This year is perhaps the dullest for new models in a decade with the overarching concerns being the economy and fuel mileage. Despite this reality there are a few bright spots as manufactures struggle to put a new face on their products while still looking at less dramatic sales and profits.  The results are a mixed bag as most of the sparkling new vehicles are probably at least a year away.

Here are the best of 2009’s models. Notice there aren’t any Bentleys, Ferraris, Porsche SUVs or Masarati’s listed because they are not only environmentally unfriendly, they are tremendously expensive to insure and maintain. Besides, you can take a Nissan GR-X and pretty much destroy the ego of any of these sports cars for far less money. And, as for the big sedans from Masarati and Bentley, let’s be honest. These heavyweights gulp gas and scream conspicuous consumption at a time when foreclosures, unemployment, and financial institutions woes create a citizenry that may no longer see these imported titans as status symbols, but as in your face salute to the privileged class. The Porsche SUV is fast, handles well, and defies logic unless you want to help the German economy. So unless your ego or whatever is so small you can’t do with adoration from well-tipped valet parking lads, there are a lot of less costly vehicles to tempt your credit.

First, our choices for the best cars for 2009. The Hyundai Genesis is a winner if for nothing else its pricing and features. If you need a full size sedan at not much more than a Toyota Avalon this is the car to drive. Toyota’s Venza is the best SUV due to it combination of interior room and fuel mileage. The best value in a family sedan is the Kia Optima and the best small car value is the Honda Fit. The best American car is the Lincoln MKS and the best American SUV is the Ford Flex or Chevrolet Traverse.

Acura

The tight handling Acura TL and TSX and its controversial exterior have a variety of improvements including its all wheel drive option that improves handling and the availability of a V6 with 305 horsepower.  Larger then the previous model with an interior that is not to be missed.  The base engine is plenty good enough with the 2.4-liter inline-4 producing 201 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque while yielding about 24 mpg in mixed, fast, driving. The steering and suspension are all set for canyon country. 

Audi

Audi’s A4 is larger and a better drive than the previous model. Now available with a 265 horsepower 3.2 liter V6 and the possibility of diesel power, we prefer the turbo four cylinder engine that has been redone with fuel efficient in mind.  They are very roomy and a delight to drive. New this year is the Audi Q5. Just what the world needs, another SUV. The good news is that it is much easier to live with then it huge, gas hoggish brother, the Q8.  It is equipped with a 270-horsepower 3.2-liter V6 and Quattro all-wheel-drive system. The TT has grown and is more comfortable and more powerful. Loaded with racy features, this is a fun car that is quickly becoming an expensive sports car. A lot of fun and easy to drive but avoid the sporty options unless you want a rough ride on untidy highways.

BMW

The X6 is best left to those who can understand its appeal. A strange looking dude with a diverse array of options form all wheel drive to a 3.0 liter twin-turbo inline six   or a X6 xDrive50i with a V8 producing over 400 horsepower. 

Cadillac

Fast and sporty, the CTS-V from Cadillac has a whopping 550 horsepower V8 that makes it one of the world’s fastest sedans. We have no idea why this is appealing to buyers, but you can certainly create wonderment at the senior home by having the fastest car there. And, no doubt, you can run a lot of BMWs to ground with this throwback to the muscle car era. On the other hand, for the more daring the ultimate Corvette is just $100,000 or more from your grasp. With a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 and its 620 or so horsepower that you can enjoy getting to 60 mph in less than four seconds. A future collectible if there is even fuel left in the world.

Chevrolet

The Traverse is a SUV that is well priced and has good fuel mileage. It is on the same chassis as the excellent GMC Arcadia and Saturn Outlook, but costs less. The

3.6-liter V6 and 6-speed automatic transmission work well together. The Camaro is due out soon, but don’t expect to find one of these sharp looking coupes at list price anytime soon.

Dodge

It is all about the Dodge Challenger this year as this model joins the Camaro as these struggling companies look to the past to save their futures. The Challenger is a big vehicle with a huge variety of drive trains. We like the 375 horsepower 5.7 liter HEMI V8 and choice of 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmissions, but the base 250 horsepower 3.5 liter V6 and 4-speed automatic transmission are better values and more economical to operate. Oh, heck, go for the V8 and recover more at resale. If you really want to plunder the world’s resources put the Challenger SRT8 touts a 425-horsepower 6.1-liter V8 on your insurance policy. Just make sure there aren’t any teenage driver’s in the family. More family friendly is the Dodge Journey that is a combination mini-van, SUV, and sedan. Chrysler has the best interior features of any manufacturer. The Journey has room, sort of, for seven and is not much longer than the tidy Dodge Avenger. Stay with the 2.4-liter engine produces 173 horsepower and be rewarded with 19-city/25-highway mpg.

Ferrari

Ferrari is offering its California to those patient and rich enough to afford its 460 horsepower. Prices are said to be just a tad over $200,000. We expect that tad to be whatever the best offer is at the dealership as he/she goes down the waiting list. Pay the man, resale is going to be terrific and who doesn’t want to own one of the few vehicles on earth that gets worse mileage then a Hummer H2.

Ford

Ford is struggling with a top-heavy line-up of SUVs and not much in the way of alternative fuel vehicles or gas sippers to tempt buyers. So Ford produces, yep, another SUV. The Flex is a station wagonish vehicle that is long and wide and boxy and attractive inside and out. The interior is very unique for a Ford and there is also the Microsoft-developed Sync multimedia interface and huge sunroof that extends well into the rear seating area. The Flex seats seven and even offers an optional refrigerator inside the rear console. The best feature may be the EasyFuel capless fuel filler that means an end to lost or improper tightened gas caps. The engine is the 3.5-liter V6 with 262 horsepower. Safety features include ABS, stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags.

Hyundai

Look for a bevy of honors for the big Genesis sedan from Hyundai. This is a terrific car that can easily compete with the foreign competition and beat it by thousands in price. If you need a luxury sedan this may be the one for those that don’t have the noises in the air. You can order the Genesis with a 375-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 or two V6 engines that we recommend. The 264-horsepower has enough power for daily needs, but the 3.3-liter or a 290-horsepower 3.8-liter is better for those who travel with a family onboard. A smooth six-speed automatic transmission makes everything happen. Loaded with features that make it the bargain of the year and its fast, too. Safety features include ABS, stability and traction control, active head restraints, front- and rear-seat side airbags and full-length head curtain airbags.  Hyundai is also offering its bargain priced Elantra as a Touring model and a five door wagon version.

Jaguar

Now owned by Tata of India, Jaguar has an all-new XF sport sedan that has a most un-Jaguar look. The interior is stunning, the ride a bit to sporty for our tastes, but the engine purrs with either a 300-horsepower 4.2-liter V8 or a supercharged version with 420 horsepower.

 Lincoln

The MKS is Lincoln’s new flagship and it is surprisingly pleasant to drive. The base

3.7-liter 270-horsepower V6 engine and its 6-speed automatic transmission and all wheel drive feature makes it quite pleasant and competent without the usual Lincoln bigger is better attitude. The MKS offers include the voice-activated SYNC in-car communication system and the really neat capless fuel-filling feature.

Kia

Easily the best bargain in a family sedan, the new Optima has a 175-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine or a 190-hp 2.7-liter V6. Go with the optional 5-speed automatic and get 22/32 mpg. Bland, perhaps, but starting under $19,000, loaded with safety features such as available ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, curtain side airbags and a active head restraints and you have a family special.

Mazda  

While Lincoln gets smaller Mazda goes larger with the redesigned Mazda6 sedan. Power from a new 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and the 3.7-liter V6 are more then enough, but the real treat is the fact that there is finally enough room in this Mazda for a family. Good handling, too.

Mercedes

Diesel engines for the new GLK Class SUV and the super E320 sedan are the news at Mercedes. Oh, and if you really want to suck the earth dry of fossil fuel there is going to be a limited, thank goodness, supply of the SL65 AMG Black Series with its lightened body and twin-turbocharged V12 engine producing a 650 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque.

Mitsubishi

Struggling to find a niche for itself, Mitsubishi has brought fourth the Lancer Ralliart with a new 235-horsepower 2.0-liter DOHC turbocharged engine that is manipulated by a

paddle-shifted Twin Clutch-SST gearbox. There is also all wheel drive and a variety of interior and exterior pieces that mark it a Mitsubishi.

Nissan

Just try and get one, Nissan’s very hot GT-R is a coupe is the wunderkind of those with the need for speed with its 480-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6 ready to get you down the road faster than anything else in the $70,000 price range. A super car, but since there are under 2000 planned for the North American market be patient.

Pontiac

Redone and much better, the Pontiac Vibe is more user friendly, larger, and just as handy as before. If you want to make a bigger impression the Pontiac G8 GXP is fast, has good interior space, and can even be ordered with a 6-speed manual transmission.

Saturn

A new hybrid version of the Saturn Vue will use General Motors’ new 2-mode hybrid system with a pair of 55-kW electric motors powered by a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack to help the 3.6-liter V6. Look for fuel mileage of 25/32 with a range of nearly 500 miles.

Subaru

Bigger, but not necessarily better, the Subaru Forester is softer and more upscale then ever before. In fact it starts to press its stalemate, the Tribeca, in size and character. You can order the 170-horsepower version or the optional 224-horsepower turbocharged one. If you carry a family get the turbocharged version as the lesser unit is taxed when loaded on mountain roads. The Impreza was recently redone and it follows the other Subarus in being larger.

Honda

One of our favorite small cars, Honda’s Fit has been enlarged and improved with little additional cost. The backseats fold flat, the car loves to run, and the gas mileage is always over 30 mpg.

Rolls Royce Phantom Coupé

Only for those who must show their love of conspicuous consumption. This over the top, larger then life, coupe costs about $400,000 with a tremendously powerful engine and gas consumption from it 6.75 liter V12 engine that borders on un-American. Fast, soft riding, full of exemplary workmanship by those who couldn’t afford to even buy a forward opening door on these studies in excess.

Toyota Matrix

Easily one of the most useful cars made, especially for those who like good fuel economy and cargo room. The Matrix comes with an ample 1.8-liter engine, but we much prefer the XRS with the 2.4-liter engine and 158 horsepower. The problem here is it that much better than the less expensive Honda Fit? 

Toyota’s Venza is the best news out of Toyota since the Prius. A little front heavy in appearance, nevertheless, this is the car to own if you have a family and don’t want the burden of a minivan. Lots of option and the possibility later in its life of being a hybrid, this Toyota is going to make buying a Lexus RX a questionable purchase. The Venza's base engine will be the one to buy as it provides gas mileage of 19/26 and can even be ordered with all wheel drive. The best of the new SUVs for gas mileage and useful interior room.

2009 Volvo XC60

We have owned Volvos in the past and found them long lasting, but extremely expensive to maintain and parts where dear. As such the arrival of the crossover XC60, a five seat SUV with a bundle of safety features that includes a package that pre-charges the brakes for sudden stops and much more is of interest, but leaves us wary of the cost of maintaining such a electronically enhanced vehicle. The XC60 will be available with a 285-horsepower 6-cylinder turbocharged T6 engine that isn’t fuel frugal.

Volkswagen Passat CC

The sleekest Volkswagen ever, the Passat CC is a coupe like sedan with an optional all wheel drive system, six speed automatic transmission, and a standard 200-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder or a 3.6-liter V6 with horsepower. There is the availability of such features as an electronic chassis control system, a large sunroof and a unique system that actually corrects the car’s steering to keep it on track. Lots of features and certainly well worth a look if not just to use the touch screen and see if that new look doesn’t tug at your credit limit. 

Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen

The VW Jetta SportWagen is going to be a winner when equipped with the diesel engine. It is the sharpest looking, excuse the expression, station wagon, you can buy for the money and the fuel mileage is going to rival hybrids. It rides well, has a very friendly interior, and exceptional visibility. The best station wagon for the money replacing the reigning champ, the Subaru and the gas mileage is 21/30 for the 2.5 engine, which is better than the Subie.

Volkswagen Tiguan

This crossover SUV has all the usual Volkswagen features such as a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, a tidy shape, a comfortable ride and a price tag that makes it difficult to justify for those who just buy a small utility vehicle for commuting. Frisky and fun loving with gas mileage of about 23 mpg in mixed driving. A spirited vehicle at a premium price.

Volkswagen Routan

Sadly, this is the minivan Volkswagen decided to bring to the market. The base is the very competent and excellent riding Chrysler and that includes the 3.8-liter V6 with is 197 horsepower. Why they didn’t bring the ones they have in Germany here is probably due to the declining dollar and safety issues. Drive the Dodge/Chrysler version and than the Routan before you decide.