2010 Buying Guide for Passenger Cars
Hot Passenger Cars for 2010
The group of new and redesigned passenger cars for 2010 is dominated by sedans, but there are new hatchbacks and a wagon as well.
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Faceoff: Box Cars
With the introduction of the 2010 Kia Soul and 2009 Nissan Cube, the Scion xB has some boxy competition. All three pack plenty of cargo space, value and safety. Which of these cars fits best into America's cityscape?
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Faceoff: Weekend Athlete Cars
Small cars are often praised for their mileage and parking ease, but they have a utilitarian side that's often overlooked. With that in mind, our Weekend Athlete tests the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa and Toyota Yaris to see which carries his toys the best.
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Faceoff: Family Sedans
Midsize family sedans are among the most popular cars in the U.S. It's easy to see why, as the better ones offer good performance, spacious interiors and plenty of safety features. That's what the Honda Accord, redesigned Mazda6 and Toyota Camry provide, but we wanted to take a closer look at them in order to crown a champ.
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Choosing a More Fuel-Efficient Passenger Car
If you place a high priority on gas mileage, there are options that will help a new car use less fuel. What's more, many of the choices will also save you money on the car's purchase price.
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Passenger Cars and Safety
As a class, passenger cars have a few advantages over light trucks and a few disadvantages. It's easier to judge the crashworthiness of better-selling models, like sedans, because low-volume cars often go untested.
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Gas Mileage: Keep it in Perspective and Read the Fine Print
If you've been watching car commercials lately, you've probably noticed ads claiming ever-higher gas mileage: Honda has a 29-mpg V-6 Accord; Ford touts a 34-mpg Fusion; and Chevy builds a 37-mpg Cobalt. While those numbers are impressive, they often don't tell the whole story.
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Manual Transmissions Not Always the Most Gas Friendly
Choosing a car for the best fuel economy used to mean looking for a car with a manual transmission, but now many automatics have mileage ratings that are equal to (or better than) manuals.
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What Kind of Drive System is Best for All-Weather Traction?
Shoppers who live in snowy climes often ask if they should get front-, rear- or all-wheel drive. We list the pros and cons of each drive type.
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Standard vs. Optional Tires: What to Choose?
Automakers today give new-car shoppers a choice of wheel and tire sizes, designs and applications. Your choice affects the car's safety, efficiency, comfort and damage resistance, so it's best to know what you're getting into.
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Interpreting Crash Tests and Safety
Passenger vehicles are safer than they've ever been, but the crashworthiness of individual models varies greatly, even within a vehicle class. Because of this, understanding how a model is expected to perform in a crash is important before buying your next car.
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Roof-Strength Ratings Offer Insight on Rollover Safety
For the 2010 model year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has implemented the first standardized test to reflect how vehicles and their occupants might fare in a rollover. By considering a particular model's weight versus its roof strength, as determined by a real crush test, the organization now rates vehicles using its familiar Good/Acceptable/Marginal/Poor rating scale.
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