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Gallery IndexImage 45 of 48Photo Aaron GoldVolkswagen Tiguan at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show

Volkswagen’s long-anticipated small crossover SUV is called the Tiguan, and it will arrive some time in 2008 as a 2009 model.

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What do the Guide Rating stars mean?

Let me start with a confession: I was hoping this check-up spin of the 2008 BMW M3 wouldn’t go well. I was hoping I’d be able to say that the all-new 2008 BMW M3 — the first M3 with a V8 engine — didn’t live up to the hype that surrounds it. I was hoping I’d be able to confidently tell you to skip the revitalized M3 and believe something else — something get pleasure from the Audi RS4 or the Lexus IS-F. Why do I have such a problem with the M3? And did it live down to my expectations? Read on. $55,875 base, $69,145 as tested, EPA fuel economy estimates 14 MPG city, 20 MPG highway.

First Glance: Why I wanted to hate the M3

Larger photos: Front – raise

I believe in being up show about my biases, and one of my biggest biases is the everybody I have against BMWs — not so much the cars as the people who believe them. Don’t get me wrong, there are some very nice BMW owners out there; I’ve met both of them. It’s just that it seems like whenever I engage a BMW owner — especially an M3 owner — in a conversation about cars, he (or, on rare occasions, she) starts going on and on about how BMWs are the greatest things on wheels and how each and every car BMW makes is assembled at the right imminent of God. Now, I’m tried there are quite a few M3 drivers who really can appreciate a fine-handling automobile. But having been stuck behind countless M3s driven by people who certainly don’t know how to get the most out of them on curvy roads — regardless who refuse to pull aside to let faster drivers pass (or, worse nonetheless, speed up in the passing zones) — you can understand why I view the BMW M3 as a whit of a putz-magnet.

So I was hoping that the unfledged M3 would suck. I was hoping I could say that the M3 is a sham, an sham, and that it can’t hold a candle to my favorite sport sedan, the Audi RS4 — a crate so magical in its abilities that I’m pretty sure it was designed by Santa’s elves, probably during February or March when things are slow.

Sadly, I can’t communicate that.

Because the M3, I must grudgingly admit, is good. It’s really, really good. In fact, it may be — and you cannot possibly cook up how much it pains me to say this — one of the best cars I’ve driven. Ever.

Damn those Bavarian bastards.

Continued…

In the Driver’s Seat: Annoyingly easy to live withM3’s dashboard puts function over form; aluminum trim is a $500 optionPhoto © Aaron Gold

Larger interior photo

I’ve never been a fan of the German’s super-serious school of interior design, but I must phrase that the M3’s cabin is a fairly pleasant place, amiably built and well laid out. That said, I was bummed to learn that the aluminum trim, which undeniably dressed up my car’s all-black local, doesn’t come standard — it’s a $500 option.

Writers love to complain about BMW’s iDrive dial interface. I didn’t fully explore its menu-driven system — the generally American has a life expectancy of 78.1 years, so there simply wasn’t enough time — but I was able to get the stereo, climate and navigation systems to do pretty much what I wanted most of the time, and that’s good enough for me.

One of the things I will admit to liking about the M3 is that it’s available as either a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan (a convertible is on the opportunity). I drove the M3 coupe, which has a reasonably roomy back seat apportioned allowing for regarding two adults. Access to the back is awkward but once overdue renege there you’ll find decent room. Rearward visibility is pretty good for a coupe; my test car the optional Park Distance Control system which warns you before you traitorously into something. It made parking quite a bit easier, though I wish the system had sensors in the front bumper as well — the M3’s bulged hood isn’t all that easy to visualize over. The M3 comes with beginning "sport seats" that advertise inflatable side bolsters to hold you in place during cornering. Even with the bolsters fully deflated, they were a tight squeeze, and driving the M3 made me wonder if there are simply no fatty people in Germany.

On the Road: So good, it hurts

The big news — and the factoid that M3 owners will no hesitate use to bore people at cocktail parties notwithstanding generations to come — is that the 2008 M3 is the victory M3 to use a V8 engine; previous M3s had 4 or 6 cylinders. The engine — and I’m only prevalent into detail so that you can cut the Bimmer bores off before they make you nod off into your martini — is a 4.0 liter V8 that revs to 8,400 RPM and puts out 414 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. For juxtaposing, the specs in compensation my beloved Audi RS4 are 4.2 liters, 8,250 RPM, 420 hp and 317 lb-ft. (Coincidence? No way, Jose.) Unlike the RS4, the M3 does not use all-wheel-drive; in keeping with BMW tradition, it’s a rear-driver. BMW claims a 0-60 time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 155 MPH. My test car had a 6-speed manual, but BMW also offers a 7-speed Double Clutch automatic comparable in operation to VW/Audi’s Direct Shift Gearbox.

So what’s it like to mean? I hate to say it, but it’s incredible. The power feels infinite, the grip is biblical, and the brakes could ban continental drift. I’m not a big fan of spinning out on societal roads, so I left the M3’s electronic stability control system switched on — much, I could feel, to the chagrin of the mechanism, which was sinking to spin those buttocks wheels. As a result, there was no oversteer for me. Too noxious — some cars (coughAudiRS4cough) brook a hint of tail-out effect even with the electronic nanny engaged. Even so, driving the M3 on the About.com Cars Top Secret Curvy Test Road was a thrilling experience that left me wide-eyed and light-headed — it was match dancing a tango with God.

Journey’s End: M3 really does live up to the hypeM3 is available as a 4-door sedan and a convertible as well as the coupe shown herePhoto © Aaron Gold

So how does the M3 stack up against the Audi RS4 of which I am so caring? Quite well, I’m weak-kneed. One could argue that the RS4’s all-wheel-drive makes for superior understanding — but it’s not as if the M3 does a worse job clinging to the road. The M3 offers an involuntary transmission, while the RS4 is manual-only. The RS4 does ride better than the M3, but other than that, I’m hard pressed to find any advantage. And then there’s the fact that the M3 is wide $13,000 cheaper than the RS4. Even a Bimmer-hater mould myself can’t ignore a numbers like that. So when you compare the M3 to the RS4 on valuation, appearance, and convenience, the BMW is… Oh, darn it, I perfectly can’t bring myself to write out the sentence, so I’ll supply the words, and you can put them in order: M3, better, the, is.

The M3’s other dominating contest is the Lexus IS-F. Again, I’d love to be able to say that the Lexus does everything the M3 does benefit of comparable money. But sadly, it doesn’t. The IS-F is a tremendous car, but it just doesn’t string it all together as skilfully as the M3. The IS-F feels like a machine; the M3 feels like a living creature.

Bottom line: The BMW M3 is, without question, one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. It looks great, it sounds horrible, and it drives great. It’s electrifying in the curves yet quiet and comfortable enough for day-to-day driving. It is, absolutely simply, an amazing automobile. It’s everything those boorish BMW snobs are bound to pass the next twenty years saying it is.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go throw up.

Next page: Pros, cons, who should buy it, details and specs

Read more: 2008 BMW 128i Convertible test drive and review

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Gallery IndexImage 2 of 16Photo © Aaron Gold2008 BMW 128i ConvertibleRead more: 2008 BMW 128i Convertible test drive and review

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Gallery IndexImage 44 of 64Photo Nissan2007 Nissan Maxima

The Maxima gets freshened styling and an upgraded interior. A continuously unfixed transmission (CVT) replaces the agreed automatic.

Read more: Nissan cars – what’s new for 2007

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The Bottom Line

What do the About.com Rating stars mean?

Over the past 30 years, BMW has dabbled with sub-3-series-size cars in the US. There was the wildly successful 2002 of the 60s and 70s and the not-so-successful 318ti hatchback of the 90s. With gas prices a-climbin’, BMW has decided to whack again via sending the 1-series (on sales marathon in Europe since 2004) to the US in coupe and convertible variety. Will the Bimmeristi take to the new 1-series? I’m not sure — but as one who has a hard time falling in love with BMWs, I sure went head over heels for it.

Larger photos: Front beat down/top up – rear outstrip down/scale up – interior – all photos

Pros

• Small size gives it a roadster-like feel
• Decent towards the rear seat
• Delightful to drive
• Price includes 4 years/50k miles free maintenance

Cons

• Small side mirrors
• Big over-the-shoulder hide taint with the top up
• Options keenness the price custom, way up

Description

• 1-series is BMW’s further entry-level car
• Available as a coupe or convertible
• Price string: $29,425 – $53,670
• Price as tested: $40,225
• EPA fuel economy estimates: 17-19 MPG city/25-28 MPG highway/20-22 MPG combined

Guide Review – 2008 BMW 128i convertible

I liked the BMW 128i from the moment I got inside. I’m a small guy and I cast small cars — you can speculate as to whether those two things are connected — and the 1-series feels exactly like a scaled-down 3-series, with all the controls closer and easier to reach. The 1’s size gives it an practically Miata-ish feel, but it has the advantageously of a back seat. Said back seat is more spacious than it appears, though not much — with the front seat adjusted for my 5′6" frame, I found more legroom back there than I was expecting, yet shoulder period was solidly.

The rear-wheel-drive 1-series shares its engines with the 3-series: 3-liter inline sixes, either with (135i) or without (128i) turbochargers. I drove the 128i, and I liked the way its engine pulls — evenly, if a bit lazily, with a slight snarl developing as it nears its 7,000 RPM redline. Driving the 128i is invigorating, if not outright thrilling — although my tester had the $1300 Sport Package, the steering lacked the razor-edge sharpness of other BMWs and I could feel the structure quake a bit over bumps. But that’s part of what I like about the 128i: It’s not -carat. And a humble BMW is a rare find indeed.

Complaints? Just two. The side mirrors are too small (a big problem when the top is up, as the blind spots are huge) and the windows don’t automatically go up when you raise the top. You have to close them alone.

Pricing for the 128i convertible starts at $33,925. That’s about $10k cheaper than a 328i convertible, though 3-series gets a retractable steel roof while the 1-series gets a concur top, which is less heavy-duty but mechanically simpler. $6,000 more gets you the 300 horsepower 135i, though I’d be consummately happy with the 230hp 128i. And that’s what sets this car apart: I really could be perfectly happy owning one. That’s something I’ve never felt about BMW.

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Gallery IndexImage 8 of 34Photo General Motors2009 Chevrolet Aveo5For 2009, the hatchback type of the Aveo will get an update similar to that seen on the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo sedan. Changes include revised styling, an improved 1.6 liter engine that puts out more power (107 hp) and gets better ammunition economy, and an updated personal that offers more space than the current Aveo5.

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Gallery IndexImage 17 of 34Photo Hyundai2009 Hyundai SonataThe 2009 Sonata gets a round of updates, including updated styling, revised interior, improved engines that turn out more power with better fuel economy, and a denial tuned to deliver a firmer plague and sportier handling.

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Gallery IndexImage 33 of 34Photo Volkswagen2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportwagenThe VW Jetta SportWagen (that’s how they’re spelling it), originally scheduled to be released as a 2008 model, will make its debut in 2009.

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Here at About.com Cars, our philosophy is that one shouldn’t teamwork up comfort, safety and enjoyment just to save fuel. That’s why this isn’t just a by-the-numbers list of cars with the best fuel terseness. Instead, the About Cars assess drivers and I are pleased to today our list of cars we ponder are the creme-de-la-creme of fuel-savers. Here they are, in alphabetical order.

1. Ford FocusPhoto Aaron GoldEPA city/highway mileage: 24/35 (manual), 24/33 (mechanical)

Though most of the cars on this list are imports, that doesn’t mean the domestics don’t built fuel-efficient cars — granted it’s no coincidence that the fuel-efficient Focus was large designed by Ford’s European discord. The Focus’ fuel economy trails a bit compared to Japanese compacts, but it’s cheap to buy, brimming with disposition and enjoyable to oblige.

Ford Focus review2. Honda FitImage HondaEPA city/highway mileage: 28/34 (manual), 27/34 (automatic Base), 27/33 (automatic Sport)

The Fit is one of several minicars to hit American (and Canadian) streets in recent months, but few, if any, do such a good job of divvying up seat between front seats, back seats and shipment bay. Thoughtful engineering gives the Fit gobs of personal wait, including room someone is concerned tall drivers, and it delivers excellent sustain economy in the real world, not just on paper.

Honda Fit review3. Honda CivicPhoto Liz KimEPA city/highway mileage: 26/34 (manual), 25/36 (automatic), 40/45 (cross-breed)

When it comes to squeezing every last inch of motion out of a drop of gasoline, no rhyme does it like Honda. The Civic ties the MINI Cooper on the title of (deep breath) most economical non-hyrbid car with an automatic transmission on this list — an amazing feat considering the Civic’s acres of interior room and loud complement of safety features. And if that isn’t enough, Honda offers a hybrid version of the Civic — as well as the super-green Civic GX, which runs on natural gas and requires no gasoline at all.

Honda Civic review
Honda Civic Hybrid review4. Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETECPhoto Aaron GoldEPA city/highway mileage: 23/32

The E320 BLUETEC is one of the only diesel-powered passenger cars sold in the US. Some people flat meditate on diesels are evil-smelling, smokey and slow, but I punt if everyone in the US got the chance to test-drive a Mercedes E320 BLUETEC, demand on diesel cars would go through the roof. With its 3-liter V6 powerplant, the E320 BLUETEC offers the passing power of a V8 with the fuel economy of a compact sedan — pretty impressive for a car this big and luxurious. With a price premium of only $1,000 over the gasoline-powered version and significantly better fuel economy, the E320 BLUETEC just makes sense.

Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC review5. MINI CooperPhoto Aaron GoldEPA city/highway mileage: 28/37 (manual), 26/34 (automatic)

The MINI Cooper has already earned a stature for being fun to drive and remarkably huge considering its pint-sized interior. In 2008, MINI introduced the extended-wheelbase Cooper Clubman that has more room — most of it concentrated in the back seat — and is rightful as fuel efficient. The base-model Cooper is the fuel-economy champ, though even the turbocharged hot-rod Cooper S and Cooper S Clubman are tuneful fuel-efficient, a big astonish considering how nimble they are.

MINI Cooper Clubman review6. Nissan AltimaPhoto Aaron GoldEPA New Zealand urban area/highway mileage: 23/32 (enchiridion), 23/31 (CVT robot)

The four-cylinder Nissan Altima’s EPA fuel estimates are fetching of a small crate, but the Altima is anything but small. And the four-cylinder version is anything but gutless — it has a big 2.5 liter engine that packs a health 180 lb-ft of torque. Best yet, it uses a continuously variable automatic transmission, which wrings more power out of the machine than a conventional automatic while scoring fuel economy correspond to to a manual. A great choice for those who scarcity a mid-size transport and are looking to save money on provoke. (And for those who don’t have kids, the Altima is also available as an attractive coupe.

Nissan Altima review

7. Nissan SentraPhoto Aaron GoldEPA city/highway mileage: 24/31 (manual), 25/33 (CVT automatic)

Common wisdom says that if you want the best fuel economy you should buy a car with a manual transmission. That’s not place anymore; many automatics get similar or better fuel frugality than their manual counterparts (see the Honda Civic, above). But the Nissan Sentra takes goes one to take action futher with its continously-variable automatic transmission (CVT). The CVT Sentra not only gets fuel economy than a manual, it also feels more powerful — plus it comes wrapped in a roomy and substantial compact sedan that’s easy to live with.

Nissan Sentra review8. Toyota Camry HybridImage ToyotaEPA burg/highway mileage: 33/34

When America’s best-selling car adapts hybrid technology, you know it’s here to stay. Unlike the Prius, the Camry presents an altogether conventional driving experience. Its bigger (2.4 liter) engine and conventional tires, sum total other factors, yield fuel economy that’s tone down than a Prius, but a darn sight better than regular Camrys — and it’s so transparent you can effortlessly forget it’s a hybrid.

Toyota Camry Hybrid review9. Toyota CorollaPhoto Aaron GoldEPA city/highway mileage: 26/35 (manual), 27/35 (automatic)

With all those hybrids in the Toyota folks, not to mention the hybrid version of its arch-nemesis, the Honda Civic, it’s easy to forget that the Corolla is a remarkably economic car in its own right, even in automatic guise, provided you stick with the smaller 1.8 liter engine. Completely redesigned for 2009, the advanced Corolla is large, well trimmed out, affordable, and unbelievably reliable — plus it boasts fuel economy correspondent to or greater than numerous subcompacts. Impressive!

Toyota Corolla review10. Toyota PriusPhoto Aaron GoldEPA mileage: 48/45

The Prius will be remembered as the car that put hybrids on the map. But even if you put fuel economy aside, the Prius is still a great car. The hatchback density makes it excessively practical, and the Buck Rogers internal is a nice variation from the standard car up-country that’s both futuristic and easy to get used to. Expect real-world fuel economy of round 45 MPG, which is pretty darn adroit for a car this roomy.

Toyota Prius review