1958 Thunderbird

COTY award

In 1949, Motor Trend became the first U.S. magazine to offer a Car of the Year award. For the next 50 years, it was handed out to domestic vehicles only (an Import Car of the Year category was established in 1970 and the two were combined for the 2000 award year).

As hindsight is inevitably 20/20, it’s easy to knock some of the past recipients, such as the 1971 Chevrolet Vega (with its engine block design that led to a history of head gasket failures), the 1980 Chevrolet Citation (that set a new standard in fwd-induced torque steer) and the 1983 AMC/Renault Alliance (which has been universally acknowledged to have been perhaps the magazine’s greatest faux pas).

But that being said, the Motor Trend Car of the Year award has also been bestowed on many of the most historically significant vehicles to grace our roads, including the 1958 Ford Thunderbird, the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado, the 1968 Pontiac GTO, the 1985 Volkswagen GTI, the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette and the 2005 Chrysler 300.

2010 nominees

For 2010, there were 23 contenders for the Motor Trend COTY award. As usual, vehicle eligibility is determined by a totally new or substantial redesign and all vehicles must have been available for sale between now and November 1st of the previous year. The list for 2010 was comprised of the following vehicles:

BMW 7 Series
BMW Z4
Buick LaCrosse
Chevrolet Camaro
Ford Mustang
Ford Fusion
Ford Taurus /SHO
Honda Insight
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Kia Forte Koup
Kia Soul
Lexus HS 250h
Mazda3
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan
Nissan 370Z
Nissan Cube
Porsche Panamera
Subaru Legacy
Suzuki Kizashi
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Golf /GTI
Volkswagen Routan

2010 Ford Fusion

In a first-ever live webcast event, Motor Trend announced this afternoon that the entire 2010 Ford Fusion model line had taken the honors for the 2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year.

“Ford has proven its resilience in these tough times by delivering to market a car with broad appeal to a broad range of consumers,” said Angus MacKenzie, MOTOR TREND editor-in-chief. “The Fusion range has matured into a competitive roster of midsize sedans, able to compete with sales juggernauts such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. It is no surprise the Fusion now ranks in the top 10 best-selling cars in America.”

Mark Fields, Angus MacKenzie, Derrick Kuzak

There to receive the award for Ford Motor Company was a plethora of executives from the company, including Mark Fields, executive vice president of the company and president, The Americas.

“The MOTOR TREND Car of the Year award is another testament of our commitment to delivering a world-class car lineup,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Ford Global Product Development, who accepted the golden calipers on behalf of the Ford team. “Whether it is the best-in-class fuel economy or quality unsurpassed by Toyota or Honda, the Fusion and Fusion Hybrid are clear evidence that Ford is serious about our car lineup.”

Not yet a symphony but much more than a solo

From what we can remember here at LotPro.com, the first year the Hyundai Sonata graced our shores was back in 1988. We were around to test drive an example and it was an excruciating experience. The steering was vague, the handling was forgettable and its quality control was suspect (a cloth rear seat release strap ripped of in our hands).

Since that time, the Korean automaker has gotten its act together in a big way. Four generations plus two updates later, the Sonata is now a legitimate player in the mid-size segment with the biggest difference coming from the current model that was introduced in 2006.

2011 Sonata

Even though the Sonata was updated in 2009, the 2010 model will have only a brief run before the company begins production of the 2011 version that will have its world debut at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The new Sonata will also mark a “first” for Hyundai in the U.S. market when the company brings out a gas-electric hybrid version of the vehicle in late 2010, using cutting-edge lithium polymer batteries to augment its electric motor and gasoline engine.

And speaking of propulsion, Wards Auto World reports that the vehicle will only be available in the U.S. with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder direct injection gasoline engine (mated to a six-speed automatic transmission), while other sources (Hyundai being tight-lipped at the moment) report that this particular four cylinder will be used for entry-level models, while a 3.5-liter V6 will power a premium version.

Style

While earlier Sonatas could easily get overlooked in mall parking lots, the newest Hyundai, based on the company’s “fluidic sculpture” styling language and designed at its Irvine, California studio, is certain to garner more than a few second looks.

Codenamed “YF,” the new Sonata takes a cue from both the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the Volkswagen CC as the Hyundai features four doors with a distinctive coupe-inspired roofline. In front, a large Genesis-inspired grille is flanked by wrap-around headlamp bezels set between two ridges that start below the grill and flow around the headlamps and curve up to the vehicle’s beltline. A second ridge begins behind the front wheel openings, two thirds of the way up the fender, and continues an upward curve along the car’s flanks to the top of the taillamps and around the trunk.

Although vehicle options are a bit sketchy at this point, expect to see Hyundai’s stability and traction control system (which they call VDC or Vehicle Dynamic Control) as standard equipment on all U.S. models with a panoramic glass sunroof, proximity-sensing keyless entry and push-button ignition available as options.

The obvious and not so obvious

Here at LotPro.com, we realize that it doesn’t take a genius to conclude that it’s going to cost you a bundle to insure a sports car like the Nissan GT-R, Dodge Viper or Audi R8. All three are very expensive, very fast, and attract traffic cops in much the same way that Brad and Angelina attract the paparazzi – you can’t miss them and they’re usually good for a money shot (using a radar with the former and a camera with the latter).

What is surprising is the inclusion of the Cobalt SS in the top 20, while Chevy’s big gun, the Corvette, is MIA (demographics may have something to do with it, since Cobalt buyers are younger and more prone to “mashing the foot feed”, as it were). BMW is well represented with the four models (M6, M5, M3 and X6), the most from any single manufacturer. Of the top 20, 14 are sports cars (we take exception to the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class being classified as a “passenger car” and have included it in this category), 4 are large SUV’s, the Cadillac Escalade EXT is the lone truck and, sans the aforementioned SL, the Audi S8 is the lone passenger car.

The results

Insure.com lists the Nissan GT-R at the top of the list, noting that “Owners of the GT-R buy it for power and speed, and their driving habits are often reflected in frequent and expensive insurance claims (insert here the Japanese word for ‘obviously’).” Not far behind is the Dodge Viper, followed by the BMW M6, Ford Shelby GT 500 and, rounding out the top 5, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

Here is the complete list of the most expensive 20:

The bottom 20 for the rest of us

Lacking a payment and insurance budget that might equal the GDP of a small third world country, the rest of us can always aim for the top least expensive vehicles to  insure.

Again, it doesn’t take a Mensa candidate to realize that this list will be populated, for the most part, by small and mid-size passenger vehicles equipped with 4 and 6-cylinder engines. Indeed, the top 5 vehicles are all Korean, with 3 Kia models and 2 from sister company Hyundai. Most of this list is comprised of various and sundry forms of family haulers with minivans (6), passenger cars (6, but really 7 if you include the Rio5 which is a hatchback) and  SUVs (5) accounting for most of the listed vehicles. The remaining two include the Scion xB (almost a minivan) and the list’s only truck, a Mazda (we’re assuming the B-Series).

The list’s biggest surprise, in more ways than one, was the venerable Lincoln Town Car, parked at number 17.

Here is the complete list of the least expensive 20:

How to save more green

Insure.com also had a number of other tips to help you save on your car insurance bill:

•    Trade higher deductibles for lower premiums – but make sure you can afford your deductible in case you crash your car

2009 Edition

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Last year’s road tour that focused on the automotive application of the chemical element with the atomic number of 1 played out across the amber waves from Portland, Maine to Los Angeles, California. This year, at LotPro.com, we’ve noticed that the tour has been pushed up from August to May and June, and plays itself out on the west coast of North America – beginning in the land of the Governator and finishing up in the host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

vehicle refueling

The tour started in Los Angeles on May 26th by fueling up at the first 700 bar hydrogen fueling station to be sited in the United States at the University of California, Irvine. This year’s tour, organized by the California Air Resources Board, California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), Powertech Labs (on behalf of British Columbia), National Hydrogen Association (NHA) and the U.S. Fuel Cell Council, is focusing its efforts on those communities “where hydrogen technologies, such as passenger vehicles, transit buses and hydrogen stations, will likely enter the market first.”

“The Tour will show how capable today’s hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles are by providing performance, environmental responsibility, a reduction of fuel imports and a pleasant driving experience for anyone who gets behind the wheel,” said Jeff Serfass, President of the National Hydrogen Association.

Tour vehicles

Participating in this year’s tour will be hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles from Daimler, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen. In addition to veterans from the 2008 Hydrogen Road Tour, several new rookies will take part in the tour this year, as well as fuel cell transit buses which will participate at several of the stops (Vancouver, the tour’s terminus, will operate a fleet of 20 fuel cell buses for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games).

Here are this year’s participants:

 Daimler F-Cell

Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell vehicle

Honda FCX Clarity

Hyundai Tucson FCEV

Kia Borrego FCEV

Nissan x-trail FCV

Toyota FCHV

Volkswagen Tiguan HyMotion

Cadillac and Hyundai biggest winners

Here at LotPro.com, we see where AutoPacific today released its 13th annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA) based on the results of a national survey of over 25,000 new vehicle owners and lessees.

Hyundai Genesis

Noting that the current survey was conducted “in the most challenging auto sales market in years,” the company also announced that “even with the turmoil surrounding General Motors,” Cadillac, for the second year in a row, ranked highest with new car owners and took the Highest Satisfaction Brand award.

Another bright spot in the survey was Hyundai, which climbed 11 places in the overall standings, more than any other manufacturer in the survey, earning itself the Rising Star award for 2009. Not only did the company score more points in 40 of 48 rating categories over last year’s results, two of the Korean manufacturer’s models garnered VSA awards this year in their respective categories – the Genesis for Aspirational Luxury Car and the Sonata in the Premium Mid-size car category.

“These are difficult times, with news of automaker bankruptcies, companies restructuring and dealer closures a daily occurrence,” says George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “Clearly, the dynamics surrounding the Vehicle Satisfaction Award in 2009 are far different from anything we’ve seen in many years. Winners needed to overachieve to earn their awards.”

Honda Fit Sport

Award Winners

The survey focused on buyers of new vehicles that either purchased or leased them during the fourth quarter of 2008 – just as the economic downturn was pummeling the auto industry.

Although the complete list of winners is listed below, it should also be noted that the vehicle that registered the highest overall satisfaction for the reporting period was the Lexus LS – scoring 99 points above the industry average. The highest scoring truck, the Cadillac Escalade, also contributed mightily to that brand’s overall win.

2010 Ford Fusion

Multiple award winners included Toyota with 6 (including 2 for Lexus and 1 for Scion), Ford with 4, (including 1 for the Lincoln brand), Hyundai/Kia with 3 (2 for Hyundai, 1 for Kia) , Chrysler with 2 (1 for the Dodge brand and 1 for its Jeep division) and General Motors with 2 (1 for Cadillac and 1 for its Chevrolet brand).

Other manufacturers on the list are Honda, Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Porsche and VW.

2009 Dodge Ram

Highest Satisfaction as a Brand: Cadillac

2009 Rising Star: Hyundai

Passenger Car Categories and Winners:

Premium Luxury Car               Lexus LS
Aspirational Luxury Car          Hyundai Genesis
Luxury Large Car                     Lincoln Town Car
Luxury Mid-Size Car                Lexus ES
Premium Mid-Size Car             Hyundai Sonata
Mid-Size Car                              Ford Fusion
Image Compact Car                  Toyota Prius
Compact Car                               Mitsubishi Lancer
Economy Car                              Honda Fit
Sports Car                                   Porsche 911
Sporty Car                                   Scion tC

Light Truck Categories and Winners:

Large Pickup                                     Dodge Ram 1500
Compact Pickup                                Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Luxury Sport Utility                        Cadillac Escalade
Large Sport Utility                           Chevrolet Tahoe
Premium Mid-Size Sport Utility    Ford Explorer
Mid-Size Sport Utility                      Jeep Liberty
Luxury Crossover SUV                    Land Rover LR2
Large Crossover SUV                       Mazda CX-9
Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV Toyota Venza
Mid-Size Crossover SUV                  Volkswagen Tiguan
Compact Crossover SUV                  Kia Sportage
Minivan                                               Toyota Sienna

Unlike the South, gas prices will rise again

Hotlanta may be great and the overall economy may be much better south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but the war of northern aggression was lost in 1865 and no amount of battle re-enactments can change that fact. But while the Old South will never return, the same can’t be said for higher gasoline prices.

With that indisputable fact in mind, we present eight small vehicles that were recently introduced at the Geneva Auto Show that have a good chance of being available in these United States sometime in the near future.

In alphabetical order they are:

Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA

If Chrysler and Fiat ever get together, there is a distinct possibility that the Italian carmaker’s Alfa division will eventually join the party. The recently-introduced MiTo GTA is built to go head-to-head with the likes of the MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works Edition. Its 1.75-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine produces 240 horsepower as well as a front-wheel torque-vectoring system to tame torque steer.

Chevrolet Spark

Designed by GM’s Korean subsidiary Daewoo, the Spark will replace the Chevrolet Matiz in Europe and be marketed below Chevy’s current entry-level vehicle, the Aveo. Based on the Beat concept vehicle, it will be equipped with either a 1.0-liter engine or the current 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine currently found in the Aveo. Expect a European rollout in 2010 and North American availability sometime in 2011.

Fiat 500 C

The 500C is the convertible version of Fiat’s iconic Nuovo 500. The 500 C features a power cloth top that uses an intact door pillar and frame as a track for the rearward-sliding top, this design results in a more rigid body while at the same time eliminating the blind spot found in both the MINI and New Beetle convertibles.

Ford Iosis Max concept

Ford’s latest concept vehicle is said to be the design precursor to the next generation C Maxx and Focus vehicles. Unlike the Focus, the Iosis Max has design cues that lean more towards crossover styling (rear sliding doors, no B pillars). Of special interest is the engine – a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost unit which delivers 180 horsepower through the use of turbocharging and direct injection. Also part of the mix is an auto-start-stop system with the whole delivering a 20% increase in fuel economy over conventional engines with similar power.

Hyundai i20 3 door

Though the i20 hasn’t received as much press as many of the aforementioned models, it may be the first to reach our shores. In Hyundai’s hierarchy, it is below the i30 (sold here as the Elantra) and, as it is about the size of the Accent, it may very well replace that model here in the States. Over in Europe, it is available with four engines – two gas and two diesel and while we may not see the diesels, either of both of the gas engines might make it here – a 1.4-liter or a 1.6 liter.

Kia No. 3 concept

Kia is on a roll as of late. It will debut a new vehicle, the Soul, later this spring along with a replacement for the Spectra called the Forte. The No. 3 concept is a small MPV designed to compete with the likes of the Honda Fit. While the production version of the No. 3 will likely be seen in Europe, Kia’s plans for the vehicle in North America are not known at this time.

MINI John Cooper Works convertible

Coming less than two months after the introduction of the new MINI convertible, the John Cooper Works edition is equipped with a 1.6-liter turbocharged direct-injection engine that produces 208 horsepower and 192 lb.-ft. of torque. Top speed is 146 mph and accelerating from a stop to 60 miles an hour takes only 6.6 seconds. Due to go on sale next month, the base price has been set at $34,950 and EPA numbers are 26 city/34 highway.

2010 Volkswagen Polo Mk V

If VW’s sales continue to hold up and gas prices move up from their current $2 per gallon mark, the U.S. is likely to see the latest generation Polo. VW dealers have been clamoring for an entry-level vehicle for some time and the Polo would certainly fit the bill. Standard equipment includes electronic stabilization as well as a full compliment of airbags. Power comes from a number of engines that includes a 1.2-liter twin-turbocharged direct injection gas engine that produces 103 horsepower and a claimed 43 mpg as well as a 1.6-liter turbocharged diesel engine with 88 horsepower and 62 mpg.

Koreans are the new Japanese

The Korean automakers are rapidly becoming to the new millennium what the Japanese automakers were to the 70’s and 80’s. Back then, Honda, Toyota and Datsun rode the wave of relatively cheap labor and high quality to establish themselves as the brands to beat in the low to midsize passenger car segment.

And just as those brands became mainstream, the Korean automakers Hyundai, Kia and Daewoo (which failed on its own but has a presence in GM-branded models) were quick to follow in their footsteps. Although there were initial issues with quality and durability (the initial Japanese vehicles, you’ll recall, rusted hideously), these were addressed with better quality and some of the longest and most comprehensive new vehicle warranties in the industry.

And just like the Japanese, the initial Korean offerings were, shall we say, somewhat lacking in the styling department. That has also changed in recent years. The new Hyundai Genesis sedan, while somewhat derivative, is quite striking and the coupe variant has the aggressive looks of a serious performer.

New Kia Concept

Kia, for its part, has not been sitting idly by as its sister company grabs all the glory. The new Soul, soon to be in dealer showrooms, is a genuine competitor in the mini hauler segment now occupied by the Scion xB and the soon-to-be-available Nissan Cube while the new Forte sedan is scheduled to replace the forgettable Spectra sometime this summer.

As part of this new product onslaught, Kia introduced a mini-truck concept, the Soul’ster, at this year’s NAIAS and today, the company announced that it is about to introduce a second concept, this one an MPV, at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show on March third. Here is the press release from Kia:

(SEOUL) February 24, 2009 — Kia will be displaying an all-new MPV concept, a range of Idle Stop & Go cars and an innovative hybrid at the 79th Salon International de l’Auto which opens in Geneva on 3 March.  There will be a total of 18 vehicles on the Kia stand [Stand 5231, Hall 5] including three models making their first appearance in Switzerland – the Kia Soul, upgraded 2009 Kia Sportage compact SUV and upgraded new-look 2009 Kia Optima sedan.

All-new, the Kia No 3 Concept Car redefines the small MPV genre by creating a beautiful car that is also fun-to-drive.  The concept features a unique extended windscreen and panorama glass roof with a diagonal supporting bar, an automatic sun visor and the new ‘face of Kia’ displays the front grille, head lamps and brand logo in a new constellation.  The 159.25 inch long concept is finished in matte Titanium Grey with contrasting gloss-white accents.

Kia cee’d ISG

The new Kia cee’d ISG (Idle Stop & Go) models, which offer up to 15% fuel savings in city driving, are now on sale in many countries across Europe.  Kia’s innovative ISG system automatically switches the engine off when the car is stopped in traffic and restarts the engine instantly when the driver wishes to move off.  Kia cee’d ISG cars are available with a choice of 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre gasoline engines and each of the three cee’d family body styles – five-door hatchback, five-door sporty wagon and three-door pro_cee’d.  The 1.4-litre ISG models at Geneva have a 137 g/km CO2 rating.

Kia cee’d Hybrid

Kia Motors has produced a fleet of prototype Kia cee’d Hybrid cars especially for testing and evaluation in Europe.  The cee’d Hybrid uses an upgraded powertrain with Kia’s Gamma 1.6-litre gasoline engine, mated to a 20 hp, 77.5 lb.-ft. AC synchronized electric motor, a CVT transmission and the new ISG (Idle Stop & Go) system.  Kia calculates that the cee’d Hybrid accelerates to 62 mph in 11.8 seconds and can reach a top speed of 115 mph.  The prototype achieves fuel consumption of 49 mpg and a CO2 figure of 109 g/km – down 25% compared to the standard 1.6-litre gasoline cee’d.

Even if you’re into the whole winter sports thing – skiing, snowmobiling, et al – living in Michigan between November and April (May?) is not much fun day-to-day. Commuting through snow, ice, sleet and freezing rain is bad enough, but to top it all off, the sky often remains grey and overcast for weeks on end with no sight of the sun.

Fortunately, just as many of us at LotPro.com are ready to reach for the kitchen drawer containing the sharp utensils, the second week of January rolls around and, with it, the Detroit Auto Show.

Industry Preview

This year, press days began on Sunday, January 11th and will continue through the end of today. And while clawing your way through thousands of journalists might seem like fun, it really isn’t. So this year we decided to wait until all the parades, press conferences and theatrics were over and trudge on down to Cobo Hall on Thursday of this week. Wading through all the hoopla, we came up with today’s story:

EyesOn Design

While much is made of the North American Car of the Year (won this year by the Hyundai Genesis) and the North American Truck of the Year (garnered by the new Ford F-150), there is another award based solely on vehicle design excellence.

Founded by former Chrysler design chief Thomas Gale, EyesOn Design supports the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology. The purpose is to honor the most outstanding designs for both production vehicles as well as concept cars. This year, Chief Judges Chris Bangle of BMW, Willie G. Davidson of Harley-Davidson and Larry Erickson of the College for Creative Studies were joined by 16 other designers as they narrowed down a 13 car field of production and concept cars to pick 2 winners in each category.

The finalists were as follows:

Audi R8 V10
Audi SportBack Concept
BMW Z4
Cadillac ConverJ Concept
Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon
Chrysler 200C Concept
Fisker Karma
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
Ford Taurus
Lincoln C Concept
Mazda3 5 Door
Volkswagen Concept BlueSport Diesel
Volvo S60 Concept

And the winners are:

Concept Vehicles

Audi SportBack

A 4-door sedan with a coupe-like roofline similar to its Volkswagen Group cousin the Passat CC and the Mercedes-Benz CLS, this design study may very well come to market in some form as the 2010 Audi A7.

Cadillac Converj

An electric concept vehicle based on the same Voltec platform used by the Chevrolet Volt, the Converj is backed up by the same range-extending engine that allows it to cover up to 40 miles without consuming any fuel other than the energy stored in its lithium-ion battery pack.

Production Vehicles

Audi R8 V10

The newest R8 iteration is equipped with a 5.2-liter ten-cylinder engine that produces 100.9 hp per liter, for a total of 525 – 105 more than the V-8. Thanks to a difference of only 68 pounds, the V10 launches it occupants to 62 mph from a standstill in a mere 3.9 seconds and to a top speed of 196 mph. Maximum torque of 390.91 lb.-ft. is reached at 6,500 rpm, while redline is a lofty 8,000 revolutions per 60 ticks.

BMW Z4

With styling that’s more evolutionary that revolutionary, the latest Z4 does sport a new two-piece retractable hardtop fashioned from aluminum that retracts and deploys in a mere 20 seconds per. Available with either a naturally aspirated or twin-turbocharged 3.0 liter inline 6-cylinder engine, the second-gen Z4 is 5.8 inches longer (necessitated by a much-needed increase in trunk space) and slightly wider and taller than the previous model.

Yes it’s a popularity contest

It’s getting on towards the end of another year, which means that those of us here at LotPro.com can report with a relative degree of accuracy those models with the largest number of searches for the year. We also know that wading through 50 different models might seem like a large pain. But look at it this way, with fifty different vehicles to pick from, there’s a good chance that at least one of them might also be on your “best” list, too.

So here, in alphabetical order, are the top 50 searches. Want to know the top 2? See if you can guess (they’re listed at the end of the article).

Chevrolet Aveo

Chevrolet

Aveo
Impala
Silverado 1500
Tahoe

Chevrolet division had 4 models in our top 50 list this year. The Aveo, from the General’s Daewoo partnership, is one of the highest-mileage vehicles in the U.S. The Impala also offers a lot of bank for the buck in addition to great fuel economy, while the Silverado and the Tahoe both made late recoveries from mid-year sales slides.

Chrysler 300

Chrysler

300-series

The lone Chrysler entry was the 300-series – one of the few domestic full-size vehicles with a sense of style.

Dodge Challenger

Dodge

Avenger
Challenger
Charger
Ram 1500
Ram 2500

Dodge hits the list with the Avenger, the new Challenger, the Charger and both the half ton and three quarter ton Ram.

Ford F-150

Ford

Escape
Explorer
F-150
F-250 Super Duty
Focus
Mustang
Ranger

Ford brand has seven vehicles on the list with both the Escape and Explorer SUV’s, the Focus and Mustang passenger vehicles as well as three trucks – the Ranger, the F-150 and the F-250 Super Duty.

Honda Fit

Honda

Accord Coupe
Accord Sedan
Civic Coupe
Civic Hybrid
Civic Sedan
CR-V
Fit
Odyssey
Pilot

Honda ties for first place in the nameplate segment with nine entries including the Accord (2 versions), Civic (3 versions), the Fit, the CR-V, the Odyssey and the Pilot.

Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai

Accent
Elantra

Hyundai places with both the Accent and the Elantra sedans. While neither vehicle breaks any new ground, both represent Hyundai’s mantra of affordable transportation with excellent fuel economy.

Jeep Wrangler

Jeep

Wrangler

Jeep hits the list with the Wrangler, the Dorian Gray of sport utility vehicles.

Kia Rio

Kia

Rio

Kia’s most affordable sedan, the Rio, is also its best-selling vehicle – a big reason why it’s on the list.

Mazda Mazda3

Mazda

Mazda3
Mazda6

Both of Mazda’s “zoom-zoom” sedans made the list for 2008.

Nissan Altima

Nissan

Altima
Maxima
Murano
Rogue
Versa

Nissan placed three sedans – the Altima, Maxima and Versa – in the top 50 as well as SUV’s the Rogue and its big brother the Murano.

Scion tC

Scion

tC

By any other name a Toyota, the tC was also one of our top 50 searches.

Toyota Corolla

Toyota

Camry
Camry Hybrid
Corolla
FJ Cruiser
Prius
RAV4
Sienna
Tacoma
Yaris

Toyota ties for first in the nameplate division with 9 entries and wins the manufacturer’s category (10 including Scion) with 5 passenger cars, 2 SUV’s, 1 truck and 1 van.

And the winners are

Congratulations to the Ford F-150 which placed first overall and the Nissan Altima, which took second place.

15th year of awards program

2009 marks the 15th year of Wards Automotive Magazine’s 10 Best Engines list. Not only is this the North American auto industry’s only award of its kind, it is, according to Wards, “considered by many to be the ‘Oscars” for automotive engines.”

This year, six of the magazine’s editors nominated a total of 32 different engines and the list consisted of last year’s winners plus all-new engines as well as those that had received significant improvement over a previous design. In order to qualify, each engine must be available in a regular-production U.S.-specification model scheduled to be on-sale no later than the end of the first quarter of 2009. Vehicles the engines are available in are given a price ceiling of $54,000 in a price cap formula that is indexed to the average cost of a new vehicle.

So without further ado, the winners are (in alphabetical manufacturer’s order)

Audi 2.0 liter TFSI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (A4 Avant)
Freshly revamped with 211 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque for the new A4, this marks a fourth consecutive 10 Best for Audi’s turbocharged 4.

BMW 3.0 liter turbocharged DOHC I-6 (135i Coupe)
The twin-turbocharged, direct-injected gasoline I-6 returns for a third year with 300 hp and 300 lb.-ft. of torque.

BMW 3.0 liter turbodiesel (335d)
A sequential twin-turbocharger system delivers impressive fuel economy as well as 265 hp and a stump-pulling 425 lb.-ft. of torque.

Chrysler 5.7 liter Hemi OHV V-8 (Dodge Ram/Challenger R/T)
The Hemi returns with more refinement, power (376 hp) and variable-valvetrain and induction technology.

Ford 2.5 liter DOHC I-4 HEV (Escape Hybrid)
A redesigned Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine with intake variable cam timing (iVCT) enables spark and cam timing to be varied according to engine load for optimal fuel efficiency.

General Motors 3.6 liter DOHC V-6 (Cadillac CTS)
Equipped with direct-gasoline injection, the second appearance for this advanced V-6 was tested in the CTS (it also appears in GM’s CUVs) and delivers 304 hp using regular grade gasoline.

Honda 3.5 liter SOHC V-6 (Accord Coupe)
This Honda V-6 with 271 hp and 254 lb.-ft. of torque is individually tailored for the Accord coupe and sedan. 4 doors will give you the version with cylinder deactivation technology for fuel economy while in the coupe, sans deactivation, it’s designed to deliver a fatter torque curve.

Hyundai 4.6 liter DOHC V-8 (Genesis)
The automaker’s first V-8 produces 375 hp and 333 lb.-ft. of torque. It features a die-cast block, 2-stage intake manifold and continuously variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust.

Toyota 3.5 liter DOHC V-6 (Lexus IS 350)
Toyota wins a fourth consecutive award with this V-6 that employs a combination direct and port-injection fuel system that helps this engine produce 306 hp and 277 lb.-ft. of torque.

Volkswagen 2.0 liter SOHC I-4 Turbodiesel (Jetta TDI)
VW’s newest turbodiesel is certified in all 50 states and produces 140 hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque. Boasting EPA figures of 30 city/41 highway, this compression ignition engine makes for a much more entertaining alternative to most hybrids.