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Interior Design and Special Features

Inside the cabin, the 2009 Hyundai Genesis 4.6 V8 is outfitted like a true luxury sedan. Spacious, richly appointed and fully decked out with a comprehensive list of convenience features, this Hyundai looks and feels very much like a top-line Lexus. The seats are as comfortable as they appear, although they lack the kind of firm, highly bolstered Germanic treatment a sport sedan enthusiast might enjoy. The instrument panel's white-on-black electroluminescent gauges look like they came straight out of a Lexus.

The soft curves of the sweeping dashboard are complemented by an elegantly adorned center stack with numerous climate and audio controls, many of which have more driver-friendly counterparts either on the steering wheel or by the multimedia controller on the center console. Standard on the V8 model (and optional on the V6) is real leather trim that adorns the dash and door panels.

The trunk offers a capacity of 15.9 cubic feet, and although the rear seat does not fold down, there is a pass-through feature.

Driving Impressions

The V6 offers adequate power, but the V8 is the engine you want if you have frequent towing or hauling in mind -- or even if you simply want to best the powerful V6s from Nissan and Toyota. The Dakota maintains its composure on harsher terrain thanks to its well-calibrated suspension and a stiff hydroformed frame. On-road handling is decent for a truck, but the steering is pretty inert, offering little feedback and a numb on-center feel. Also, if a lot of highway travel is on the horizon, we'd think twice about the 2009 Dodge Dakota. Harsh rides are par for the pickup-truck course, but even on relatively glass-smooth highways, every pavement imperfection greets your backside with a solid bump, then a good jiggle. It gets old quickly.

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Talk about being late to the party. The hors d'oeuvres are long since gone, the DJ looks ready for bed and the revelers are doing the Electric Slide for the third time. Still, tardiness may not diminish the appeal of the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan to the compact crossover SUV crowd.

Don't bother looking the name up in the dictionary. You won't find it, as it's a concoction from VW's marketing department. We're told the name's a melding of tiger and iguana, which nearly makes for an entire zoo, given that the Tiguan is based on the same platform as the VW Rabbit. The Tiguan gets VW's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine -- the same sprightly workhorse that also sees duty in the GTI, GLI and Audi products such as the A4 and TT.

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Driving Impressions

Behind the wheel, the 2009 Lincoln MKS disappoints compared with its talented rivals. Power from the 3.7-liter V6 is merely adequate, and this engine doesn't sound sufficiently refined for luxury-sedan duty. With the optional 20-inch wheels, the ride is not as smooth as we'd expect from a large luxury sedan, and even the midlevel 19s produce a firmer ride than expected, which may not go over well with the average MKS shopper. Yet handling is borderline sloppy, with pronounced body roll, and steering feel is in short supply. The MKS's elevated driving position and formidable curb weight make it feel more like a crossover SUV than a flagship sedan.

The current Civic generation bowed for 2006, and we're quite fond of it. Some styling elements are rather odd, such as the minivan-like windshield, snub nose and the dual-tiered instrument panel that combines digital and analog gauges. But the high build quality, sporty driving dynamics, rock-solid reputation for reliability and impressive fuel efficiency more than make up for a few aesthetic quirks. Some may even think of such quirkiness as a plus.

No matter which Civic you choose, this Honda's traditional strengths in comfort, overall quality and safety are all still firmly intact. Though we suggest doing a bit of comparison shopping -- the sporty Mazda 3, affordable Hyundai Elantra and Volkswagen Rabbit/Jetta are also very good choices -- the 2009 Honda Civic remains an ideal pick for a small sedan or coupe.

Denver Barry Automotive : Driving Impressions

Thanks to the mountains of torque and hp generated by the twin-turbo V8, the mammoth 2009 Bentley Brooklands can accelerate with the authority of a sports car. The suspension does a worthy job of isolating the cabin from road noise and pavement irregularities, while the steering provides a good amount of feedback to the driver. When it's pushed down a twisty road at an enthusiastic pace, there is still little doubt that you are piloting a vehicle that's nearly 3 tons, but the Brooklands maintains enough composure to minimize the drama.

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Powering the 2009 Dodge Avenger SE and SXT models is a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine rated for 173 hp and 166 pound-feet of torque. A 2.7-liter V6, optional on the SXT only, makes 186 hp and 191 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are paired to a four-speed automatic transmission. The standard powertrain on the Avenger R/T is a 3.5-liter V6 capable of 235 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque, matched to a more sophisticated six-speed automatic. All 2009 Dodge Avenger models are front-wheel drive. Dodge claims a respectable 0-60-mph time of 7.7 seconds for the front-drive R/T. With the smaller V6, an Avenger SXT takes about a second longer.

Fuel economy for the 2009 Dodge Avenger with the inline-4 rates 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined. SXT models equipped with the 2.7-liter V6 achieve an estimated 19/27/22 mpg. The 3.5-liter V6-powered R/T gets an estimated 16/27/20 mpg.

Denver Barry Driving Impressions

Behind the wheel, the 2009 Lincoln MKS disappoints compared with its talented rivals. Power from the 3.7-liter V6 is merely adequate, and this engine doesn't sound sufficiently refined for luxury-sedan duty. With the optional 20-inch wheels, the ride is not as smooth as we'd expect from a large luxury sedan, and even the midlevel 19s produce a firmer ride than expected, which may not go over well with the average MKS shopper. Yet handling is borderline sloppy, with pronounced body roll, and steering feel is in short supply. The MKS's elevated driving position and formidable curb weight make it feel more like a crossover SUV than a flagship sedan.

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