New Features and Technologies: 2010 Autos: Buyer's Guide: REALTOR® Magazine

2010 Auto Guide

New Features and Technologies

Here's an overview of some of the hottest new elements of the 2010 class of cars.

By Paul A. Eisenstein November 2009

Just as with computers and consumer electronics, digital technology is assisting the industry to add more features at lower prices. Consider the all-new 2010 Ford Taurus, which features a system known as Cross Traffic Alert, which uses a pair of rear-mounted radar sensors to watch for oncoming traffic while backing the vehicle up. The technology debuted on the premium luxury BMW 7-Series just a year ago; now it's entering the mainstream.

As for fuel economy, consider the brand new Chevrolet Equinox. Say "sport-utility vehicle" and you think of bulky gas-guzzlers, but Chevy's new crossover SUV will get you as much as 32 mpg on the EPA's highway test cycle. The market, meanwhile, is quickly being flooded with an assortment of downsized mileage champs, such as the latest version of the Mini Cooper. The new third-generation Prius is easy on the budget, starting at just over $22,000, yet it's miserly enough to stretch a gallon of gas for up to 50 miles.

But you don't have to give up space, comfort, or high-line features just to manage your fuel bills. Take a tip from the Europeans, who now buy more diesels than gasoline-powered automobiles. That's right, diesels—but not the slow, smelly, rough-riding "oil burners" we Americans abandoned back in the '80s. Using sophisticated, but common, rail fuel injection and advanced turbocharging, some of the newest diesel models entering the U.S. market yield better fuel economy than hybrids, particularly on the open road. The BMW 335d is just as quick as the comparable gasoline version, but delivers up to 36 mpg.

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