Honda CRV

The 2009 Honda CR-V ranks 1 out of 27 Affordable Compact SUVs. This ranking is based on our analysis of 71 published reviews and test drives of the Honda CR-V, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

Redesigned in 2007, the Honda CR-V remains unchanged for 2009. It is appreciated for providing a safe driving experience with ample storage space, now packaged in a sleeker design.
The CR-V receives all-around praise and is a longtime award winner. "This is an excellent vehicle and a great value -- possibly the best compact SUV on the market today," says About.com. The 2007 CR-V was named Motor Week's "Driver's Choice" for Best Small Utility and received IntelliChoice's "Motorist Choice Award" for Mid-Size Crossover SUV. The CR-V is often compared to the similar Toyota RAV4. The Toyota's advantages are its optional third-row seat and more powerful V6 engine -- both rare features within their class.

Surprisingly, the CR-V's middle-of-the-pack gas mileage doesn't seem to have slowed sales, despite record high gas prices. In fact, Honda's smallest SUV was one of the top ten best-selling vehicles of 2008.

The 2009 Honda CR-V comes in several trims -- the base LX, mid-level EX and luxurious EX-L -- in either front- or all-wheel drive.

• "Look past the conservative exterior styling and you'll find the best-designed small SUV in this price range when it comes to interior aesthetics and day-to-day practicality. Build and materials quality leads the class." -- Edmunds
• "It's not the most powerful compact SUV, but CR-V excels for its 'just right' blend of comfort, refinement, and cargo versatility. Lots of standard safety and convenience features and Honda's reputation for reliability and resale value further bolster its 2008 Best Buy appeal." -- Consumer Guide
• "The CR-V placed second behind the excellent RAV4 in our most recent comparison test of cute utes-which included a whopping nine vehicles-in a virtual dead heat that saw only the Nissan Rogue anywhere close to the two leaders." -- Car and Driver
• "This little sport/utility vehicle-crossover thing won't do much for your enthusiast creds, but as agreeable, practical all-purpose transportation, it's hard to beat." -- AutoWeek
• "[W]ith sales and gas prices up, Honda isn't going to mess with a good thing. So it didn't take any bold steps with the CR-V for 2009...and instead introduced three new colors: Crystal Black Pearl, Alabaster Silver Metallic, and Urban Titanium Metallic." -- The Car Connection

CR-V Performance - 8.4 (Very Good)
The 2009 Honda CR-V provides a competent and comfortable ride, but test drivers are disappointed in the four-cylinder engine's power. "Although no one is going to call the CR-V fun to drive, it does handle predictably and is nicely responsive, with accurate steering and a serene ride," says Car and Driver. "The CR-V is the ultimate suburban runabout." Still, some reviewers say that the CR-V's handling shines, while others find the ride lacking in comfort. continue

CR-V Exterior - 7.7 (Good)
The Honda CR-V has never been one to break ground in the style department. However, some reviewers aren't so fond of the SUV's front end. Motor Trend calls the CR-V's styling "turbulent," adding, "And that underbite grin -- doesn't Honda have dental benefits?" Another reviewer also points out that the CR-V's front grille needs braces. continue

CR-V Interior - 8.4 (Very Good)
Praise is high for the 2009 Honda CR-V's interior feel and features -- even despite the fact that it doesn't offer an optional third-row seat like its main competitor, the Toyota RAV4. "[W]hile the CR-V can't boast a third row, if five passengers is your max load, they will find a comfortable, well-designed interior with premium materials and great ergonomics," says The Car Connection. "In addition, the cargo area is quite expansive thanks to a tall profile, and when the fold-flat rear seats are stowed, cargo room is even more impressive." The CR-V even comes with a unique feature that allows the driver to spy on kids in the back seats. continue

CR-V Safety - 9.9 (Excellent)
The 2009 Honda CR-V does extremely well in federal government crash tests. Additionally, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety names it a "Top Safety Pick." The Detroit News finds the SUV's safety equipment "mighty impressive on a vehicle in this price class." However, reviews are mixed on the CR-V's visibility and the usefulness of its optional rearview camera. continue

CR-V Reliability - 10.0 (Excellent)
The 2009 Honda CR-V reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). The 2000 Honda CR-V comes with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty.

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2009 Lexus

Lexus offers a quality line up for 2009 but their hybrids are not at all affordable! They offer the LS Hybrid at an unheard of $105,885 and the GS Hybrid at $56,400-okay, let's all shake out our piggy banks and head for the dealership!

Beyond their hybrids, Lexus does offer up some luxury cars that are great to look at and great to drive. Sadly, this reviewer could find nothing on their website about being environmentally responsible... unless they have it disguised under another name?
We took a look at two of their family sedans, one hybrid and one standard.

2009 Lexus GS 450h Sedan - The Best
Lexus is proud of this puppy and it comes with a price tag you'd expect for a Lexus at $55,800-but it's a hybrid! It does offer fuel efficiency at 23 miles per gallon and a 3.5 liter, 6 cylinder engine and comes with rear-wheel drive.

This vehicle is stylish, sporty, and comfortable and has dynamics other sedans don't. It's ultra quiet and has superb power and provides high driver comfort. The trunk size may not be that big, but this hybrid is cool and exceptional in every way.
Consumers and experts alike rated this sedan as top of the line in its class.

2009 Lexus ES 350 Sedan - The Worst
This Lexus sedan comes in one model the ES 350 and boasts a nice 3.5 liter, 6 cylinder engine with a fuel efficiency of 22 miles per gallon. It's hard to find something wrong with Lexus vehicles except their price tag, but this vehicle only came in "fair" with the experts.
The six-cylinder engine did have adequate power but the electronic countermeasures cut in too early and too often for this sedan. This model is not offered in a hybrid model and will cost you around $34,000.

Summing Up Lexus
Lexus is innovative and makes quality vehicles with a price tag for the upper class but there should be a manufacturer that does this.

They also cater to the rich when it comes to their hybrid models, which is a vast line-up compared to other automakers. We still would like to know what Lexus is doing beyond hybrids to make their company "green," but all around, Lexus makes quality sedans that are very luxurious. When you pick up your next Lexus, don't forget the Lexus extended warranty that will not only increase the value of your Lexus but also offer an extension on the manufacturer's warranty.



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Toyota Camry

The 2008 Camry Solara is a 2-door, up to 5-passenger family coupe, or convertible, available in 11 trims,ranging from the SE 5-Spd MT to the SLE Convertible.

Upon introduction, the SE 5-Spd MT is equipped with a standard 2.4-liter, I4, 155-horsepower engine that achieves 21-mpg in the city and 31-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard. The SLE Convertible is equipped with a standard 3.3-liter, V6, 210-horsepower engine that achieves 18-mpg in the city and 26-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.

The 2008 Camry Solara is a carryover from 2007........Hide

Mazda CX-09

The 2009 CX-9 is a 4-door, 7-passenger sport-utility, available in 6 trims, ranging from the Sport FWD to the Grand Touring AWD.

Upon introduction, the Sport FWD is equipped with a standard 3.7-liter, V6, 273-horsepower engine that achieves 16-mpg in the city and 22-mpg on the highway. The Grand Touring AWD is equipped with a standard 3.7-liter, V6, 273-horsepower engine that achieves 15-mpg in the city and 21-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard on both trims.

The 2009 CX-9 is a carryover from 2008 .......Hide

Mercedes Benz CL-550

While a bit shy of, say, an unobtainable Rolls-Royce or Bentley, the represents the finest Mercedes money can buy—and it will take plenty of cash to bring it home. I normally mention price at the end of a story, but here it is now -- $118,665, including a few options (base price $103,100). With that over with, let's consider what you get for that sizeable sum.

Most noticeable is the sheer beauty and presence of the car. Based on the large S-Class sedan platform, the CL is a pillarless coupe—a rarity these days. The themes of recent Mercedes products are especially nicely blended here. The side panels swell boldly around the wheelwells, and a deep crease rises from the trailing edge of the front wheelwell and sails over the rear, culminating in a front-leaning taillamp lens. The sharp angle of roofline to rear deck and turned up headlamps all contribute to a vigorous, sporty look.

Inside, you'll find every luxury you can imagine. A stunning blend of traditional leather and wood and top quality plastics swirl about you in athletic motion. The wood-covered central console puffs out its chest proudly. Buttons for many features have a high-quality metallic touch. The small central analog clock looks like one of those stratospherically priced watches that hide in glass cases at upscale jewelers. The cognac and black leather on my 14-way adjustable heated seats was about as fine as you could want.

Oh, those seats. Mine had a lumbar support that "breathed," meaning it deflated and reinflated twice a minute. This is designed to keep your back from staying in the same position for too long and becoming fatigued. If you really need some attention, however, my seats offered a four-way massage system! You could select a combination of slow or fast and gentle or vigorous.

Mercedes uses the COMAND System (Cockpit Management and Data System) to let you control various features of the car, including the navigation, audio, telephone and vehicle systems. It's a matter of turning and clicking, much like using a computer mouse. Engineers carefully tested human response, not just computer functionality, to make this a natural, easy task. COMAND becomes fairly comfortable after a few days of fooling with it, and the solid aluminum controller feels good in your hand.

My Pewter CL550 featured the standard 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine. With 382 horsepower and 391 lb.-ft. of torque on tap through a seven-speed adaptable automatic transmission, the 4,486-pound car dashes from 0-60 in just 5.4 seconds. The automatic features adaptive shift logic – it conforms to your driving style – and touch shift for near instant manual gear changes if you so desire.

Fuel economy numbers aren't too bad, considering, at 14 City and 21 Highway. The price tag reflects a $1,000 gas guzzler tax. I averaged 19.4 mpg. The EPA gives the CL550 a pretty decent 7 out of 10 for Air Pollution and an unsurprising 4 on the Greenhouse Gas rating.

The car has a "leave-it-in-your-pocket" style key, and when you turn off the "Start" button to leave, a message displays on the instrument panel warning "Don't forget your key." I was able to dial up live traffic reports that displayed on the large display screen, which also showed musical selections and a range of other information. I discovered Mozart's Symphony #29 and it seemed to fit the mood precisely.

When you put the car in reverse, it automatically displays a rear view on the screen, thanks to a camera. Night View Assist uses infrared beams to let you know what's ahead in the dark. These two features are part of the optional Premium II package.

The instrument panel itself is abuzz with quick reference information. There is an odd sense of being on the road and online at the same time. All the time, of course, I was exquisitely comfortable and serene.

Safety has been part of Mercedes-Benz's efforts for many years, but this car seems to contain everything they've ever invented. If I approached too near to the car in front of me, The CL could flash a light and automatically use the brakes. If the PRE-SAFE system thinks a crash might be coming, your seatbelts automatically tighten up and the driver's seat moves back to make more room just in case.

The Distronic Plus cruise control system lets you keep a preset distance between you and the car in front of you and automatically brakes and accelerates to keep that distance consistent. It uses two different radar frequencies to pull this off. It works eerily well. For all its complexity, the CL550 is a pleasant traveling companion. My son nearly cried when I had to return it. Some weeks are simply better than others, I explained.

Crossovers By Ford

Making its debut in 2009, the Ford Flex full-size crossover wagon comes well equipped with a long list of standard features and offers a variety of options ranging from a refrigerated console to a multi-panel Vista moon roof. Powered by a 3.5L V6 engine that generates 262 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque paired to a mandatory six-speed automatic transmission, the Ford Flex offers either front- or all-wheel drive, although the latter is available only on the SEL and Limited. 

The Flex seats up to seven passengers with the standard 60/40 second-row bench seat; however, a six-passenger version with 40/40 second row bucket seats is an option. EPA fuel economy for the FWD Flex is 17 mpg city/24 mpg hwy, while AWD drops those numbers to 16/22 mpg. Standard safety features on the 2009 Ford Flex include antilock brakes, stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. As Ford Flex photos reveal, this vehicle is a viable alternative to minivans and seven-passenger crossover SUVs

Car Or Motorcycle

As the cost of fuel continues to rise, most consumers are looking at ways they can improve their gas mileage. From trading larger vehicles for hybrids to making sure their tires are inflated, every consumer seems to be looking for a way to get better gas mileage. One idea that many are now considering is the use of a motorcycle instead of a car. If you have given some thought to this idea, there are some considerations that should be made before you make the plunge. Factors that should be considered are the initial investment in the motorcycle, the amount of fuel that can be saved and the length of time during the year that a motorcycle can typically be ridden.

Initial Motorcycle Investment

If you are considering riding a motorcycle in order to cut your fuel costs, you will need to think about the initial investment that must be made if you do not already own a bike. The actual cost of the bike will depend on the exact model you purchase as well as whether you choose to purchase a new bike or a used bike. When considering the investment you will be making in the bike and whether it is worth it for you individually, you will also need to think about the amount of money that can be saved on your fuel costs.

Saving Fuel with a Motorcycle

Motorcycles are usually able to offer increased fuel economy over many traditional vehicles; which is their primary advantage. The actual fuel economy of a motorcycle can range between 40 and 100 mpg; based on the weight of the bike, the engine size and the number of passengers that are riding on the bike. Compared to most cars, motorcycles certainly offer significant savings. When determining whether it is worth it for you to ride a motorcycle versus driving a car, you will need to compare the bike's MPG to the MPG of your current vehicle and determine how long it will take you to recoup the cost of the bike you are considering with the fuel economy you will receive.

Motorcycle Seasons

One final factor that should be taken into consideration if you are thinking of riding a motorcycle is the fact that you typically cannot ride a motorcycle year around. This is particularly true if you live in an area that receives snow during portions of the year. Even if you live in a southern locale, there are concerns regarding the rainy season as well as the summer heat that may limit the amount of time that a motorcycle can be ridden. In a number of locations, many people find they also need a traditional vehicle for inclement weather as well as for times when they need to carry cargo or travel with family.