The 12 Most Important Cars of 2009 [1.8.9]

[T Mac]

Honda Insight. (Expected in April, starting price under $20,000) Why should Toyota have all the fun? The new Insight is Honda's hybrid-only answer to the Toyota Prius, which dealers could barely keep in stock last year, as gas prices soared to $4 per gallon. "Honda hates to lose market share to any car company, but it especially hates to lose potential sales to Toyota," says Jack Nerad of car-research site kbb.com. "Thus, it has created this Prius-fighter." Honda hopes to entice buyers with a lower starting price than the Prius and overall mileage in the mid-40s. The Insight will also reveal whether hybrids are becoming mainstream or appeal to buyers only when gas prices are high.

Honda Fit. (Available now, about $15,000) Just when you thought small, low-budget cars had to be boring, Honda introduced the Fit and proved that a diminutive hatchback can actually be delightful. The Fit drives like a go-cart and has surprising room for cargo, thanks to the rear "MagicSeat" that folds flat into the floor. Fear of costly gas has reintroduced Americans to small cars, and if competitors can't match the Fit's fun and practicality, their customers will simply defect to Honda—and buy even more Civics, Accords, and CR-Vs as they become more prosperous and upgrade.

Click here to read the entire story from US News and World Report (http://www.usnews.com/blogs/flowchart/2009/01/08/the-12-most-important-cars-of-2009.html)

[HandA]

I've seen 2 tests now on the new insight where they were able to average 50 mpg or better with regular driving.

[electric V]

the new fit sports look a little nicer than the old model. But why were there so many fords on the list. I am really prejiduced to american cars. The honda pilot and the toyota highlander are way better vehicles than the flex.

[Davecr-v]

the new fit sports look a little nicer than the old model. But why were there so many fords on the list. I am really prejiduced to american cars. The honda pilot and the toyota highlander are way better vehicles than the flex.

Ford can make a great car just look at their European division the Mondeo gives the BMW 5 a run for its money yearly.

[electric V]

Ford and GM do have some really cool euro cars. but their american counterparts suck.

[Serj22]

Ford and GM do have some really cool euro cars. but their american counterparts suck.

have you ever owned a GM? I had 2. They were really awesome power-wise, and were fairly realiable. The only problem was that when something breaks on a GM or Ford, it becomes a never ending slope of failures for everything in the car. So if you keep it well maintained, and anticipate problems, they will last for a while. I had a 1991 Pontiac Sunbird that lasteed for 223,000 miles before it refused to run anymore, and a 1999 GMC Jimmy that lasted for 145,000.

They're ok, but you have to learn how to fix them. Owning a GM will teach you how to fix a variety of cars and is knowledge well-gained. As for its compariosn to my CR-v, I had a 100 horse power drop (even though Cr-v is bigger than Jimmy) and I can't climb a hill well, but the car starts all the time: It's a trade. That goes to say there aren't problems with a cR-v. I've had several things break and had to replace. belts, window rams, plasic junk... etc... on a whole, Gm's and Ford's may suck, but sometimes, the one you own may not suck. Look at all the people who post about their BRAND NEW cr-v's having problems. That doesn't sound reliable to me... But, like always, you may have bad experiences with american cars, so you are also right.

[electric V]

actually i havent driven any new GMs or Fords. my mom used to have a mazda 6 old model, an Astro Van, and my moms current 04 suburban. three cars so we mar have gotten the rotten apples in the bunch. my dads Vega (he had that before i was born though)

You are right though that when one thing breaks it qickly escalates to other problems and it does help you to learn how to fix things. although i rather to learn by reading and not doing when it comes to things like that.

I have two uncles that work for GM so i am not supposed to talk about how much i dislike them. but we have always had bizzar problems with those vehicles and they did last a while and we took good care of them our hondas/Acura have lasted a lot longer.

I am a lttle biased when it comes to GM and Ford