PRICE: (base) $27,625

SPECS: Engine: 191 net hp: 156hp Duratec 2.5-liter DOHC 16-valve Atkinson cycle, 106hp Permanent magnet AC synchronous motor (electric)

MPG: 41 city/ 36 mpg

RIDE:
If you’ve driven any number of hybrids, you’ve surely noticed a significant difference in the way they drive compared to normal, gasoline powered cars. The brakes usually depress in a weird way due to the regenerative brake system that turns the energy wasted during braking into energy the car can use. And when the electric motor kicks in there’s a very noticeable change over; sometimes it’s so noticeable, a hybrid newbie may think something’s wrong with their engine. The Fusion Hybrid doesn’t suffer from either of those set backs. If it wasn’t for the customized gauges or the badges, you’d be hard pressed to realize you were driving a car with a gas engine and an electric motor. It’s that good. The brakes function and feel like normal brakes, and the cut off between the electric motor is barely noticeable. A main barrier of admission for most people when looking at Hybrids is them not wanting to sacrifice their usual driving experience. With the Ford Fusion, you don’t have to.

EXTERIOR:
The Fusion was already a good looking car, more in tune with Ford’s Euro offerings than its stateside models. For 2010 Ford nipped and tucked the Fusion’s sheet metal to give it an even more sleeker look. Get the Fusion in its Sport trim and you have a car that looks as good as some more expensive sport sedans. But we’re not talking about the Sport trim here, we’re focusing on the Hybrid, and let’s just say, Ford must have spent most of their mind muscle in making the car sip fuel than look fly. Better (bigger) rims and some sort of kit would have rounded out the look a little better. Though we’re sure those opting for the Hybrid aren’t too concerned with looks.

INTERIOR:
Clean and modern. Not too fussy, Ford nailed it with a great blend of quality materials and accents. The seats, which are made from 85 percent post-industrial materials, are comfortable but sturdy, offering decent lumbar support—great for long road trips. Hop behind the wheel, turn the key and your eyes will be immediately drawn to the new dual LCD SmartGauge Cluster. With bright greens and blues the SmartGauge cluster uses two LCD screens to the right and left of the speedometer to inform you of your gas mileage, battery level, fuel level and your electric motor levels. But the coolest part of the cluster is the green motivator all the way to the right. What starts out as a bunch of vines grows into a bush of leaves as you drive more greenly. Pretty dope.

AUDIO:
Our Fusion Hybrid came equipped with Sony’s 12 speaker (two subwoofers), 390 watt, Dolby DAEP 5.1 Surround Sound technology equipped, 6-disc in-dash CD system. And it knocks. We wish the volume went a little higher, as it was hard to really get into your song when driving with the window’s open. If you’re getting a Fusion, this is the system to get.

WHIP APPEAL:
Let’s be real: You don’t buy a hybrid to stunt. That said, the Fusion is one of the best looking hybrids on the road. Spec it out a lil’ and you can at least look like you’re driving a sports sedan.

ONE MORE THING:
Most hybrids can only go up to 20mph in electric mode, where as the Fusion Hybrid can go up to 47 mph.

SUMMARY:
Hybrids are a tough sell for some people, we know. But peep this: We took the Fusion Hybrid to Massachusetts for a weekend, drove all around, drove back and didn’t have to stop at a gas station once. We don’t know about you, but having money in our pocket is cool to us. And besides, what girl do you know doesn’t want to save the planet? Think about it.
RATING: 4.5/5

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Test on the famed Nürburgring in Germany, the CTS-V was built to be the best production performance sedan on the market, and we’ll be damned if it isn’t at least in the top 3. To really test it out, we got a chance to take the CTS-V around the track at the Monticello Race Way in Monticello, New York. Read our full review and watch track day video below…

PRICE: (Base) $57,920, (As tested) $68,135

SPECS:
Engine: 556, HP 6.2L Supercharged V8
MPG: 12 city/18 hwy

RIDE: When creating the CTS-V, it’s obvious Cadillac wanted to build a car that would be as comfortable in bumper-to-bumper traffic as it would rounding an apex on a track, and for the most part they’ve succeeded. The CTS-V comes equipped with driver controllable four wheel independent suspension with magnetic ride control. From the driver seat you can adjust the stiffness of the suspension by switching it to either “Tour” or “Sport” mode. Tour for your everyday driving and Sport for more spirited, performance driving. That said, while on the track the car felt comfortable enough in Tour mode to hold its own. But once switched to sport, you automatically sense a more firm and able ride with much less body roll. However, that doesn’t mean you can feel every hole in the road. It’s still a Cadillac and it rolls accordingly—nice and smooth.

But all that doesn’t matter once you floor the throttle. Open up the supercharged V8, wait for the rear end to settle a bit and then hold on as the car takes off. The power is limitless. On the highway, at any speed, you can floor it and the V will keep accelerating. 60 mph comes in around 3.9 seconds and 100 comes quickly after that. Suffice to say, you can get yourself in a shit load of trouble with the CTS-V if not careful. Mostly due to the fact that 110 mph feels as stable as surefooted as 30 mph.

EXTERIOR: The CTS-V pulls off a great balancing act. Thanks to its mesh grill, bulging hoodscoop and bodykit (front and rear diffusers), the V looks vastly different from the regular CTS. Seen from a review mirror, it looks like it could effortlessly devour a Civic. It straight up looks vicious. At the same time, it still looks buttoned up enough to roll up to the fanciest of restaurants with. And the 19″ aluminum wheels top off the look.

INTERIOR: If the exterior and the sonorous gurgle of the motor didn’t alert you to the fact that this wasn’t a normal CTS, the interior will. The two front seats are custom made by Recaro and do a great job holding you in place even under the most severe G (lateral pull)loads. They’re an $3,400 option, but we highly recommend you tick the box. Like all cars, the CTS has grown. There’s more room in the backseat—enough for three grown men to comfortably ride in for a number of hours. But, one of the best features of the interior is the suede steering wheel and shifter. It may not seem that important, but trust, the steering wheel is the one thing you interact with the most in the car and when it’s on point, it makes the experience all the better. Coming in a close second is the navigation/entertainment system which, with the push of a button, floats out of the dash to reveal of full touch screen. Yeah, we’ve seen this trick before, but it’s still cool to see.

AUDIO: A 5.1, 10 speaker, Bose surround sound system knocked loud enough to drown out the thundering of the engine. Bass came through clear and balanced, so much so we were able to hold a mini concert in a parking lot. Like most new rides, the V offers an integrated iPod/iPhone connection that allows you to control your iPod via the touchscreen. It’s not the best UI we’ve seen, but it’s much better than reaching down and fumbling with your iPod while on the road.

WHIP APPEAL: The boy racer has to grow up sometime, and when that time comes, the CTS-V is the perfect car. Heads in the know will give you props for copping the V over one of its competitors.

ONE MORE THING: With all the performance, along with its 4300 lb curb weight, you couldn’t possibly think this car was earth-friendly. Nah, not at all. The CTS-V has an average MPG of 15 mpg. And being that it’s almost impossible to drive this car responsibly, you will find yourself averaging less than that. You’ll be at the pump more often than DMX finds himself in the bing.

SUMMARY: If James Bond was American, this is the car he would drive. ‘Nuff said.

RATING: 5/5

One of those companies is Nissan. Even though they don’t plan to drop their EV until late 2010, they’ve already got a test mule up and running for journalists to put through the paces. They brought their EV-02 (the only one in existence) through New York and we got a chance to push it around a little bit. Read on for our full review below…

PRICE:
TBD. According to Nissan’s head of product planning, their EV will cost the same as one of their mid-sized family sedans, so think $25,000. Nissan has confirmed that the EV will qualify for the $7,500 tax credit.

SPECS:
At the time of our test drive, the only specs Nissan was able to give us were that the lithium-ion batteries used in the car were made by a partnership Nissan has created with a third party electronic company. So you won’t be seeing the same battery tech in any other non-Nissan cars.

RIDE:
Given that most of the driving population hasn’t had the opportunity to drive a fully electric car, one of Nissan’s (and every other company building an EV) biggest hurdle will be to make people believe that an electric car will drive just like their current gasoline powered ride. After driving Nissan’s EV-02 we can say the general public has nothing to worry about. Well, except for the instant torque.

Unlike conventional motors that have to rev and rev to build their torque (the power that actually makes the wheels turn), electric motors have all their torque available immediately. What does that mean for you? Well, even though the EV-02 isn’t the most powerful of cars, when you floor it, it takes off. We mean, tires chirping, head back, takes off. No need to turn this motors swag on.

Overall ride was smooth and velvety. The lack of noise was a little weird, especially since we couldn’t turn the music on, but once we hit the first corner and the tires actually broke loose, we really didn’t care. According to Nissan you will be able to get 100 miles out of a single charge which should be more than enough for most people.

EXTERIOR:
The EV-02 uses a Nissan Cube body as a mule. When the EV drops, Nissan will have developed an original body type. According to Nissan reps it will more than likely be a 5 door, hatchback to accommodate the battery packs. All we know is that it better look damn good.

ONE MORE THING:
In order for electric vehicles to work, there will need to be a network of charging stations around the country to support them like gas stations do regular cars. Nissan is already working with major US cities including, Seattle, Phoenix and San Francisco to build out those networks. In order to make charging easier, the battery and the accompanying home charging station (which will cost around $1,000) will have three charging modes: Level 1 which will charge on a 110 volt outlet and will take over 8 hrs, Level 2 which will charge on a 220 volt outlet (the same as an electric dryer) and will take 4 hours (this is the one Nissan recommends) and Level 3 which is a fast charge will be on a 480 volt outlet and will take only around 26 minutes.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU:
Nissan says that the only way the EV won’t be more beneficial to your pocket than a conventional car is if gas drops below $1.10 a gallon. And since the current national average for gas is $2.27 a gallon, we don’t ever see the $1.10/gallon being cheaper. Also, many argue that the coal burnt to generate the electricity powering these cars is just as bad as the emissions from gas powered whips, but according to Nissan, the EV will be 67% cleaner from well to wheel. So if you’re looking to save major money at the pump and do mother earth a solid, electric cars seem like the way to go.

SUMMARY:
The EV-02 seems to have a lot of potential as long as the original body is attractive and the price isn’t too crazy.

SPECS:
Engine: 270hp, 3.2L V6 DOHC engine w/ FSI Direct Injection
MPG: 18 city/22 mpg

RIDE:
We had a chance to drive the Q5 over car-commercial-worthy roads in the hills of Pennsylvania. The Q5 feels sturdy while remaining deft enough to handle unpredictable curves at speed. (Hence, crossover CUV, right?) On the freeway, the V6 has more than enough kick to bullet past the slow and the curious. The Q5 also offers four switchable operating modes—Comfort, Automatic, Dynamic and Individual—which allegedly affect things like steering, transmission shift characteristics and engine response. Since we always left it at “Automatic,” we’ll have to take Audi’s word. It certainly sounds like a cool option.

EXTERIOR:
If the Q5 is Manny Pacquiao—you know, small but strong, engaging but menacing, etc.—then the front grille is Pac-Man’s left hook. Impactful. We’ve always loved Audi’s trademark grille but it looks especially fresh on the Q5 because if its lean, muscular physique. Should we pause that? Nah. We prefer the overall appearance of the Q5 to its main competitors, simply because it looks like a proper Audi, not a shrunken-down version of another car.

INTERIOR:
The insides of the Q5 are basically everything you’d expect from an Audi. From the moment you sit down in the driver’s seat, you feel the luxury. The new third-generation Multi-Media Interface (MMI) will be familiar to anyone who’s driven an Audi, but new features include 3-D navigation that is one of the best we’ve ever used (though an “along the route” option would’ve been nice). The display screen is big and clear, the cockpit is ergonomically perfect and the joystick controls (in both the console and the steering wheel) are very intuitive. The voice-command system—the navigation is programmed to respond to basic statements like “I need money” or “I’m hungry”—is cool in theory but a little gimmicky in execution. Way better than Ford Sync though.

AUDIO:
The “Prestige” package comes with an aptly-named Bang & Olufsen 14-speaker sound system—yep, it bangs. Thankfully, the Q5 also comes with a handy iPod cable in the glove compartment (it’s about time!) for seamless integration with the in-dash console. Unlike other iPod-auto integration systems we’ve used, the Q5 instantly recognizes all of your music and allows you to speed-search your entire catalogue. Using the steering-wheel controls to comb through a 60GB iPod while driving may not be the safest move, but it sure kills time in traffic.

WHIP APPEAL:
The Q5 is the type of car that doesn’t elicit double-takes so much as long, measured, admiring looks from grown-ass adults. Like, “I want to marry that!” instead of “I want to fuck!” It has a presence, this one.

ONE MORE THING:
For an extra $500, Audi offers “side assist”: a sensor light on each rearview mirror that goes on when a car is in your blind spot. Perfect for chronic cutter-offers. You know who you are. Assholes.

SUMMARY: We love pretty much everything about the Q5, but we also pretty much love everything from Audi. It’s not the most budget-friendly choice but for a crossover CUV, it’s the Complex choice.

RATING: 4.5/5

It’s not that Mazda can’t make a mid sized sedan as fun as the Mx-5. When Mazda dropped their 2.3L turbocharged I4 motor into the last generation 6, powered all four wheels and dubbed it the MazdaSpeed6, they proved they could make anything go zoom-zoom. It’s just that mid sized sedans are mostly bought by parents. And all they care about is getting from the crib to the dentist to Whole Foods with the least amount of fuss. Which the 6 will do since it’s now longer, wider and heavier than the last gen, meaning there’s more room for people and their things. Interior materials aren’t the best, but everything is ergonomically sound, so you’re not wondering why you can’t reach the climate controls or why you have no place to rest your elbow. Cop the Grand Touring edition and you’ll find yourself in the most comfortable interior Mazda has available. But all that doesn’t mean it’s just a cheaper Camry.

First off, the styling alone makes it more fun than its competition. Taking on more of Mazda’s Nagare design theme, the 6 looks like the sedan version of the RX-8. All the wheel arches are bigger, the roof line is more streamlined and future video girls can only pray their plastic surgeons can whip them up a rear end as attractive as this. Due to the new proportions, however, any wheel under 18in will look sillier than Cassie’s new haircut.

Just like her head, the 6 comes in two flavors— the “i” with a 170hp I4 (inline four cylinder) and the “s” with a 272hp V6. Despite the V6’s poor gas mileage (17 city/25 hwy), trust us when we say you’ll be happier with that over the I4. Especially if you live in a city where the cabs are already halfway through the intersection by the time the light turns green. Or don’t feel like keeping the revs up just to keep up with traffic.

While the engine choices left us wondering where that sports car soul was, the suspension gave us a little hint. It’s no canyon carver, but despite the light steering feel, if you whip it into a turn and the 6 won’t completely turn to Jello. So, yeah, the Mazda6 is still just a midsized sedan, but at least it looks like it wants to go zoom-zoom rather than go grocery shopping.

PRICE:Starting at $18,550 (iSV) goes to $28,260 (s Grand Touring)

SPECS: i: 2.5L 170hp I4, s: 3.7 272hp V6

MPG: i: 21city/30hwy, s:17city/25mpg

The Mazda RX-8 is a complex car. And we don’t just mean we co-sign it, we mean that it stands out from the rest of the sports car world thanks to its unique features. Like its use of the Renesis rotary engine. Or its hidden rear doors. In the five years since Mazda released its flagship sports car, there have only been a few cars nearly as interesting. To see if the RX-8 was still the same car we tipped our fitted to in ‘03, we took it out for ride.

Read on for our full review and more photos…

PRICE: $31,000

SPECS:
Engine: 232hp, 159 lb./ft, 1.3L Renesis 2-rotor Rotary Motor
MPG: 16 city/22 mpg

RIDE:
Mazda is known for producing some of the most ridiculously fun sports cars in history. So it’s no surprise that their flagship sports car handles like it was made for the track. With its lightweight rotary motor positioned right behind the front axels and power going to the rear wheels, the RX-8 is afforded almost perfect balance enabling it to handle around corners as if it were a remote control car. And this isn’t even their top of the line R3 model which comes equipped with Bilstein shock absorbers. Although there’s virtually no low-end power, we’ll gladly take the 9,000 RPM redline instead. But that’s not to say it’s sporty ambitions made the ride harsh or unforgiving. The RX-8 is one of the few sport cars that is comfortable enough for you to use as a daily driver. Especially if you rock with the 6 speed automatic with paddle shifters.

EXTERIOR:
Somehow the RX-8’s basic design language has not changed since it’s debut in 2003. It still looks fresh thanks in part to Mazda incorporating their flowing Nagare design language into it, bringing it more inline with the rest of Mazda lineup. Paired with the 18” wheels, the wells are filled nicely giving it an even sportier look.

INTERIOR:
Sporty and comfortable. Though it’s spacious upfront, it gets a little cramped when people slide in the back. The sport buckets are very supportive and keep you in place when the car heads sideways. Our favorite part of the interior was the leather wrapped steering wheel. The three spoke wheel felt perfect in our hands no matter what we were doing. It was hard to take our hands off of it. They also stepped up the interior materials, everything felt good to the touch.

AUDIO:
The GT came with a 300 watt Bose 9 speaker system and a 6 CD changer. A big problem we have with cars is their volume limit, we had no such problem with the RX-8. We were able to crank the system almost to its max without the bass from T-Pain’s “Chopped N Skrewed” cracking. It knocked loud and clear. It also comes with a 3.5” audio input so you can play your MP3 player if you’re like us and don’t carry CDs around.

WHIP APPEAL:
It doesn’t turn heads the way it did when it first dropped, but even though the RX-8 has been out since 2003, people still just don’t know what the hell it is. But for a car that was first introduced as a concept in 2001(!), its design has kept pace with the rest of the automotive world. That said, you still don’t see many of them on the road, making it stand out that much more when you take it out.

ONE MORE THING:
One of the hottest things about the RX-8 are hidden rear hinged “freestyle” doors that gives you easier access to the rear seats. It’s the sports car for those who need a little more than sports car.

SUMMARY: It may not be the most powerful sports car on the market, but it’s undoubtedly one of the most fun to drive. And while we think the gas mileage could be better than 16/22, its high-revving rotary engine, excellence weight balance and looks that belie its age, the RX-8 is perfect for those looking for a fun everyday driver.

RATING: 4.5/5

To celebrate, the company best known for econo-boxes is looking to go head to head with the big boys by introducing their new rear-wheel drive Genesis platform. Their first Genesis offering touching down in the states will be the amazingly priced 4.6 and 3.8 Sedan, followed later by the coupe. Hyundai threw Complex the keys and we took this recession special for a ride. Read the full review and check out a gallery below.

PRICE: $37,250

SPECS:
Engine: 375hp, 4.6L V8
MPG: 17 city/25 mpg

RIDE: Hyundai may bill the Genesis as a luxury sport sedan, but once behind the wheel there wasn’t much sportiness to be found. Although the peppy V8 made it easy to go up against any other big body sedan on the road not rocking an “AMG” or “M” badge, whipping it through corners wasn’t very confidence inspiring. The steering was a little unresponsive and numb. But that’s not what the Genesis was made for. If you wanna get your Nurburg’ on, get a sports car. The Genesis aspires to be more luxe than sport. Cruising at any speed feels like you’re floating. Hop in the back and you might think you were in something with a six figure price tag. All that’s missing are curtains. And the Cristal.

INTERIOR: Sleek and sophisticated. Hyundai realized the real indicator of a luxury car is the interior and made sure to pay extra attention to detail, and for the most part they succeeded in providing a high class experience. The leather and wood grain that wrap the steering wheel and dash felt as high grade as any other luxury brand. But the aluminum looking panel around the shifter and entertainment system felt cheap, and an analog clock would have been a better fit than the bargain basement digital joint they put in there.

AUDIO: Our model had the Technology package with a 40 gig hard drive, navigation system, and the Lexicon surround system with 17 speakers and 11 channel digital external amplifier, that knocked pretty well. A little more bass would have been perfect. The iDrive-esque controller worked well too. The tech package is well-rounded and you don’t need to study the instruction manual to use it.

WHIP APPEAL: Take the Hyundai badges off of this and it could be anything from a Lexus to a Mercedes. We’d rather push this than a Chrysler 300 or even a BMW 3 series. Driving it around, you definitely don’t feel like you’re in a Hyundai, and most people on the street didn’t know it either until they get closer.

ONE MORE THING: Of course, for the low-low price tag, somethings are missing. While most luxury brands are implementing next generation safety features, Hyundai just rocks with traction control. The heated and cooled seats are pretty dope and lets not forget Hyundai’s 10 year/100,000 warranty.

SUMMARY: The Genesis accomplishes a lot with a little. There are some hiccups, but for those looking for an entry luxury car, this is it. Rear wheel drive, luxe interior, powerful engine, good looks. It’s all there.

RATING: 4/5