Auto News 5

Nissan's Leaf is highly important, a true milestone in automotive history. Essentially, it's the first electric car from an established manufacturer that is seriously intended for imminent production. Yes, I know about General Motors' EV1, which was our 1997 Design of the Year. But you couldn't buy it. You could only lease it and, ultimately, had to give it back to be scrapped. Most of the electric cars I've seen in fifty years in the automobile business were funny little Renaults stuffed full of lead-acid golf-cart batteries, which transformed nimble four-door sedans into heavy, slow two-seat city cars. A few electric conversions are available now-Peugeots and Minis-but they're basically existing small cars that have been clumsily repurposed in half-hearted gestures toward being "green."inline_mediumwraptextright26339858/features/by_design/1002_2010_nissan_leaf_design_analysis1002_03_z+2010_nissan_leaf+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

The Honda Element's dog package is a win-win for both Honda and dog owners. For Honda, it's a way to attract some attention and customers to an appealing but aging model with minimal engineering investment. For dog owners, the affordable $995 package offers both the whimsical and the practical. For instance, the heavy-duty rubber floor mats with the dog-bone pattern are both fun and useful. The seat upholstery now has subtle drawings of dogs woven into it (don't worry, it looks cool and you'd hardly notice it). Most important, there's a comfortable and safe fabric kennel for your pooch that sits on a raised platform in the rear cargo area, and there's a slide-out ramp so that small or old dogs can prance right on up into the kennel (which is like a tent) and plop themselves down onto the cushy bed. A built-in, spill-resistant water bowl and an electric fan offer relief during hot weather.inline_mediumwraptextright26594423/reviews/editors_notebook/1001_2010_honda_element_ex_4wd1001_06_z+2010_honda_element_eX_4WD+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue