2009 HUMMER H2 SUV

The Hummer H2 got a new interior last year, and this year it gains the option of captain's chairs in the second row. It's available as both the H2 SUV and H2 SUT, which is an H2 with a pickup bed instead of an enclosed SUV cargo area. Extremely capable off road, the H2 competes with the Land Rover LR3, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. Optional second-row captain's chairs, limited-edition Black Chrome model and flex-fuel engine.The H2 is about the same length as the Land Rover LR3, which makes it about 3 inches longer than the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It's 6 inches wider than the LR3 and nearly 10 inches wider than the Grand Cherokee. Off-roaders take note: The H2 has the highest ground clearance, at 10 inches, compared to 9.5 inches for the LR3 and 8.5 inches for the Grand Cherokee. Both the H2 SUT and SUV were freshened up on the interior for 2009, with new seats, new interior trim surfaces and blue-glowing gauges on the dashboard. Both the H2 SUT and SUV were freshened up on the interior for 2009, with new seats, new interior trim surfaces and blue-glowing gauges on the dashboard.

Cars 2009 Infiniti FX35

The original Infiniti FX explored the boundaries of sportiness in an SUV, though not without some drawbacks in utility. In its redesigned successor, Infiniti appears to have edged the performance quotient even higher: A 390-horsepower V-8 powers the FX50, while a 303-hp V-6 powers the FX35. A number of luxury SUVs, from the Lexus RX 350 to the Mercedes M-Class, compete with the FX.

Rear-wheel drive is standard on the FX35, and all-wheel drive is optional. The FX50 has standard AWD. Borrowing on several technologies introduced in the smaller EX35, the FX's options include an Around View Monitor system, which uses several cameras to create a bird's-eye view of the SUV's immediate surroundings. A Lane Departure Prevention system is also optional, and Infiniti's Scratch Shield paint can supposedly heal itself from minor scratches over time.

2009 Acura MDX

The seven-seat MDX luxury SUV has a 5,000-pound tow rating and Acura's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive. The MDX competes against the BMW X5, Cadillac SRX, Lexus RX 350 and Mercedes-Benz M-Class. It's top-rated in crash tests and has a history of above-average reliability.There are no significant changes for 2009.The Exterior
of the 2007 redesign, Acura went for a more integrated look in the MDX's rear quarter. Conventional A-, B- and C-pillars are in place, and the overall look is more similar to BMW's SUVs than to Lexus models. The MDX is 190.7 inches long and 78.5 inches wide, making it slightly wider than BMW's X5.The MDX carries seven people in standard leather seats. It has eight-way power front seats, and the driver's seat remembers two settings. Both seats are heated. There's also standard automatic three-zone climate control, and a cargo space that can be configured six ways depending on how the seats are folded.

2009 Dodge Charger

The Dodge Charger is a full-size, four-door sedan that makes a bold design statement and backs it up with serious horsepower. A wide range of models is available, but all are comfortable cruisers, offering drivers a friendly haven from traffic and bumpy freeways. The model line ranges from the sporty and entertaining 2.7-liter Charger SE to the 425-hp SRT8. Between them are 3.5-liter V6 and 5.7-liter V8 models. The 3.5-liter V6 delivers entirely adequate performance for the mid-grade SXT model, while the V8s generate thrilling acceleration performance and make all the right noises. All-wheel drive is available for all-weather capability. The Charger illustrates just how multi-talented and accomplished today's high-performance cars are compared to the unidimensional hot rods of yesteryear. The Charger has all the pavement-ripping, gut-thumping power of the old muscle cars, but it's packaged with modern creature comforts and tempered by handling competency. Put another way, it rides, turns and stops as well as it goes. The Charger is fun to drive and enjoyable for just cruising along. It's perfectly in its element when making time on a freeway. It is a big, heavy, full-size sedan measuring more than 16 feet in length and tipping the scales near two tons, but it's responsive and entertaining. For 2008, the Charger gets minor interior design changes and two new entertainment options. Newly available are Sirius Backseat TV for the rear entertainment system, and Dodge's MyGig, a 20 gigabyte hard drive that holds songs, pictures, and navigation system map information. The interior changes include a new instrument panel and center console, as well as upgraded soft-touch surfaces on the arm rests, center console and door trim. Dodge's UConnect hands-free cell-phone link is also upgraded with integrated iPod interface. The Dodge Charger was launched as a 2006 model in the spring of 2005.

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2008 Aston Martin V8

Aston Martin V8 Vantage even more driver-friendly for 2008. The low-slung sports car is powered by a normally aspirated V-8 that makes a none-too-shabby 380 horsepower. It looks much like Aston Martin's larger DB9. At around $120,000, the V8 Vantage competes roughly with the Mercedes CL63 AMG, BMW M6 and Porsche 911 Turbo.

Hardtop and convertible versions are available, both with a six-speed manual or six-speed auto-manual transmission. The car is built at Aston Martin's headquarters in Gaydon, England.

Exterior
Twin-bezel headlamps flank Aston Martin's trademark trapezoidal grille. Flared front fenders are trailed by inset side vents, and all lines flow rearward to the V8 Vantage's twin-bar taillamps. The integrated deck lid spoiler and twin exhaust pipes finish off the rear. The convertible has a fabric top that stows beneath a metal tonneau cover

Interior
The standard 10-way power seats feature occupant-sensing head and thorax side airbags and twin lumbar adjustment. Three-position memory and dual-stage heating for the seats are optional. For 2008, the steering wheel adds audio controls, and the stereo now has an auxiliary jack for MP3 players. The information display can now display Russian, Chinese and Greek in addition to the previous languages available. Bluetooth connectivity, a navigation system and satellite radio are optional.

2009 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder LP560-4

Lamboghini introduced an even more potent version of its five-year-old Gallardo. The new version earned the suffix LP-560, code for the V-10 engine's position (again at the rear with a north-south orientation, or Longitudinal Posteriore), output (560 horsepower), and drive wheels (four).

Now the Spyder gets the LP 560-4 treatment.The heart of the upgrade is the larger, more potent direct-injection V-10. Displacement rises from 4.9 liters to 5.6 liter; power increases by 40 hp from the standard Gallardo's 520 hp; and torque swells to 398 lb-ft versus 376 lb-ft. Aided by a 44-lb weight reduction, the larger engine gives the LP 560-4 Spyder full, 200-mph bragging rights (with a 201-mph top speed, versus 195 mph), and the car rockets from 0 to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds. For those who intend to put that performance to use on a track, fade-resistant carbon-ceramic brakes are a new option. Gas mileage, should your Toyota Prius-driving friends inquire, is 12 mpg city/20 highway (with the standard six-speed manual) or 13/20 with the optional eGear automated manual.

The Mercury Milan is virtually identical to the Ford Fusion in most aspects. It features two of the same engines as the Blue Oval version and the same transmissions.

The Milan's engines have the same horsepower ratings as the Fusion, but doesn't say gas mileage is the same, which we'd expect it would be. The lack of information may not be intentional; Mercury is often treated like the red-headed stepchild in the Ford family.

One notable difference, however, is the lack of all-wheel drive that's available in V-6 Fusions.

Mercury models usually come with more standard equipment than Fords to warrant their slightly higher prices, but, again, we don't have feature breakdowns yet.

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