pow

Super cool. I really like it.

Personally I think if Anthony Bourdain knew anything about cars, he'd be the perfect American Clarkson. He has a similar sense of wit, humor, and even presenting style. Anthony Bourdain in Berlin Part1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=yCk5prnopyw ... Anthony Bourdain in Berlin Part4 (Trabant "review"):

Well, first, NBC would need a subscriber fee instead of advertising... I don't think the US is "ready."

Sweet! I just hope the sweep-spear isn't too Elantra/A5-ish.

It can be more expressive and European-looking, but overall it's a nice piece. The details are fairly interesting, and there's a sense of refinement and professionalism to both the exterior and interior that eludes the current AURA. Everything from the gear lever to the door panels to the A/C vents have been touched by an industrial designer, not yanked from some corporate parts bin, even if they do share similarities with VWs and Fords. Compared to what's available in the US market today, I'd rank it pretty high, and at least it doesn't have the "self-conscious oddness" of the Altima, Sonata, Sebring, Avenger, Accord, etc.

The interior actually looks pretty damn good...

If you're considering the VUE... how does getting more than double the city fuel economy sound (16 MPG vs. 34 MPG)? And since it's a hybrid, resale value is very strong, too...

And FWIW, the Edge seems to do better in reliability surveys than the VUE. TrueDelta has the VUE as "much worse than average" and owners cite camshaft position sensor problems, wonky cruise control, battery undercharging recall, and quality control issues. Edge reliability is considered "above average".

If the LaCrosse will be priced like a CTS... then I'll take a CTS, thanks.

"Accidentally" fill it up with diesel

Well, both the ES and TL start at $34K, way more than what Buick currently charges for the Lacrosse or Lucerne. Judging by the Enclave, Buick doesn't seem ready to charge luxury brand (i.e. Cadillac, Lexus, BMW) base prices just yet, even if fully-loaded examples command high MSPRs -- and rightly so. It would be a mistake to position the LaCrosse right into the fiercely competitive entry luxury segment, regardless of how capable a fully-loaded model may be. I'm not saying charge less for an equivalent product, but like the Enclave, offer a lower starting price either through less equipment or a refined four-cylinder engine, so as not to alienate current LaCrosse owners or upper-level Camry or Accord shoppers.

Cadillac Yuq

Agreed. His writing may be great, but his on-camera personality isn't very good...

First-Ever Pontiac G6 Sports Sedan!

Another thing... the VUE is built in Mexico, which kinda defeats the purpose of buying American, IMO. At least the Edge is assembled by the CAW.

With the Malibu, they made trim changes to the door panels so that they wouldn't impact the dummy's torso as hard. With the VUE, they made changes to the curtain airbags, which didn't fully deploy for the rear passengers. I know they also retested the Uplander, because the second row captains chairs would come off in the side crash test. GM added retention hooks on later models, and that fixed the problem.

This looks very promising. I hope there's going to be a four-cylinder engine, preferably with direct injection and six speeds, in addition to the 3.6 liter V6.

Isn't that just the concept? It doesn't have privacy glass.

It it were down to the Edge Limited and VUE XR, I'd get the Edge. If you got the Green Line VUE, however, that would be a different story... at least you'd be getting something (25/32 MPG) in exchange for the smaller interior. The Lambdas might be optimized well for EPA tests, but I've seen "observed" figures as low as 14 MPG. It still weighs 500+ lbs more than the Edge.

That's great... I think we'll be seeing a lot of "especially-fuel-efficient-but-not-yet-hybrid" trim levels, akin to Honda's "learn burn" Civic HX, VW's BlueMotion, Opel's ecoFLEX, and Ford's ECOnetic. By having taller gear ratios, narrower tires, and aerodynamic tricks, these vehicles provide consumers the choice to get improved fuel economy at a minimal price. It's a shame there will be no automatic Cobalt XFE models. Also no mention of city fuel economy... where smaller displacement engines tend to do well.

It's gonna suck.

All hybrids have an 8 year/100K mile warranty on hybrid components (i.e. harnesses, battery packs, modules). In CA and a few other states, it's 10 years/150K.

Eh, nice Pathfinder. Interior looks okay.

... and the Nissan VQ is a 13 year old design. Both are pretty darn effective though.

I don't smoke, I probably don't have the genes to do it and live past forty. My grandfather died of lung cancer, and he didn't smoke, though his office was right above a bus stop, and he likely got it from diesel exhaust. Diesel particulate matter is hugely carcinogenic. I avoid cigarettes, on the basis it's nothing more than a "nicotine delivery system."