New models

Acura has lifted the veil a bit higher on its forthcoming redesigned TSX sedan, which is set to debut at next month's New York auto show. The updated model will get a host of Acura's most advanced technology features, including the availability of a navigation system with real-time traffic, and the AcuraLink weather system, both of which will also come to the 2009 RL. Also migrating down the Acura model lineup is the ELS/Panasonic surround sound audio system, which we saw in the Acura RDX and MDX SUVs. In the TSX, the ELS system will be available … Read more

The premium sports-sedan market is generating a lot of competition for the 2008 Audi A4. With a recently updated 3-Series from BMW, a totally revamped C-Class from Mercedes Benz, and respectable contenders from Infiniti, Acura, and Lexus, the current Audi A4 is beginning to look a little out of its depth. The bread-and-butter of Ingolstadt's model lineup is itself due for a complete overhaul later this year. From a technology perspective, we're expecting to see some of the goodies that so impressed us recently in the 2008 Audi A5. We are particularly eager to see the departure of … Read more

Driving the 2008 Mercury Sable around San Francisco, we considered painting it yellow, putting a light on top, and starting a career as a taxi driver. The Mercury Sable, brand engineered from the Ford Taurus, is a big sedan with a huge amount of trunk space. The car seems reasonably well-built, with good interior fit and finish, while its V-6 engine gives it enough power to get around. But the car offers a completely characterless driving experience, with poor powertrain response and loads of understeer. One of the key reasons we wanted to review the Mercury Sable, and its most … Read more

Acura has begun to drip-feed us information about its updated TSX sedan, which will be formally unveiled at this year's New York auto show. Based on the single beauty show we got today, the styling of the 2009 TSX departs from that of the current model in several significant ways. The front end has the same beak-shaped arrangement that many of Acura's newer models, including the 2009 RL, which was unveiled last week. At the stern, the new TSX appears to have more of a raked rear windshield than the current model. It also appears to forgo the … Read more

Making a virtue out of practicality, the 2008 Honda Fit Sport doesn't offer breathtaking looks, rugged capability, or racetrack speed. What it does offer is low-speed power, maneuverability, nice cabin materials, and plenty of room inside for occupants and cargo. But even with these practical points, it's a car that doesn't live up to its potential.

From our Car Tech perspective, there is very little special about the Fit. As is typical with the segment, GPS navigation isn't available. Nor does it offer Bluetooth cell phone integration, like the Nissan Versa. Also, you won't get … Read more

As we spun down winding mountain roads, exercising the famous 3.5-liter V-6 and shifting with its paddles, we inwardly smiled, as the exterior of our gray 2008 Infiniti G35 didn't hint at the power and performance within. It is a sleek and curvy modern design. We like the way the hood nestles caplike between the two front fenders. However, the general shape of this sedan makes it look like a car for the everyday commute. Perhaps it looks like a car that middle managers might use to take team members out to lunch, or a car that won'… Read more

When most car companies launch a special edition, it means custom colors, maybe some new interior components, and 10 percent to 20 percent price increase. But Japanese car maker Mitsuoka went the opposite direction, launching a special edition of its Orochi model called the Orochi Zero. It comes in about 10 percent cheaper than the standard model. We first saw the Mitsuoka Orochi at the 2005 Tokyo Auto Show. This different-looking handmade car, originally based on the Acura NSX platform, uses a 3.3-liter V-6 producing 230 horsepower. We don't know why Mitsuoka decided to build the Orochi Zero, … Read more

We take a close look at photos of the updated Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class to see how the cabin tech may have been improved. The design of the CLS impressed us ever since the car's launch in 2005. But Mercedes-Benz's cabin tech has been a mixed bag, with some mediocre versions of its COMAND interface in various models. We saw great improvement with the new C-Class last year, and hope the new CLS gets a similar update.

Click here for photos of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class.

"The car wanted us to get all the way back to downtown San Francisco from Moss Beach in only 24 minutes"

After the local authorities in the Santa Clara Valley wouldn't let us anywhere near the rare snow fall on Mount Hamilton, we did the next best thing with our 2008 Subaru Legacy tester: we took it on a GPS rally, using its navigation system as our official time-keeper and judge. Read our review to find out how we fared, and what we thought of the cabin tech and performance of Subaru's little all-wheel-drive sedan.

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