Gadgets, Upgrades and Great Deals

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to freshen up your transportation and find out what's new at dealerships in 2009, here's what to expect: a few brand-new vehicles but mostly redesigns and upgrades of existing models. Hybrid choices increase, and plug-in electrics make a tentative appearance.

What's the buzz? It's OK to be square this year. Boxy vehicles are in, and you have four choices. Joining the quirky, spacious, snub-nosed Honda Element and Scion xB are Kia's new Soul (going on sale in spring 2009) and Nissan's new Cube. They almost defy description. Some call them compact SUVs; others characterize them as tall wagons, a miniature bus or a milk crate on wheels. Still, the squared-off vehicles provide plenty of space for business purposes and room for four. The asymmetrical Cube makes its own statement with a rear right window that turns the corner (check it out at Nissanusa.com) and curvy window frames.

What else is hot? Hybrids number about 20 models. New gas/electric models include the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Hyundai Sonata sedans and the Lexus RX crossover. Down the road is the 2010 Honda Insight, on sale this year.

More buzz: Cadillac's new CTS sports wagon, Chevrolet Traverse crossover, GMC Sierra hybrid pickup and Lincoln's MKT full-size crossover.

Where's the juice? Fully electric plug-in cars are coming, maybe as early as 2010. At auto shows across the country--Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, New York--manufacturers are playing up plug-ins.

Debuting in 2010 will be the Chevrolet Volt hybrid, which travels 40 miles on its electric battery before using any gas. Beating that record is the MINI E, which travels 150 miles on a single electric charge. Mitsubishi plans to launch the iMiEV small car.

The wave of the future, these cars have a few obstacles to overcome before you and I can buy one and drive it home. Only a few hundred are being tested on our roads right now. When the models are available to the general public, you'll need to install a meter in your garage, which will cost about $3,000. Different kinds of lithium car batteries will be under the hood, and manufacturers are reluctant to reveal how much your electric bill will increase with a plug-in that requires an average of four hours of juice. If you live in an apartment building and everyone plugs in at the same time--overnight--how does that impact your local utility's power grid? An instant blackout? No one will say. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

What else? Gadgets. Business owners who work at job sites will appreciate Ford's new mobile office features, called Work Solutions, for its F-Series Super Duty trucks and E-Series cargo vans. The package includes high-speed internet access with mouse and printer; Tool-Link to inventory equipment stored in your vehicle; and a telematics system to locate your fleet and provide diagnostics. Also included are navigation and security systems.

More gadgets. Monitor your driving with an eco-boost, eco-guide or eco-assist dashboard gauge that displays exactly how "green" you are driving. And if you want to buy the greenest car on the road, it's Volkswagen's Jetta TDI clean-diesel model. Ford's Fusion sedan gets a capless fuel filler, and its SYNC--a voice-activated in-car communications and entertainment system--adds 911 call capability.

What price? It's a car-buyer's market crowded with red tag sales, discounts, cash-back offers and years of free maintenance. But you could save a bigger bundle by checking out certified pre-owned cars and trucks. Sure, it's a fancy word for a used vehicle, but most CPOs undergo rigorous inspections and are backed by the manufacturer. Are you still leasing? Now's a good time to negotiate a buyout to own the car, according to a USA Today report, because dealers don't want leased cars back on their lots.