2009 Mazda MAZDA3 Summary

The 2009 MAZDA3 is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, or wagon, available in 8 trims, ranging from the i Sport 4-Door to the s Grand Touring 5-Door.

Upon introduction, the i Sport 4-Door is equipped with a standard 2.0-liter, I4, 148-horsepower engine that achieves 24-mpg in the city and 32-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional. The s Grand Touring 5-Door is equipped with a standard 2.3-liter, I4, 156-horsepower engine that achieves 22-mpg in the city and 29-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.

Mazda MAZDA6 Summary

2009 Mazda MAZDA6 Summary

The 2009 MAZDA6 is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, or sports sedan, available in 7 trims, ranging from the i Sports Sedan SV to the s Sports Sedan Grand Touring.

Upon introduction, the i Sports Sedan SV is equipped with a standard 2.5-liter, I4 , 170-horsepower engine that achieves 20-mpg in the city and 29-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard. The s Sports Sedan Grand Touring is equipped with a standard 3.7-liter, V6 , 272-horsepower engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 25-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.

Honda Accord Sedan Summary

2009 Honda Accord Sedan Summary

The 2009 Accord Sedan is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in 13 trims, ranging from the LX 5-Spd MT to the EX-L V-6 5-Spd AT w/ Navigation System.

Upon introduction, the LX 5-Spd MT is equipped with a standard 2.4-liter, I4, 177-horsepower engine that achieves 22-mpg in the city and 31-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard. The EX-L V-6 5-Spd AT w/ Navigation System is equipped with a standard 3.5-liter, V6, 271-horsepower engine that achieves 19-mpg in the city and 29-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.

2009 Dodge Challenger Summary

The 2009 Challenger is a 2-door, 5-passenger sports coupe, available in 3 trims, ranging from the SE to the SRT8.

Upon introduction, the SE is equipped with a standard 3.5-liter, V6, 250-horsepower engine that achieves 18-mpg in the city and 25-mpg on the highway. A 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. The SRT8 is equipped with a standard 6.1-liter, V8, 425-horsepower engine. A 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is optional.

Hyundai Genesis Summary

2009 Hyundai Genesis Summary

The 2009 Genesis is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in two trims, the 3.8L and the 4.6L.

Upon introduction, the 3.8L is equipped with a standard 3.8-liter, V6, 290-horsepower engine that achieves 18-mpg in the city and 27-mpg on the highway. The 4.6L is equipped with a standard 4.6-liter, V8, 375-horsepower engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 25-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard on both trims.

Affordable Small Car

How "Affordable" is Your Affordable Small Car?

By Nadeem Muaddi

If you base your car buying decisions on what you pay at the dealer, you're in for a shock.

Cars cost a lot more than just the sticker price. Factor in taxes, financing charges, maintenance costs, insurance, fuel and depreciation and you can easily inflate the cost of your "affordable" small car to nearly double its sticker price in just five years.

Fortunately, industry analysts provide a host of ownership cost calculators that factor these expenses into a single estimate of what you'll spend in the first five years of ownership. However, it's an extremely time-consuming process to research, organize, and compare figures for every small car on the market -- especially since no two cost calculators provide exactly the same results. That's precisely why we've done the math for you.

We scoured three of the auto industry's leading sources of cost-to-own (CTO) estimates -- Edmunds, IntelliChoice and Vincentric,-- and averaged the results to find a consensus about the most and least affordable "economy cars."

Technology Articles Hybrids

Technology Articles

How Hybrids Work

ybrid vehicles for decades, thanks in large part to a pair of oil crises in the 1970s and 1980s that seemed to portend a need for more fuel-efficient vehicles in the years ahead. However, once gasoline shortages eased and long lines at the pump faded from memory, so did the desire for more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Toyota's hybrid electric powerplant, shown here in the 2006 Highlander Hybrid, combines parallel- and series-hybrid technology.

Even so, work on hybrids continued sporadically over the years, with interest in battery-electric and hybrid vehicles kicking into high gear with the advent of California's zero-emission vehicle mandate in the early 1990s. During this time, three distinct types of hybrid configurations were explored — the parallel hybrid, the series hybrid and a combination of both.

Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system used in the Insight, Accord Hybrid and 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid typifies a parallel hybrid configuration, in which an internal combustion engine provides primary power with an electric motor supplying additional power during times of high demand. The electric motor never powers the car on its own.

A series hybrid uses an internal combustion engine solely to generate electricity for powering drive motors and not for vehicle propulsion. This configuration isn't used on its own in any production hybrid vehicle today.

Most hybrids — including those from Toyota and Ford — use a combination of parallel- and series-hybrid power so that they operate on internal combustion power most of the time, solely on electric power under certain conditions, and under both internal combustion and electric power in high-load conditions, such as intense acceleration or when climbing hills. Normally, non-hybrid vehicles are equipped with engines that offer much more power — and consequently consume much more fuel — than is needed most of the time in order to enable intense bursts of acceleration necessary for passing another vehicle on the highway or climbing a hill, for instance. Hybrids change this dynamic by using a small, fuel-efficient engine coupled with an electric motor to boost output when extra power is needed.

Unlike in older Honda Civic Hybrid models, which ran on both electric and gas power at all times, the 2006 model's IMA system runs on electric power alone at constant cruising speeds.

Unlike the IMA system in previous Honda Civic Hybrids, the fourth-generation system in the 2006 Civic Hybrid also operates on either internal combustion or electric power depending on driving circumstances. It does so differently than Toyota and Ford models by operating on electric power only under low-load conditions at cruising speed, rather than at low speeds.

Both hybrid configurations offer similar fuel economy and emissions advantages, with hybrids achieving either SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) or AT-PZEV (Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) emissions levels in California and certain Northeast states. These designations are specific to California and the Northeast states that have adopted its stringent emissions regulations. Federal designations do not use identifiers such as SULEV or PZEV, but rather classifications such as Tier 2/Bin 2, which is how a PZEV is identified on the federal level.

Lest you think these confusing acronyms are simply governmental bureaucracy, consider that a SULEV runs 90 percent cleaner than the average new vehicle today. Efficiency gets even better when adding zero evaporative emissions and a 150,000-mile emissions system warranty, the requisite upgrades to achieving AT-PZEV status.

America's Most Popular Car Colors

Car dealers desperate to shed inventory might want to buy some white paint.

That's because 20% of North America's car buyers drove off in white vehicles this year. Black and silver were also popular--17% of buyers preferred these shades. Blue ranked fourth (13%) and gray rounded out the top five (12%).

What's so great about white? Special pigments called "white effects" can subtly alter a variety of shades, allowing drivers to express their personal styles. Car colors with altered white tones include "Performance White" on the Ford Mustang, Lexus IS 250's "Starfire Pearl" and "Calla White" on the Audi Q7. This is the second year white has topped the list.

"These nuances are more obvious in white," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and color consultant, of white's popularity. "It catches the light easily. If you have a pigmented finish, it is going to be more obvious on a white car."

The findings are part of the 2008 DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Report, released this month. DuPont provides coatings for automakers' production lines, and for the collision repair industry.

The report, which measures car colors' percentages of North American market share, found that while black, white and silver remain the most well-liked, other trends are emerging.

Buyers looking for ways to differentiate their cars from others on the road are trying out tri-coat systems, which comprise a base coat, a mid layer containing the color and a special "effect" pigment, and a clear coat.

What's more, "earth-friendly" tones like blue are gaining popularity, says Karen Surcina, color marketing manager with DuPont Performance Coatings. Last year, 12% of buyers preferred blue; this year, the figure is up slightly to 13%. Blue is especially popular among buyers looking to live a greener lifestyle, since it is widely perceived to be representative of nature. Interestingly, green was chosen by just 3% of North American buyers.

But don't expect blue to surpass the top three any time soon. They're universally popular: In Europe, black (solid and with effect), silver and gray reign, accounting for 26%, 20% and 18% of the market. Russians overwhelmingly choose silver cars (30%) while India's market shows a preference for white and white pearl (17% and 11%, respectively) and silver (27%.)Among the least loved? Yellow/gold and beige/brown--just 2% and 5% of drivers, respectively, prefer these colors.

Color is on the minds not only of consumers, but of automakers as well. A 2007 Ford Motor study found that 39% of consumers will leave a dealership if it doesn't have a vehicle they want in their color of choice.

And to accommodate buyers' appetites for innovative color schemes, by next year, almost half of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles will feature new paint colors. These will include silver and bronze metallics, shades named after foods--including "White Chocolate" and "Candy Apple Red"--and pale blue and green tones.

Ford Mustang Summary

2009 Ford Mustang Summary

The 2009 Mustang is a 2-door, 4-passenger family coupe, sports coupe, convertible, or convertible sports car, available in 8 trims, ranging from the V6 Coupe to the GT Premium Convertible.

Upon introduction, the V6 Coupe is equipped with a standard 4.0-liter, V6, 210-horsepower engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 26-mpg on the highway. The GT Premium Convertible is equipped with a standard 4.6-liter, V8, 300-horsepower engine that achieves 15-mpg in the city and 23-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard on both trims, and a 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.

2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Summary

2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Summary

The 2009 C-Class is a 4-door, 5-passenger luxury sports sedan, available in 6 trims, ranging from the C300 Sport Sedan to the C63 AMG Sport Sedan.

Upon introduction, the C300 Sport Sedan is equipped with a standard 3.0-liter, V6, 228-horsepower engine that achieves 18-mpg in the city and 26-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard. The C63 AMG Sport Sedan is equipped with a standard 6.2-liter, V8, 451-horsepower engine that achieves 12-mpg in the city and 19-mpg on the highway. A 7-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.

2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Coupe

2009 Lamborghini Gallardo Summary

The 2009 Gallardo is a 2-door, 2-passenger luxury sports car, available in one trim only, the LP560-4 Coupe.

Upon introduction, the Gallardo is equipped with a standard 5.2-liter, V10, 552-horsepower engine that achieves 11-mpg in the city and 23-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.

The 2009 Gallardo is freshened for 2009.

2009 Ford Shelby GT500 Summary

2009 Ford Shelby GT500 Summary

The 2009 Shelby GT500 is a 2-door, 4-passenger sports car, or convertible sports car, available in two trims, the Coupe and the Convertible.

Upon introduction, both trims are equipped with a standard 5.4-liter, V8, 500-horsepower, supercharged engine that achieves 14-mpg in the city and 20-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard.

The 2009 Shelby GT500 is a carryover from 2008.

Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Hyundai Genesis Coupe

by John Rettie, NewCarTestDrive.com

The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is svelt new two-door that goes on sale in early spring 2009 as a 2010 model.

Hyundai's concept coupe was a hit at the greater Los Angeles auto show last year (Fall 2007). It piqued the interest of those looking for a sharp looking rear-drive sports car at an affordable price.

Now, the unveiling of the production version of this car at the April 2008 New York Auto Show was no let down as it grabbed the headlines when two examples slid, with wheels spinning under the expert skills of a couple of stunt drivers, onto a makeshift indoor drifting stadium. Rock music and fireworks added to the razzmatazz. You've got to do something outlandish to make the headlines in the Big Apple and Hyundai did just that.

Judging by the specs, buyers of the car will not be disappointed when it goes on sale early in 2009.

Ford Mustang

By Shaun Bailey • Photos by John Lamm

Ford Mustang

The new Mustang is instantly recognizable. If we weren't on the stand at the L.A. auto show, however, you might not know it's actually a new car. Ford has stuck to the tried-and-true belief that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." The 2010 model is an evolutionary redesign, but the mechanics have left the hardware pretty much alone. The V-6 and V-8 make 210 bhp and 315 bhp, respectively. That pales in comparison to the new Chevrolet Camaro, with its 300-bhp V-6. The Mustang GT's V-8 engine is not much different than that of the most recent Mustang Bullitt. It is a good powerplant, but not quite as potent as we'd have hoped.

Almost all the changes made to the Mustang — inside and out — were for refinement. The hard plastics of the old car have been replaced by soft materials and modern gauges that look good yet are easy to read. The hood, replete with power bulge, hides its window squirters beneath, the radio antenna has been moved to the back of the car, and the gas flap is now flush. In addition to larger wheels, the tail lamps are unique in that they light up sequentially when used as turn-indicators.

You might think the new 2010 Mustang is wider and more aggressive, but its dimensions are identical to the previous car. The raised bumper cap, pinched headlamp enclosures and chamfered rear corners all contribute to the allusion of a smaller, lower car.

We have heard whispers about Ford bringing back a supercharged package in the near future, which would bump the V-8 to 400 bhp. We'll keep our fingers crossed and hope we see such a car at the Detroit show in January. In the meantime, if you like the previous Mustang, you'll love this one. It's simply just more of a good thing.

Chevrolet Volt

By Matt DeLorenzo | Photos by Marc Urbano

Chevrolet Volt

General Motors may have canceled its Los Angeles Auto Show press conference, but it still sent the 2011 Chevrolet Volt to make its North American auto show debut and to underscore the importance it places on this electrically driven automobile. While the wraps were taken off the production Volt at GM's 100th anniversary party last September, this was the first opportunity for Americans to personally inspect the car.

They'll find that it is not the same as the show car they've seen before. The concept's sharp edges have been rounded to conform to both a wind tunnel and GM's global look. It is no coincidence that it resembles the new Chevrolet Cruze, because they share the same front-wheel-drive platform and will be built in Lordstown, Ohio.

The Volt is a plug-in E-flex model capable of running 40 miles on pure electric power. An onboard gasoline generator will then supply the necessary juice to give the Volt a total range of about 300 miles.

Preliminary specifications list the top speed at 100 mph, and give a 0-60 time of 9 seconds. This is independent of battery charge, as the gasoline engine makes up the difference running as a generator. For optimal efficiency the engine will have specific operating ranges that will charge the battery, and therefore will likely be quiet and smooth.

Unlike other hybrids on the market, the Volt will accommodate four instead of five passengers. Thus, the 5-door Volt lacks a bit of the practicality of a more conventional compact sedan. The missing fifth seat is said to be used up by the 400 lb. 16 kw/h battery pack that sits on the spine of the car and under the rear seats. The battery also cuts into the fuel tank size as well, likely limiting it to about 5 gallons.

The Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that can recharge in eight hours using a standard household 120V plug. A suitable 240-volt outlet can accomplish a full charge in about three hours.

Lotus Evora

Lotus Evora

by Rex Parker, NewCarTestDrive.com

A new sports car called the Lotus Evora is expected to be introduced in U.S. in 2009, likely as a 2010 model. A larger car than the Elise, the Evora will be the first totally new Lotus in nearly 15 years.

To considerable media and public acclaim, Lotus revealed the upcoming Evora sports-GT at the July 2008 London Motor Show. Appearing on the show stand was a deep-silver two-door, 2+2, mid-engine coupe featuring a variety of longstanding Lotus design cues, to the point observers instantly recognized and appreciated Lotus DNA. The family lineage was seen to continue under the skin, where Evora's bonded and riveted aluminum platform, composite body panels and Toyota drivetrain are all trademark Lotus. As with all Loti, Evora extracts the most from the least, with agile dynamics and high performance coming more from advanced structures and weight control than outright engine power.

Evora is the first all-new Lotus in more than a decade, the last all-new model having been Elise Series 1 back in 1995 that spawned the current Elise Series 2, Exige, the 2-Eleven track car, and the non-USA Europa S. The basic Elise platform has also been used for non-USA Opel Speedster and Vauxhall VX220 models, as well as the recently introduced Tesla Roadster pure-electric vehicle.

Evora is larger and significantly more luxurious than other models in the current Lotus lineup. It is also much roomier and more accommodating, as needed for commercial success in today's demanding marketplace. The Evora's size results in higher weight than the Elise-based models. Think of Elise and Exige as pure sportscars, and Evora a (still pure) GT.

Although launched as an enclosed 2+2 coupe, Evora will add at least two model variants in short order, a two-seat coupe with the vestigial rear seats removed and replaced by an open luggage area, and a two-seat soft-top convertible with the open area behind the front seats taken up with a folding top assembly.

Launched with a six-speed manual transmission, Evora will also add some form of automatic transmission during the early part of the build run. The Lotus lineup of four-cylinder engines in the Elise and its derivatives plus the Evora V6 complies with current fleet limits, but will shortly exceed EU limits and require modifications. Don't be too surprised if Evora adopts a hybrid or even all-electric drivetrain during its production run.

Evora is only the fifth vehicle in modern times to combine a 2+2 seating configuration with a mid-engine layout. For those needing to account for the other four, they were the Lamborghini Urraco, Dino (later Ferrari) 308GT4, and Maserati Merak from the 1970s, as well as Ferrari Mondial from the 1980s-90s.

Combining increased cabin space and a certain practicality with the dynamic balance inherent in a mid-engine configuration presents significant design challenges to get proportions right and make the car visually appealing. We think Lotus succeeded, with Evora successfully hiding its 2+2 seating configuration in a vehicle most would initially identify as a two-seater. Of course, the way to get the proportions right was simply to limit the size of the 2+2 seating package. The rear seats are small, and Lotus suggests a passenger height limit of about 5 feet. We suggest short trips only or opting for the upcoming two-seat model with open cargo area.

Chevrolet Camaro

Chevrolet Camaro

The launch of the highly anticipated 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is expected in the spring of 2009. It'll feel a bit like back to the future, as GM's iconic pony re-emerges to compete with the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger.

The new Camaro will be available with a 3.6-liter V6 aided by a six-speed automatic, a combination expected to be rated at 26 mpg on the highway. Enthusiasts will gravitate to the Camaro SS, equipped with a powerful V8 and a choice of manual and automatic transmissions and 20-inch wheels. The Camaro will be built on GM's new global rear-wheel-drive architecture.

The production version looks essentially identical to the concept first shown at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, a remarkable achievement given the demands a modern design must meet. Compared with the retro-styled Mustang and Challenger, the Camaro has a more contemporary and angular appearance that looks more cutting edge.

This is not a reissued '69 Camaro. In fact, some might have wondered if this car was designed in the Chevy studio at all. It's edginess looked Cadillac inspired.

Underneath, it's thoroughly modern, offering the latest in technology.

While the exterior has a modern edge and attitude, the interior has more retro styling cues with two large main gauges and with other gauges located at the front of the center console.

The Camaro SS comes with a 6.2-liter V8 with a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. Cars with manual transmissions use GM's LS3 V8 expected to produce 422 horspower and 408 pound-feet of torque. The LS3 debuted on the 2008 Corvette and uses high-flow cylinder heads based on the Corvette Z06's LS7 engine for strong low-end torque and high-rpm power. Camaro SS automatics come with a new L99 V8 based on the LS3 that carries all the high-performance design features but also includes GM's fuel-saving Active Fuel Management feature, enabling the engine to run on only four cylinders when cruising on the highway to improve fuel economy.

The 3.6-liter V6 standard on the Camaro LS and LT is direct-injected and features variable valve timing. It's expected to generate 300 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual comes standard, a six-speed automatic optional.

The new Camaro rides on a 112-inch wheelbase and will be 190 inches long. The Camaro SS is expected to weigh 3,866 pounds with the manual gearbox.

Mazda3

Mazda3

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Mazda just pulled the wraps off an all-new Mazda3, a model that has been with us for five years. Hard to believe, isn't it? But this new car will help us forget about the old car, which won us over with its entertaining driving manners.

And we really like the new "pontooned" front fenders, which are prominent but more subtly shaped than those on the latest Mazda6 sedan. There's clearly a new family resemblance at work here, and the 3, like the 6, boasts some stylish detailing at both ends.

Initially available only as a 4-door sedan, the new 2010 Mazda3 offers better fuel economy, a quieter cabin, more safety features and a sportier ride character. Mazda says we can expect to see a 5-door version of the Mazda3 in a few months. We're happy about that because the 5-door looks great and is quite practical.

The 5-door will also be the basis of a new Mazdaspeed3. We've seen spy shots of this turbocharged model being tested at the Nürburgring in Germany, and we can only assume that it will have a 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine with 280 bhp and 300 lb.-ft. of torque. Our only wish? That the Mazdaspeed3 will be all-wheel drive, to help put all that power to the ground.

Renault Laguna Coupe 2.0 dCi 180

Renault Laguna Coupe 2.0 dCi 180

Test date 10 December 2008 Price as tested £24,345

For Agile feel, competitive pricing and equipment, stylish appearance

AgainstNot much polish to the chassis, small boot opening, fiddly interior controls

Renault is being either rather brave or very clever. Outside the realm of premium manufacturers the four-seat coupé segment has, for a long time, been overlooked. Since the Ford Cougar and Vauxhall Calibra were not replaced, only Peugeot has stuck with the mid-sized coupé market.

Renault hasn’t made a two-door variant during the previous two generations of Laguna (if you ignore the Avantime, an unconventional coupé of sorts); you have to go as far back as the 1980 Fuego for Renault’s last proper coupé.

However, the success of BMW’s 3-series coupé, Mercedes’ CLK and Audi’s A5 demonstrate that a market exists for cars with two doors, four seats and sleek looks. Renault clearly believes that the lack of a perceived premium badge is not the big issue it once was and that buyers are aware of the increasingly blurred line between premium and mainstream.

So perhaps a curvy Renault coupé will appeal. Volkswagen has very similar ambitions for the Scirocco. Will that, rather than the badge, present the Laguna Coupé with its biggest challenge?

BMW 730d SE

BMW 730d SE

You are looking at the fifth-generation BMW 7-series, and if you’re surprised by how similar to the previous model it appears then you are quite clearly not alone.

The new Seven is visually so similar to its predecessor – the first BMW to feature Chris Bangle’s controversial ‘flame surface’ styling, remember – that you could easily mistake it for a mid-life revamp model.

In reality the new 7-series is an all-new car featuring a new platform and an entirely new bodyshell, which just happens to look remarkably like the one before. As usual, the range comprises six-cylinder diesel and six or eight-cylinder petrol versions, peaking with the 4.4-litre, V8-powered 750i.

The version we test here, though, is at the sensible end of the price range and features BMW’s proven 3.0-litre straight six turbodiesel engine and a six-speed automatic gearbox.

The 730d SE costs a decently competitive £54,160, a price that becomes even more inviting when you consider how much new technology is being showcased beneath this car’s skin, more of which we’ll come to in a moment.

Mitsubishi i-MiEV

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Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Test date 16 December 2008 Price as tested TBA

Large battery replaces the fuel tank, while a 63bhp electric motor replaces the engine

What is it?

This is the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, an electric version of the Mitsubishi i city car. The Mitsubishi i is popular in Japan and in a more limited way in the UK, where it has been on sale since July 2007. The company’s original UK allocation of 300 petrol-powered examples sold out within three weeks of going on sale.

In layman’s terms, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV is an all-electric version of the i four-seater, with the combustion engine and fuel tank replaced by a 63bhp electric motor and a large battery pack.

What’s it like?

In stop-start traffic in villages and towns, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV excels. It pulls away smoothly, whether in standard mode or the more economical ‘Eco’ setting, which limits the motor’s output to 18kW. A small amount of creep makes low-speed manoeuvres surprisingly easy.

Mitsubishi quotes a range of 80-100 miles if the i-MiEV is driven economically. It’s easy to imagine commuting to work or doing the school run in this car. The company says that if you plug the i-MiEV into the mains, it will charge fully in seven hours. This drops to 30 minutes if you have access to a 50kW three-phase supply.

Unsurprisingly, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV is no sports car, but over a winding 15-mile cross-country route it proved fun to drive and as able to keep up with the traffic as its petrol sibling.

The instant response from the electric motor and rear-wheel drive combine to provide a level of adjustability in corners that is missing from the i-MiEV’s front-wheel-drive turbodiesel competitors.

Despite the 200kg of batteries where the fuel tank used to be (actually mounted 80mm lower), the i-MiEV does not feel bloated, with well-controlled body roll in corners.

Should I buy one?

If you are looking for a zero-emissions four-seat city car, the i-MiEV is your only option. Fortunately the i-MiEV is a polished, if quirky, performer. Even if you’re considering a conventional city car, the i-MiEV is at least worth a look, provided you don’t need to travel further than 100 miles at a time.

Around 2000 i-MiEVs are planned for the first year of production, and Mitsubishi hopes to bring around 200 of these to the UK.

Hyundai i20 1.2 Comfort

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Hyundai i20 1.2 Comfort

Test date 16 December 2008 Price as tested £9,645

The Hyundai i20's cabin, like the exterior, needs more visual interest

What is it?

This is the Hyundai i20 1.2 Comfort, part of Hyundai’s continuing assault on the small car sector.

The Hyundai i20 is the Korean firm’s replacement for the Getz supermini and a new rival for the latest Ford Fiesta. This is our first opportunity to sample it on UK roads.

What’s it like?

As we’ve come to expect, buying a Hyundai offers a saving over its competitors, but is it enough? The Hyundai i20 is competing in one of the toughest market segments, and while the new Fiesta is our current favourite of its rivals, there are many other excellent alternatives, including the Vauxhall Corsa, Skoda Fabia and Mazda 2.

Next to these, the Hyundai i20 1.2 Comfort drives well enough, with a keenness to change direction, a decent amount of throttle adjustability and accurate (if over-light) steering. The engine is both reasonably peppy and emits just 124g/km of CO2, making it cleaner than its immediate rivals.

It could do with a taller fifth gear for motorways, but while the looks might be forgettable, the i20’s packaging is efficient, particularly for rear-seat passengers.

So the i20 is a perfectly good car, then, and vastly superior to the one it replaces, but it fails to deliver much in the way of flair and desirability. The interior in particular is pretty drab and unappealing.

Should I buy one?

For many, the Hyundai i20 1.2 Comfort will make a decent case for itself. And you can point to Hyundai’s five-year warranty, as well as the price advantage, and argue that desirability is something you can forgo. If that’s the case then the i20 is a decent car that will most likely serve you well.

However, if you can stretch to the Fiesta and live with steel wheels, you’ll be getting not only a technically superior but also a more satisfying car. And for similar money, the Seat Ibiza gets close to the i20 on toys and is styled with more panache.

New Toyota Prius on hold

New Toyota Prius on hold

Toyota has postponed plans to build the next generation of its Prius hybrid in the United States.

The £1bn project to build the Toyota Prius in a newly developed Mississippi factory will be shelved, with no specific timeframe for its completion.

UK sales of the Toyota Prius have remained relatively consistent, with sales up three per cent year-on-year. But worldwide sales have fallen by around 10 per cent, and the US market is down by nearly half; just 8660 units were sold in the US in November, down from 16,737 a year earlier.

The decision to suspend development of the plant comes amid growing uncertainty in the global car market and the continued fall in petrol prices, which has hit demand for electric and hybrid cars. Toyota is also wary of over-supplying what is soon to become a more competitive market with the imminent launch of the Honda Insight hybrid.

Once seen as financially beneficial, the Mississippi Toyota plant has become one of many financial burdens on the Japanese manufacturer. Toyota also has plans for more than a dozen factory projects, including new plants in Brazil and India.

Delays to the production of the new Toyota Prius are unlikely, but Toyota will resent the increased shipping and currency conversion costs associated with importing the Prius from Japan.

Toyota will finish the building work at the Tupelo plant, and has confirmed that staff already employed on the site in administrative and managerial roles will keep their jobs.

Toyota has stated its long-term plans to produce the Prius in the US remain, but that any decision will depend on market conditions.

Volvo S60 concept revealed

Volvo S60 concept revealed

Volvo has decided that the new Volvo S60 will be a conventionally sized rival to established compact executive cars such as the Audi A4 and the Mercedes C-class, and not awkwardly sized half a class above like the last-generation model.

It will be previewed by this, the Volvo S60 Concept at next month’s Detroit motor show. You can watch the video below.

Although the production car will not be as dramatic as the Volvo S60 Concept, it will retain the same proportions, low roofline and XC60-style front end. The Volvo S60 is the second model to get the firm’s new look (after the Volvo XC60), which is meant to make the cars clearly recognisable as a Volvo at 100 yards.

The concept’s most striking features, such as the rear-hinged rear doors and the lack of a B-pillar, will not make it into production. And despite what Volvo describes as coupe-style looks, the Volvo S60 is actually a saloon with a conventional boot lid.

The rear doors are mounted on parallelogram hinges; they pop out from the car’s body and then slide backwards towards the rear wheel arch.

The absence of a B-pillar helps to improve access. Inside, Volvo has replicated the floating console in its production cars in Swedish crystal glass, with the controls for the audio and climate control set directly into the glass.

The dashboard takes the shapes used in the XC60 and updates them with a split instrument pod featuring a large central speedometer. The wildest concept car touch is in the headlight clusters, where two miniature Viking longboats illuminate when the lights are switched on.

The concept also has a new safety feature, claimed as a world first by Volvo, that will be fitted to the production car. It can detect pedestrians in the path of the car and can fully apply the brakes if an accident is impending.

Subaru withdraws from WRC

Subaru is axing its World Rally Championship programme with immediate effect, leaving the series with just Ford and Citroen committed to the 2009 season.

Subaru has competed in the top flight of rallying since 1990, and it has used the Impreza (in various guises) since 1994. Subaru’s motorsport programme is credited with helping Subaru to become a cult performance manufacturer, a market far removed from its traditional rural customer base.

>>See more pictures of Subaru in WRC

However, the global economic slowdown has forced Subaru to rethink its presence in the WRC. And rallying’s newly rubber-stamped technical regulations, due to be introduced in 2010, specify that the top teams will use a car based on the current Super 2000 specification of machinery.

This would, in effect, have forced Subaru to develop a brand new car, since the Impreza only exists in World Rally Car and more standard Group N forms.

The move is bad news for Prodrive, the Banbury-based engineering consultancy that introduced the brand to the sport and has been responsible for its efforts for the last 18 years.

Prodrive’s chairman, David Richards, said, “Subaru’s departure from the World Rally Championship is a great loss as it is one of the sport’s icons. The Subaru World Rally Team has created true champions such as Colin McRae and Richard Burns and its absence will be felt by many the world over. Although this decision closes a significant chapter in Prodrive’s history, our focus now turns to the future.”

Prodrive is insisting that Subaru’s team amounted to “no more than 20 per cent” of its turnover. It hopes to redeploy rally team staff to other areas of its business.

The WRC now looks desperately weak; Subaru’s withdrawal comes only days after Suzuki announced that it was pulling the plug on its fledgling SX4 WRC campaign.

Audi bins hybrid plans

Audi bins hybrid plans

Audi’s plans for petrol-electric hybrids are on hold indefinitely following a decision to postpone the hybrid Q5.

Autocar revealed in July that the Q7 would not get a hybrid powertrain, with the company deciding to focus on more efficient diesels and cutting weight from its cars.

Now the Q5, which was next in line for the technology, won’t be available as a hybrid either.

Senior sources said: “Audi won’t produce a petrol-electric hybrid until we can make nickel metal hydride batteries safer in crash situations, and hybrid technology more efficient overall. Until then we will concentrate on producing more efficient diesel engines and aluminium chassis.”

The Q5 will now be fitted with a stop-start system, and could get further fuel-saving technology. Audi’s answer to BMW’s Efficient Dynamics initiative won’t get a specific name, as the company wants to promote the belief that the improvements are a natural part of its technical progress.

The new technology could make its debut on the A1 supermini, due in 2010, but development is sufficiently advanced that it could be added to existing models next year.