pow

Awesome. I'm assuming this will be cheaper than a diesel engine, as surely that is the whole point of HCCI...?

As long as supply keeps up with demand, that shouldn't happen. Manufacturers, particularly cash-strapped ones like Ford, naturally limit production of vehicles, like the Escape Hybrid, that are less profitable. This lower-cost IMA system sounds promising.

Guys... did you know... in light of raising gas prices and all... the W-body Impala is actually... wait for it... the most fuel-efficient (hwy) six-passenger vehicle in the US! Who knew Chevy already beat Toyota to the crossover sedan segment....

The Yaris is cheap and cheerful, minimalist or spartan, depending on your view. I happen to like the three-door hatch - art school knobs and all - and I imagine with the right wheels and paint, it could pass as a funky little European runabout. Yes, they dumbed down the Yaris for the North American market, but the excellent first-tier, modern world car "bones" remain. The Daewoo Gentra (Aveo), on the other hand, was developed on a tighter budget for a different audience long ago. It may be nicely finished and nicely updated over the years, but the engineering still pales in comparison to the Yaris. Just look at safety and fuel economy... http://www.iihs.org/ratings/image.ashx?rh=719&id=2 http://www.iihs.org/ratings/image.ashx?rh=711&id=2

Yes, but in exchange, you get so many darn toll roads...

Regardless of what it gets in the "real world", 30/41 EPA is very impressive considering you get a near-midsize, 3400 lbs sedan with 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. This will give Camry Hybrid a run for its money.

For the record, the scientific community collectively bang their heads on the wall when scientific theory is confused with "theory" in common usage.

Notable new cars for 2009 so far: Jetta TDI: Manual: 30/41 DSG: 29/40 Flex: FWD: 17/24 AWD:16/22 MKS: FWD:17/24 AWD:16/23 Borrego: 2WD: 17/21 4WD: 16/21 Genesis: 3.3: 19/27 3.8: 18/27 335d: 23/33

Could be... I drove from NY to DC last week and the trip was quicker than I expected. I noticed several Altima Hybrid taxis up north in NYC. There were tons of Escape Hybrids, some Camry Hybrids, some Highlander Hybrids, and one RX400h. Didn't see any VUE or AURA Green Lines.

That's odd, because the First-Ever G8 is supposed to be one of the Stiffest-Ever.

Even though the Malibu has grown, it still doesn't feel particularly roomy inside. It's narrow for its class, the beltline is high, the A-pillar is huge... the Impala feels airy in comparison, and that might explain the existence of the car?? Give it the SAIC LaX's hybrid powertrain, and you could have the ultimate traveling salesperson's fleet car... good gas mileage, roomy front seats, useless rear seats, and gigantic trunk.

Here's another four-cylinder LTZ Malibu review (video)... http://www.cnettv.com/9742-1_53-50002261.html

Because they're too embarrassed to have a four-cylinder that gets six-cylinder gas mileage and a V6 that gets V8 gas mileage? 9-3 2.0T auto: 19/26 328i auto: 19/28 9-3 2.8T auto: 15/24 550i auto: 15/23 And remember, my dad's sister's friend's dog's master's roommate, too, got 48 mpg uphill both ways in a V6 powered Malibu all while averaging 86 mph...

http://www.roadragers.com

They sold 843 Tahoe and Yukon Hybrids the first three months of 2008... not sure about April.

Have a great trip! I went a year ago and seriously miss 2 Euro doner kebabs.

Audi introduced a new 1.8T on their TT designed especially for fuel economy. That would make a great base engine for an American VW midsize sedan. The current base four-cylinder in the Passat is too powerful and expensive.

VW should offer their 1.4 TSI engines on the Rabbit, particularly the 122 PS version with a seven-speed dry DSG. The more powerful 140 PS and 170 PS ones come with a supercharger in addition to a turbocharger, but fuel consumption isn't much better than with the full-fat 2.0T.

That's actually really nice. Modern Ferrari designs like the 612, 599, and 430 have been disappointing... this breaks the pattern.

Sadly most Nissans on Renault platforms drive nothing like Renaults. The Tiida/Versa is known for having soft, wallowy "Japanese Buick" suspension, while the Clio on the same B-platform is well regarded for its handling and sportiness. The two cars do share the same great crash test scores, which is nice.

Underpowered and undertired cars can be fun. I learned to drive in a 114 hp Volvo 240, and you're pretty much flooring it all the time and testing its limits of adhesion... going 35 mph on the way to school. Sometimes it can get annoying, though; I understeered into a guardrail at like 15 mph in the rain. Had to replace the plastic headlight lens cover. Those things are tanks. It was a dimwitted automatic, too, and it was just lovely watching the speed drop from 50 to 45 to 40 mph, with the pedal flat on the carpet, driving up a ~2 mi hill on the way home. Eventually I'd force it into "2", and then the engine would sound like it was exploding.

I think if you push the "1" (reset) button, it cycles between the two MPG meters. It resets if you hold it for a few seconds.

The 2.2 now gets VVT, btw, so its fuel economy is no longer identical to the 2.4's. It's actually quite a bit better now. edit - The 150 hp 1.6 turbo in the Corsa would have done the job, too, provided the final drive is low enough.

That I agree with. I drove a 1.3 Civic Hybrid a few weeks ago, and at a constant speed on the highway, power was perfectly fine and the RPMs were kept nice and low by the CVT. My beef with the ASTRA in particular is that while it's "slow" (but adequate, yes, I know...), it doesn't offer any fuel economy advantage over quicker competitors, and that the gearing is too aggressive for relaxing long distance drives. A sixth gear, or VW's seven-speed dry DSG, would make things better.

Exactly. The ASTRA is deficient in acceleration *relative* to other cars in its class. Yes, 0-60 in 9.3 seconds and 4000 rpm at 80 mph in fifth gear is tolerable, in the same way a four-speaker stereo is tolerable for listening to the news. But why would Suzy McMansion from the Inland Empire, who can no longer afford gas for her Expedition, choose the slowest and noisiest compact for her 40 mile commute to work when a much calmer, quieter, more fuel efficient Corolla, Civic, or Focus would do?