Word: reared
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...crowds at this week's North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Everything from the dated Ford Taurus to Chevy's entry-level Cavalier has been either retooled or replaced altogether. Even boring old wagons are enjoying a renaissance, with better styling and handling, and creature comforts like reclining rear seats. "For the first time in three or four years, there's a good feeling that a turnaround is under way," says analyst Kevin Tynan of Argus Research. "The Big Three are starting to regain momentum...
...teamed up with their European subsidiaries to bring new models to market in record time and improve both safety and styling. Budget models are getting a more upscale feel thanks to more tailored designs, added soundproofing and other niceties. The Big Three have also revved up performance by reviving rear-wheel drive and adding smarter transmission systems that can automatically adapt to driving conditions. "At the end of the day, the best car wins, so we've got to have product out there that not only matches the competition but exceeds it," says Gary Cowger, president of GM North America...
Chrysler is set to offer half a dozen models this year. The new two-seater, convertible PT Cruiser could recharge that once hot roadster. Like Ford, Chrysler is rolling out a new sedan and wagon. But Chrysler's new rear-wheel drive sets them apart. Chrysler is betting that consumers, who already drive rear-wheel pickups and SUVs, will appreciate the added responsiveness that is often missing in slip-resistant but tamer front-wheel-drive vehicles. "A rear-wheel-drive car is always more fun to drive," says J.D. Power's Jeff Brodoski. With 20% of its parts coming from...
Perhaps the most innovative of GM's new cars is the Malibu Maxx, a cross between a sedan and an SUV. It was designed in part by Saab, as are the Cobalt and the new Pontiac G6 sedan. The Maxx offers excellent ride and handling, rear seats that recline and slide back for added legroom, and a hatchback that opens to a generous-size trunk. Rear-seat passengers even get their own skylight, with adjustable sunshades for each passenger. "The old Malibu was a very average car," says Consumer Reports' David Champion. "We're very impressed with the new model...
...Freestyle, which will be built on the same platform as the Five Hundred, is a crossover wagon that handles like a car but has the cargo space and functionality of an SUV. The rear compartment can be configured as either a third row of seats or an extra cargo area. Says Alan Baum, an analyst with the Planning Edge in Farmington Hills, Mich.: "The Freestyle is aimed at a market that is just developing rather than simply being a replacement for something...