pow

The '05+ Odyssey offers 8-passenger seating, too. And the Sprinter is supposed to be surprisingly driveable. Edit: Also the GM Lambdas, the Pilot, and most other full-size SUVs (Armada, Sequoia, etc).

Cause currently, both are dangerous: no shoulder belt for the center passenger and a seat in the crumple zone.

I didn't drive one, but its interior and overall quality seemed horrible, even worse than the Equinox. I can't imagine one with 50K miles.

E320 CDI Blutec 0-62: 6.8 seconds UK Combined MPG: 38.7 US EPA MPG: 26/37 530d 0-62: 6.8 seconds UK Combined MPG: 42.2 US EPA MPG: ~29/40 (est.) GS450h 0-62: 5.9 seconds UK Combined MPG: 35.8 US EPA MPG: 25/28 Best of all, diesels can run on a mixture of waste vegetable oil and methanol.

And they're using this as a plug-in hybrid testbed? If it truly can get "double the fuel economy of any SUV" (36 MPG x 2 = 72 MPG), imagine what it could do in a 3000 lb Prius-sized car.

Los Angeles - November 28, 2006 - With the launch of its performance-oriented and efficient Diesel engines in the United States scheduled for 2008, the BMW Group announces another step in its strategy for profitable and sustainable growth. The engines which are known in Europe for their unique synthesis of dynamic performance and low fuel consumption will be made available for the US, the strongest-performing single BMW market. For the BMW Group, the offer of Diesel vehicles in the US is a long-term oriented sustainable commitment. Therefore, an enhanced concept for minimum exhaust gas emissions has been developed for this engine to meet the strict emission standards in effect in California and other states. This makes it possible to simultaneously introduce these new cleaner Advanced Diesels as so-called 50 States (Bin5) models. All potential BMW customers across the US can choose an efficient and future-oriented technology with minimum environmental impact. While the BMW Group has been offering Diesel vehicles in Europe since 1983 and 67% of the BMW sales there are Diesel models today, the acceptance of this type of engine has been increasing among potential vehicle customers in the US market. As in Europe, the BMW Advanced Diesels will establish themselves as the sporty, clean and efficient choice in the US, and will further contribute to the unique reputation they have earned among independent experts. The jury of the prestigious Engine of the Year Award has already granted this award to the BMW Diesel engines several times, particularly emphasizing their unequaled harmony of dynamic performance, innovative technology, surprisingly low fuel consumption and the smoothness which is so untypical of a Diesel. The Diesel models for the US are an integral part of the EfficientDynamics corporate strategy which integrates a combination of short-term, mid-term and long-term measures for the continued reduction of fuel consumption and emissions while at the same time enhancing the performance and driving characteristics which are such a hallmark of BMW. For instance, through measures like the introduction of the fully variable valve control VALVETRONIC in 2001, BMW has achieved a greater improvement in fleet average fuel consumption than any other brand on the US market. In the long term, the BMW Group favors hydrogen as a sustainable source of energy. The type designations and specifications of the BMW Diesel vehicles for the US will be announced at a later point in time.

Holy crap. The 4-banger will be anemic and thirsty.

Have you tried sitting in one? Its interior is easily worst-in-class. Everything about it screams cheap.

New Outlander looks promising, but in reality, is a piece of crap.

I looked at the MKZ and MKX, but didn't try out the Navigator or Expedition. I did check the XL-7, which is still second-tier, but it's not bad. Fit-and-finish was probably better than the Equinox/Torrent.

No, I adjusted it properly; it just didn't have enough room. Whether or not GM should make a proper minivan, I don't know. But there is a market for something cheaper and more practical than an Outlook or Acadia. I still see tons of lower-end minivans like Grand Caravans and Sienna LEs.

You don't even know the guy, and already you're making judgments on him (and ~6 million or so other Muslim Americans)??? Ellison was born in Detroit to American parents, so he was never "some middle easterner handed the keys to our country on behalf of a 'politically correct' election opportunity." It's you, your own personal predjudices and your own arrogance, that prevents you from seeing reality. Try seeing Muslim Americans as human beings (just like you and us; yes, really!), and don't form hatred as a result of your poor exposure.

They're actually one-piece alloys, even though they look like the G6 steelies. At LAIAS, no one cared about this car. Saturn hid it in the back and didn't even bother to light the display. Based on the show, you would have never known Saturn had a product revolution.

There are no "new" test calculations yet. The AURA Green Line will get "hacked" too when the time comes. Interestingly, for '07, the V6 Accord Hybrid MPG increased to 28/35, same as the AURA GL. And 26/34 MPG for the Altima is very impressive. Wow, I didn't know that.

It's actually quite nice in person. Like the SRX, the stitched upper dash material actually isn't leather, but it's an improvement over the brittle and coarse stuff from the base STS. The lower dash and doors are covered with fine-grain leather... it extends even down into the door bins. My only complaint is that the inferior feels claustrophobic, confining, and overstuffed.

It doesn't show on the GM photography, but they actually covered up the lower dash crap plastic with fine-grain leather.

After looking at practically every midsize sedan today, I still think the Accord is best. The Passat is okay 'cause I like VWs, and the Fusion/Milan and Camry are tolerable, but everything else just seems cheap or half-assed. Edit: Legacy is okay, too. But they're expensive. Edit 2: The new Sebring is a piece of crap.

I checked out the Acadia and Outlook today. For utility, it fails desperately in comparison to, say, an Odyssey or Sienna. Second row has much less room than the two vans. The seats are smaller and mounted far too low. I could sit in the Ody's 2nd row buckets all day, but I couldn't in the Lambda's. With the driver seat adjusted for my 5'11" height, I only had about 3" of free knee room in the back two rows. Getting in is more of a hassle than with our Ody. The cargo opening height is too high. And there isn't enough storage space to stash bags and purses. The Lambdas have tons of room for an SUV, but it's no minivan. They compromised maximum utility for style... they compromised interior height for ground clearance.

I checked all of them at LAIAS. My impressions... LS460L - The attention to detail is staggering. Everything feels well-made and thoroughly thought out. It's luxury in a very soft, tactile, and soothing manner. There's nothing bold or controversial about it, and as a result, it has absolutely no character. It's a rational buy, not an emotional one, for people with perfect skin, perfect white teeth, and perfect families. Jaguar XJR - There's an understated and classic elegance to this car. Compared to its big and chunky competitors, the XJ looks slim and felile. The interior could use better plastics, but because of the burled wood, contrasting piping, and piano black finish, it feels very comforting, cosseting, and traditional. I love it, but I wouldn't buy one new. BMW 750Li - The big Bimmer isn't conservative or graceful. But it has one of my favorite interiors, and overall, it's a very well-rounded package. It's definitely the most sport and art-oriented in its class. You either love it or hate it, and that's a good thing. Audi A8 - I generally find non-S/RS Audis boring, and this is no exception. I don't understand why anyone would buy one over a BMW, Mercedes, or even Lexus. It's just a big, expensive, characterless German sedan without exceptional performance, luxury, design, or refinement. S550 - The S-class is dignified and business-like. There's a feeling of importance to it... something monumental. Even though it's similar to the Lexus in many ways, their two characters are fundamentally different. Everything about the LS is soft, precise, and deceptive, whereas the S-class is about being substantial and over-engineered. It's the original, an institution, the big luxury sedan to get.

Saw one in person today, and it's not bad. It looks larger and more substantial than the previous version. The interior, however, is just as crappy, if not crappier.

I just came home from the show today, too. There were too many cars but not enough time, so I didn't take many pictures. But I'll post my impressions later.

The rankings are about right... except I'd switch the BMW with the Audi. Hell, maybe have the Jag in front of the Audi. I like Audis, but the regular A8 is too German. The Super V8 may technically be inferior, but at least it has character and power.

28/35 would be a great selling point if Saturn priced it like a 4-cylinder. I'd go for the V6 myself.

He wasn't even a protester.

True. In that sense, the Escalade makes the most sense out of all the GMT900 Hybrids because the Caddy is about extravagance and personal pleasure, not rationality.