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It was a chilly 14 degrees on the evening I drove the CX-7. The leather seats were frigid and transmitted the chill straight through the seat of my pants. So I turned the seat heaters on full blast and fiddled with the rest of the controls - mirrors, steering wheel, radio - to get them set the way I like. By the time I was done with that, the seats had already started to heat up nicely, and the chill was waning. So - at least the seat heaters work quite well in the CX-7, thank you Mazda.inline_mediumwraptextright31897545/reviews/editors_notebook/1001_2010_mazda_cx7_grand_touring1001_05_z+2010_mazda_cX-7_grand_touring_aWD+front_interior.jpgTrue

Meet the P-NUT from Honda, the latest entrant in the strangely effervescent arena of pint-size pod cars. To the comely blonde models, slowly spinning turntables, and acres of cheap carpet, we can add tiny bubble-car concepts as an auto-show fixture. At the recent Los Angeles show, Honda presented the P-NUT. The too-cute name is an acronym for Personal-Neo Urban Transport. More than two feet shorter than a Fit, the P-NUT seats three and has its (hypothetical) powertrain located at the rear; Honda says it could use a gasoline engine, battery power, or a hybrid of the two.inline_mediumwraptextright27554755/features/news/1002_honda_pnut_city_cars1002_01_z+honda_p-NUT+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

I'll admit this Kia has grown on me. When it first debuted I dismissed it as a generic version of Japanese box cars, namely the Nissan Cube. That's still true -- the Soul won't turn heads or make the statement that Nissan's rolling washing machine does - but it also happens to be a better car. This holds particularly true inside. The Soul has its share of cute/annoying gimmicks, including houndstooth seats (cute) and mood lighting (annoying), but it also makes a genuine effort to accommodate the driver with interesting textures on the dash, comfortable chairs, and better fit and finish overall than I recall on the Nissan. It's quite a testament to the maturity of this Korean automaker.inline_mediumwraptextright27658513/reviews/editors_notebook/0912_2010_kia_soul_at0912_03_z+2010_kia_soul_aT+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Along with the 5.0-liter V-8, Ford is resurrecting the legendary Boss 302 with a new track-ready Mustang that will be sold at dealerships. The Ford Mustang Boss 302R will feature a roll cage, race seats, safety harness, data acquisition, race suspension, Brembo brakes, and special tires, ready for racing in Grand-Am, SCCA, and NASA series. The Boss 302R will not be street legal. Power will come from the 5.0-liter V-8 paired with a six-speed manual. The return of the Boss recognizes the fortieth anniversary of Parnelli Jones' 1970 Trans-Am championship in a Boss 302.