Best new cars of 2009
Thursday January 1, 2009
Happy new year, folks! Once again, I am pleased to present my list of the best new cars of 2009. The rules are the same as usual: In order to qualify, a car must be new or significantly redesigned for 2009, and it has to have been subjected to an About.com Cars test drive. 2009 has seen some very impressive cars -- ten on the list so far, plus two that earned an "honorable mention". There are a few new-for-2009 cars that I haven't driven yet, so perhaps the list will get a couple of additions come March -- then again, maybe they'll all be crud and the list will stay as it is. Okay, enough of my babbling -- go check out this year's winners! -- Aaron Gold
Photo © Aaron Gold
Comments
Aside of the Hyundai, your picks are excellent…I just can’t part with that kinda scratch for a Hyundai…Yet!
Aaron - Missed a couple of sport car candidates - Porsche Cayman S (upgraded engine and LSD) and 370Z.
Don — Go drive that Genesis, then tell me if you could see spending that kind of $$ for a Hyundai.
Mike — I haven’t driven the Cayman yet, so it’s technically not eligible. As for the 370Z, I’m on the fence. On the one hand, it’s the best Z in recent times. But I don’t know if it’s the sports car I would pick above all others. Very tough decision, and I’m still not 100% sure if I made the right one. — Aaron
Aaron
I would say you made the right choice not to include the 370Z.
Nothing really earth shattering about the new one, at least nothing worth putting it on a best car list.
It’s a OK car but falls short in the areas that count for a true sports car feel and ride.
Yes I did test drive it since my last post just so I could prove to myself I was giving the car a a real chance before discounting it.
The car I most want to drive and really give a proper thrashing is the NEW 2009 BMW Z-4 coupe/vert with the 335 twin-turbo engine.
My wife has already put it on as a new screen saver so I think she is really interested.
PS- The vw project car is moving along, sorta. We have acquired a donor bug body and put it in the shop after a healthy bead blast to remove the 3 coats of old cheap paint jobs…musta been a SF Ashberry bug during the hippie days.
Hi Aaron…I’m working the San Diego Auto Show this week and the Genny is a very nice car. The problem I have with OWNING one is the stigma attached to the Hyundai name. I’m old enough to remember the explanations I had to make justifying my Honda CVCC purchase in ‘75. If I’m forking out 40k, I really don’t want to justify buying an expensive unit from a company that’s known for producing cheap and unreliable cars, regardless if those labels are warranted or not. Remember, Honda, Toyota or Nissan never built disatrous cars like the Pony and Excel…Hyundai did!
I would say that Don has given you a very accurate response by most people in reguards to what many persive to be a less than stellar car manufactor. Hyundai has a past stigma that is going to be very hard to over come for most higher end buyers. At this time and in this economy Hyundai built a very nice car but its one big problem is in it’s name
“Hyundai”.
Having friends at the Central Fl.Auto show gave me access to a couple of the car’s to drive in the lot during unloading and loading days.
I felt like Aaron getting a sneek peak at the good stuff.
I can agree with just about all of them save for the Vibe. Why GM ever made this car is beyond me. If I want a Toyota Matrix, I’ll buy a Toyota Matrix.