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Jaguar XF Supercharged Of course that doesn't necessarily mean the 2009 Jaguar XF is a better car than an A6, 5 Series or E-Class. Some would say it is; some would disagree. But the fact that the XF is even part of the discussion is a very good thing for Jaguar, an old cat on its ninth life. New Britain has arrived and not a moment too soon.

2009 Acura TSX Comfort In back, although the seat is well-shaped and comfy enough, taller folks may find legroom lacking — at 34.3 inches, it's around 3 inches less than an Accord, though it specs out nearly 4 inches more than a Lexus IS 250. Hip- and shoulder room are noticeably better than before, thanks to the 2009 model's 3-inch increase in width.

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Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 SLT Function From a truck shopper's perspective, the Ram's functionality index is high. Outside, the innovative RamBox storage system transforms the interior spaces of the bed walls into roomy lockable cubbies. Bed width suffers slightly as a result, but the standard 4-by-8 plywood sheet will still fit without issue. We like that the RamBox package includes a sliding bed divider that doubles as a bed extender; however, you'll have to decide for yourself whether the extra storage provided by the RamBox is worth the nearly $2,000 that Dodge charges for it. Further back, we noticed that the tailgate doesn't lower itself softly — a damped tailgate is a feature we've appreciated on rivals like the Tundra and Titan.


BMW 328i Of course, the 328i's worth can't be measured by its performance alone. Sport-sedan shoppers want athletic driving dynamics in a practical package — and on the latter count the 328i comes up a little short. This is literally true of the backseat, where headroom and legroom are tight for even moderately tall passengers. The functionality of the stereo and climate controls also leaves something to be desired, and while interior materials are generally top-notch, storage nooks for cell phones and such are few and far between.

Honda Pilot 4WD Touring Performance Don't worry, you won't have to wade through loads of text to discover what those three strikes are — they all reside within this category. Strike one is the 3.5-liter V6 that packs only 250 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. That's only 5 lb-ft more and 18 hp less than a V6-powered Honda Accord that weighs 1,000 pounds less and isn't shaped like a wind-splattering box. At the test track, our four-wheel-drive test Pilot went from zero to 60 mph in a leisurely 9.7 seconds, which is about 2 seconds slower than just about every other large-ish three-row crossover.




Jaguar XF Supercharge Driver seat adjustment is rather good, but the telescoping wheel doesn't come out far enough. With average-sized front occupants, the XF provides adequate rear seat space for this class, with a decent amount of headroom. Taller folks may graze their heads, though.

Honda CR-V EX-L Function Even though the CR-V is one of the smaller compact crossovers available, it's designed to make efficient use of the space it does have. Maximum cargo capacity is a generous 73 cubic feet, which equals that of the Toyota RAV4 and bests the Mazda CX-7 by 14 cubes, even though the Honda is shorter in overall length than both vehicles.























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Jaguar XF Supercharged Of course that doesn't necessarily mean the 2009 Jaguar XF is a better car than an A6, 5 Series or E-Class. Some would say it is; some would disagree. But the fact that the XF is even part of the discussion is a very good thing for Jaguar, an old cat on its ninth life. New Britain has arrived and not a moment too soon.

2009 Acura TSX Comfort In back, although the seat is well-shaped and comfy enough, taller folks may find legroom lacking — at 34.3 inches, it's around 3 inches less than an Accord, though it specs out nearly 4 inches more than a Lexus IS 250. Hip- and shoulder room are noticeably better than before, thanks to the 2009 model's 3-inch increase in width.

WILLOW LABORATORIES INC  WILLOW LABORATORIES NEWS  BRIAN J STRASNICK  BRIAN J STRASNICK NEWS  WILLOW LABORATORIES INFO  

Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 SLT Function From a truck shopper's perspective, the Ram's functionality index is high. Outside, the innovative RamBox storage system transforms the interior spaces of the bed walls into roomy lockable cubbies. Bed width suffers slightly as a result, but the standard 4-by-8 plywood sheet will still fit without issue. We like that the RamBox package includes a sliding bed divider that doubles as a bed extender; however, you'll have to decide for yourself whether the extra storage provided by the RamBox is worth the nearly $2,000 that Dodge charges for it. Further back, we noticed that the tailgate doesn't lower itself softly — a damped tailgate is a feature we've appreciated on rivals like the Tundra and Titan.


BMW 328i Of course, the 328i's worth can't be measured by its performance alone. Sport-sedan shoppers want athletic driving dynamics in a practical package — and on the latter count the 328i comes up a little short. This is literally true of the backseat, where headroom and legroom are tight for even moderately tall passengers. The functionality of the stereo and climate controls also leaves something to be desired, and while interior materials are generally top-notch, storage nooks for cell phones and such are few and far between.

Honda Pilot 4WD Touring Performance Don't worry, you won't have to wade through loads of text to discover what those three strikes are — they all reside within this category. Strike one is the 3.5-liter V6 that packs only 250 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. That's only 5 lb-ft more and 18 hp less than a V6-powered Honda Accord that weighs 1,000 pounds less and isn't shaped like a wind-splattering box. At the test track, our four-wheel-drive test Pilot went from zero to 60 mph in a leisurely 9.7 seconds, which is about 2 seconds slower than just about every other large-ish three-row crossover.




Jaguar XF Supercharge Driver seat adjustment is rather good, but the telescoping wheel doesn't come out far enough. With average-sized front occupants, the XF provides adequate rear seat space for this class, with a decent amount of headroom. Taller folks may graze their heads, though.

Honda CR-V EX-L Function Even though the CR-V is one of the smaller compact crossovers available, it's designed to make efficient use of the space it does have. Maximum cargo capacity is a generous 73 cubic feet, which equals that of the Toyota RAV4 and bests the Mazda CX-7 by 14 cubes, even though the Honda is shorter in overall length than both vehicles.























HOFFMAN VALERIE HERBS  HOFFMAN VALERIE HERB  HOFFMAN VALERIE  VALERIE HOFFMAN HERBS  VALERIE HAWK HOFFMAN HERBS  VALERIE HAWK HOFFMAN HERB 

Honda Fit Base

Design/Fit and Finish

The big story with the Fit — and one that sets it apart from other cars in this category — is its seating. A single lever on the side of the rear seats allows complete repositioning of the seats. The seat bottoms can be flipped up to allow even more tall objects to be carried within the car. They can also be folded flat for long objects and the front passenger seat can be folded down, allowing one to sit in the back in sort of a lounge chair mode. The rear lift gate is wonderfully balanced and the rear cargo space is wide enough to allow even the longest golf bags.

2009 Kia Borrego V8 4WD: Performance

Perhaps one of the Borrego's most convincing attributes is its towing capability. Our four-wheel-drive V8 model is rated at a class-leading 7,500 pounds. And unlike some manufacturers who test their models stripped down in order to get more appealing numbers with less weight, we're told the Borrego's towing capacity already takes into account at least a driver and passenger (although maybe not a full passenger compartment).

: Honda Civic Hybrid:

Pros: Admirable fuel economy, exterior design doesn't scream "I'm a hybrid!"

Cons: Painfully slow 0-60 acceleration, small trunk compared to competition, no split-folding backseat, poor braking distances.