Kia Debuts UVO-Powered Infotainment System

Short for "Your Voice," Kia has unveiled the new UVO, powered by Microsoft. UVO is an innovative and intelligent in-vehicle infotainment system that features a breakthrough user interface, providing simple and quick access to vehicle audio systems, music media in various formats and mobile phone content

UVO is the first in-vehicle solution to integrate full Microsoft® intelligent speech engine technology

2010 Toyota Prius: Refinement of a good thing

By Lary Coppola

There are no big surprises in the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius — just significant improvements. It's sleeker and more powerful, and adds an additional three miles-per-gallon, for an EPA-rating of 51/48 City/Highway.

The 1.8-liter gasoline engine is new, delivering more horses more efficiently, while the hybrid drivetrain is 65 pounds lighter. Top speed is now 112 miles per hour — up from 103.

The 2010 Toyota Prius comes in four trim levels, starting with Prius I. Toyota is focusing on the Prius brand, so no model names are offered besides Prius I II, III, IV and V. Prius II — expected to be the most popular — comes extremely well equipped. Prius III adds premium JBL sound and Bluetooth, while Prius IV adds leather seats and upgraded trim, heated front seats, plasma instrument cluster, HomeLink, a Smart Key system, and water repellent window glass. The top-line Prius V adds LED headlamps and foglamps, along with 17-inch alloy wheels.

Walkaround: There are not a lot of wholesale styling changes to the 2010 Prius — it’s still instantly recognizable. What’s not immediately visible is a sleeker car with a reduced drag coefficient, positioning it among the world's most slippery vehicles.

As a result of A-pillars moving forward to radically rake the windshield, the Prius is about half an inch longer, and 3/4-inch wider, while the roof is the same height. However, its apex is moved rearward 3.9 feet, creating a smoother aerodynamic wedge.

The smaller upper grille opening more efficiently moves air over the hood, while a new lip over the rear deck almost eliminates that chopped tail look while improving airflow. The wheelwells are aggressively more pronounced for additional airflow improvement, and the bumpers are sharper and squarer at the corners than before.

The blue-tinted headlights are restyled into wraparound trapezoids, with optional LED lenses that use 17-percent less battery power. The standard LED taillights also reduce power draw by 88 percent.

Interior: The Prius interior has been upgraded, and includes optional leather. The inviting cockpit features a stylish center console running at a gentle angle from dashboard to between the seats, where the CVT shift lever is located.

The four-spoke steering wheel houses multiple controls, which read out on a 5-inch wide multi-function screen that displays graphs and images, including an Energy Monitor that presents the battery charge in real time; and a Hybrid System Indicator revealing the efficiency of your driving ability.

Addressing complaints about previous Prius models, the all-new front seats are comfortable with increased bolstering and adjustability, while the width of the seatbacks has been reduced, resulting in increased rear legroom. Toyota claims the interior trim is made from ecologically-friendly, plant-derived resin plastic with excellent recycling characteristics.

The rear seats are split 60/40, with a folding armrest housing two cupholders. They drop flat, revealing 39.6 cubic feet of cargo space, easily accessible through the large liftgate. There's another two cubic feet under the floor of the cargo area, while the compact spare tire is one level down. A cargo area tonneau cover is standard.

Although forward visibility over the long dashboard and steeply sloped windshield is good, you can't see the car’s front corners, while rear visibility is compromised by the aerodynamically sloped roofline.

Standard equipment includes a Touch Tracer Display that projects information, so you can keep your eyes on the road. The information is driver-controlled, with input coming from the steering wheel, and includes cruise control, trip computer, audio, and climate controls, with telephone and other controls available.

Prius options include such techno-tricks as a solar-powered ventilation system and moonroof; remote pre-air conditioning to cool the car down to ambient temperature before you get in; radar cruise control and lane alignment warning; Intelligent Parking Assist (borrowed from Toyota-owned Lexus) that will parallel park your Prius with no steering or throttle help from the driver; and radar-controlled pre-collision emergency braking to reduce crash impact when an accident is imminent.

Other options include a Navigation Package with voice-activated DVD navigation, Bluetooth, XM traffic, and a backup camera.

Safety equipment standard on all models includes dual-stage front airbags, side airbags in front, airbag curtains, and driver's knee airbag; active headrests; tire pressure monitor with warning light; anti-lock brakes with Brake Assist and Brake Force Distribution; and a sophisticated stability control system working with traction control.

Under The Hood: The 2010 Prius is powered by Toyota’s heralded Hybrid Synergy Drive system, which combines a new 98-horse 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine (up from 1.5 and 76 horses) with the two electric motor-generators, for a total of 134 total horses. It delivers more torque, allowing it to maintain freeway speeds at lower rpm, which also boosts fuel mileage. Operating voltage on the motor-generators has been increased from 500V to 650V, and gear drive has replaced chains in the motor, more than doubling the motor's rpm from 6,400 to 13,500. The accessory drive belts have also been eliminated, with such things as the AC compressor and water pump now driven electrically.

Behind The Wheel: Acceleration is adequate, doing the 0 to 60 drill in 9.8 seconds, while the continuously variable transmission (CVT), is smooth. Handling is nimble at slow speeds, but becomes heavy and slow the more aggressively you drive. However cornering is much improved with a new chassis and suspension. The brakes are sensitive due to all the electronic capabilities for safety, and the ride can be a little harsh over some bumps, while interior noise is surprisingly high — despite increased sound insulation.

There are three driving modes: EV, ECO and Power. EV is all electric, for very short distances at speeds under 25 mph; ECO provides the best fuel mileage, without noticeably compromising performance; and Power, the default mode, is needed for rapid acceleration.

Accelerating hard kicks the Prius into Power mode, which can be abrupt — like a transmission kick-down. However, like all hybrids it uses a CVT, which doesn't have gears.

Whines: The button for the heated seats is oddly located on the floor under the console, and curiously, in a vehicle seemingly aimed at the techno-conscious, a USB port isn't standard.

Bottom Line: The all-new 2010 Toyota Prius has evolved, with substantial improvements in the hybrid powertrain and styling. Overall, it’s a much improved version of the pioneer of the green car movement, and offers more amenities for more discriminating buyers.

New GMC Terrain melds style and fuel efficiency with premium features

By Lary Coppola

The 2010 GMC Terrain is a new addition to the GMC lineup. It’s a crossover SUV that offers bolder, more assertive styling than its Chevrolet sibling, the 2010 Equinox. Riding on a platform shared with the Equinox, the GMC Terrain might be considered the little brother to GMC’s successful full-size Acadia crossover. It boasts a pleasing exterior package and ample room inside, with thoughtful features that maximize both cargo and passenger capacity. Front-wheel drive is standard, with four-wheel drive an option.

The Terrain comes in two trim levels, SLE and SLT, along with a comprehensive inventory of standard features such as a rear-vision backup camera, OnStar (with one-year Safe and Sound service), XM Satellite Radio, USB audio connectivity, MP3 playback capability, and a programmable rear power liftgate, The standard MultiFlex sliding rear seat can be moved up or back nearly eight inches, and the rear cargo area behind it offers up 31.6 cubic feet of storage with the seat fully forward.

Among the options offered are Bluetooth hands-free phone capability, a navigation system with a seven-inch touch screen and voice recognition, a 40-gigabyte hard drive, and DVD-based rear-seat entertainment system with two independent screens.

Walkaround: Visually, the Terrain presents a balanced, athletic stance, that’s angular yet refined, and characterized by its bold, muscular fender flares, which appear to be borrowed from the late Hummer H3. The aggressive front-end is distinguished by GMC’s new signature three-element grille, which is accented by a prominent chrome surround, and by its projector-beam headlamps mounted in large, rectangular housings with chrome accents. The front-end is finished with precise, squared-off edges on the business-like cowling.

The Terrain rides on a 112.5-inch wheelbase and features a four-wheel independent suspension with wide front and rear tracks to enhance ride and handling. There’s a choice of standard 17-inch, or optional 18-inch aluminum and 19-inch chrome-clad wheels available.

The B-pillar is angled rearward from the top down, and wider than usual so the third-panel glass can wrap around to meet the liftgate.

The Terrain is larger than most of its segment competition — and considerably more stylish than the smaller Ford Escape, which has undergone a series of minor updates in recent years but whose overall look has become quite dated. Other physically smaller, and somewhat less stylish competitors include the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and VW Tiguan, as well as its sibling, the Chevy Equinox.

Interior: The Terrain’s premium interior is quite refined, and has been clearly influenced by European design. That refinement is evident in the contrasting stitching and quality materials that create a uniformly structured look throughout the cabin. There are also four auxiliary power outlets, including one in the cargo area.

The Terrain’s newly designed seats are very comfortable. The aforementioned standard MultiFlex sliding rear seat has a 60/40-split, offering a number of configurations for passengers and cargo. It can be moved nearly eight inches, providing increased passenger legroom and/or greater rear cargo capacity, depending on how much of the available 31.6 cubic feet is needed.

GM’s first application of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology — already used on some Honda models and other luxury-brand vehicles — is used on models equipped with the 2.4-Liter, 4-cylinder engine. ANC utilizes microphones to detect booming sounds inside the vehicle and sends counteracting sound waves through the audio system’s speakers, for a quiet driving experience at almost all vehicle speeds.

Safety features include four-wheel disc brakes with GM’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control and traction control, as well as six standard air bags — dual frontal air bags; head curtain side air bags and pelvic/thorax seat-mounted side air bags.

Under The Hood: Two brand new, clean-sheet design, new-thinking powerplants are offered on all GMC Terrain models. Forget old technology like pushrods. Both Terrain engines feature gasoline direct-injection with variable-valve timing. A 2.4-Liter Ecotec Inline 4-cylinder — the first 4-banger offered in a GM crossover since the 1980’s — and rated at 182 horsepower, is the standard motor. The optional 3.0-Liter V6 delivers 264 ponies, and an EPA-estimated 25 mpg on the highway, and 17 in the city, while the 2.4 is rated at 32/highway and 22/city. Both engines boast a driving range of more than 500 miles, and are mated to efficiency-enhancing six-speed automatic transmissions.

The powertrains are mounted on a rigid, body-integral structure, with single-piece body side stampings and targeted applications of high-strength steel. The Terrain’s rack-mounted electric power steering system provides greater fuel efficiency on the four-cylinder models, saving nearly 11 miles per tank of gas. Maximum fuel economy on the 2.4-Liter is also achieved in part by using an “eco” mode activated with a console-mounted button. When engaged, it lowers the torque converter lockup speed to 1,125 rpm to help save additional fuel.

Behind The Wheel: Our onyx black SLT test vehicle was equipped with the V6 and was relatively loaded option-wise ($36,430 as tested). We drove the Terrain during a time of exceptionally cold, icy weather, and found its front-wheel drive to be relatively surefooted with minimal torque-steer. Acceleration was fairly strong, and handling and braking were good. Overall, we found it to drive at least as good as anything in this market segment, with stronger acceleration than all the others.

Whines: The width of the B-pillar restricts rear visibility somewhat, but is partially made up for with the standard back-up camera. There’s no optional third-row seat as in the smaller RAV4.

The Bottom Line: The 2010 GMC Terrain is an example of the new passenger-friendly design standard being set by GMC’s larger Acadia, while offering bolder styling than its sibling Chevy Equinox. It’s boasts lots of room and comfort, thoughtful features, pleasing design, and outstanding performance. General Motors is on a mission to re-establish itself as a force to be reckoned with in the American market amid the European and Japanese competitors it allowed to eclipse its one-time dominance through a generation of managerial arrogance and product neglect. Starting with the Chevy Malibu and new Buick LaCrosse, as well as a number of new vehicles I was invited to preview in advance of this year’s Detroit Auto Show, I believe GM has an opportunity to do just that. May the best cars win.

Volvo XC60 Wins Prestigious 2010 International Truck of the Year Award

The Volvo XC60 was named 2010 International Truck of the Year today by the International Car of the Year (ICOTY) jury. The award was given to Doug Speck, President and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America, LLC at the Volvo display at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. The XC60 was chosen over 10 new crossovers, SUVs and trucks by a distinguished panel of top automotive journalists.

"This ties a very pretty bow around what's been a truly amazing year for Volvo," commented Speck. "The XC60 has not only been recognized by the media but it's been extremely well received by our customers." The 2010 XC60 has helped VCNA earn six consecutive months of year-over-year sales increases since June.

The XC60 was chosen the winner from a panel of 19 automotive media from around the U.S. and Canada representing top newspapers, magazines and websites. The jurors must consider the ICOTY mission of "honoring vehicles that reflect an emotional connection between car and consumer lifestyles" when making their nominations. "The ICOTY awards are not centered on power and performance," said Courtney Caldwell, ICOTY's creator and executive producer. "It's about how cars reflect our personalities, lifestyles and self image, an attitude most consumers identify with."

Once approved by the ICOTY nominating committee, the awards jury then bases their decision on a number of important criteria: The vehicle must be new or substantially revised, it must be offered for sale to the general public by the judging deadline of November 16, 2009, and may not have been previously considered for the ICOTY Awards.

The International Truck of the Year award marks the 20th accolade the Volvo XC60 has received since sales began in Europe in late 2008. The XC60 is the first vehicle to offer City Safety as standard equipment. This unique Volvo technology can help the driver avoid frontal collisions at low speed. If the driver is about to drive into the rear of a vehicle and does not react in time, the XC60 will apply the brakes by itself.

2010 Ford Taurus — Ford’s proud new standard bearer

By Lary Coppola

The Ford Taurus was a groundbreaking vehicle when it debuted in 1986, defining the automobile’s physical shape for a generation. While long known as a family sedan, the 2010 model still boasts the typical sedan trappings — large interior, ample trunk and comfortable ride. However, the new Taurus also has a much sharper focus on styling and technology, successfully injecting a dose of passion into an uninspired market segment dominated by the Toyota Avalon, Chevy Impala, and Chrysler 300.

The Taurus was criticized as boring and too conservative in 2003, when it was redesigned and re-badged as the Ford Five Hundred. With sales slumping, Ford brought back the Taurus nameplate in 2008, did some minor freshening, but didn't change the overly conservative looks of an essentially dull family car.

However, for 2010, Ford has redesigned the Taurus into sportier, more attractive car that’s a technology and design showcase.

Walkaound: Standing in bold contrast to previous versions, the 2010 Ford Taurus is a visually ambitious remake of the full-size sedan genre. Boasting shorter front and rear overhangs, Ford’s signature three-bar slotted grille, raised hood, highly detailed wrap-around headlamps, and a wide stance, the Taurus presents an aggressive face. The lowered roofline, raised belt line and pronounced accent line moving rearward, project a wedge shape stylishly bisected at the rear fender flare, connecting to chrome trim tail lamps. The rear end is blatantly influenced by Ford’s Interceptor concept shown at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show.

The much sportier Taurus SHO is distinguished from the lesser SE, SEL (our test vehicle) and Limited models by unique trim, dual exhaust outlets, inconspicuous SHO badges and a rear spoiler.

Interior: Much like the new Buick LaCrosse, much of Ford's redesign efforts obviously went into improving the interior. The extensive use of soft touch materials worthy of a German luxury sedan, dual-binnacle dash design, and a stylishly sweeping center stack that flows dramatically into the center console, are all evidence of the massive focus on providing the most comfortable, pleasant atmosphere possible.

The interior has some obvious Mustang trim cues, but amenities and technology abound. Head and legroom are abundant in all seating positions — even the usually uncomfortable rear middle seat. With more than 20 cubic feet of space, the trunk is big enough to hold several large suitcases, and is further enhanced by split folding rear seats.

Standard equipment on all models include a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, power driver's seat, six-speaker audio, with AM/FM/CD, Sirius satellite radio, auxiliary audio input jack, steering wheel audio and cruise controls, power windows with driver-controlled one touch up and down function, and Ford's programmable MyKey system.

Standard safety features include anti-lock disc brakes, stability control, traction control, dual front airbags, front seat-mounted airbags and side curtain airbags for front and rear passengers.

Many of the available high-tech features offered on the Taurus are typically found on more expensive luxury cars — such as seats with a massage function, automatic high-beams, rain-sensing wipers and adaptive cruise control with collision warning. Other options include heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, keyless entry and start, power rear sunshade, power adjustable pedals and a 12-speaker premium Sony audio system.

The new Taurus is loaded with technology features that include Ford's Sync system, voice-activated navigation, and radar-based adaptive cruise control, as well as the aforementioned MyKey parental programmability.

The high-tech cruise system detects when traffic ahead slows quickly, sounds a warning, and pre-charges the brakes to help reduce stopping distances. High-tech safety technology also includes Ford's new Cross Traffic Alert, and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), which utilizes radar modules in the rear quarter panels to monitor traffic in the blind spot zones. When detected, the blind-spot warning alerts the driver with lights in the side mirrors. Cross Traffic Alert uses the same radar modules to monitor traffic crossing behind when the vehicle is backing out of a parking space, and warns the driver with the same side mirror lights. Much of this technology was pioneered by Ford-owned Volvo, and has been available on Volvo’s for a couple of years now.

Under The Hood: All 2010 Taurus trims feature Ford’s 3.5-liter Duratec V6, that’s married to the six-speed SelectShift automatic. With the exception of the SE, all Taurus models feature steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. All but the SHO are rated at 263 horses with 249 lb. ft. of torque, and an EPA fuel estimation of 17/City and 25/Highway. The SHO offers 365 horses thanks to the use of direct injection and twin turbochargers, delivering 350 lb. ft. of torque and the same EPA mileage. Front wheel drive is standard, while all-wheel drive is available as an option on both SEL and Limited trims, and standard on the SHO.

Behind The Wheel: The Taurus rides on the solid D3 platform developed by Volvo and used for the Lincoln MKS sedan. It offers sportier handling than the Lincoln thanks to larger brakes and a new rear suspension configuration that provides a superior balance between cornering and handling, reduces weight and enables the use of 19- and 20-inch wheels.

While the Taurus doesn’t pretend to be a sport sedan, driving with the feel you expect from a full-size sedan. However, it delivers a welcome sense of agility in the corners, and if you don’t know better, between the paddle shifters, strong acceleration, and handling, it may convince you it’s close to one.

The extra horsepower and performance-tuned suspension of the SHO — especially on winding two-lane blacktops — make it fun to drive and deceptively quick.

Whines: The MyKey allows parents and fleet managers to activate a restricted driving mode that keeps all safety systems active, has a persistent Beltminder, and can be set to limit top speed at 80 mph with sound warnings at 45, 55 and 65 mph. Personally, I would find that highly annoying. Thankfully, our test vehicle didn’t have these activated.

Bottom Line: I really liked the 2010 Ford Taurus. With starting prices of $25,995 for the SE, around $28,000 for the mid-level SEL we tested, close to $32,000 for the Limited, and just shy of $38,000 for the high-performance Taurus SHO, even with all-wheel drive adding another $1,850 it’s still a bargain compared to the boring Avalon. The 2010 Taurus truly showcases the Blue Oval’s engineering capabilities. It’s destined to be more than a full-size sedan — it's the new flagship for the Ford brand.

2010 Buick LaCrosse: This is NOT Your Old Man's Buick

By Lary Coppola

The all-new 2010 Buick LaCrosse, which has just hit showrooms floors, marks the beginning of a more luxurious and stylish era for Buick — not to mention being the most important vehicle GM has launched in a generation. Developed before bankruptcy, bailouts and government intervention, the LaCrosse was GM’s vision for the future of Buick.

Buick, which has suffered an identity crisis inside of GM for years, was spared the fate of Oldsmobile and more recently Pontiac, surviving as one of GM’s four remaining "core brands” for no other reason than the Chinese love affair with Buick. Owning a Buick in China is a status symbol akin to owning a high-end Mercedes in the U.S. Go figure…

GM is attempting to once again reposition Buick as a serious competitor to Acura, Volvo, and Lexus — with the LaCrosse the first shot across the bow in the battle to capture younger, import-buyers’s imaginations — and wallets.

The 2010 LaCrosse is the first North American product built on GM's new global mid-size Epsilon II platform following the Opel/Vauxhall brand that debuted in Europe last year. This new LaCrosse is truly a world car. Engineers at Opel were tasked with creating the basic platform and most of the chassis development, while American engineers tackled the body structure, and GM China handled the interior and the majority of the exterior design. Considering the Chinese affinity for Buick as a premium brand, they wanted to ensure the design and materials were best-in-class.

The LaCrosse, is a midsize sedan, initially launched as a 2005 model. Technically, the "New" Buick was born two years ago when the Enclave debuted, but in contrast, the LaCrosse marks the initial transformation of Buick's future. And the new design is part of a plan by GM to revamp the Buick lineup the way it successfully did with Cadillac. The change at Buick started with the Enclave midsize crossover SUV — another vehicle that impressed us.

Walkaround: it's hard to argue with the LaCrosse's stylish looks. Smooth and rounded, the new mid-size sedan incorporates many of the elements of Buick’s hot looking 2007 Riviera concept, which was previewed at that year’s Shanghai Auto Show, along with styling cues from previous Buicks that don't come across as retro or cliche. The new LaCrosse features a lower, coupe-like roofline that creates the optical illusion that this sedan is significantly smaller than the previous version. However, it's virtually the same size.

The hoodline, beltline and rear deck all sit higher than before, while the roof sweeps down towards the sedan's haunches. Both the front and rear glass have a significantly flatter slope than previously, and since the LaCrosse's sheetmetal is meant for a global audience, the upright front fascia meets European pedestrian crash standards — which are expected to be adopted here. The body surfaces have more pronounced creases in the hood and flanks, including Buick's signature "sweep spear" at the rear quarter, all contributing to an elegant, modern design thoroughly suited for the 21st century.

Three trim levels are offered: CX, CXL and CXS, which was our test vehicle. The base CX gets a choice of 17-inch steel or alloy wheels, while the two upper levels get 18-inchers and the CXS Touring package adds 19-inch hoops along with an adaptive damping system.

Interior: It was immediately apparent that the quality of the interior — both materials, and fit-and-finish — are much higher quality than what we've come to expect from GM in general. The dashboard covering, door panels and instrument cluster hood are all sew and stitch leather normally reserved for Cadillac. And it isn't exclusive to the top of the line models either — it's standard across the range. All LaCrosse models also have a leather-covered shifter and steering wheel, which has a thick, easy-to-grip rim outfitted with redundant controls for the audio system.

The central instrument panel protrudes slightly from the fall-away dashboard, lessening the reach to controls. The position of the shift lever isn’t quite as accommodating depending on your height and seating position. Since I like to sit up high and midway back, I found it somewhat awkward. Dee, who likes to sit lower and is several inches shorter than me, sits closer and thought it suited her well.

Buick claims the new LaCrosse will be the quietest Buick ever thanks to Quiet Tuning, which involves acoustic laminated glass, triple-sealed doors, liquid-sealed sound deadening, and special designs for the suspension bushings, engine cradle and mounts, and steering and induction systems.

Instrumentation is a soft teal color with very pleasing teal accents. And while some customers prefer a touch interface for the optional navigation and audio systems, others prefer a traditional knob arrangement. Buick provides a choice of both in the LaCrosse, with most of the controls accessible via the screen or a knob directly below. And for the tech adventurous, most of the systems are also accessible through voice commands by pressing a button on the steering wheel.

The LaCrosse features all the usual power items — windows, mirrors, door locks remote entry, etc., pretty standard, as well as a smart key and start button. AM/FM/CD/ XM are all standard as is GM’s OnStar.

Under The Hood: The CX and CXL come standard with the new 3.0-liter direct injected V6, while the 3.6-liter DI V6 is optional on the CXL and was standard on our test CXS. Later this fall, a 2.4-liter DI four-cylinder will be added as the standard engine in the CX and CXL, the only such engine currently available in the segment. All are mated to a smooth 6-speed automatic. Front-wheel is standard with AWD offered on the CXL and CXS.

Behind The Wheel: The LaCrosse is a pleasure to drive. It’s smooth, quiet, and comfortable. The front seats are well shaped and supportive, and hold up surprisingly well to both aggressive two- lane blacktop driving, as well as the freeway. The standard Stabilitrak system with traction control, 4-wheel independent suspension with front McPherson struts, and 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with intelligent assist, make handling and braking responsive, safe and effortless, no matter what the driving surface.

Whines: The lack of paddle shifters is a glaring omission I hope will be rectified soon. Given that few people actually do manual shifting of their automatics anyway, this probably won't matter to anyone but a handful of people – many of which probably wouldn’t consider a Buick in the first place.

Bottom Line: Simply put, this is a great car and a huge advance forward for not only Buick, but all of Detroit. It’s quiet, comfortable, stylish, and at $34,090 as tested, a pretty good value as well. Like GM has proven with the Chevy Malibu, Cadillac CTS, and now the Buick LaCrosse, it can slay the Japanese and European dragons on quality and price. If you’re in the market for a mid-sized luxury sports sedan, you owe it to yourself to check the Buick LaCrosse out.

GM Posts First Sales Gain in Two Years

General Motors (GM) reported its first monthly U.S. Sales gain in almost two years. Ford and Toyota also posted gains — which indicates the auto industry is working its way out of a year-long slump.

Demand for new cars such as the Chevy Malibu and Cadillac CTS, long with crossover SUVs such as the Buick Enclave, fueled better October results for GM with sales up 4.7 percent. Sales of the much-anticipated, all-new 2010 Buick LaCrosse, which is hitting showrooms right about now, are also expected to keep GM on an upward trend.

Meanwhile, in Dearborn, rival Ford Motor Co. saw overall sales rise 11 percent from October 2008, on the strength of strong sales of the newly-redesigned Taurus, Taurus SHO, and Lincoln MKT, along with healthy numbers for the F-150 pickup — the all-time, overall vehicle sales leader for more than 30 years. Fuel-efficient models like the Ford Fusion sedan and Escape SUV are also selling very well, with both notching jumps of around 25 percent, while crossovers climbed a hefty 23 percent. Ford has also benefited from consumer goodwill because it didn’t take government bailout money or go into bankruptcy, as General Motors Chrysler did.

More than 80 percent of Ford’s sales last month came from 2010 models, which also helped the company lower its incentives — in line with the industry, which spent less to give car buyers big rebates. Automakers focused on clearing out old inventory and on selling 2010 models, which are not discounted as heavily.

In less rosy news, Toyota reported sales edging up less than a percent. However, Japanese competitor Subaru reported October auto sales surging 41 percent on the backs of strong sales of its Outback and Forester models, and South Korea-based Hyundai said its sales jumped 49 percent to 31,005 vehicles.

Chrysler Group LLC, maker of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Dodge Ram truck, which had witnessed sales fall 30 percent in September, improved, selling 65,803 vehicles last month. That's a gain of 6 percent over September, when sales slumped because dealerships had few popular models left in showrooms to offer. The automaker, which is announcing a new product strategy tomorrow (Nov. 4) is aiming to show steady improvement from month to month. Chrysler will offer a slew of new incentive programs, along with 0 percent financing for up to 48 months on all its vehicles, and a no-cost maintenance and service program on its Jeep and Chrysler brands. Buyers also can opt for $2,500 off their purchase if they don’t take the no-interest financing. The deals will run until Nov. 30.

Automakers have stated repeatedly that October would be the true test of the strength of the auto market after the highly volatile impact of the government’s Cash for Clunkers program. The industry staggered through a tough September, hurt by the collapse of demand following the clunker rebates that fueled a sales surge over the summer. The mood was a sharp contrast to a year ago, when consumers were scared away from showrooms by the early effects of the financial meltdown and credit freeze. Ford’s top economist Emily Kolinski Morris said October sales signal a real underlying demand for new vehicles after the distorting effects of the clunkers program. The economy, she said, is “...in transition from recession to recovery. We expect consumers to remain cautious as the recovery continues,” she told analysts and reporters during an investor conference call.