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For the gift of this global recession, Kia should be singing in the streets.

I'm impressed with the Kia Forte SX. The interior is well-designed, and the materials are generally quite nice for a compact car, although there are still few remnants of the really cheap plastics that Korean cars have become synonymous with. I was surprised to learn that the sound system isn't an optional upgraded unit, because it sounds so good and offers features like iPod integration and satellite radio.inline_mediumwraptextright26355139/reviews/editors_notebook/0909_2010_kia_forte_sx0909_01_z+2010_kia_forte_sX+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Mileage to date: 29,073
Months in fleet: Eleveninline_mediumwraptextright30605526/green/reviews/0909_2009_volkswagen_jetta_tdi0909_01_z+2009_volkswagen_jetta_tDI+front_view.jpgTrue

In its role as mainstream sedan, the Taurus will never be the most exciting car in the Ford fleet, but this latest redesign has at least injected it with some sorely needed upgrades. The exterior design has been given a bolder, more modern look with a new grille and headlights, a higher beltline, and more pronounced fenders. The modernization continues inside, with a nice-looking center stack that houses audio and climate controls and, of course, Ford's Sync multimedia system.inline_mediumwraptextright30580671/reviews/editors_notebook/0909_2010_ford_taurus_sel_fwd0909_03_z+2010_ford_taurus_sEL_fWD+rear_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

The Audi e-Tron concept attempts to marry the ideas of battery power and high-performance sports cars. The sexy two-seater uses a lithium-ion battery pack, which is liquid-cooled and located behind the passenger compartment (earning it the descriptor "mid-battery sports car," which unfortunately has none of the excitement of "mid-engine sports car"). The power unit is able to generate a ho-hum 313 hp, but an eye-popping 3319 lb-ft of torque -- ten times the torque of the R8's 4.2-liter V-8.

Volkswagen continues to refine its plans for a hyper-efficient car capable of traveling 100 kilometers on one liter of fuel with the L1 concept prepared for 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show. The German automaker first announced its intentions to build a "1-liter car" in 2002, and with this latest iteration has said a production version should be ready by 2013. The European fuel efficiency measure of 1 liter/100 km is equivalent to 235 mpg.

The Volkswagen GTI is universally loved around the Automobile Magazine office and that love earned the FTI Automobile of the Year honors for 2007. With the Golf R, the GTI formula is cranked up to 11. Underhood is the familiar 2.0T engine, but it manages to crank out an incredible 270 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque thanks to a maximum boost of 17.4 psi. Sign us up.

At long last, the wait for a new four-door Aston Martin is over. The British automaker officially unveiled its new 2011 Rapide at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, ending a three-year long tease.

Mini is looking to simplify and purify its offerings at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show. We've already seen the coupe concept and now the rumored Roadster Concept is on display at the show stand.

With the arrival of the R8 Spyder, Audi's supercar adds a third model variant to the V-8 and V-10 coupes. The open-topped R8 makes its debut with the 5.2-liter V-10 engine, making the same 525 hp and 391 lb-ft as in the coupe and offering the same choice of six-speed manual or R tronic gearboxes.

Volkswagen's string of Up! city cars continues to grow at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show with the electric-powered E-Up! With the concept's debut, Volkswagen has said it will deliver a zero-emissions Up! to the market by 2013.

It's not easy being the little guy these days. And Mazda, having been all but cast out of Ford's brand family, is definitely a little guy. What the brand lacks in size, though, it has more than made up for with spunk. Take, for example, the Mazda 3, our newest Four Seasons car.

Bummed that you missed out on the chance to snag one of the twenty Reventon coupes that Lamborghini built two years ago? Well, my rich friend, Lamborghini is giving you a second chance -- that is, assuming you've still got the dough (1.1 million Euro, or nearly $1.6 million at current exchange rates).

Seeing as Renault is playing coy, this bird's-eye-view is all we've seen of the French automakers electric vehicle concepts which will debut at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show.

When is a Ferrari not a Ferrari? Apparently, when it's a Fiat...

After logging some 16,754 miles in seven months, our Four-Seasons Honda Fit Sport isn't much worse for the wear - except for the carpeting.inline_mediumwraptextright25741498/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/0909_2009_honda_fit_sport_september_update0905_02_z+2009_honda_fit_sport+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

The idea of a plug-in Prius isn't new to Toyota (it's toyed with several prototypes in the past), but the Japanese automaker is bringing another example to the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, this time based upon the all-new 2010 Prius.

Along with its high performance SLS AMG, Mercedes-Benz will introduce a more environmentally friendly car in the form of another hybrid S-class. This one -- the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid -- comes equipped with a charging plug.