The Suzuki Swift - compact car that's based on a fresh approach to design

The Suzuki Swift is a compact car that's based on a fresh approach to design and development, delivers a driver and passenger experience that's aimed at placing it in a class of its win, and has true worldwide appeal. It is the beginning of Suzuki's world-strategy.

The Swift embodies a, globally oriented approach to Suzuki car-making.From the very beginning of the Swift's development programme, a dedicated team of Suzuki designers and engineers collaborated extensively with European automotive professionals and ordinary motoring enthusiasts in pursuit of Suzuki's best compact car ever.

But the Suzuki Swift is not merely a European-inspired compact car built to Suzuki standards; it's a whole departure in Suzuki design; one that embodies the unique DNA of a company whose success as a compact-car developer is paralleled by a position as the world's top motorcycle brand.

The Swift is more eye-catching, more spacious, more refined, more user-friendly, and a whole lot more enjoyable to drive than anything else in the compact-car category. And it gives an exciting glimpse of the ideas and design approaches that will shape Suzuki models in years to come.

New Toyota Yaris 2010 - Excellent fuel economy and eccentric appearance

From its excellent fuel economy and eccentric appearance to its comprehensive package of safety features, the 2010 Toyota Yaris is a good value. Nonetheless, with a painfully bare cabin and an awkward driving position, it has a hard time competing with class leaders.

The Yaris is not one of the vehicles affected by the recent Toyota recall.

Although little has changed about the Toyota Yaris for the 2010 model year, the big news is the new list of safety features -- part of the Toyota Star Safety System -- that will now come standard. The Yaris will now be among only a precious few vehicles in its class to offer as standard such driving aids as vehicle stability control and traction control.

In addition to its impressive safety package, the 2010 Yaris has other strengths. Its quirky appearance is received well by the automotive press and its excellent 29/36 city/highway fuel economy tops most rivals. Moreover, despite its minimal engine power, many reviewers maintain that the Yaris is reasonably fun to drive.

Despite these high points, the Yaris certainly has a few failings as well. Its cabin is among the barest in its class and the enticing base price can inflate quickly since features that come standard on most other cars -- like power windows and doors -- have to be added in package upgrades. Reviewers also complain about the awkward driving position in the Yaris and its distracting, centrally-located dashboard.

Consumers interested in the Yaris should definitely also check out a few of its class competitors. The Honda Fit, for example, may have a starting price of about $2,500 more than the Yaris, but it offers an interior features list that rivals that of some upscale small cars. Also worth a look is the Volkswagen Rabbit, which costs about $4,000 more than the Yaris but boasts one of the most opulent cabins in its class with interior comfort to spare.

All-new Honda Fit - Heart of the concept

Japanese car manufacturer Honda has announced that its all-new second-generation Honda Fit will go on sale in Japan on Friday, October 26, 2007. The Fit is a five-door hatchback launched in June 2001, that quickly became the first car since 1969 to outsell Toyota's best-seller, the Corolla, on the Japanese car market. So clearly we're onto something good!

With Honda's man maximum, machine minimum philisophy at the heart of the concept, Honda likes to think of the Fit as the "ideal small car for a new age," where passenger space has been maximized and the "space occupied by mechanical components has been minimized." So what's changed since the previous generation? For starters, the new Fit is 20 mm wider and has a longer wheelbase (+50 mm) than its predecessor and the front pillar has been moved forward to create a more spacious interior. Honda claims that the body construction of the second-generation Fit is more rigid and that more sound-absorbing acoustic materials have been fitted. The entry-level model features a 100 hp 1.3-litre i-VTEC engine.

Since we're all about power, aerodynamics, gadgets and sex appeal, we're more interested in the Fit RS (signifying Road Sailing) model that will be powered by a new 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine, putting out 88 kW (120 hp). It won't blow your trousers away, but don't despair, you'll be riding around 19.6 km on a liter of petrol (45 mpg U.S.). Honda engineers have clearly devoted attention to practicality this time again, as the Fit comes with a rotating passenger seat, a feature that should be welcomed by those struggling with backache