Auto News 5

The U.S. auto market may be fast-moving and competitive, but one subset, commercial vans, is neither. Looking much the same as it did during the Nixon administration, it has seen few innovations and fewer new entries. The only real change is that the big Dodge van--dressed in the same duds since the early '70s--finally expired a few years ago, when the Mercedes-Chrysler tie-up brought us the Sprinter van to replace it. Half-hearted attempts to make work vehicles out of passenger haulers, such as panel-truck versions of the Dodge Caravan and the Chevy HHR, have met with little success.

If anyone spots a Venza in my driveway - one actually owned by me, not borrowed - please shoot me. This Toyota has the sex appeal of a turnip and far less sporting character than the little red wagon I admired as a 4-year-old. The high beltline, the é ride motions, and the boring-at-all-costs attitude is more than I can stomach. Also, I detected a few poor trim fits inside which makes me suspicious that Toyota has relaxed its supreme quality standards. I must, however, admit that the Venza is a perfectly suitable transpo-appliance for Joe and Jane Blow who motor through life in a trance. It's affordable, fairly roomy, probably safe, and capable of mid-20-mpg fuel economy. Since it wears a sombrero badge, durability is practically guaranteed. So if these qualities appeal to you, be my guest, but do me a favor and keep your Venza out of my sight.

The global economic crisis has severely curtailed future product plans for the world's automakers. Here are some of the casualties - so far.

Just like you, we always want to know what's coming next from Detroit, Tokyo, Stuttgart, Munich, Los Angeles, and all the other places where automotive engineers and designers dream and scheme on our behalf. Car companies, of course, are loath to share information on new products lest their competitors try to copy them--or you decide not to buy the cars they already have on dealer lots. Car companies, though, are simply groups of people, and some of them have a hard time keeping secrets. So, we poke, we prod, we cajole, and we uncover information that becomes the basis for our annual Sneak Preview issue. As always, some of our information is educated guesswork based on hints, insinuations, hunches. Make no mistake, though, these cars are on their way, even though details may change. Ladies and gentlemen: our list of 136 cars coming over the next few years...