[Timgt5]

Hi there! As the year ends, I would like to point out as a car enthusiast some of the best cars for 2009-and some bright stars coming for 2010!

You guys are welcome to add some to my list and render your opinion on my choices. Here goes:

Chevrolet Malibu: Introduced in 2008 This four door is the first domestic auto in almost two decades that holds its own with established class leaders (Accord, Camry, Altima) and one that GM can really be proud of! The car features excellent build quality, great gas mileage, and solid performance along with an attractive shape. After 3 previous tries (Celebrity, Lumina, prior generation Malibu) GM finally gets the family car formula right and comes up with a real winner.

Pontiac G8: This is by far the best car ever sold under the Pontiac name. The car is built on the General's Australian Holden division platform. This rear wheel drive four door sports terrific handling and in V8 trim, thundering performance. The interior materials are considerably nicer than the G6 or the Grand Prix and it packs plenty of space inside. If you are looking for a great rear drive four door and do not want to spring the cash for a BMW 335i or an Infinity G37 this is the way to go. It pulls away from the Chrysler 300 and completely blows Mercury Grand Marquis off the map.

Corvette ZR1: Fastest car around the famed Nordicliffe and the real deal. Ferrari performance for less than half the money.

Cadillac CTS: What a difference a model cycle makes. The best Caddy in decades, the CTS boasts high build quality, a comfortable interior, and much sharper handling than the land barges of yesterday. For those considering a European or Japanese near-luxury sedan owe this car a serious look, there is a lot there for the money. The CTS-V is a smoking high performance version of the car that is one of the fastest sedans in the world.

Hyundai Genesis: Hyundai has slowly and steadily moved up-market. The Genesis is a revelation of how far the Koreans have truly come. The Genesis is a large, roomy rear wheel drive 4 door that boasts an optional 375Hp V-8. This car is well crafted, feature laden and really gives a lower cost alternative to the established luxury players. The price of admission is $33,000.00.

Nissan GTR: It is by far not the prettiest sports car on the market. It does not boast a real heritage outside of Japan, like that of Porsche, Ferrari or even Corvette. However armed with 480HP of turbo charged power, a super sophisticated all wheel drive system, and ultra fast shifting auto box, the car all but rewrites the laws of physics. The performance is staggering, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and over 1G on the skid pad, and slalom speeds in excess of 70mph. The top speed is 195mph.

Infinity G37: With a 330Hp naturally aspirated V6, revised suspension tuning and new 7 speed auto, this strong performer is back with a vengeance. This is the only car that truly matches the BMW 335 move for move in its class. Available as a sedan, coupe or convertible (this version is a real looker)

Ford Flex: A lowered and roomy box on wheels, the Flex has a distinctive style, lots of useful space and offers a very pleasant driving experience. Want the room of an SUV, the ride of a Sedan, and not feel like you need a ladder to get into the passenger’s seat? This is definitely worth a look.

BMW 335D: Who says high gas mileage means being stuck in a poorly equipped econobox? This diesel sedan boasts all of the amenities of its normally gas powered brother, 0-60 in 6.5 seconds, and the kicker, 36 miles to the gallon.

GM “Lambda” triplets: The Chevy Traverse, the Saturn Outlook and the Buick Enclave are excellent new crossovers that provide comfortable rides, decent handling and strong straight line performance, lots of room, and good for their class fuel economy. Anyone in the market for a large family vehicle should put these on their list to look at.

Honda FCX Clarity: This is the first “designed from the ground up” hydrogen fuel cell car released for public use. There are 600 test vehicles in the hands of actual people out in California, among them, actress Jamie Lee Curtis. This cars style performance and economy bodes well for the future of zero emission autos.

Interesting Cars for next year:

Chevy Volt: A car which drives entirely by electric power backed up and charged by a tiny gas engine. This plug in Hybrid carries a lot of promise and will help GM’s reputation significantly as a purveyor of environmentally friendly cars.

Honda Insight: The first full Hybrid car to break the 20K barrier, this 4 door hatch will start at $18,500.00 and will get close to 50 miles to the gallon.

Chevy Camaro: Coming in the spring as 2010 model, the press is looking very positive on the resurrected legend. Built on the same Holden Chassis as the Pontiac G8 the Camaro’s base V6 puts out a healthy 300Hp (25 more than the last generation V-8) and an optional 425HP V-8. I believe this car will easily defeat the Mustang and Dodge Challenger in comparison tests.

Mazda 3: This redesign of the best driving compact is going to boast what amounts to the nicest interior in an econo-car, the best driving dynamics, and improved gas mileage. Available as four door sedan or 5 door hatchback. This car proves once and for all that just because a car is small does not mean it cannot be a really nice one to own and drive.

You guys are welcome to add to what I have here.

[Brian37]

Corvette and Camaro are the only 2 I recognize....is that bad?

[Timgt5]

Only if you don't like'm LOL LOL.

[splitimage]

Have to disagree about the G8. I was stuck driving one for 3 weeks as a rental while my car was in the shop following an accident. Mileage wasn't great, neither was handling. Still couldn't compare to my 10 year old civic..

--splitimage

[Timgt5]

Originally Posted by splitimage

Have to disagree about the G8. I was stuck driving one for 3 weeks as a rental while my car was in the shop following an accident. Mileage wasn't great, neither was handling. Still couldn't compare to my 10 year old civic..

--splitimage

Interesting, the automotive press noted high cornering ability etc... in the models they tested, I did not know the G8 was even available for rent. Thanks for insight. TJ

[Timgt5]

on the other hand the 97-2000 civics were the best driving civics up until the recent 2006 redo, and in some cases a small car can feel more agile, especially in city traffic. In a recent comparison test against the 300C the G8 with the V8 and 19 inch tires boasted some pretty high skid pad numbers and wiped the floor with the Chysler in the slalom.

[Timgt5]

On second thought I think you may have gotten a G6 not a G8, there is a BIG difference, the G6 has a lot of poor reviews regarding its performance, and the G8 has been universally praised. The G8 has only been on sale here for the last 2 months.

[Timgt5]

Another allstar for 2008:

The Chevy Colbalt SS: Made from the less than stellar Colbalt, this extensively reworked 2 door version benefits from a 260Hp turbo 4 and a lot of suspension tuning, the result is a car that can stand toe to toe with the likes of the vaunted Civic Si and Mazdaspeed3.

Another Interesting 2009 car

The Toyota Venza: A crossover that promises all the luxury of an Avalon, the Cargo space of the Highlander CUV and much more. The looks are interesting to say the least. Natural competitors will be the Ford Edge and the Nissan Murano.