The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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WHEELS

Are you about to buy a new car? Hey, who are we to stop you? After all, the economy needs stimulating. But these new cars are about to hit showrooms. Check them out.

•CHEVROLET CAMARO: $22,995-$34,180, on sale in May. Chevy muscle car fans, your long wait is almost over. The 2010 Camaro goes on sale soon. LS and LT models will have a 305-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 that’s almost as powerful as the 2010 Mustang GT. SS models will get even more juice: a 426-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8.

•FORD FUSION HYBRID: $27,995, on sale now. Ford’s midsize sedan arrives as an early 2010 with revised styling and a new hybrid model. The electric motors alone can reach 47 mph, twice as fast as competitors, while returning 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.

•HONDA INSIGHT: $19,800-$23,100, on sale now. The Insight, the lowest-priced hybrid in America, is smaller than a Toyota Prius but also returns lower mileage: 40 mpg in the city, 43 mpg on the highway. However, drivers can trade performance to enhance fuel economy by pressing a button.

•BUICK LACROSSE: Price to be announced; on sale this summer. Designed in Asia and America, the LaCrosse will come with two new V6 engines that feature direct injection for better fuel economy. Stability control and a rear-view camera are among the options. The elegant styling is standard.

•NISSAN CUBE: $13,900-$19,370, on sale in May. Call it the battle of the boxes. The Cube will challenge the Scion xB, even as it mimics it. The Cube’s power comes from a 1.8-liter four-cylinder mated to a six-speed manual. More than 40 accessories allow customization. Our favorite: a shag-carpeting dash topper.

•MERCEDES- BENZ E-CLASS COUPE: Price to be announced; on sale in June. This new model will replace the CLK in the Mercedes line. With a drag coefficient of 0.24, the company says it will be the world’s most aerodynamically efficient series-vehicle. Engine choices mirror the sedan’s.

•FORD TRANSIT CONNECT: $21,475, on sale this summer. This European citizen is stouter than a minivan but slightly smaller. The Transit Connect is a commercial van that can adapt to many small-business uses. The 136-horsepower, four-cylinder engine returns 22 mpg in the city, 25 on the highway.

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