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Powertrains and Performance
Both the base coupe and convertible Corvettes feature a 6.2-liter V8 that makes an impressive 430 hp and 424 lb-ft of torque. The optional dual-mode exhaust adds another 6 hp and 4 lb-ft. The Z06 boasts an exotic-class 505 hp and 470 lb-ft from its 7.0-liter V8, while the ZR1 has an otherworldly 638 hp and 604 lb-ft of torque.
All 2009 Chevrolet Corvettes have a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, while a six-speed paddle-shifted automatic is available for the base coupe and convertible. Regardless of which Corvette you choose, you'll get stunning performance. In our testing, a base coupe went from zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. The Z06 will knock that down to 3.9 seconds. GM estimates the ZR1 does the 0-60-mph sprint in 3.4 seconds. EPA fuel economy estimates stand at a laudable 16 mpg city/26 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined for a manual-transmission Corvette. Opting for the automatic drops these numbers down by 1 mpg. The Z06 checks in at 15/24/18 mpg, and the ZR1 is still respectable considering its performance with a 14/20/16 EPA estimate.
2009 Honda Fit Vehicle Overview
Introduction
On a weekly basis, we auto writer types in the office get weekly reports about what cars are most popular in terms of searches on our site. And for much of 2008, we were amused by reports for "Inside Line," our dedicated car enthusiast site. One phrase kept coming in as number one. It wasn't one of the expected ones like, "Nissan GT-R," "Bitchin' Camaro" or even "Danica Patrick." It was, believe it or not, "2009 Honda Fit."
Sure, we can understand why "normal" car shoppers would be interested in the Fit. This entry-level model, introduced just a couple years ago, quickly became a hit thanks to its high fuel mileage, innovative interior and nimble handling. But car junkies? Either the Fit has suddenly become cooler than a GT-R, or real-world, $4-dollar-a-gallon gas and everyday practicality have trumped supercar daydreams.
Games And Stuff 2010 :Powertrains and Performance
The sole engine available in the RL is a 3.7-liter V6 that produces 300 hp and 271 pound-feet of torque. This allows a 0-60 time in the 6-second range, just above par for six-cylinder large luxury sedans. A five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control sends power to the SH-AWD system. That system has the ability to send varying degrees of torque to each individual wheel to improve handling and wet-weather traction. In terms of fuel economy, the RL has an EPA rating of 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined, which is a little below average for the V6-powered luxury sedan segment.
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Either way, there's a lot of hype for the fully redesigned, second-generation 2009 Fit. Honda's plan for the car was to keep the original model's spunky spirit intact while making a few key improvements. The new car is 4.2 inches longer than the previous model. This might seem like cause for concern, but curb weight, at about 2,500 pounds, has pretty much stayed the same. Enhanced body rigidity and suspension updates provide better handling, and Honda says the new body structure benefits from the company's latest crash safety engineering efforts.
Inside, the extra length provides more room for rear passengers to stretch out. It also allows owners to fold down the rear seat without having to first remove the rear headrests. As before, you can do a lot of trick things with that rear seat, including flipping the cushions up (like in a crew-cab pickup) to create a tall cargo area. In terms of features, a telescoping steering wheel is a welcome addition. You can even get a factory navigation system and stability control for the first time.
Under the hood of this four-door hatchback, you'll find a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, the same as last year. It's been revised with a number of changes, including an improved version of i-VTEC variable valve timing. Some might be disappointed that this hasn't led to dramatically higher horsepower or better EPA fuel economy estimates (they're both about the same as last year). But the overall drivability of the new Fit is noticeably better thanks to a wider spread of power.
Overall, we're very impressed with the redesigned 2009 Honda Fit. Considering that we liked last year's version more than competitors like the Chevrolet Aveo, Nissan Versa and Scion xD, it would seem that the Fit has extended its superiority even further. The only hold-up will likely be price. Given the interest in this car, actual sales transaction pricing will no doubt stay close to MSRP, and that MSRP is already higher than some of its competitors'. But for the small hatchback shopper, or even car enthusiast daydreamers who need something to get to work, Honda's Fit is the best pick out there.
The SLT (all cab styles) adds 17-inch alloy wheels, carpet floor covering, cloth upholstery, cruise control, full power accessories, a rear power-sliding window, keyless entry, a trip computer and satellite radio. Exterior options on the SLT include 20-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, "RamBox" storage bins mounted on the sides of the bed, foglamps, rear park assist and a rear parking camera. Inside, the SLT can be fitted with dual-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable pedals, power front seats, front bucket seats with a center console, a 60/40-split rear seat, leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, a rear window defroster, a rear-seat entertainment system with Sirius Backseat TV, a navigation system with real-time traffic and Bluetooth, and an upgraded stereo with a six-CD changer and iPod integration.
The Sport Package (available on all cab styles) adds some of this equipment, plus the larger V8, a body-colored grille and unique bucket seats. The TRX Package, available on 4x4 Quad and crew cabs, adds skid plates, two-tone paint, heavy-duty rear shocks, tow hooks and fender flares. There are also regional option groups known as the Big Horn and Lone Star Packages, which bundle together a bunch of the SLT's optional equipment along with special badging and trim.
The top-of-the-line Laramie trim level (extended and crew cabs only) comes standard with 20-inch chrome-clad wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, power-folding exterior mirrors, power-adjustable pedals, driver memory functions, a heated steering wheel, the 60/40-split rear seat, remote engine start, a universal garage opener, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, additional exterior chrome trim, wood-grain interior trim, Bluetooth and a surround-sound audio system with hard-drive-based digital music storage. The Laramie can be equipped with most of the options available on the SLT, if they are not already included.
Games And Stuff Top 10 : Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2009 Nissan GT-R is a high-performance sports car available only in coupe form with a 2+2 seating layout. Two trim levels are offered: base and Premium. The base model comes standard with 20-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, Brembo brakes, a rear spoiler, an electronically adjustable suspension, leather upholstery, power front seats, aluminum-trimmed pedals, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, Bluetooth, keyless entry/start, automatic climate control, a six-speaker sound system, XM Satellite Radio, a multifunction driver-configurable information monitor, an in-dash Compact Flash card reader and a navigation system with a 30-gigabyte hard drive, 9.4 gigabytes of which can be used for audio storage.
The Premium model adds higher-performance tires, an 11-speaker Bose audio system with two subwoofers, heated front seats, front passenger side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Notably, side and side curtain airbags are not available on the base model.
Games And Stuff Ranking Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2009 Dodge Charger is a large sedan available in SE, SXT, R/T and SRT8 trim levels. Rear-wheel drive is standard, while the SXT and R/T are available with all-wheel drive. Standard equipment on the SE includes 17-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, full power accessories, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, keyless entry, cruise control and a four-speaker stereo with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack.
Stepping up to the SXT nets you a larger V6 engine, 18-inch wheels (AWD only), a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, foglamps, heated mirrors, power-adjustable pedals, a power driver seat and an upgraded six-speaker sound system with satellite radio. The SXT popular equipment groups adds 18-inch alloy wheels (RWD), automatic headlamps, a power passenger seat, heated front seats, leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and dual-zone automatic climate control. The Charger R/T includes all the SXT popular equipment group items as standard and adds the big 5.7-liter V8.
The SXT and the R/T share much of the same optional equipment. The protection group adds Bluetooth, self-sealing tires and side airbags. A sunroof, a touchscreen stereo interface with 30 GB of digital music storage, a rear-seat entertainment system with Sirius Backseat TV, and a navigation system with real-time traffic (the last two items require the popular equipment group on the SXT) are also available. The SXT DUB Edition adds 20-inch chrome-clad wheels, DUB exterior badges, embroidered leather seats and a 13-speaker Kicker sound system.
The R/T popular equipment package adds 18-inch chrome clad wheels, a compass, a trip computer, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and a surround-sound audio system. Xenon headlights are a stand-alone option on the R/T. The road/track performance package includes 20-inch wheels, sport-tuned suspension and steering, heated performance sport seats and Alcantara upholstery. Bluetooth can be added to this package. The Daytona package is identical to the road/track package, but it adds a higher-performance exhaust, a unique exterior paint color and Daytona graphics. Chrysler says it will release another high-performance package later in the 2009 model year that will further enhance the Charger's steering, suspension and brakes.
The SRT8 is equipped a lot like the R/T with the road/track package, but adds the bigger Hemi V8, high-performance brakes, a hood scoop, a limited-slip rear differential and different exterior trim. The SRT8 Super Bee package adds 20-inch ultra-bright wheels, bright yellow or orange paint and Super Bee graphics.
Games And Stuff Top 10 Either way, there's a lot of hype for the fully redesigned, second-generation 2009 Fit. Honda's plan for the car was to keep the original model's spunky spirit intact while making a few key improvements. The new car is 4.2 inches longer than the previous model. This might seem like cause for concern, but curb weight, at about 2,500 pounds, has pretty much stayed the same. Enhanced body rigidity and suspension updates provide better handling, and Honda says the new body structure benefits from the company's latest crash safety engineering efforts.
Inside, the extra length provides more room for rear passengers to stretch out. It also allows owners to fold down the rear seat without having to first remove the rear headrests. As before, you can do a lot of trick things with that rear seat, including flipping the cushions up (like in a crew-cab pickup) to create a tall cargo area. In terms of features, a telescoping steering wheel is a welcome addition. You can even get a factory navigation system and stability control for the first time.
Under the hood of this four-door hatchback, you'll find a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, the same as last year. It's been revised with a number of changes, including an improved version of i-VTEC variable valve timing. Some might be disappointed that this hasn't led to dramatically higher horsepower or better EPA fuel economy estimates (they're both about the same as last year). But the overall drivability of the new Fit is noticeably better thanks to a wider spread of power.
Overall, we're very impressed with the redesigned 2009 Honda Fit. Considering that we liked last year's version more than competitors like the Chevrolet Aveo, Nissan Versa and Scion xD, it would seem that the Fit has extended its superiority even further. The only hold-up will likely be price. Given the interest in this car, actual sales transaction pricing will no doubt stay close to MSRP, and that MSRP is already higher than some of its competitors'. But for the small hatchback shopper, or even car enthusiast daydreamers who need something to get to work, Honda's Fit is the best pick out there.
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