Weird how the Camaro and Mustang are absent. Overall, a shitty list.
Kia Soul
Kia doesn't have much of a design tradition in the U.S., so the South Korean company's American designers took the liberty of giving the Soul — a small crossover vehicle — a unique, eye-catching shape. The Soul also sports an appealing, roomy interior, which includes comfortable seats. Further, the tall hatchback shape makes it easy to carry cargo and sports gear. The Soul comes with a satellite-radio connection and map lights, two features not normally found in vehicles selling for less than $17,000. More important, the Soul has heart, as in a 1.6-liter engine that delivers 140 horsepower.
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
The Genesis Coupe is the two-door version of the highly acclaimed Hyundai Genesis sedan, which was named North American Car of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. The coupe, however, is sportier in appearance and performance: it is built on rear-wheel drive, is suspension-tuned for racing, and has a 300-horsepower, V-6 engine. The coupe also boasts Brembo brakes, which are usually found in cars that cost more than $25,500, plus luxury touches like a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Oh yes, there are bells and whistles too: the coupe has projector headlamps, trip computer, Bluetooth, iPod connection, active head restraints and electronic stability control.
Ford Taurus SHO
The Taurus SHO is the more powerful version of the full-size 2010 Taurus, which Ford has completely remade for the new model year. Detroit's carmakers have tinkered for years trying to combine fuel efficiency and old-fashioned muscle, and the SHO's EcoBoost engine — with direct injection and turbo-charging — delivers the power of a V-8, 365-horsepower vehicle with V-6 fuel efficiency. The SHO also comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox, featuring steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and all-wheel drive. The chassis has been overhauled, and critics are already calling it the best sedan Ford has ever built. There's plenty of cutting-edge technology too, such as adaptive cruise control, which maintains an interval between you and the car ahead, and a safety system that prepares the vehicle for a crash.
Cadillac CTS Wagon
The station wagon has been in long eclipse in the U.S., so General Motors initially designed the sleek CTS wagon primarily for export to Europe, where luxury wagons are popular. Now Cadillac is going to see if the vehicle will appeal to the post-SUV American buyer as well. The CTS wagon is built on the proven CTS chassis and is powered by a V-6 engine with a six-speed gearbox that's expected to get 26 m.p.g. on the highway. One of the new features of the wagon is an antitheft protection system that immobilizes the car through GM's OnStar network.
Jeep Grand Cherokee [actually a 2011]
The popularity of the Jeep Grand Cherokee was instrumental in launching the SUV boom of the 1990s. America's love affair with big, gas-guzzling hulks is pretty much over, but Chrysler believes there's a new chapter for this rugged classic. Jeep's engineers have shortened the vehicle, given it a more aerodynamic shape and equipped it with a more luxurious interior, featuring more expensive materials and higher-grade controls. It also comes with a more efficient V-6 engine while trying to remain faithful to Jeep's can-do heritage. The introduction of the Jeep Grand Cherokee is now scheduled for the second quarter of 2010.
Toyota Venza
The Toyota Venza was supposed to have debuted earlier this year, but it was delayed when the recession forced Toyota to cut production. It's here now, though, and it looks great. The new Venza, which is based on the same architecture chassis as that of the always popular Toyota Camry, has the audacity to look like a traditional station wagon. The modest size seems right for the times — as much as monstrously big SUVs seem like dinosaurs. The standard 286 V-6 engine provides ample power for a multipurpose vehicle that is designed to carry people and packages.
Nissan 370Z [New for 2009, not 2010]
Nissan's latest iteration of the fabled "Z car" carries on the Japanese automaker's tradition of offering a sleek and sporty roadster. The new 370Z has a 3.7-liter, double-overhead-cam, multivalve engine that delivers 332 horsepower but gets 26 m.p.g. on the highway. The 370Z also comes with a carbon-fiber drive shaft, seven-speed automatic transmission and speed-sensitive power steering. The interior of the 370Z presents a nicely executed design with aluminum accents that give the cockpit a contemporary flair. Vroom.
Suzuki Kizashi
Known for small cars and SUVs, Suzuki makes its first foray into the heart of the U.S. market with the midsize Kizashi sedan. The exterior styling is fresh, and the interior packs cool features such as sporty seats and a nifty instrument cluster that give the car character. The Kizashi's key asset could be its power train, which includes a new 4-cylinder aluminum engine that can be matched up to either a six-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable automatic transmission. Kizashi won't go on sale until late fall, and the price is expected to be in the low-$20,000 range. Toyota and Honda better look over their shoulders, because the Kizashi makes clear that Suzuki intends to claim a share of the midsize market in the U.S.
Volkswagen Golf
Over the years, the Volkswagen Golf has been a familiar sight on American streets. In 2006, however, VW switched to the Rabbit name for the small car. But the Rabbit will disappear in 2010 as VW introduces the sixth-generation Golf — and reintroduces the Golf name to the U.S., starting in October. The new Golf's power train has been updated for the U.S. market with a 2.5-liter gasoline engine; a 2-liter diesel engine will be offered as an option. Pricing hasn't been finalized, but it is expected to come in at around $18,000 for the version with the gasoline engine. That's a lot of value for the money, and these days that's a strong selling point.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
The exterior of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been given a complete makeover. The spirit of Teutonic austerity that animates Mercedes-Benz design remains, but the lines of the new E-Class look sleeker and more contemporary. The E-Class is loaded with new high-tech features such as an advanced drowsiness-detection system that monitors more than 70 parameters to warn drivers who are on the verge of dozing, a system that closes the sunroof and secures the cabin for a collision, and a brake assist that provides additional braking force in emergency situations.
List fail
