Ford Escape Hybrid - Review Ranks 1 out of 25 affordable compact SUVS

The 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid ranks 1 out of 25 Affordable Compact SUVs. This ranking is based on our analysis of 11 published reviews and test drives of the Ford Escape Hybrid, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.
Though the Escape Hybrid was officially redesigned in 2008, upgrades for this year have changed its performance significantly. Auto reviewers say the 2009 changes are for the better and praise the hybrid SUV for its especially smooth ride and powertrain.
Touted by Ford as the most fuel-efficient SUV on the planet, the Escape Hybrid's claim to fame is its excellent 28 mpg combined fuel economy. It was recently named most environmentally friendly Truck of the Year at the inaugural Earth, Wind & Power Awards. The mission of the awards is to "recognize vehicles driven by a power source that help reduce global warming, are conducive to promoting a cleaner environment and support the mission to achieve energy independence through alternative sources."
This year, major upgrades for the Escape Hybrid, including a bigger engine and updated braking and steering systems, make it even more appealing. "The Escape is a hybrid SUV with solid moves at an affordable price for which no excuses need be made," says Car and Driver. Thanks to the hybrid's high gas mileage, auto reviewers tend to favor it over its gasoline-powered counterpart, the 2009 Ford Escape, which is reviewed separately.
The Escape Hybrid is available in three trims -- the base model and a new top-of-the-line Limited. A four-wheel drive system is optional

2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara

Fuel Economy: City: 17 – 19 Highway: 23 – 26

Available Engines: 166-hp, 2.4-liter I-4 (regular unleaded)230-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 (regular unleaded)

Available Transmissions: 4-speed automatic w/OD5-speed automatic w/OD5-speed manual

Vehicle Summary :Suzuki calls its Grand Vitara an "offroad athlete." The five-passenger SUV is based on a purely Suzuki design, and competitors include the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson and Toyota RAV4. Base, XSport and Luxury versions are offeredNew for 2009The Grand Vitara gets a four-cylinder and a larger V-6, an updated front grille and bumper, rear disc brakes and a few new interior amenities.
ExteriorThe Grand Vitara features accented flared fenders and a tailgate-mounted spare tire. It measures 176 inches long, 71.3 inches wide and 66.3 inches tall. It's longer than the Tucson but shorter than the CR-V and RAV4. It's fairly close to its competitors in both width and height.Seventeen or eighteen inch alloy wheels on V-6 all-wheel-drive models New front grille and bumper Moonroof on XSport and Luxury editions InteriorThere's room for five in the Grand Vitara on front bucket seats and a 60/40-split folding rear seat that offers fold-and-tumble operation. XSport and Luxury models include a six-CD changer. A SmartPass keyless start system, standard on XSport and Luxury models, locks and unlocks the vehicle with the press of a button on the door.New driver information display Illuminated steering-wheel controls Chrome interior door handles Automatic climate control Sun-visor extenders Armrest with slide function Under the HoodThe Grand Vitara's previous 2.7-liter V-6 has been done away with for 2009. New engines include a smaller four-cylinder and a larger V-6. The four-cylinder comes with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. V-6 models have a five-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive is standard and single- or four-mode full-time all-wheel drive is available. The four-mode system includes 4H, 4H Lock (slippery), 4L Lock and Neutral positions, and it has a limited-slip center differential. The neutral position allows for flat towing behind recreational vehicles without mileage accumulation. All-wheel-drive V-6 models feature standard hill descent and hill hold controls. Hill descent control automatically applies the brakes when driving down steep, rough and/or slippery hills to help control vehicle speed. When starting to drive up a steep or slippery hill, hill hold control prevents the vehicle from rolling backward when the driver's foot moves from the brake to the accelerator.166-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 162 pounds-feet of torque 230-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 with 213 pounds-feet of torque Fully independent suspension 3,000-pound towing capacity Rear disc brakes SafetyFor 2009, the frame is strengthened for increased rigidity. V-6 models with all-wheel drive feature hill hold control as well as hill descent control.
Other standard features include:Seat-mounted side-impact airbags for front seats Side curtain airbags with rollover sensors Antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution Electronic stability system Strengthened frame for increased rigidity

Air Conditionimg in Vehicles -Cars

Hey Friends, please note...Do not turn on A/C immediately as soon as you enter the car! Please open the windows after you enter your car and do not turn ON the air-conditioning immediately. According to a research done , the car dashboard , sofa , air freshener emits Benzene , a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen- take note of the heated plastic smell in your car). In addition to causing cancer , it poisons your bones , causes anemia , and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia , increasing the risk of cancer may also cause miscarriage. Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft. A car parked indoors with the windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F , the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg , 40 times the acceptable level... & the people inside the car will inevitably inhale an excess amount of the toxins. It is recommended that you open the windows and door to give time for the interior to air out before you enter. Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver , and is very difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.

India’s new people’s car coming to America -The 2012 Tata Nano America

A version of India’s new "people’s car” may come to America with a chump-change $7,000 price. Add in urban-jungle agility, high mpg, and surprising space, and this cute puppy could spell trouble for other U.S.-market mWhat We Know About the 2012 Tata Nano America
It’s being called a 21st-century Model T, a masterpiece of cost-effective engineering, a new “people’s car” that will change the global auto industry and millions of lives. It’s the Tata Nano, revealed in early 2007 and finally available in its native India at a starting price of just $2,500.
Ratan Tata, CEO of the Tata Group combine, was determined to build a genuine four-passenger car that would be priced only a bit higher--and be much safer--than the small motorcycles most Indian families use to tote three and four people at a time. The result is a tall, egg-shaped 4-door with about the same footprint as the original 1960s British Mini, minimal equipment, and a rear-mounted 2-cylinder engine making 35 horsepower from 624 cubic centimeters. Top speed is barely 65 mph, the comfortable cruising pace only 55 mph.
The India-market Nano may be too Spartan for First World countries, but it’s just right for the millions of Third World consumers who crave a car but could never afford one before. As Ravi Kant, the head of the Tata Motors division, recently told The Economist magazine: “Through the explosive growth of cellphones and television, the aspirations of rural people are converging with [those of] urban people...The interest in the Nano is worldwide.”

A Notable Feature of the 2012 Tata Nano America
The entire Nano package could be considered a “notable feature,” but there’s one item on the horizon that could be huge: An engine that runs on compressed air. Though Tata isn’t talking about this yet, the New York Times reported in early 2008 that the company had signed a licensing deal with MDI Enterprises, one of several engineering firms that’s been pursuing the technology.

Toyota Corolla

Toyota strives to build vehicles to match customer interest and thus they typically are built with popular options and option packages. Not all options/packages are available separately and some may not be available in all regions of the country. If you would prefer a vehicle with no or different options, contact your dealer to check for current availability or the possibility of placing a special order.
Some vehicles are shown with available equipment. Seatbelts should be worn at all times. For details on vehicle specifications, standard features and available equipment in your area, contact your Toyota dealer. A vehicle with particular equipment may not be available at the dealership

EXTERIOR

Aerodynamic multi-reflector halogen headlamps with Daytime Running Lights (DRL) Aerodynamic multi-reflector halogen headlamps with Daytime Running Lights (DRL) and black housing Integrated front fog lamps

Color-keyed rear deck spoiler / Intermittent windshield wipers Variable intermittent windshield wipers with mist cycle Power remote-controlled outside mirrors Color-keyed power remote-controlled outside mirrors Heated outside mirrors Color-keyed outside door handles Color-keyed front and rear underbody spoilers, sport side rocker panel moldings and rear mudguards Blackout front grille 15-in. steel wheels with P195/65R15 tires and full wheel covers 16-in. steel wheels with P205/55R16 tires and full wheel covers 16-in. alloy wheels with P205/55R16 tires / 17-in. alloy wheels with P215/45R17 tires Power tilt/slide moonroof with sunshade

INTERIOR

Multi-information display with outside temperature, instant fuel economy, average fuel economy, driving range, average speed and travel distance since start Instrumentation: amber-illuminated speedometer, tachometer with LCD odometer and twin tripmeters; and coolant temperature, fuel level and outside temperature gauges Instrumentation: Optitron meters with white-silhouette speedometer, tachometer, coolant temperature and fuel level gauges; digital odometer and twin tripmeters with outside temperature display Instrumentation: Optitron sport meters with speedometer, tachometer, coolant temperature and fuel level gauges; digital odometer and twin tripmeters with outside temperature display Airbag, seatbelt, low fuel level, door-ajar, battery, check engine, oil pressure, Electric Power Steering (EPS), brake, Direct Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) , Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRAC) warning lights Digital clock Cruise control / Leather-trimmed shift knob Wood-grain-style interior trim Metallic-style interior trim Tilt/telescopic adjustable steering wheel Leather-trimmed steering wheel with audio controls AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability, satellite radio capability , auxiliary audio jack, CD-text display function, automatic sound leveling and four speakers AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability, satellite radio capability , auxiliary audio jack, CD-text display function, automatic sound leveling and six speakers AM/FM 6-disc in-dash CD changer with MP3/WMA playback capability, satellite radio capability , auxiliary audio jack, CD-text display function, automatic sound leveling and six speakers JBL® AM/FM 6-disc in-dash CD changer with XM Satellite Radio capability , MP3/WMA playback capability, auxiliary audio jack, hands-free phone capability via Bluetooth® wireless technology and eight speakers in six locations (440-watt maximum power) with steering wheel-mounted audio and hands-free controls Touch screen DVD navigation system with AM/FM CD player with WMA/MP3 playback capability and satellite radio capability with six speakers Day/night rearview mirror with mounted maplights Day/night rearview mirror Power door locks with shift-activated locking feature (shift-activated locking feature on automatic transmission models) Power windows with driver-side auto-down feature Passenger-side dual glove compartments Center console with storage Sliding center console with card holder Front and rear door pockets with integrated bottle holder Cup holders (two front and two rear) Fabric-trimmed 4-way adjustable front seats Unique sport fabric seats Driver's seat height adjuster Leather-trimmed seats and headrests, molded leather door trim, shift knob , leather-covered center console with sliding armrest and front seat heaters 60/40 split fold-down rear bench seat Two 12V auxiliary power outlets CFC-free air conditioning with air filter CFC-free automatic climate control system with air filter Heavy-duty electric rear window defogger with timer Remote trunk release with cancel feature and trunk lamp Remote fuel-filler door and hood releases Multi-function in-key remote keyless entry system with lock, unlock, trunk-release, panic and remote illuminated entry features SAFETY Driver front airbag and front passenger airbag with Advanced Airbag System Driver and front passenger front seat-mounted side airbags and front and rear side curtain airbags Active headrests 4-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS) with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist Direct Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) Daytime Running Lights (DRL) with auto on/off feature Center high-mount stop lamp (CHMSL) Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRAC) with off switch Front and rear energy-absorbing crumple zones Side-impact door beams Energy-absorbing steering column Head-impact protection structure High-tensile-strength steel body panels Front seatbelt pretensioners with force limiters LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) for outboard rear seating positions only Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractors (ALR/ELR) for all front and rear passenger seatbelts, Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) for driver's seatbelt 3-point rear seatbelts for all rear positions Driver and front passenger 3-point seatbelts with adjustable shoulder anchors Child-protector rear door locks Trunk-entrapment release Anti-theft system with engine immobilizer PRICE MSRP $17,250