Volkswagen TSI

When you drive one of our TSI cars you don't have to choose between performance and economy. TSI engines offer an enjoyable and involving drive, while cutting fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Because TSI engines are cleaner, you'll also save on car tax. So they have a smaller impact on the environment, are kinder to your pocket - and, best of all, they're great fun to drive.

What is TSI?

TSI is our pioneering technology for petrol engines. TSI engines are compact, high-powered and use less fuel. TSI technology blends the best of our TDI diesel and FSI (Direct Injection) engines.

How do you benefit?

You enjoy excellent driveability and outstanding fuel economy. Acceleration is instant, whichever gear you're in. So overtaking is safer and you can power smoothly up hills with no delay. TSI technology is available on an increasing number of our cars, from Golf to Passat.

As responsible car makers we wanted to make our petrol engines even cleaner and more efficient, while still being fun to drive. Our aim was to create engines that used less fuel and produced lower CO2 emissions without sacrificing power.

The solution our engineers came up with was both elegant and ingenious: an engine that combines petrol direct injection with twincharging – a turbocharger and a supercharger working together. The TSI engine was born.

Volkswagen is the only car manufacturer in the world to offer an engine with this feature. The effect is to combine the benefits of both petrol and diesel power units: smooth and quiet on the road, TSI delivers high torque - pulling power - throughout the acceleration range with no turbo lag.

The successful TSI formula combines a number of different elements:

Smaller engines. At the heart of TSI is a smaller engine. It's more efficient, as there is less power loss resulting from friction. It's also lighter, so the engine has less weight to shift in the car.

Direct petrol injection with charging. Direct petrol injection is combined with a turbocharger or with a turbocharger and a supercharger working in tandem. This enhances the engine's combustion efficiency so the TSI engine power output is much higher than that of conventional, naturally aspirated engines.

Torque when you want it. On the TSI 1.4 160PS the engine-driven supercharger operates at lower revs, with the turbocharger - powered by the exhaust gases - joining in as engine speed rises. The supercharger is powered via a belt drive directly from the crankshaft. This provides maximum pulling power on demand, even at very low engine speeds. TSI engines are designed to deliver maximum torque from engine speeds as low as 1500 or 1750 rpm. And that has the twin benefit of not only increasing your driving pleasure but also cutting fuel consumption.

We never stop refining our TSI technology. Some of our latest ideas for the 1.4 122 PS include:

More ways to save weight. These range from a lightened cylinder head cover and a weight saving per camshaft to the refined design of the cylinder head itself.

Optimised fuel mixture. A new injector with six fuel bores for electronic direct injection helps achieve this. The injector jets have been realigned to give more efficient distribution of the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber.

Charge-air intercooling. The turbocharger has a water-cooled intercooler with a low-temperature circuit independent of the engine cooling system. As a result we've cut the volume of the charge air system by more than half, allowing a high charge pressure to build up much more quickly. This gives improved dynamics because it reduces the time it takes to achieve maximum charge in the combustion chambers.

“Driving fun and fuel efficiency can be unified in one package”

Our pioneering technology has impressed motoring experts from across the world. Our 1.4-litre TSI Twincharger engine has won the 1-litre to 1.4-litre category of the prestigious International Engine of the Year Awards for 5 years running and was voted the International Engine of the Year and Best Green Engine in 2009.

The jury for this award is made up of 65 motoring journalists from 32 countries. At the 2009 Awards, the jury said: “Volkswagen not only attained an overall victory, but also won the 'Best Green Engine' award. This shows that driving fun and fuel efficiency can certainly be unified in one package.”

Dr Rüdiger Szengel, Head of Volkswagen Petrol Engine Development, commented on TSI: “Their combination of reduced displacement, direct injection and intelligent engine boosting enables top dynamic performance while keeping emissions and fuel consumption low. Winning awards in three key categories is really a compliment to our development team. TSI engines are genuine trendsetters.”

WhatCar? chose the Golf 1.4TSI as its Small Family Car of the Year 2009, commending it in unambiguous terms: “They don't come much better than the 1.4 TSI. Don't let its diminutive size put you off; it's got bags of low-rev pull, so brisk acceleration is merely a flex of your ankle away”.

2010 Nissan Altima

Nissan has given the popular Altima a mild facelift for 2010. Although it doesn't look all that different from the 2009 model year Altima. The facelift does help keep the Altima fresh for competition. But it would've been nice if the suspension was upgraded for better driver interaction and the steering wasn't so numb feeling. But overall this is a nice vehicle and base price will start at only $19,400. The engines are virtually carry-over with no change in output.

Kia Venga

The Kia Rio basically started this new trend of cheap and cheerful vehicles. Although the Kia Rio won't be replaced by this handsome hatchback called the Venga here in the United States. I just wanted to show some of the newer vehicles that will be making its way to European shores in the upcoming year. Under the hood will be a 1.6 liter turbo-diesel with 117hp. With a gasoline counterpart producing 75hp. Now that may not sound like a lot of horsepower. But when you look at fuel economy and it's true purpose. It really does make sense. This hatchback is going to replace the Kia Rio in Europe. If we're lucky, Kia may rebadge it as the Rio here in the United States with the same 1.6 liter four-cylinder with 110hp. Europeans will get the fancy stop/start technology as well as the nicely designed glass roof. This and the Hyundai i10 are proof that you don't need a large car. Both vehicles are nicely equipped and are good value for the money. One thing you may want to worry about is depreciation. But with the uprise in quality and more people looking to buy one of these. Value on these cars may go up. Watch out Toyota and Honda. I think these companies are coming up fast.

Brief Reviews Part One

Acura TSX V6 ($35,660)

New: Acura has induced the TSX sedan with a 3.5liter V6 which produces 280hp. This will help the TSX sedan compete more with cars like the BMW 3 Series sedan and Infiniti G37 which both use six-cylinders opposed to a four-cylinder like Acura, Saab and Audi. But other than the new engine. One will wonder why Acura didn't just use the same turbocharged four-cylinder as the RDX. The 260hp would provide good amount of power without increasing weight.

Likes: Finally Acura has given the entry-level TSX a V6 engine. This will help the TSX fight the BMW 3 Series and Infiniti G37 sedan.

Downside: Too much power to the front wheels. A premium of $5,000 over the base engine. The turbocharged four-cylinder from the RDX would've been better suited to the sedan.

Volvo XC60 3.2 ($32,250)

New: Volvo has placed the naturally-aspirated 3.2liter V6 into the hood of the XC60. Bringing the price down to $33,000. While the twin-turbocharged six-cylinder version remains at $37,000.

Likes: More affordable than the XC90. With the 'City Safety" package still offered without having to option for the more expensive version. Very stylish for a Volvo.

Downside: Not as fast as the turbo version. Plain Vanilla personality.

Porsche Cayenne Turbo S ($123,600)

New: Porsche has induced the Cayenne Turbo S with a twin-turbocharged eight-cylinder that produces 50hp more than the previous version. So now it produces 550hp.

Likes: Ever wonder what it would be like to get to 60mph in less than five seconds in an SUV? Designed for serious bragging rights.

Downside: Gas guzzler tax will make it more expensive. (Not that its already ridiculously expensive), does the world really need a 550hp SUV? Does one really need to brag about a 550hp SUV? Magnet for speeding tickets and high insurance costs.

Smart Fortwo Passion ($13,500)

News: The smallest car in the United States gets a revised transmission for 2009. The reason is due to the fact many owners have complained that the transmission is rather slow and jerky when it comes to shifting. Smart heard their cries and decided to fix the problem. You can option for a Brabus styled Smart. Which makes the already cute Fortwo more racy looking. Too bad we can't have the turbo engine sold in Europe.

Likes: It's nice to hear that Smart is paying attention to their customer complaints. That Brabus form is one nice kit for the money. Easy to park and draws attention.

Downside: But did Smart really fix it? Or is did they just lie to us? BTW why can't we have the turbo engine sold in Europe? Larger cars will want to pick on you because of its size. Grabs unwanted attention and many questions. Ride comfort is so-so. Brakes are hard to execute smoothly.

Pontiac G8 GXP ($37,600)

New: That 6.2liter naturally aspirated V8 produces 415hp. While a BMW 550i, which cost twice as much only produces 360hp. So it actually makes sense. A Pontiac that makes a BMW look bad. Now that's something you can actually smile at. Plus it costs only $37,000! Not bad at all.

Likes: That V8 roar for less dough. Stylish for an Australian Pontiac. Rear drive means you can really kick it into high gear.

Dislikes: Not sure, can anyone tell me what is a true Pontiac? (Besides the 60's hot-rods?), Pontiac will be discontinued after 2010, so you can get one at a super discount if you wait a year or so, then let depreciation eat what's left of its value. Gas Guzzler tax. Makes you wonder why GM didn't build cars like this five years ago to save itself.

Volkswagen Jetta TDI ($22,400)

New: The Jetta will be available with a turbo-diesel engine that produces 140hp and 230lb-ft torque. This engine will be available on both the sedan and wagon.

Likes: Fuel stingy diesel engine, that's both affordable and not one ounce smelly. Available in all states. Which is a very hard thing to accomplish with New York and California strict emissions regulations. The wagon provides a roomy alternative to bigger more expensive crossovers.

Dislikes: Styling is rather bland, and the chrome doesn't help much. The sedan tail lamps are Toyota like. The Golf TDI will overshadow the Jetta TDI once available in 2010.

Toyota Prius ($22,000)

New: The new Prius is sleeker, faster and more fuel efficient than ever before. The interior is very sleek from what I've seen at the auto show. There's even rumors that there's a plug-in hybrid to be optional in the Prius line-up.

Likes: Way more stylish than the outgoing generation. More power should provide better acceleration and improved driving distance comfort. Toyota high quality materials and reliability.

Dislikes: More horsepower doesn't mean its less dull to drive. Not much personality with all the technology under the hood. How close is it to being a robot-car? Shaped very oddly. Are you really helping the environment by driving a hybrid? And can you justify paying a premium for a hybrid?

Nissan Altima 2.5 ($19,900)

New: Take an Altima and strip it down a little. Taking away the fancy keyless start and a few other features to push the price down to $19,000. The same four-cylinder producing 175hp is standard in the 2.5. It may not have the features that you want. But for those who really want one, and don't care about the extra features. This will make owning one much easier.

Likes: Much less expensive than the 2.5S.

Dislikes: Not much of a price difference between the 2.5 and 2.5S. Exterior mirrors don't fold in. Front seats don't provide upright seating comfort. Buzzy CVT transmission. Floaty ride comfort. No real direct interaction with the car.

Nissan Versa 1.6 ($9,000)

New: Nissan had the title as the most inexpensive car in the United States. Until Hyundai lowered the price on the Accent coupe a few hundred dollars to reclaim the title. The whole purpose of the Versa 1.6 is to provide a new car for consumers who don't want to pay more than $14,000 for one. Just a basic vehicle to get you to and from work. Sort of what the Europeans call 'City cars'.

Likes: Makes sense to price a sedan below $10,000 in this economical hardship.

Downside: Very oddly shaped. Base 1.6 is very stingy on equipment. It's just a car, and that's it. Small wheels translates to bad road comfort on highway. Automatic will cough you $1,000 as well as an additional $250 for ABS (which you'll need because small tires equal long stopping distance) and $155 for floor mats. It's so basic that one has to wonder who would really give up a radio and air-conditioning to get a new cheap car? The creature features push the price close to the Versa 1.8S. So what is the real purpose? And is it really worth holding the tile as the most inexpensive car in the United States?

Volkswagen Rabbit 2.5S ($19,500)

New: The only thing new for 2009 on the Volkswagen Rabbit is the five-door hatchback doesn't have an optional manual gearbox. The standard six-speed automatic transmission does provide smooth rapid shifting and is probably more popular than the stick-shift trans.

Likes: Still a stylish Volkswagen. Very well equipped with solid ride comfort. Clever features and smooth strong performance when you need it. The benchmark for what a small hatchback should be. Solid feel that gives you more confidence when driving around large cars.

Dislikes: Five-cylinder drowns when you rev hard. Feels heavier than it looks. Standard steel capped wheels at $20,000. Will be replaced by the Golf next year.

Thanks for reading Devbot's Auto Reviews

More blogs coming next week. =)

Dreadful little sedan that is called Cobalt

I'm a car lover. I'll admit that. So it's always interesting to test drive different cars. Get a feel of what some cars have to offer. The Chevy Cobalt was one of those cars that I thought shouldn't be so bad to drive. After all Chevy can't possibly make every small car as horrible as the Chevy Aveo.

After dropping my car off at the dealership. I was given a loaner which was a Chevy Cobalt. Originally I was just going to go to a Chevy dealership pretend like I were interested. But I was able to actually test drive one. When I looked at the car, it seemed fine from the outside. I didn't mind the rather bland exterior design. But as soon as I sat in the inside. Yuck! Was what came to mind. It maybe a basic car, but the interior felt like it came out of a 2004 Chevy Cavalier. That's how cheap this car felt. When you buy a small and affordable car. You don't want to think cheap. There's no way this car was cheerful. I'll say that much. But as I drove off in this small car, the horribleness started to show. I mean it started showing pretty quickly. The engine comes directly from the even awful Saturn Ion. But Chevy boosted power by 5hp. So it has 145hp and that still didn't make this car feel peppy. The Suzuki Reno feels more lively than the Cobalt. It has only 127hp and makes the most of it.

The driving position is fine. The seats are comfortable. But the dullness of the interior makes you feel like you've tortured yourself to death and went on and purchased this vehicle. I'm sorry if I'm being mean. But to not be bias this car is horrible to drive. The steering is lifeless and the brakes are good but so-so in certain situations. The keyless entry is fine, but it comes with a separate remote. A design that dates back to 2001. If you're going to buy a small cheap and cheerful car. Make sure you weigh your options first. A Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Kia Forte, and even the Suzuki SX4 sedan is better option than the Cobalt. But before you make your decision. Always test drive the car before you buy it. Do some research on it. Cheap and cheerful is overused. But it doesn't describe the Cobalt.

City Cars

In the land of the large. City cars would be a more ideal choice for residents whom spend most of thier time driving around on congested city streets rather than the highway. Unlike Europeans, American buyers have never been really keen to buying small cars. Some of the most frugal small cars you can buy are parched in the depths of Europe. I've decided to list a few vehicles that you can't purchase here in the United States. Some vehicles that are actually worth purchasing. Some, well not so sure if anyone would go for one.

Skoda Roomster maybe a weird name for a car; and it maybe weirdly designed. But the Roomster is a very practical people mover or hatchback. It boost a roomy well designed interior. Skoda is owned by Volkswagen and much of it's design is shared with both the Polo and Golf. But the whole purpose of this vehicle is to offer a smaller more inexpensive way to get a roomy hatchback that comes with plenty of versatility. The reason why I put this on our list as cars that should be sold in the United States is because it provides a cheap way to have a roomy car with headroom of a minivan with fuel economy of a Honda Civic. Who says small can't be roomy?

Citroen C1 is a micro-sized coupe and hatchback. It comes with a 1.0liter three-cylinder engine in both gasoline and diesel forms. The Gasoline is the strongest of the pair. With 68hp (like we said some may not like the numbers) but if you use the gears. You can make the most of the car's horsepower. The single lift glass tail gate makes it somewhat inexpensive to design and engineer. If you don't like the cheeky looks. You can go for the Toyota Aygo, or the Peugeot 107. All three are based on the same platform and built by Toyota. So all three have outstanding reliability. Seeing that Toyota has a record for strong build quality. One of the reasons why this car isn't sold in the United States is it's dinky size. Plus the low horsepower that needs to be worked a bit to feel what the engine is truly capable of giving. But once you get past all of that, you'll have a great vehicle that's good for driving around the city in. With a good amount of space for four passengers. Only if everyone is willing to share the space. \

Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion looks just like your ordinary Polo. But the special grille and body-kit with more aerodynamic design in the body, shows that this isn't your average Polo. Under the hood is a plain ordinary turbo-diesel with 70hp. But the turbocharger is a geometry turbocharger designed to provide more torque at low speeds. With a five-speed manual gearbox that is designed for longer shifting to reduce emissions and reduce fuel consumption. The geomerty turbo helps boost fuel economy as well as lower emissions. Then you have rolling resistant tires which reduce friction and helps increase fuel economy. All this techonology may seem rather over engineered. But when you look at the figures; 68 miles to the gallon. You'll see how this pays for itself in the long run. Although one would have to drive the miles to really see the benefits. But compared to a hybrid. This car is much cleaner. Proving that diesels can be as clean or cleaner than an expensive hybrid.

Smart Fortwo Cdi comes with the smallest diesel engine in production now. At only 1.0liters and 40hp. You'll probably fall asleep before you ever get this car up to speed. But when you look at that 70 miles per gallon rating. You'll want one. It's the ultimate city car for those who just don't want to break the bank. I mean literally not break the bank. At 70 miles to the gallon, you can travel to and from work and even further. That's the whole purpose of the Smart Fortwo if you ever wondered why it's here. But if the diesel were sold here, this would be the perfect vehicle to buy for those who want to stretch their dollar the extra mile.

Hyundai i10 is the cutest Hyundai to I've ever seen (in my honest opinion) this small little city runabout comes with 1.2 liter 76hp four-cylinder with either a five-speed manual gearbox. Or a four-speed automatic. (I'm assuming that the five-speed manual gearbox will make the most of the tiny engine). This city car is designed for those who want something a little more reliable and have more of a piece of mind. As it comes with good range of equipment for a low asking price. The interior looks very roomy and the quality looks very well put together. The reason I think this should be sold in the United states again is due to the fact that it's inexpensive. Easy to park and probably more fun to drive than you'd think. Small cars have been given a bad rep. But hopefully this will help give small cars a good light.

Smart Fortwo

Smart (Swatch + Mercedes + Art = Smart) has been sold in Europe since 1992. With the famous Fortwo or City Coupe. The whole purpose of it was to provide a vehicle small enough to be parked in pairs in a single parking space. The concept was very innovative, and the tiny car became very well known across Europe. With its ability to be parked nose first into a parking space. Many Europeans loved the concept and its easy to park size. (Mainly due to the fact that parking in many European cities is much harder to find than in the United States). Before Smart started losing money. The automaker had a two-seat roadster called Roadster, which appeared in 2003. Then a small hatchback called the Forfour in 2005. By 2006 Smart was going to add a small sport utility vehicle called the Formore and was going to aim it at the United States market. But those plans were short lived.

As the Roadster was sold to a British Automaker, and the Forfour was discontinued. By this time, Smart was going to give up on the idea of coming to the United States. But after seeing the huge interest in the tiny vehicle. Smart decided to redesign the Fortwo making it slightly bigger so it can meet both U.S. Safety regulations and European regulations. With a few feature tweaks and engine modifications. Smart began selling vehicles in the U.S. early 2008. With a few trial vehicles that were randomly spotted around the city. After a year, the Smart proved to be very popular. Almost a status symbol. With many celebrities buying one. Showing the world that small cars can be cool. After seeing so much publicity of the Smart. I decided to see what was so hot about the small car.

After taking a visit to the Smart Dealership. I wanted to test drive a Smart Fortwo and discover for myself what made this car so popular. I slipped behind the seat of one of the tester cars in the dealership show room. The interior was huge. There was plenty of headroom, legroom was beyond expectations. The spaciousness was very good for its size. I didn't think that it was this roomy. Almost like sitting in the front seat of a large car. There was plenty of elbow room and not for one second did I feel snugged inside. The ignition switch is located in between the front seats. Very Saab-like, with the twist of the key you virtually hear a tiny purr from the almost electric sounding 1-liter three-cylinder. The most it produces is 70hp. But for its size that's very sufficient. Although it would've been nice if the turbocharged 84hp version was offered here. The transmission is an auto-clutch manual. (Kind of like a manual and an automatic combined but no clutch pedal. Instead you drive it like an automatic but shifts like a manual.) This transmission is very awkward if you never driven one before. It's rather jerky and slow to shift up when driving. I really didn't like the sudden and untimely shifting that the car did while driving around town.

It felt slow and jerky. (The trick is to let your foot off the accelerator pedal slightly between shifts for a smoother transition.) You can shift the car manually, but its very slow to respond. Makes it almost pointless to drive it in that mode. The ride comfort is only so-so. Mainly due to the small wheel base and 15 inch tires. That translates to a rough ride. Although the ride was firm, you'll feel the car's small size on pot holes and if you look in the rear view mirror. You'll see there's nothing behind you. There is a cargo trunk like a hatchback. But its not big enough for maybe a few bags of groceries and a small bag of pretzels. Anything else, you'll have to fold down the passenger seat.

Other than the transmission, the brakes aren't easy to modulate. Mainly due Hydraulic brake assist, emergancy brake assist, anti-lock brakes. All these added features to the brakes makes it hard to come to a complete stop smoothly. You don't want to press the brake pedal too hard or you'll jerk the car forward. If you don't press it too hard, it doesn't feel like the car will come to a complete stop as desired. So it takes practice trying to execute a smooth stop. This can be an annoyance if you're used to driving a much larger car. My tester car was the Smart Fortwo Passion. Which came with extra features such as a glass roof. Makes the car feel airy and roomy. The controls on the instrument panel weren't egg-like, compared the previous generation. Although it would be very nice to sit in one of those vehicles.

If you're like me, you'll be taken by the Smart's unique charm. Although compared to a larger car, you'll get a better ride comfort and won't have to buy premium fuel. But the Smart is a good city car, but with a transmission that should be slightly retuned for better in town performance.

Likes: Small size equals easy to park, and easy in crowded city streets, you'll almost forget you're driving a small car once you're inside, interior quality is very nice for the price, good safety features.

Dislikes: Ride comfort only so-so, transmission is jerky and upshifting is slow, brakes are very hard to modulate, larger cars may try to bully you around due to tiny size, requires premium fuel.

Sport utility vehicles

They're huge. They're heavy. They have tons of room. Some have style to them. But what is the real appeal of the sport utility vehicle?

The ultimate 'bling' machine is the Cadillac Escalade. Which can be seen in many Hip/Hop and Rap videos. It's almost a cult status. Showing that you have tons of money. I mean you'll have to have a lot of money to buy a Cadillac Escalade. Just to give you an idea on how much the Escalade costs. I decided to configure one. With an 'Ultra Luxury Collection', which adds heated and cooled front seats, power relase fold-and-tumble second row seats. Heated steering wheel, power tilt-sliding sunroof with express open/close and sunshade. IntelliBeam headlamps with automatic high/low beam switching, side blind zone alert. Magnetic ride control and 22 inch chromed aluminium wheels with P285/45R22 blackwwall performance touring tires. Yes that's a lot of kit in one package. But you'll never believe how much all that equipment cost. (Ahem) it cost a whopping $6,043!! Ouch! Pushing the already high $64,755 asking price to nearly $71,740!! But with a $6,000 cash allowance. But with tax, title and license fee it's going to cost almost the same.

But when you look at the Escalade. You'll be turning down a field of vehicles that are better and cheaper than this. Buying an Escalade means you don't want an BMW X5 which is $56,600 with a V8 engine. You don't want an Infinit FX which cost less than that. You don't want a Land Rover which you can buy one or around the same price. You turned down the Mercedes ML. Most certainly you turned down a Porsche Cayenne. There are so many sport utility vehicles out there. Some small, others large. But the question still remains. Why are sport utility vehicles so popular?

My father owns a Mitsubishi Montero Sport. It's a nice looking vehicle and it drives very well for an 2001. The feeling of being high off the ground is really addictive. I love feeling tall over other cars. But at the same time, I want an SUV that can handle turning and driving in comfort without the 'bling' factor. The Volvo XC90 (one of my favorite sport utility vehicles) can do this just as good as any SUV. It's not a flashy car. But it gets the job done and does an excellent job at it. Why would anyone need an SUV with 0-60 timing in less than 5 seconds? Yep Porsche - I'm talking about you. Or why would anyone want the fastest hybrid SUV? Yep that goes for you as well BMW. Sport utility vehicles are large and heavy. But they do provide much space and you do get that tall over the road feeling. Like you can see all of the road. But then again, when it comes to power. I rather stick to a hatchback or a wagon. If sport utility vehicles were to vanish, people would simply buy crossovers or wagons again. But for now, if you want a sport utility vehicle. Make sure you do your math first. Find a SUV that fits your needs and what you really intend to use it for.

That means if you have a Porsche Cayenne Turbo with 55ohp and you only drive two miles to work every day. Maybe that means you should reconsider your car choice. After all you don't need 550hp to drive two miles. Or do you?

Volkswagen Rabbit

2.5liter five-cylinder, 170hp

$19,400*

Likes: Solid road feel, clever emblem/trunk release latch, stylish and roomy, high safety ratings, strong performance with plenty of pep around town, equipped very well.

Dislikes: Feels heavier than it looks, will be replaced by the Golf next year, five-cylinder sounds stellar when revved hard.

The Volkswagen Rabbit was sold in the United States in the 70's. But Volkswagen had decided to change the name of the Golf in the 80's. By 2005 Volkswagen decided to change the name to Rabbit here in the United States to replace the Golf (which continued the nameplate in Europe.) Now Volkswagen is going to change the name back to the Golf in 2010. With a much more sleeker looking revision. So I decided to go and test drive the Rabbit again, with the new upgraded engine and added new features.

At glance the Volkswagen Rabbit is a very nice looking hatchback. The sleek design blends well. Not too flashy and not too bland. The cool emblem/trunk release latch is also very nicely integrated into the car's hatch. My tester car came with 16 inch alloy wheels which made the hatch look bigger than it actually was. Other than that, there hasn't been much change in the car's design.

Power comes from an upgraded 2.5-liter five-cylinder which produces 170hp. Mated to a Six-speed automatic transmission. The five-speed manual gearbox was discontinued for 2009. You can option for one. But you'll have to choose the three-door. The five-door is automatic only. The engine provides the Rabbit with plenty grunt. Although it would've been nice if Volkswagen still offered the 150hp version as a more inexpensive version to push the price down to $16,000. (But that's just my opinion.) As I turned the key in the ignition. I didn't hear no sound of the engine. Which confused me at first. I thought the car wasn't even on. But I seen the rev gauge move up so instantly I knew the car as on. Slowly shifted fom Park to Drive and pressed the accelerator pedal to drive. This car doesn't feel like its size.

It felt more heavier an dmore weighed down. Now I've driven small cars. Like the Suzuki Reno for example. It felt lighter than this car. But then again, the Suzuki Reno doesn't have all this extra equipment in it. So I can honestly see why the car felt heavy. But this heavy feeling is actually a good thing. You don't want a small car that feels like it's going to drift out of its lane if a semi-truck flies past. You want a nice solid car, with good steering and good brakes. With that being said, the Rabbit passed with flying colors in terms of passing power which is abundant. With a good solid ride comfort and handling that makes you feel like you're driving on all four wheels. Steering is very direct and is very easy to maneuver in and out of parking spots and tight mall parking spaces. My only complaint is that when the engine is revved hard, the engine note is rather stellar sounding.

The Six-speed automatic felt like it would find all the right gears. Even if I were driving in mixed traffic. The rpm guage didn't look like it was wandering around to find the right gear. The front seats are very comfortable. You get the sense you're sitting way higher than you actually are. The pedal feel was very exceptional. For a small car, it felt large and roomy from the interior. With very nice looking controls and very spacious feel. The rear seats were also very comfortable and roomy for its size. The trunk is also roomy and the unique square back design allows for tall items to be easily transported if needed. (Although I didn't really test if it actually could.)

You get six standard airbags. Electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes and electronic brake force distribution as standard. For the money the Rabbit is a good deal. But in my opinion Volskwagen has somewhat overstuffed the car with features. I'd love a Volkswagen Rabbit with a 2.5L 150hp engine with the ESP for $16,000. If Volkswagen does that then they'll get more buyers because, most buyers want stylish cars with nice passing power an safety. Not to mention good gas mileage. This car gives those things and more. Just if it were a little less expensive.

Overall: The Rabbit is one of the best premium small cars you can buy. With ESP standard at such a low base price. It gives larger more expensive luxury cars a good run for their money.

Saab bring back Viggen 9-3!

If there were one car that I could ask Saab to remake. The one vehicle that I would love to see in production again is the Saab 9-3 Viggen. This hatchback brought fresh alternative choice to the German dominated segment. When the Saab 9-3 Viggen first introduced it had a 2.3 turbo four-cylinder with 225hp. Then it was upgraded to 230hp before it was discontinued. It had a four-cylinder engine that made it both fuel efficient and fun to drive. Although the front-wheel drive configuration made it torque steer like a boxer trying to turn on a lamp switch with boxing gloves on. This in my opinion is one of the best Saabs hands down. It came in a three-door, five-door and convertible body styles. It was one of the sportiest Saabs since the 900 turbo. Saab please bring back the Viggen. It wouldn't hurt to turbocharged the 2.3 liter range and add direct injection to pump out 300hp. A true Saab loyalist knows that a Saab isn't a Saab with a six-cylinder.

Compact Sport Utility Vehicle dog fight

Sport utility vehicles below $25,000 that are worth looking at.

Total MSRP ($24,171)

Hondas are known for their rock solid reliability and strong value for the money. Although it's rather bland and not much of a rocket if you want something that will knock you into the back of your seat. This is a nice

looking sport utility with good gas mileage. Great resale value and a nicely appointed interior. Either way it's a win-win.

Total configured MSRP- $23,930

The Nissan Rogue came with all-wheel-drive at no additional charge. But no other real options. Some may want the All-wheel-drive package which comes with plenty of goodies. Although it pushes the price over our target price. So we had to ditch it. The Nissan Rogue has more horespower than the CR-V but only by 6hp; and it's cheaper. But only by $241 dollars. Not a huge difference. But if you want something nice. Both are worth considering.

Total price: $22,340

I would reccomend this vehicle. It comes with standard all-wheel-drive and is as reliable as the two above. But the cheapest out of the two above. Even though the 2.5X limited will cost you $5,000 extra and you get a nice turbo engine. But just a nice sport utility vehicle is all that this comparrison test is. The Subaru is a good buy and costs below $25,000.

But Sorry Subaru and Nissan. The true winner of this comparrison test is the Honda CR-V. It blends performance and fuel efficiency as well as respected build quailty and resale value. It continues to lead the segment. Even with it's bland styling. It's still a good vehicle for the price.

Sequential, Automatic, Manual

There are three types of transmissions you can choose from. One an conventional automatic, the other a conventional manual gearbox. While you have one that combines the elements of both a manual and an automatic. We simply call that a Sequential gearbox.

This is

a sequential gearbox. You can drive it like a manual transmission vehicle without having to use a clutch. Instead the car mimics the shift patterns like a manual and allows you to shift up and down via tapping the gear lever in the plus or minus direction. Or using the pedal shifters located on the steering wheel. While this way is mostly adapted to sports cars. This type of transmission takes time getting used to. The shifts are often jerky and slow to respond. Volkswagen DSG is currently the best sequential transmission you can buy.

The Automatic transmission is the most popular choice among many motorist. The automatic is probably the easiest to learn. And the easiest to use. Just simply select 'D' with the gear lever. You can allow the car to shift for you. The only major drawback to the automatic transmission is that it's heavier and you get fewer miles to the gallon than a conventional manual gearbox. But there will be fewer stalled cars on the road. As you don't have to release and depress a clutch pedal. Just put the car in drive and let the car do the work. Some cars allow you to shift the transmission via paddle shifters. Or you can put the transmission in a special over-drive or sport mode. This quickens the cars gear ratios allowing you to accelerate at a much rapid rate. Just as if you were driving a manual gearbox, just without the extra work.

This is a manual transmission. Probably the trickiest of the transmission choices to learn. You have a clutch pedal, which must be depressed when you want to shift up or down. Or you can jerk the car forward and stall it. Most manual transmissions are like the one displayed to the left. With the reverse being all the way towards the end. A special lever must be pulled before activating reverse to prevent a driver from selecting reverse thinking that there's a sixth gear. Some vehicles like Saabs require you to leave the gear lever in reverse in order to take the key out of the ignition. Once you've done that, simply shift the car in neutral with the parking brake applied. (I'd recommend leaving the parking brake on when starting cars with this type of transmission design. Just in case the car goes in reverse.) The manual transmission requires you drive with two feet and allows you to control horsepower and torque output. This gives you more control of the car's overall performance and fuel consumption. Although you're constantly shifting at all times. The Manual gearbox is the best transmission for small cars and high-performance vehicles.

Porsche to focus only on two-seat vehicles?

Porsche will soon be taken over by Volkswagen. With both Volkswagen and Audi already having many sedans and sport utility vehicles. Volkswagen wants Porsche to focus more on two-seat vehicles. This means that the Panamera and the Cayenne will be discontinued after it's full seven year run or so.

What do you think about this? The Cayenne is probably one of the fastest sport utility vehicles you can purchase. With it' s only direct competiton coming from the BMW X5 M which is supposed to have a twin-turbo eight-cylinder with 550hp. But with both vehicles expected to disappear. The 911, Boxster and Cayman will be the only vehicles left in the line-up. With that being said. Look out for the latest 911 with special edition called the 911 GT3 RS.

Future Vehicles

Almost close to a spaceship. Honda wants to compete with the Toyota Venza and Subaru Outback. With it's slopping roof and almost controversial looking grille. In terms of looks, the styling is almost identical to that of the Toyota Venza. Although Honda hasn't revealed any interior photos or any kind of hint as to what will be under the hood of this odd looking crossover. But I'm guessing that this crossover will use engines similar to that of the Accord coupe and sedan line.

The Volkswagen Rabbit will be replaced once again with the nameplate Golf. Even though the

Rabbit was originally for the United States. The platform was very expensive for Volkswagen to engineer. So this new sleeker looking Volkswagen will take the spot as the entry-level in the line-up. The GTI will wear similar styling but with a more sportier looking grille. Engines are expected to carry over unchanged. But a turbo-diesel producing 170hp will be added.

Rumormill: There's talk that Mercedes-Benz may bring back the Forfour nameplate to Smart's line-up. If you haven't heard of this car. The Forfour was once sold as a micro-hatch in Europe between 2004 - 2006. Yes it lived a short life. Mainly due to the price and the low sales. It was based on the Mitsubishi Colt platform. The sudden interest was sparked after the Forfour popularity began to rise in recent years. There's no word yet on a release date. But the platform maybe shared with a Renault. So far nothing else has been released. But if Mercedes keeps it on the same platform and facelifts the vehicle. Then That would work as well.

I got a Citroen C1 kind of feeling

European City Car

Have you ever found yourself fascinated by a car you can't have? Not one that's expensive. But one that isn't even available to be purchased in the United States? I've found myself in this trap and somehow wondering how on earth did I get pulled in. That trap is the Citroen C1. This little bug eyed hatchback has been sold in Europe since 2006. Yet for some reason I am very fascinated with this vehicle. Not because of the looks. But how inexpensive it is to buy and own. Being only $9,134 it's as cheap as the Hyundai Accent and Nissan Versa. But unlike those vehicles. This car is cheap to build as well. It's cheap and clever.

For example to cut cost of building. There's only one windshield wiper. That cut down on the cost of having to replace it them. Two: The single rear glass tailgate. Eliminates the need to have to carve metal and glass. Very clever. Four: The bumpers can be easily taken off and replaced if in a minor fender bender. Easy to put on and easy to take off. That's also another clever trick. This helps keep running cost low. I mean very low. The driver and passenger seats are the same. Which cuts down on cost. For a cheap car to be this clever. You'd wonder well, how come we can't buy one of these in the United States?

Well it's simple. Here in the land of the large. Small cars like this won't stand a chance. Mainly due to the fact that people still have this belief that small cars are unsafe. Even if it earned some of the highest ratings in it's class. Most Americans depend on their cars more than Europeans. Thus the reason why we have cars with bigger engines. But if you could have any European car you wanted. I know I'd option for this nifty little car for days when all I have to do is drive work. This little car maybe small. But it can achieve up to 62 miles to gallon. From it's tiny 1.0liter three-cylinder engine that burps out 68hp. For driving around the city that's good power.

For such a tiny car that amount of power is sufficient. In my opinion if I had to choose between this and a Mini Cooper. I'd probably choose this. Mainly because the running cost are extremely low. With 62 miles to the gallon. I'll probably won't have to fill up maybe once a month or even longer since I don't drive the miles. Although it's small and not all Americans are into small cars. This hip little hatchback could be exactly what the United States needs. A cheap car that's cheap to run and cheap to insure.