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Top Five Road Trips Cars of 2009
By : Sheryll Alexander
Date : 11/22/2009

Every year, my auto-loving family takes dozens of road test review cars on the ultimate test: a family road trip. For 2009, we drove all over California on many road trips in super hot test cars. Which vehicle and destination made the top of the list? Check it out, road trippers!

Paso Robles Wine Country: 2010 Infiniti FX 50
Base MSRP: $58,400
Fuel Economy: 20 mpg hwy, 14 mpg city
With tons of advanced performance technologies, the 2010 Infiniti FX50 practically drives itself (really!). We tested it on an absolutely perfect autumn road trip to Paso Robles wine country in California’s Central Coast.
Performance is definitely the reason why the 2010 Infiniti FX50 made the No. 1 spot on this top list, but this super tuned CUV also has sexy curves outside and a totally luxe interior.
While driving through pastoral Paso Robles with award-winning wineries and family farms, we were utterly impressed with the 2010 Infiniti FX50 and its power, comfort, safety, kick ass audio system and advanced navigation technology. Thanks, Infiniti!
Palm Springs: 2009 Audi TTS
Base MSRP: $45,500
Fuel Economy: 29 mpg hwy, 21 mpg city
Heads turned and fingers pointed when my totally flamboyant neon orange 2009 Audi TTS drove down chic Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, Calif. Yes, this super sexy beast was not only cool to look at, but the Audi TTS is also super fun to drive.
Weaving through traffic on the freeway, powering over high hills and hitting the windy straightaways to Palm Springs, I discovered Audi’s new TTS version really does compete with its other mid-prized sports car brethren such as Nissan 350Z, BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK350, Porsche Cayman and Porsche Boxster.
Plus, the exterior has just gotten better with curvy haunches, sexy side lines and a bootylicious back side. The interior, which in my case was a brash yet elegant two toned burnt orange and matte black, is minimalism at its best. Go TTS!
Paso Robles Wine Country: 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
Base MSRP: $14,790
Fuel Economy: 30 mpg hwy, 22 mpg city
On a rainy winter weekend, we drove a sparkling white 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR on a 500-mile round trip to Paso Robles wine country. Now, I’ve driven lots of cars, but I had never driven anything like the super-tuned sports sedan with its 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with I-4/6-speed paddle shift transmission and an extremely technical suspension system.
And even though my too-thick thighs didn’t fit into the Evo’s sport seats for all those miles, I didn’t care. The Evolution MR and its fancy all-wheel-drive technology and finely-tuned engine stood up to every wet curve with heart-thumping grace and style.
Plus, the interior of the Evolution MR also made me swoon. The super minimalist interior with great textures, cool infotainment screen, bumping Rockford Fosgate sound system and built-in steering wheel controls is a road trip dream come true.
Sonoma County Wine Country: 2009 Hyundai Genesis
Base MSRP: $32,250
Fuel Economy: 25 mpg hwy, 17 mpg city
The most comfortable and luxurious road trip car of 2009 goes to the Hyundai Genesis. On a trip to Sonoma County wine country, we found this full-sized sedan competes well against its much more expensive competition.
After driving on curvy country roads through Sonoma’s wine and farm country, we were convinced that the Hyundai Genesis deserves serious consideration for anyone looking to buy a full-sized sedan, especially those who are willing to look beyond brand status.
So, what makes this car so special? Everything! Hyundai got everything right on the Genesis from the good-looking exterior, to the suave interior to the five-star safety rating to the vast list of luxury amenities to the fuel economy to one of America’s best warranty programs.
San Diego: 2009 Buick Enclave
Base MSRP: $35,070
Fuel Economy: 24 mpg hwy, 17 mpg city
On the way to San Diego’s super family friendly Rancho Bernardo Inn, I decided the Buick Enclave may be the most perfect luxury CUV on the market today. The Buick Enclave just has it ALL: room for up to eight passengers, really great performance, a sexy exterior, superb safety, lots of options and, above all, a super cool interior design.
Outside, the Buick Enclave fits right in with other luxury CUVs with its shiny metallic silver paint, beefy chrome grille, almond-shaped headlights, fluid side lines, swooping windows and bootylicious back side. Inside, all of the components for a comfortable, modern luxury vehicle are handy and handsome at the same time. One other convenience worth buying is GM’s do-everything navigation and infotainment system with satellite radio, real-time traffic and back up camera.
And, the Buick Enclave definitely rocks its 3.6-liter direct injection V-6 engine. We found the engine has powerfully quick acceleration and superb handling, suspension, braking and torque. The engine is so powerful, in fact, you can even tow up to 4,500 pounds when equipped with towing gear.

We can’t wait to get on the road in 2010 to test out more new vehicles and discover new road-worthy destinations!

Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif. Follow me! @sheryllalexande
Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Audi, Hyundai and GM provided vehicles for these road test reviews.

Hyundai May Extend Hyundai Assurance Program
By : Traci Benoit, Guest Contributor
Date : 10/22/2009

Thinking of buying a new car soon but worried you may get laid off? Try a Hyundai. If you get laid off in the 12 months following the purchase of your Hyundai, the Hyundai Assurance Program allows you to return the car for a refund, no questions asked.

Despite the dismal performance of many other automakers this year, Hyundai Motor Co Ltd has actually seen an increase in sales and its dealers are seeing more profit than last year. With this in mind, Hyundai is considering extending the Hyundai Assurance Program, which has proven to be successful in several ways. The Assurance Program was intended to end at the end of this year.

The Hyundai Assurance Program was started in January of 2009. It is an incentive program that allows customers who have lost their jobs to return their Hyundai for a refund, no questions asked. The offer is good for up to 12 months and is for new cars only, with Hyundai refunding $7,500 of the depreciation. So far, there have been less than 75 returns with the program.

General Motors, Ford and others have copied the program and have created their own versions. General Motors has a program that allows buyers to return their new cars within 31 to 60 days of purchase. Ford also has a similar return program in place.

The Hyundai Assurance Program was put into motion to help improve sales and it has. The company has expanded its market share and increased sales in one of the worst years for automotive sales, which Hyundai credits to the Assurance Program.

Hyundai sales in the United States have risen two percent in the first nine months of this year over last year’s numbers. The overall U.S. number of auto sales fell almost 30 percent. This made Hyundai one of the few auto manufacturers to increase its sales more than last year’s numbers. There are about 785 Hyundai dealers total in the United States with most or all of them making more profits than last year.

Hyundai intends to keep a good thing going without making many changes. Besides continuing with the Assurance Program, the company doesn’t intend to jump into the hybrid circle anytime soon. Hyundai is currently sitting in the No. 3 fuel economy brand position, averaging about 28 to 29 miles per gallon. The company's goal is to become No. 1 above Toyota and Honda and plan on getting there by tweaking current systems to make them more fuel efficient.

Making the decision to purchase a brand new vehicle in these economic times is made easier by companies like Hyundai with its Hyundai Assurance Program.

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