Off Duty, Automotive - Army Times

Nine cars that will make you want to hit the road

The year 2009 is going to be very different for the auto industry — and for buyers, too. Big SUVs and 400-horsepower performance cars are endangered species. High-efficiency (and low-cost) smaller cars are the new apples of everyone’s eye.

Here are some of the best performers at the best prices that will be rolled out during the next calendar year.

Small/sporty cars

• Chevy Camaro

High-efficiency and high-power V-6 engine

While the V-8 SS version of the resurrected Camaro gets all the attention, it’s the V-6 standard coupe and convertible that probably will appeal to most buyers in a world of $50 fill-ups. This engine will feature direct injection and be capable of achieving close to 30 miles per gallon on the highway. But the base 3.6-liter V-6 shouldn’t disappoint performance enthusiasts, either. With more than 300 horsepower on tap, the base V-6 Camaro will be much stronger than the base V-6 powered Dodge Challenger (250 hp) and more powerful than most of the Z28s of the 1990s that sported V-8 power plants.

Base price: $22,000•

• Honda Fit

7,000-rpm VTEC technology at a Motel 6 price

Entirely new for ’09, the Fit is an ultracompact five-door hatchback that can tickle 40 mpg on the highway and deliver 30-something mpg in combined city/highway driving. Though small outside, the Fit can handle five passengers. The Fit offers a free-revving 1.5-liter, 115-hp engine with Honda’s VTEC variable cam timing system — and available F1-style paddle shifters for automatic versions.

Base price: $14,500

• Nissan Cube

The perfect car for playing Frogger in city traffic

No, it’s not the second coming of The Borg from “Star Trek” — it’s another high-style, low-price (and high-economy) small wagon designed for urban commuting. Its slot-car exterior dimensions make it a snap to park on city streets, and its 40 mpg highway capability makes it almost as cheap to operate as a small motorcycle. It’s rumored a hybrid version will be offered either in late 2009 or 2010.

Base price: $16,000

• Kia Soul

A shape guaranteed to draw attention

This micro-sized crossover wagon is the first attempt by Kia to directly challenge Toyota’s youth-oriented Scion brand — and specifically, the snarky little xB wagon. Like the xB, the Soul is inexpensive and styled to make an impression — with a small body dropped low on big wheels. The five-door hatchback wagon will be powered by a 2.0-liter V-4 good for 138 hp and 30-something mpg on the highway.

Base price: $13,500

Sedans & wagons

• Volkswagen Jetta diesel

40-plus mpg capability without expensive hybrid technology

Finally, after it disappeared from the U.S. market for several years, VW returns the diesel-powered Jetta sedan/wagon to its lineup for 2009. VW (and other automakers, including Mercedes-Benz) pulled their high-economy diesels from the market because of issues with U.S. diesel fuel quality — a problem that has been solved with the introduction of low-sulfur diesel. That means you can buy a vehicle capable of more than 40 mpg on the highway that should last for 200,000-plus miles with adequate maintenance.

Base price: $18,000

• Volkswagen Passat Comfort Coupe

Almost as stylish as a Benz CLS550 but easier on the wallet

Here’s a more affordable take on the Benz CLS “four-door coupe” concept. Like the $68,950 Mercedes-Benz CLS550, the new Passat has steeply raked forward glass, a low roofline and ultraslinky styling — including a panorama sunroof that extends almost the entire length of the car’s roof. But with an estimated base price of $27,000, it costs about half as much as the Benz. Two engine choices — standard four-cylinder, 2.0 liter/200 hp, or optional 3.6-liter, 280-hp V-6 — let you order the Passat with the emphasis on performance or efficiency. Four-cylinder versions are good for 29 mpg on the highway; V-6 versions will give some sports cars a run for the money from 0 to 60.

Base price: $27,000

SUVs/crossovers

• Hummer H3

Newly available V-8 engine adds much-needed power

GM finally gets around to addressing the major beef most people have with the “Mini-Me” Hummer H3: lack of power. Just in time for $4-per-gallon gas, you can order a 300-hp, 5.3-liter V-8 that massively improves both the performance and capability of the H3 — as well as its appetite for fuel. But high gas prices can work to your advantage; dealers are desperate to sell Hummers — and the new H3 Alpha is no exception. With cash back and rebate programs in the $10,000 range before you even begin haggling, it should be possible to buy an H3 at a discount steep enough to make you forget all about how often you’ll need to fill it up.

Base price: $40,660

• VW Tiguan

Standard turbocharged engine and six-speed manual gearbox

An all-new model for Volkswagen, the Tiguan is the automaker’s first compact SUV — designed to compete with models like the Honda CR-V in price while offering sporty driving dynamics — but for a lot less money. It is also one of the few vehicles of its type to offer a standard turbocharged engine — good for 200 hp — as well as a six-speed manual transmission. It is available with either front-wheel drive or VW’s 4Motion All-wheel Drive system. Its interior/ cargo space is smaller than the CR-V’s and RAV-4’s, so the Tiguan targets buyers looking for more sport at the expense of a little utility.

Base price: $23,200

• Dodge Journey

Fire-sale pricing

The Journey is a medium-sized crossover SUV — basically, a high-riding wagon styled to look sort of SUV-like. It has room for up to seven people, tons of cargo/ storage space (including a neat Chill Zone refrigerated cooler), and, for about $20K to start, it’s one of the least expensive ways for a large family to travel together, short of a Greyhound bus.

Base price: $20,125