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Honda Civic Coupe

General Motors Extends Money Back Guarantee

Encouraged by the fact that almost no one took General Motors up on its offer to refund the full purchase price of any of its vehicles should a buyer be unsatisfied with one for any reason, GM has extended the deadline for taking advantage of its unique guarantee. Whereas the original program was slated to end on November 30, 2009 it will now run through to just past the new year – January 4, 2010.

While the success of GM’s money-back guarantee, which applies to all Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles might seem impressive, there are those who point to the complex rules that must be followed by unsatisfied owners as the true reason for the small number of returned cars and trucks. Participation in the program also precluded being able to claim a certain cash incentive, which lowered overall participation to just under 500 buyers. So far, only 4 vehicles have been dropped off at the dealerships from which they originally came, although at least 10 times as many have initiated the process.

Acura to Join Premium Wagon Party

Tired of sitting on the sidelines while seeing other luxury marques such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and now Cadillac market high-end wagons, Acura has decided to jump on the bandwagon with the impending release of the 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon. Although the vehicle will not make it to North American shores until the fall of 2010, it does point towards a new direction for the Acura lineup, which is currently composed exclusively of crossovers and sedans.

The 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon also happens to be a fairly low-investment vehicle for the Japanese luxury brand, as it will be based largely on the Honda Accord Touring wagon currently sold in Europe with bits of the Acura TSX sedan thrown in for good measure. Interested buyers can expect the usual exterior enhancements to bring the Honda platform in line with Acura’s styling cues, as well as a range of engines including a four-cylinder base model and a more powerful V6.

Chrysler Offers Live TV – GM Counters with In-Car Wi-Fi

In the ongoing battle to distract drivers as much as possible from the actual task of driving, two major American automakers have unveiled plans to cram even more technology into their future vehicles. Expanding on its range of entertainment on the go that already includes Sirius satellite television, at the end of this year Chrysler will begin equipping certain models with a multicasting television service. Called FLO TV, the system will display up to 20 live television channels on a car or truck’s rear video monitors or even the front navigation screen if the transmission is in park. Priced in the neighborhood of $600, the option can also be back-fitted to several 2008-2009 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models like the Dodge Grand Caravan, its Chrysler Town & Country equivalent, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee. A yearly subscription fee applies.

The high-tech arms race continues within the confines of GM vehicles thanks to the recent availability of a portable internet router that is designed to extend a Wi-Fi hotspot of approximately 150 feet surrounding the automobile it is installed in. The primary benefit of the device is to enable the use of the internet on mobile devices like cell phones or PDA’s. However, backseat web surfing and the streaming of internet radio stations to the vehicle’s stereo system are now also in the cards. Like FLO TV, a subscription fee applies.

Honda to Go Against the Flow, Shrink Popular Platform

One of the commonly accepted truths in the automobile business is that cars get bigger with each passing model year, not smaller. The perceived demands for longer vehicles with more interior space and greater prestige, combined with the added weight of luxury features and safety equipment have contributed to significant bloating amongst the world’s automotive lineups over the past 20 years. This has even trickled down to the compact field, where entry-level cars now offer dimensions more on par with what would have been considered mid-size a mere 15 years ago.

Honda has decided to stop the madness with the next iteration of its very successful Honda Civic compact sedan and coupe. In the name of improving fuel economy, Honda has declared that the upcoming generation of the Honda Civic will boast both a smaller footprint as well as a lighter girth than the current model. Naturally, the Honda Civic can only shrink so much before it begins to encroach on the market served by the subcompact Honda Fit, but this information is good news for anyone looking to spend less at the pump but still enjoy a more substantial car than what ultra-small entry-level segment has to offer.

Nissan Stirs Up Interest With Nissan Leaf Tour

In order to raise awareness about its efforts to bring an affordable plug-in electric vehicle to the United States, Nissan has decided to take the Nissan Leaf compact on an extended, 22 date tour of the country. Starting in mid-November at the L.A. Auto Show, the Leaf will travel from coast to coast, hitting as many different automotive events as it can. It will even cross the border into Canada where it will make the scene in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Nissan has been working hard to create a network of charging stations and electric vehicle support infrastructure in the U.S. throughout 2009 in an effort to ensure the success of the Nissan Leaf when it finally hits showrooms. Unlike the Toyota Prius or the Chevrolet Volt, the Nissan Leaf is electric-only, a segment of the market which Nissan feels it can achieve significant leadership in by laying extensive groundwork before any other car company can do the same.

As the summer months come to a close, three words haunt more teenagers than any other phrase: back to school. For those of driving age, however, this can be a great opportunity to show off the money earned from that grueling summer job by pulling up for the first day of school in a brand new car. Keeping the restrictions of budget and insurance premiums in mind, we came up with the coolest cars out right now that would make driving high schooler a little less anxious about the first day of class.

With just about three weeks left until the beginning of the 2009-10 school year, we looked at affordable cars with distinctive, fashionable styling and enough room to carpool and came up with the Top 10 New Cars for Back to School. We tried to keep the list reasonable, too, as cars like the Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang could easily make this list, but neither car is very practical due to the high insurance premiums.

Kia Soul - See right panel.

Nissan Cube
For those who truly want to stand out in the student parking lot, our top two vehicles are a great way to do just that. First up, the Nissan cube. Like its name suggests, the cube is about as boxy as a car can get, but its odd shape gives it incredible dimensions inside. Starting at $13,990, the 2009 Nissan cube isn’t going to win any beauty contests but is about as practical as a compact five-door can get. With Nissan’s optional XTronic CVT (continuously variable transmission), the 2009 Nissan cube gets almost as good fuel economy in the city as it does on the highway with EPA estimates of 28 mpg and 30 mpg, respectively.

Chevrolet Cobalt
In XFE trim, the Chevrolet is one of the most fuel efficient vehicles in its class, but toss in the souped-up SS model, and the Cobalt range is probably one of the most exhilarating compact vehicles. Available as either a coupe or a sedan, the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt gets up to 37 mpg on the highway with a base price starting at just $14,990. Of course, the coolest version of the Cobalt is the 260-horsepower SS model that still gets 30 mpg on the highway but price is bumped up considerably to $23,525 for the turbocharged engine, sport-tuned suspension and aggressive body kit. One thing we liked about the Cobalt is its styling that is somewhere between the overly conservative Toyota Corolla and the wedge-shaped Honda Civic.

Mazda MAZDA3
When it comes to sporty compact sedans and hatchbacks, the Mazda MAZDA3 has had a stranglehold on the market for some time. Redesigned for 2010, the MAZDA3 pulled off a complete change without messing with the recipe for success that put it at the top of its class in terms of styling, comfort and performance. Starting at $15,045, the 2010 Mazda MAZDA3 sedan is quite a value, but stepping up to the five-door hatchback version of the 3 will come at a premium with prices starting at $19,230. The base MAZDA3 sedan offers a more fuel-efficient engine option that increase EPA estimate for highway driving up to 33, but the more powerful engine used in both the upgraded sedan and the hatchback adds power but drops fuel economy down to 29 mpg on the highway.

Nissan Versa
Out of our top 10 list, the Nissan Versa is probably the most unique of the bunch as it competes with subcompact vehicles, but it offers enough interior space to qualify it as a midsize vehicle according to the EPA. Besides its spacious seating for five passengers, the Versa also offers the convenience of Bluetooth connectivity, an in-dash, six-disk CD changer with MP3 capabilities and an auxiliary jack. Although the base Versa sedan is the second least expensive vehicle on the market at $9,990, our favorite model for this list is the five-door hatchback that starts at $13,110. Unfortunately, Nissan’s XTronic CVT (continuously variable transmission) is not available on the base model, but fuel economy on the highway is still rated at up to 32 mpg.

Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe
The Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe are sister vehicles that both happen to be sporty hatchbacks aiming at a sub-crossover demographic. Despite the fact that the Pontiac Vibe will cease to exist following a brief 2010 model year and the Toyota Matrix may not be far behind as a result, both cars are among the most versatile and sporty vehicles in this class with low starting MSRPs. For 2010, the Pontiac Vibe has a starting price of $16,100, while the Matrix starts at $16,550, but both cars get 32 mpg on the highway. The spacious, utilitarian cabin offers plenty of room for people and cargo which would make the car a great choice for loading up friends for a Friday night football game.

Ford Focus coupe
Ford’s Focus may ride on an antiquated chassis, but the car’s sporty coupe model and interior goodies are really what help get this car on our list. Without getting too fancy, the $15,995 Focus coupe comes standard with Ford’s MyKey technology and has the option for the voice-activated Sync system – both of which help reduce the distractions of young drivers. Ford’s MyKey is designed to give parents control of certain aspects of the car including top speed, the inability to turn off traction control and have the stereo muted if seatbelts are not properly worn. When equipped with the five-speed manual transmission, the 2009 Ford Focus has EPA fuel economy estimates of 35 mpg on the highway.

MINI Cooper
Like the Volvo C30, the 2009 MINI Cooper may only be attainable to students whose summer jobs paid a littler higher than average, but this little retro hatchback is about as good as it gets when it comes to getting both a fun-to-drive car and an economical, fuel-efficient car. The advantage of the Cooper is that it comes in three different body styles (Hardtop Coupe, Convertible and Clubman wagon) for prices that range between $18,550 and $20,200. The old-school styling would definitely stand out in a sea of hand-me-down sedans, but the true highlight of the Cooper lineup is the peppy engine and nimble suspension. Of course having EPA fuel economy estimates that max out at 37 mpg on the highway generally won’t hurt the car’s likeability either.

Volvo C30
Made popular by a certain vampire love story movie, the 2009 Volvo C30 is a sporty three-door hatchback with unique Volvo styling. Based off the S40 sedan, the four-passenger C30 is highlighted by its sporty turbocharged engine, all-wheel drive system and distinctive hatchback looks. The Volvo C30 may not be in the budget for all teenage drivers with a starting MSRP of $24,100, but with Volvo’s track record for safety, the Volvo should add a sense of security for parents. Despite its sporty design, the 2009 C30 still gets decent fuel economy with EPA estimates of 28 mpg on the highway.

Hyundai Accent
Nothing could be cooler than saving your hard earned money, so sacrificing some of the coolness for other cars on this list, the Hyundai Accent made it for the simple fact that it is the least expensive new car for 2009. Starting at $9,970, the 200 Hyundai Accent is officially the cheapest new car by only $20, but its three-door hatchback layout makes the most out of the car’s small stature. The hatchback design is much less cookie cutter than the sedan, which not only accommodates five passengers and their backpacks, but it also keeps fuel costs down by getting EPA fuel economy estimates of 35 miles per gallon on the highway.