pow

There *is* going to be one... it was previewed in their Super Bowl ad.

Thoroughly underwhelming and predictable for a coupe. It's a great car underneath, but I'd take the sedan instead. The C63, on the other hand...

Should be interesting to see if there's any downgrade in quality going from a German car to a Canadian car. The powertrain specs are class-leading, but I'm not a fan of those Buick wheels or hood "vents."

Yes, that caused the pedal to return slowly, but it was not responsible for any crashes or accidents. The floor mats, however, were.

Sonata's 274-hp 2.0T mated to the eight-speed would be more than sufficient, too, if they figure out a way to rotate it 90 degrees for Genesis's FR configuration.

I think we knew that all along - no one has been able to duplicate any electronics-induced unintended acceleration, and runaway Prius was a hoax - but it was fun watching. I'm glad I didn't own any Toyota stock then.

2012 GLI appears to be the answer. Under $24K, award-winning 2.0T, available DSG, multi-link rear suspension, electrohydraulic steering, AND most importantly, soft-touch dash:

Honestly, I like the Sienna's interior. Its materials may be "hard", but they're grained in an interesting and futuristic way, like they are on the Prius. It's not supposed to simulate leather, and it's not shiny and offensive. Also, the reclining and second row seats have an absolutely ridiculous amount of space.

Come on Honda, offer the six-speed in all trim levels.

Glee??

I have an '02 Passat that I love dearly, but even I wouldn't buy a W8 unless if it were insanely cheap. The W8 is a pretty low volume engine that's difficult to maintain (timing chain is rear-mounted, so you have to pull the whole thing for any repairs), and it's thirsty and not all that powerful. My 1.8T has 100K miles now, and despite going through a lot (two new teenage drivers, two collisions), it's been reliable, save for a recall or two or three. In 2004, VW started selling Passat 1.8T manuals with 4Motion, which would make for a rare ride that can still be worked on, or you could get an Audi. Turbos can make a lot of power with a few modifications, albeit at the expense of drivability. E46s are easy to work on and reliable, too. Get a RWD one with snow tires. Wagon, preferably. Here's a pic of my Passat from last summer... it's since been tinted, and it looks a lot better now.

No, it weighs 4387 lbs, on par with every other minivan out there.

I *do* like the Juke. Nissan could have made a traditional hot hatch, but nobody would have bought one. Instead they made it a raised hot hatch "crossover" to (ironically) broaden its appeal. It's priced well, sandwiched right between the boring Sentra and Altima.

Mazda 6 is essentially a more evolved Ford Fusion... and the Fusion is a more evolved MK1 Mazda 6. Therefore, you'd expect 6 sales to be at least somewhat close to Fusion, but no. Interestingly, the Mazda is made in Flat Rock, USA next to Mustangs by the UAW, while the Ford is made in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Cruze Hybrid doesn't need 0-60 in 8 seconds. I think something along the line of a Civic Hybrid would be fine, just at a much lower price. Maybe a 1.4L direct-injection, non-turbo eAssist? I would keep the Eco nomenclature. $20,000 max.

The Daewoofication of Chevrolet is complete. It kinda sucks how Ford goes to Europe to source for their global sedans, whereas Chevrolet goes to their lowly, less-experienced Korean subsidiary, leaving Germany for Buick. The Cruze, Sonic, Spark, etc. all have a distinctly GM-DAT persona.

Agreed, the Journey interior is much improved. I'm less impressed with the minivans; while their materials are better, the build quality still seems a bit iffy. The handles for the seats feel brittle and clunky, the glovebox door doesn't really fit properly, and you can still jiggle some of the rear plastic panels around. In other words, it looks decent, but when you start moving things around, its cheapness reveals itself.

I would say displacement does make a difference... C55 gets 14/20 MPG to the 700-lb heavier and all-wheel-driven EcoBoost MKS 17/25 MPG.

I really liked the MKS I checked out at LAIAS, which had a light and airy interior with olive wood and lots of chrome detail. Very contemporary and pleasant and the complete opposite of a sporting or serious German interior. I'm not sure it can compete against cars the caliber of the 5-series or E-class, but I'd take one over, say, an ES350. After rebates, it's priced comparably to the Lexus. How does it perform when parking next to a curb? I'd hate to scratch up my wheels, or damage some tie rod ends, because the car parked itself too close to the curb.

It's not true, but it's fun entertainment. I love Top Gear UK.

LLN is a POS and they aim at the LCD. There's no "news" in LLN.

Basically they've tried to maintain the Volkswagen superiority, or whatever you want to call it, but offer it at a more competitive price. IMO, they've succeeded in retaining its German-engineered "premium-ness" with this new, less-expensive model. No other car in its class offers a DSG transmission, or a TDI engine, or bigger brakes. The design is conservative, but it isn't gimmicky or prone to falling out of fashion after a couple of years.

I'm afraid interior preferences are hardly objective truth. Truth is, I find the new US Passat interior more attractive than any of its rivals. Perhaps it's a matter of personal taste, but I like black interiors, I like restrained uses of chrome and piano black, I like clean and elegant gauges, and I like the corporate Volkswagen design aesthetic -- the fonts on the switchgear, the shape of the buttons, the layout of the controls, etc. I mean, this is what it's up against...

LOL this is on Jalopnik now, too

Speaking of practicality, the Orlando compared to the Equinox... Lower MSRP Better MPG Lower curb weight Seats more people More interior space Smaller exterior footprint Six-speed manual standard