On a weekly basis, we auto writer types in the office get weekly reports about what cars are most popular in terms of searches on our site. And for much of 2008, we were amused by reports for "Inside Line," our dedicated car enthusiast site. One phrase kept coming in as number one. It wasn’t one of the expected ones like, "Nissan GT-R," "Bitchin’ Camaro" or even "Danica Patrick." It was, believe it or not, "2009 Honda Fit." Sure, we can... Read More...

The 2009 Mini Cooper is the automotive equivalent of a boundlessly energetic Jack Russell terrier. Sure, it makes a lot of noise. Sure, it plays a little rough sometimes. And, well, it’s little. But when that pooch is bounding toward you, yipping gaily, lips peeled back in an apparent smile, you can’t help but smile back. That’s the Mini in a nutshell — it’s not the most refined pup in the litter, but its exuberant personality is bound to win you over. Let’s start... Read More...

Carving out a niche is often seen as a good thing. But the 2009 Volkswagen Touareg 2 occupies a niche that’s more problematic than anything else. This is a premium SUV with true off-road chops, but it’s too pricey for desert-dwelling nomads and not quite chic enough for the hedge-fund set. When the Touareg "1" was introduced back in 2004, VW was new to the SUV game and wanted to make sure that its debut offering could hold its own against the likes of Land Rover. It was engineered... Read More...

The subcompact economy car class has historically been populated by vehicles that had all the materials and build quality of a plastic toy found in a box of Cocoa Puffs. To call some of these cheap would be an insult to cheap things. But in the past few years a more competitive market has forced these bottom feeders to up their game in terms of overall quality and the adoption of modern convenience and safety technologies. The 2009 Toyota Yaris is a prime example of this. This is Toyota’s... Read More...

There’s an obvious reason why the 2010 Toyota Corolla is bound to be one of the country’s best-selling vehicles this year: Since its debut more than four decades ago, the Corolla has become synonymous with dependability. That alone, we suspect, is enough for many. But if these shoppers did venture over to their local Hyundai or Mazda or Honda dealers for some test-drives, they’d likely realize that the Corolla is far from the class leader it once was. It’s not a bad car by... Read More...

Hybrid-powered vehicles may warm the green-hued hearts of their owners, but they also tend to lighten owners’ wallets. Sure, they’ll save you money on gas, but typically, you have to pay so much more up front for hybrid technology that you’ll never recoup that initial investment. The 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid is the rare exception to that rule. Thanks to a dual-mode gas-electric hybrid powertrain, its green credentials are impeccable — 34 combined mpg and Advanced Technology... Read More...

If you’re interested in a hybrid, your choices are few, far between and very mediocre. There’s a reason a certain funky Toyota hybrid hatchback outsells all other gas-electric models combined. Everything else is too slow, too small, too expensive, too rare, not efficient enough or just not a very good car. All those politicians who lambasted Detroit for not making fuel-efficient cars people want to buy may have had a point… until now. The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is the first hybrid... Read More...

For decades now, the Volkswagen Jetta has existed in its own special niche. It may seem like an oxymoron, but this compact VW has made a name for itself by being an upscale economy car. Although roughly the same size as econoboxes from the United States and Japan, the Jetta has long exuded a sense of solidity and refinement in line with illustrious fellow Germans sporting fancier badges. The latest-generation Volkswagen Jetta, which debuted four years ago, carries on this tradition. It’s a... Read More...

The 2010 Ford Flex will offer an available 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, the first gasoline direct-injection twin-turbocharged engine produced in North America. EcoBoost is a key Ford Motor Company initiative to deliver significant advancements in fuel economy – up to 20 percent – without sacrificing the performance customers want. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine delivers an impressive 355 horsepower and a responsive 350 lb.-ft. of torque across a broad rpm range, simultaneously giving Ford... Read More...

The GMC Yukon Hybrid delivers a dramatic improvement in fuel economy over non-hybrid models – up to a 50-percent improved mileage in city driving – with all of the comfort and capability customers expect in a full-size SUV. Indeed, the Yukon Hybrid is mostly unchanged from the gasoline-only models, with the exception of some exterior details, subtle interior styling and several functional modifications. There is no difference in passenger seating capacity, and towing and payload are... Read More...