VW's value-priced 2008 Rabbit, and the performance-oriented GTI are both available in three- or five-door hatchback body styles. A 170-horsepower, 2.5L five-cylinder engine powers the Rabbit; it comes with either a five-speed manual or a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, which has a Sport mode. The GTI features a 200-horsepower, 2.0L turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder engine that, besides bringing better performance than the Rabbit's engine, is also more efficient. It's paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or Direct Shift six-speed automated manual gearbox, and with the manual is rated at 32 miles per gallon on the highway. Both the Rabbit and GTI are front-wheel drive. The Rabbit comes with a wide range of standard equipment for a low-priced small car, including air conditioning, power heated mirrors, cruise control, power windows, locks, and mirrors, and an eight-speaker sound system. An electromechanical steering system helps bring crisp handling and easy maneuverabi   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive: We haven't heard much lately about Fahrvergnugen, that difficult-to-define Germanic character that supposedly separated Volkswagens from other moderately priced cars. That's probably because VW outsiders never did get it, as trying to sell the Volkswagen driving experience to someone who has never experienced it is like trying to describe premium-grade European chocolate to someone who hasn't tasted it and thinks the supermarket brand is just fine. So if you haven't driven a modern Volkswagen extensively, then you're going to have to trust us on this: The charm of these cars is that they drive like 8/10ths of one of those high-dollar German sedans, while costing less than half the price. The Jetta is more potent for 2008, with 170 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque (compared to 150 hp and 170 lb-ft in 2007). Its 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine is pleasantly robust, with a broad power curve and a raspy sound, and delivers an EPA-estimated 21/29 mpg City/Highway. The Jetta is responsive   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive: The all-new, 2008 Honda Accord continues refinement and adds more power, room, safety, and features-to-cost value. Content and engines determine the model designator, though all have the same roomy, functional cabins, array of safety equipment, and driving characteristics. The Accord is big on efficiency, be it getting the most power and range from a gallon of gas with the least emissions, making the largest interior available given the exterior space it takes up, or providing the smoothest, quietest ride possible in the lightest weight. Whether moving four people comfortably at 30 mpg or enjoying the long way home, the Accord is up to the task. For 2008, the Accord is available with a choice of four-cylinder and V6 engines, two transmissions, and LX and EX trim levels. Further subsets include a new premium package that adds more convenience bits to an LX, and EX-L models that add leather and luxury features. (The hybrid model and V6 sedan with manual transmission have been dropped.) Safet   << collapse text

The stylish 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle is available in S and SE trims, while the coupe is now available in Triple White as well. All New Beetles have a 150-horsepower 2.5L inline five-cylinder engine that is hooked up to a five-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic with Tiptronic. With the manual transmission, the Beetle is quite frugal, with an estimated 20 mpg city, 28 mpg highway. New Beetles have a number of standard safety features, including front-seat head/thorax side air bags, anti-lock brakes, and the electronic stabilization program with anti-slip regulation. The New Beetle convertible has a three-layer cloth soft top with a heated rear glass window. Convertibles also add the active rollover support system, which quickly deploys two spring-loaded posts behind the rear-seat headrests to add safety in a rollover situation. Standard features on all New Beetles include height-adjustable front seats, a telescopic steering wheel, cruise control, air conditioning, a six-speaker MP3-compatible   << collapse text

VW's value-priced 2008 Rabbit, and the performance-oriented GTI are both available in three- or five-door hatchback body styles. A 170-horsepower, 2.5L five-cylinder engine powers the Rabbit; it comes with either a five-speed manual or a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, which has a Sport mode. The GTI features a 200-horsepower, 2.0L turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder engine that, besides bringing better performance than the Rabbit's engine, is also more efficient. It's paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or Direct Shift six-speed automated manual gearbox, and with the manual is rated at 32 miles per gallon on the highway. Both the Rabbit and GTI are front-wheel drive. The Rabbit comes with a wide range of standard equipment for a low-priced small car, including air conditioning, power heated mirrors, cruise control, power windows, locks, and mirrors, and an eight-speaker sound system. An electromechanical steering system helps bring crisp handling and easy maneuverabi   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive: The Toyota Prius is an impressive technological feat. It offers much better fuel economy than conventional cars and radically less environmental impact. We wouldn't have expected the pairing a small gas engine with a battery-powered motor to create a social phenomenon, but that's what the Prius has done, and it continues to be in demand. The Prius is the best-selling gas-electric hybrid in the United States and in the world. Toyota sold just 5,600 in 2001, but annual sales expanded to 54,000 in 2004 and 108,000 in 2005. Sales for the first quarter of 2008 were up from the same period in 2007. Introduced as a 2001 model, the Prius was redesigned for 2004 and updated for 2006. The 2008 Prius gets some new options, notably leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. We find the Prius to be a comfortable car that's easy to like and live with. It's roomy, with adult-size back seats and lots of cargo space. It's pleasant to look at, with sleek, futuristic styling, easy to spot in a   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive: Neither a rocket scientist nor a car critic is needed to figure out why the Toyota Camry has been America's best-selling car nine of the past 10 years. This mid-size sedan does just about everything well, and it's supported by Toyota's well-earned reputation for quality, reliability and value retention. Wash-and-wear, no-worries reliability is not a bad thing. Owners depend on the Camry, and they're seldom disappointed. This four-door sedan seats five in reasonable comfort, yet it's relatively compact and easy to park. It's smooth and quiet, but it can accelerate with vigor. Its cabin is attractive, functional and as refined as anything in its class. The Camry is thrilling in no respect, and no particular aspect of its performance is outstanding. Yet it's good in nearly every respect, bad in almost none, and it has a steady, set-and-forget quality that many drivers appreciate. It's pleasant to drive in all circumstances. In SE trim, with the manual transmission, it approaches fun. The Camr   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive: Ford has reworked the Focus for 2008, giving it new styling inside and out but maintaining the same platform and basic size. The big news for 2008 is the introduction of Ford's new Sync entertainment and communications system. Developed with Microsoft, Sync provides a hands-free link to cell phones and MP3 players through a series of voice commands. It recognizes your cell phone's address book. It can even read text messages to occupants through the stereo system. It's an amazing system and Ford appears to be ahead of everyone else in this area. The redesigned interior is aesthetically pleasing. It looks better than that of the outgoing model, with nicer graining on the plastics that continue to dominate the cockpit. The ambience is not luxurious but appropriate for the price. While interior noise is also down from the last model, there is still plenty of road and engine noise, which are typical of economy cars. As in the past, the Focus handles well. We experienced lots of road feel with   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive: The 2008 Lexus GS makes its mark with sense as well as speed, restraint as well as luxury. Although it's easy to think of it as an alternative to an Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz, the Lexus GS embraces an entirely different set of values. Lexus itself has promoted the phrase "L-finesse" to define its way of crafting an automobile, an example of market-speak that gets right to the heart of the 2008 Lexus GS. This sport sedan is meant to be dynamic, yet free of gimmicks. It is meant to combine precision with lavish, luxurious appointments. It is meant to deliver a high standard of automotive performance, yet be easily intuitive to drive. Amazing examples of automotive technology are included as standard equipment, yet the driver is never aware of them. The Lexus GS does everything you ask, and yet it always feels effortless. There's also a hybrid: The GS 450h combines the 3.5-liter V6 with an electric motor for improved power and fuel economy. Rear-wheel drive is what makes the GS a driver's ca   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive: Longer, lower, heavier and more powerful than the LS 460, the 2008 Lexus LS 600h L is intended to be a showcase for Lexus technology and an icon for the brand. It is, simply the ultimate Lexus. Only about 2000 units will be made. The LS 600h comes with the latest full-hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive. Swift and stable on the road, the LS 600h L blends luxury, performance and ecologically efficient innovations to make a unique luxury car. The full-hybrid drive system delivers performance on a par with a 6-liter V12 engine, yet with mileage comparable to a V6 powered sedan. According to Lexus engineers, the LS 600h L produces exhaust emissions nearly 70 percent cleaner than the cleanest competitors. The LS 600h will be offered strictly as a long-wheelbase model, hence the L in the model nomenclature. The additional length this stretched version offers translates into just a little less than five inches of additional rear leg room. Nine colors are available, in a palate of pearlescent an   << collapse text