Mother Proof: Day 3 of the Detroit Auto Show

On the final media day of the Detroit auto show, Mother Proofers Kristin Varela and Sara Lacey round up some last-minute highlights. Check out what they have to say about a new Toyota mom-mobile, a Lincoln with carpet woven in Nepal, a zero-emissions Cadillac concept and a Saab that makes elaborate, ground-breaking use of storage space.

Live from Detroit: Day 3 (Mother Proof)

2008 Detroit Auto Show Video: 2009 Ford F-150

Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder takes on the redesign of the best-selling vehicle in the country. There's no overstating the importance of the F-150 to Ford; check out the video to see if it measures up to anticipation.

Suburban Dad: 2009 Hyundai Genesis

Hyundai's new sedan, the Genesis, is a beauty. I've long been a fan of the automaker's cars because their value and design are good, even if it took some time to build up their reputation for quality. Hyundai has that rep now, and the interior and exterior of the Genesis radiate luxury, albeit with a price tag I might actually be able to afford. For families, it'd be a great getting-around-town car for a family of four, who could all ride in comfort and style. Plus, with Hyundai's reputation for value, the Genesis could turn out to be an affordable luxury family car.

2008 Detroit Auto Show Video: 2009 Subaru Forester

Cars.com managing editor — and KickingTires’ own Suburban Dad — Patrick Olsen takes a close look at the completely redesigned Subaru Forester. There’s no longer any question the Forester is an SUV, not a wagon, but is that a good thing? Check out the video to find out.

Up Close: Toyota A-BAT Hybrid Pickup Concept

The very first new car I ever owned was a 1985 Toyota pickup. As a college student, I loved it. It offered freedom, a sense of adventure and it was completely stripped. No radio, no rear bumper, a bench seat, manual window cranks, you name it.

Now, more than 20 years later, small pickups like that one are an endangered species, but Toyota's A-BAT concept takes trucks like the Honda Ridgeline and Chevy Avalanche and boils them down to something more the size of my first truck.

Maybe most important to today's young drivers, the A-BAT is a hybrid, keeping trips to the gas station few and far between.

BYD to Sell Plug-In Electric Hybrid in China This Year, U.S. Later

While other manufacturers are only showing concept versions of plug-in hybrids they expect to offer in the future, BYD, a battery supplier that entered the auto business in 2003, announced at the Detroit auto show that its F6 DM plug-in electric hybrid car will go on sale in China in the fourth quarter of 2008 and arrive in the U.S. in three to five years.

BYD America vice president Michael Austin said the midsize sedan is capable of traveling up to 60 miles on battery power alone, and is supplemented by a gas engine when the battery is depleted or when traveling at higher speeds. The total range for the car, which has about a five-gallon gas tank, is about 250 miles.

Suburban Dad in Detroit: 2009 Toyota Venza

This Toyota is a bit of a mystery to me. It seems to fill a need few people have, but the automaker says it's heard from consumers that they'd like SUV functionality in a sedan. Hence, the Venza.

From a family point of view, some of the features I like after seeing the car at a distance and reading PR notes include the stadium seating in the second row, giving kids a better view of the road. Hopefully that would translate into less car-sickness moments in the backseat.

2008 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid

• Looks like: A regular Escape with an electric outlet on the front fender
• Defining characteristics: It plugs into your wall for a charge and gets the equivalent of 100 mpg
• Ridiculous features: We still have to wait to buy one
• Chance of being mass-produced: Mass is a relative term; this is a prototype, and maybe someday before the end of the decade we’ll see it at a dealership

Ford is showcasing the prototype for its plug-in hybrid program in Detroit. It’s not really a concept and it’s not really production-ready. Instead, it’s one of the vehicles being tested by utility company Southern California Edison. We talked to Greg Frenette, the chief engineer of the Escape Plug-In, and he said this is indeed one of several Escape plug-ins being tested on real roads in the program. The full program will involve 20 Escapes.

The prototypes are basically the same vehicle as a standard 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid — the interiors are completely finished as well — but with a few differences. An outlet over the driver’s-side fender accepts a common 110- or 220-volt household plug that charges the SUV’s lithium-ion battery over six hours to deliver a 30-mile range on electric power alone. Then, a gas engine kicks in to charge the electric motor, producing an equivalent 100 mpg. Frenette said they’ve been testing the prototypes since early December, and so far they're returning 120 mpg in stop-and-go driving and roughly 70-80 mpg in highway driving.

2009 Passat CC Will Park Itself

The four-door coupe body style isn't the only new aspect of the just-debuted Passat CC. The VW will feature a park assist system — as part of an option package — that will steer the car into a parking spot using cameras, sensors and software much like the new Lexus LS.

Drivers will control the braking and acceleration during the maneuver, but the car will turn the steering wheel to fit into a tough spot.

Pricing hasn't been finalized for the CC, but we know it will start in the mid- to high-$20,000 range and could easily top $40,000 when well-equipped with features like park assist. That's still roughly $20,000 less than the Lexus LS460 that parks itself. We wonder how long it'll take for this technology to get to a $20,000 car.

More info and photos of the 2009 Volkswagen Passat CC

Up Close: 2009 Audi TTS

While other journalists ogled over Audi's 500-hp R8 TDI concept, I stole some time snooping around the two-door TTS. The cabin has the same rear-to-the-ground feeling of the regular TT, though the two-tone leather in the show car livens things up a bit. It's even wrapped around the inboard side of the footwells. Nice. Like with other S cars, the exterior changes — among them new wheels and custom brake calipers — make for a subtly menacing look. It works until you get to the silver side mirrors, which seem like an unnecessary embellishment. Maybe it was the lighting.

2008 Detroit Auto Show: What You Missed on Day 2

If you missed our coverage of the Detroit auto show today — perhaps because you had something silly to do, like go to work — don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Consider this the CliffsNotes version of our day in Detroit, but do yourself a favor and check back later tomorrow for even more photos, first-hand impressions and videos from the Motor City.

Day 2 Concept Cars
Cadillac CTS Coupe
Chrysler ecoVoyager
Dodge ZEO
Fisker Karma Plug-In Hybrid
Jeep Renegade
Land Rover LRX Hybrid
Lincoln MKT
Racer Motors Mach 5
Saturn Flextreme

Day 2 Production Vehicles
2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
2009 Toyota Venza

Up Close: 2009 Audi A4

We first saw Audi's next-generation A4 at last summer's Frankfurt auto show (read the original post here) but it wasn't until Detroit that Audi brought out a U.S.-spec model. At first glance, it seems to be one solid little car — the sport seats in the S-line version on the auto show floor were supportive but not stiff, and there's a bit more room in back than I remember in the previous A4. Credit some of that to the ceiling, which has slight indentations above passengers' heads before it meets the rear window.