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Months in Fleet: Eleven
Mileage to Date: 35,904inline_mediumwraptextright26880263/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1002_2009_dodge_ram_1500_february_update1002_02_z+2009_dodge_ram_1500+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue
With a car like the Bentley Continental GT, it's not difficult to predict the evolution of the species. White hot expensive coupe starts proliferating in Beverly Hills until seemingly everyone in town has one. Naturally a convertible comes next (GTC), and then go fast versions of each body style (GT Speed, GTC Speed). Finally, there's the super duper exclusive variant (Supersports), with the latest in evolutionary line being the 2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible seen here.
Driving a TDI Volkswagen is always refreshing. Despite the fact that the suspension is more about comfort than sport and the powertrain is optimized for fuel economy instead of performance, an enthusiast will walk away relatively happy. Complaints about the soft brake pedal and less-than-perfect steering are minor when you consider the cargo capacity and fuel economy benefits of a wagon like this.inline_mediumwraptextright32298462/green/reviews/2010_Volkswagen_Jetta_Sportwagen_TDI1002_06_z+2010_volkswagen_jetta_sportwagen_tDI+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue
Months in fleet: Four
Miles to date: 7188 milesinline_mediumwraptextright26874407/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1002_2010_subaru_outback_36r_limited_february_update1002_02_z+2010_subaru_outback_limited+rear_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue
General Motors' small-block V-8s are the Rolling Stones of engines. Over the last six decades, nearly 100 million of them have been built to power cars and trucks sold by eight American GM brands plus a slew of race cars, hot rods, boats, and a few homebuilt aircraft. To keep a thumb on the small-block's pulse, we gave a pair of them a run through our rigorous test regimen.inline_mediumwraptextright27925492/reviews/driven/1003_specter_werkes_corvette_gtr_vs_slp_camaro_zl5751003_01_z+2010_chevrolet_SLP_camaro_zL575+front_view.jpgTrue
VW used to offer a 5.0-liter turbodiesel V-10 with 553 lb-ft of torque in the Touareg, but it was expensive (about $70K) and, not surprisingly, found few buyers. No one need mourn its loss, though, because the 2010 Touareg TDI still offers a boatload of torque from its 3.0-liter V-6 diesel. Put it in sport mode, hit the accelerator, and the tach swings immediately to the redline at 4500 rpm and then waves back and forth between 3200 and 4500 rpm as it advances quickly and smoothly through the gears. You get a nice, muted induction sound during hard acceleration, and very little diesel clatter at idle. The upshifts are very smooth. At 50 mph in sixth gear, you're at a lazy 1500 rpm.inline_mediumwraptextright26792540/green/reviews/1002_2010_volkswagen_touareg_tdi1003_02_z+2010_volkswagen_touareg_tDI+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue
The Highlander Hybrid handles pretty much the way you'd expect a midsize crossover/SUV to handle, meaning it is tuned more for comfort and utility than performance. The hybrid powertrain is pretty transparent in use - other than the silence that greets you when you press the start button, there are few clues when you're under way that you're driving a hybrid vehicle. Acceleration, while not blazingly fast, is very good for a vehicle of this size and weight, and the power is delivered very smoothly thanks to the CVT transmission.inline_mediumwraptextright26793140/green/reviews/1002_2010_toyota_highlander_hybrid_ltd1002_14_z+2010_toyota_highlander_hybrid_lTD+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue