2010 Cars

They're closer than you think, these 2010 cars. Complete with reviews, prices, pictures, and preliminary specifications, this is the skinny on cars that are more than dreams, but just less than drivable. Here's a preview of those great expectations:

2010 fisker karma
2010 Fisker Karma

2010 Alfa Romeo 8C Spider: It’s been expected, but the Spider convertible version of Alfa Romeo’s rare and rapid 8C coupe has car lovers drooling anew. And again, there won’t be nearly enough to go around.
2010 Aston Martin Rapide: “Q, my new Aston has four doors!” “Quite right, 007. This time, M and I are going with you.” It’s no secret. James Bond’s favorite motorcar maker plans to shake up the prestige market with a stirring new sedan.
2010 Audi A1: Why should the Mini Cooper and the 2009 BMW 1-Series have the premium minicar market to themselves? Audi's answer would likely be this smaller version of its A3 four-door hatchback, but with a feature unique to the class: available all-wheel drive.
2010 Audi R8: There's little time for rest when you're reaching for the top, so this new "everyday supercar" is getting an injection of vitamin V10--and going topless. It's part of Audi's plan to be the world's top-selling luxury-vehicle brand.
2010 BMW F3: With America going crazy for crossover SUVs, BMW is conjuring a sleek four-door hatchback based on its 3-Series compact wagon.­
2010 BMW V5: Having birthed the X6 “sports activity coupe,” BMW’s 5-Series now morphs into a “progressive activity sedan.” The “V” stands for “versatile,” but don’t call it a hatchback.
2010 BMW X1: BMW's baby SUV will be a spinoff of its new 1-Series compact car. With smooth six-cylinder power, standard all-wheel drive and “ultimate driving machine” cachet, it could be the new star of a fast-growing market class.
2010 BMW Z4: BMW’s two-seat roadster is redesigned with a first-time, power-fold hardtop, more power, and new fuel-saving features. But all this and a production shift to Germany seem certain to boost prices.
2010 Buick LaCrosse: A slick China-market show car gives an early forecast of America’s next Buick LaCrosse. With fresh style and international breeding, it could be just the sales spark this ailing brand needs.
2010 Cadillac CTS: The redesigned CTS is a critical hit. Now Cadillac takes on entry-level premium imports by expanding the line with new coupe and sportwagon models, and maybe even a convertible.
2010 Chevrolet Camaro: Chevrolet's ponycar comes back in early 2009 as a coupe that will flip its lid by the end of the year. It's a great nostalgia trip, but will there be a market for it?
2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: General Motors plans to bring its half-ton large pickup trucks, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, into compliance with higher fuel economy standards by offering a brand new diesel engine. It’s a move that has the potential to be a real shot in the arm for sagging light-duty truck sales.
2010 Chevrolet Zafira: Call it a mini-minivan or a tall compact wagon, but Chevrolet is cooking up a seven-seat people mover that could help many families cope with rising gas prices and not cramp their lifestyle.
2010 Dodge Demon: The trick to creating an affordable little roadster is imaginative use of components from existing cars. So this proposed two-seater from Dodge would take its front-drive chassis from China's Chery. How does racy styling, nimble handling, 172 horsepower, and a $23,000 starting price sound?
2010 Ferrari California: The mystery is solved. Though Ferrari hasn't released complete details, sources say a lower-priced V8 model is coming this fall--and with Maranello’s first hideaway hard top. The mission: Lift Ferrari sales by 40 percent. Name? California.
2010 Ferrari Millechilli: It may never reach showrooms, but the "Thousand Kilogram" concept points the way to future Ferraris designed to do more with less.
2010 Fisker Karma: Forget the Prius, Hollywood. Now there’s a hybrid sedan promising star-quality “eco-chic” style, size, luxury and performance. The $80,000 Karma is conspicuous consumption with a conscience. But is it real, or just another over-hyped vanity project?
2010 Ford Fiesta: The stylish Verve concept previews Ford’s promised subcompact challenger to Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and other “B-Class” cars. The styling will change (and the name from Verve to Fiesta), but a Mazda foundation ups the chances for success.
2010 Ford Mustang: Mustang is getting fresh looks and a brawnier V8 to fight off its first competition in years. But the changes don’t come until after the reborn Chevrolet Camaro, and Dodge Challenger gallop in. Can Ford keep up in a new three-way ponycar race?
2010 Ford Taurus: European style and likely higher mpg highlight a major redesign for Ford’s slow-selling large sedan. But will it be enough to kick-start demand in a crossover-crazy market?
2010 Ford Transit Connect: Could a boxy Turkish-built minivan be the next Scion xB? Ford CEO Alan Mulally thinks so, which is why a funky Euro-market compact is coming to America.
2010 GMC Sierra 1500: Debate all you want about how General Motors may have too many divisions with too much product overlap sold by too many dealers. It’s not going to change the fact that a clean diesel engine slated for the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 also will make its way into that truck’s near-identical twin, the 2010 GMC Sierra 1500.
2010 Honda Hybrid: The green-car race is on, and Honda is readying three new entries. First up: a small low-cost “dedicated hybrid” that could give the Toyota Prius a run for your money at purchase time and at the gas pump.
2010 Hummer H2: A scheduled redesign promises an even bigger big Hummer, but a new "clean diesel" turbocharged V8 should mean higher mpg and lower emissions. You OK with that, Arnold?
2010 Hyundai Genesis coupe: Hyundai’s first rear-wheel drive coupe is out to win over performance lovers like no Hyundai before. With show car style and up to 300 horsepower, it could do just that.
2010 Hyundai Tiburon: A front-drive sporty coupe will morph into a "ponycar" rival for the Ford Mustang, reborn Chevrolet Camaro, and resurrected Dodge Challenger. Hyundai is reaching for blue-chip status, but does it have the grasp?
2010 Jaguar XJ: Jaguar may have just been sold, but it's plowing ahead with a new flagship sedan. With brawny coupe-like styling, more power and a futuristic interior, this thoroughly modern XJ could be the crown jewel for Jaguar's new owner.
2010 Mahindra Scorpio: India enters the U.S. vehicle market with a compact SUV and a scrappy Atlanta-based importer. It’s a daring move for giant Mahindra, but a heavy dose of standard features and thrifty diesel power could spell success.
2010 Maserati Spyder: It's the sun-loving sister to the 2008 GranTurismo coupe--and the first hardtop convertible from a storied Italian automaker. In all, Maserati's newest Spyder looks like the best yet.
2010 Mazda RX-7: The "rotary rocket" sports car is coming back after more than 10 years away. It promises to be the fastest, most agile RX-7 yet.
2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK: The GLK appears to favor a squared-off and muscled-up approach to styling, both inside and out. And depending on the timing of its introduction, it could also be the first, premium compact SUV available with diesel power.
2010 Mercedes-Benz SLC: Mercedes-Benz is prepping a new mega-buck stormer to replace its McLaren SLR supercar.
2010 Mini Crossman: Take one Mini Clubman, lift the suspension, add all-wheel drive, and season with SUV styling flavor. That’s BMW’s recipe for a cute new crossover wagon.
2010 Nissan Cube: As if on cue, a youthful Japan-market economy car reaches America just in time for $4 gas. Small outside, big inside, and cute as a Mini, the Cube shows it’s still hip to be square.
2010 Pontiac G8: Pontiac thumbs its nose at high gas prices by adding a high-style pickup version of its new G8 sedan--and maybe a sportwagon too. The timing looks way off in these troubled times, but this is a troubled brand that needs “a difference to sell.”
2010 Porsche Boxster: It’s into middle age as sports cars go, but vitamin shots and some nip/tuck work promise to rejuvenate Porsche’s popular mid-engine roadster--just in time for fresh competition.
2010 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid: The first gas/electric Porsche will be a much cleaner, thriftier Cayenne--and maybe a sales booster for this cash-cow SUV. Porsche purists may moan, but Al Gore will approve.
2010 Porsche Panamera: Imagine a 911 with rear doors and a back seat. That's the Panamera, Porsche's first sedan.
2010 Porsche Roxster: Look out, world: The Cayenne is getting a kid brother. With Audi Q5 bones and Porsche-style muscle, the new compact SUV promises more big profits--and more controversy.
2010 Saab 9-1: Could a baby Saab revitalize sales at General Motors' money-losing Swedish brand? It might, but first GM must decide to build it.
2010 Saab 9-5: It’s been rumored for years, and now it’s finally happening. The new 9-5 is another General Motors “kit car,” but unique styling, higher performance, and Saab “character” should set it apart--and justify premium prices.
2010 Saturn Astra: It’s only just arrived, but Saturn’s latest compact car is getting a full redesign less than two years from now--plus a “Made in America” label. Look for fresh styling, greater fuel thrift, and maybe better performance.
2010 Saturn Aura: An award-winning midsize sedan gets an early remix as General Motors moves to a more orderly and profitable worldwide product mix.
2010 Toyota iQ: Toyota is out to get Smart with a clever new microcar. Though designed for Europe and Japan, the iQ could come stateside to help us cope with soaring fuel prices and growing urban congestion.
2010 Toyota Supra: Toyota's "21st century sports car" concept has gossips talking about a new Supra. Is that big sports coupe about to be reborn as a mean-and-green hybrid? Right now, the odds are better than even.
2010 Volkswagen Polo: Volkswagen is poised to take on the Honda Fit and other thrifty minicars with a baby Rabbit that should get 40-60 mpg. It’s the first-ever U.S. Polo, and it will be U.S. made to avoid German-car sticker shock.
2010 Volkswagen Rabbit: Europe’s number-one automaker makes a new assault on the U.S. market, led by a more affordable Rabbit. The aim: Topple Toyota as the world’s biggest car company.
2010 Volvo V30: Volvo ditches a planned four-door hatchback for a sportier compact wagon and a SUV-flavored offshoot. It’s part of a new plan to revive a troubled brand as Sweden’s Wagonmaster.

For more inside information on hundreds of new cars of today and tomorrow, check out:

  • Consumer Guide New Car Reviews and Prices: Road test results, photos, specifications, and prices for hundreds of new cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs from the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide.
  • Fuel-economy leaders: The EPA admits its fuel economy numbers are estimates. Ours are real. Here are the fuel-economy leaders as determined in Consumer Guide tests.
  • Vehicle Class Buying Guides: Pick a vehicle category – compact cars, SUVs, premium midsize cars -- or one of a dozen others and get a concentrated dose of Consumer Guide car-shopping advice specific to that class.
  • How To Buy a Fuel-Efficient Car: Whether it's a hybrid or a conventional car with great mileage the goal is the same. Find out how to buy a fuel-efficient car.