The Saab 900 sedan and convertible were renamed the 9-3 in 1999. Consumer Reports rates reliability as well below-average, but low resale values make this Swedish premium car a bargain, if you do your homework, says Contributing Editor, Chris Chase.

Twelve laps around Estoril race track in Portugal was enough to convince author James Bergeron that the sporty new 2011 BMW 335is will appeal to 3 Series enthusiasts who want an even more exciting driving experience.

Over the next two months, Winnipeg reviewer Haney Louka will be driving a Lexus HS 250h hybrid to find out how it drives and performs in one of the coldest cities in North America.

“Dynamic and smooth,” the all new 2011 BMW 5 Series has “the comfort of a 7 Series and the agility of a 3 Series,” reports CarTalkCanada editor, James Bergeron. New 550i and 535i RWD models go on sale in Canada in June.

A big price drop, improved handling and stability, and increased safety are the major improvements to the redesigned 2010 E 350 sedan, reports editor-in-chief, Greg Wilson. But is the new styling too aggressive for traditional E buyers, he wonders?

The most expensive TL model there is can now be had with a six-speed manual transmission, reports Contributing Editor Chris Chase. “It's a nice piece of machinery,” he says, making the TL SH-AWD “more compelling as a driver-oriented sedan.”

The 2010 GLK offers all the amenities of a larger Mercedes but with a smaller footprint, says Assistant Editor Jil McIntosh, who praises its car-like handling and “buttery-smooth” engine. But the styling can be polarizing, she says.

Revealed to the press earlier this month, the redesigned Infiniti M56 will offer a new 420-horsepower 5.6-litre V8 while the M37 includes a 330-horsepower 3.7-litre V6. They’re scheduled to go on sale in late March 2010.

The performance enhancements added to the John Cooper Works edition of the Cooper S convertible provide “a hard edged driving experience” with a “huge fun-factor”, says reviewer Russell Purcell. However, the bulky convertible top restricts rear visibility, he says.

A worldwide jury, including Assistant Editor Jil McIntosh, has named the Jaguar XF the 2010 Women’s World Car of the Year. She finds the supercharged XFR model does double duty as a luxury vehicle and as a seriously capable sports-minded sedan.

With a newly available 280-hp 3.5-litre V6 engine, the 2010 Acura TSX V6 offers quicker acceleration and more engine refinement than the four-cylinder model, says Senior Editor, Paul Williams, but is its price too high, he asks?

Nobody really expected a 560-horsepower aluminum and carbon-fibre reinforced V10 supercar from Lexus, says Brian Early. “Angular and angry-looking, the LFA easily represents as big a leap for Lexus as Acura’s 1990 NSX did for that automaker,” he reports.

The new SRX is “a well sorted crossover” with “plenty of power” from the base engine, says contributor Frank Rizzuti. But while the cabin is “a luxurious place to be,” the standard Bose audio system is “a real disappointment.”

The new RX 350 “understands that people actually tend to use their SUV's in their descriptive sense from time to time,” says interior reviewer Michael Clark. “Even more impressive is the marriage of Lexus refinement and Toyota-esque practicality,” he says.

GM’s mid-size SUVs, the Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Oldsmobile Bravada, and Saab 9-7X, had strong, reliable powertrains but numerous problems with their four-wheel drive, electrical, fuel delivery and climate control systems, reports Contributing Editor, Chris Chase.

“The most powerful hybrid ever built,” BMW’s ActiveHybrid X6 is more fuel efficient than the X6 50i, reports Managing Editor, Grant Yoxon. But saving money on gas is not the reason people will buy this machine, he says.

GM’s mid-size SUVs, the Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Oldsmobile Bravada, and Saab 9-7X, had strong, reliable powertrains but numerous problems with their four-wheel drive, electrical, fuel delivery and climate control systems, reports Contributing Editor, Chris Chase.

Successor to the SLR McLaren but built on a totally different platform by AMG, the SLS AMG is a “usable, driveable supercar that melds impressively advanced technology with a heritage that very few automakers can approach,” says reviewer Tony Whitney.

Due to arrive in the spring of 2010, BMW’s ActiveHybrid 7 is a “mild” hybrid that delivers an average 2.0 L/100 km improvement in fuel economy over the BMW 750Li “with virtually no trade-offs”, reports contributor Brian Early.

“Smaller, leaner, and more efficient,” the new Cadillac SRX now shares its platform with the Chevrolet Equinox, reports Contributing Editor, Chris Chase. “It’s a much better fit with key import competitors,” he says.