According to a story by Elise Zeiger on CNN.com, Kia Motor Company has come too the rescue of a small town in Georgia, and the town's residents couldn't be happier or more grateful for the Korean company's presence.

Kia plans to open a new factory in West Point, Georgia by the end of 2009 to build Sorento, their mid-size SUV. The town's mayor, Drew Ferguson, is quoted in the article, saying that "the revitalization of the community is touching every aspect. We have infrastructure projects, new subdivisions going up, hotel professional services that are all needed to support the massive manufacturing."

Kia has hired 500 workers so far, with plans to hire 2,000 more to run the $1.2 billion plant. Mayor Ferguson says of his little town of 3,500, "We jokingly call it Kia-Ville."

Photo © Jason Fogelson

A few weeks ago, I blogged about the impending Cash for Clunkers bill that was working its way through the Congress. Well, the bill has passed, and has been signed into law by President Obama.

My colleague Keith Griffin, About.com's Guide to Used Cars, has written an excellent, detailed analysis of the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) on his site, and reading it clarified the program for me.

I was a little confused about one point until I read Keith's article. I didn't realize that it was an either/or choice -- you can either get a trade-in allowance or a CARS credit, but not both. According to Keith, "Keep in mind that you either get a government credit or you get a trade in allowance from your dealer. You can't get both because the car gets destroyed."

That pretty much sealed the deal for me: Moose is safe from the crusher. Even though my 1994 Toyota 4Runner now has an absolute value of $4,500 against the purchase or lease of a new vehicle, I could never send Moose to the crusher.

Are you taking advantage of CARS to get a new SUV or crossover? Read Keith's excellent article, Advice and Tips on How Cash for Clunkers (or CARS) Works, before you head out to the dealer.

Photo © Jason Fogelson

If you're thinking about buying a Lexus RX 350, you've probably noticed that there's a new one on the showroom floors, the 2010 Lexus RX 350.

But, you may also discover a few, neglected orphans lined up along the back edge of the lot. The poor, overlooked 2009 models, left to gather dust and bird droppings while the new model is paraded about as the latest and greatest. Well, I just drove one of those old 2009s, and I've returned with this 2009 Lexus RX 350 Test Drive and Review. Sure, it's been on the road for a while, and there are a whole lot of them out there. But the 2009 RX is still worth a look, and may save you a few bucks, if you can live without the latest and greatest. Who knows, you might even find a 2008 Lexus RX 400h back there, too. After all, there was no 2009 model for the hybrid.

Photo © Lexus

BMW announced plans this week to bring the X1, a new compact crossover, to the United States in 2011.

The vehicle, which resembles a smaller X5 or X3, duplicates the rear- or all-wheel-drive setup of its larger siblings. In Europe, the X1 will be available with a variety of powertrains, both gasoline and diesel. BMW will wait to decide whether or not we'll get a diesel X1 -- in all likelihood, we'll get the straight-six powered 2.8 liter gas version tuned to deliver 258 hp. With a luggage compartment that will hold 14.7 cubic feet, and up to 47.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats folded down, the X1 will open new ground for the premium subcompact crossover market.

Pricing won't be announced until much closer to the US launch, but with X5 starting in the upper 40s, X3 in the upper 30s, I would expect X1 to start in the lower 30s.

Photo © BMW

I haven't forgotten about my promise to you, dear readers. I will complete overviews for each and every manufacturer! Fear not!

This week, I offer you the Dodge lineup of SUVs. Though it consists of but three SUVs, the Dodge lineup is potent and worthy of our consideration and study. Study it quickly, fair readers, before it vanishes before our eyes!

I humbly present to you this Dodge SUV Overview. I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Photo © Jason Fogelson

I think that Chevy may have missed the target with their new Equinox. You can read my 2010 Chevrolet Equinox Test Drive and Review to see what I thought of the vehicle.

Oh, the Equinox is very capable, but it's not what Chevy thinks it is -- a competitor for the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. It's actually a bigger, more family-sized competitor for Explorer and Highlander, which is where I predict more sales will come from. Folks ready to downsize from their full-size or mid-size SUV, but not quite ready for the true compact crossover.

Take a look at this 2010 Chevrolet Equinox Photo Gallery, then click on "comments" and share your thoughts.

Photo © Jason Fogelson

Congress is on the verge of passing the "Cash for Clunkers" law, part of H.R. Bill 2346, which is actually an Iraq War appropriations bill.

If the bill passes in the Senate, and is signed by the President, it will be part of the auto industry bailout that will go directly to consumers.

Officially named the "Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Program" (CARS), the program will receive an initial allocation of $1B, and will run from July 1 to November 1.

Details are still being hammered out, but according to the website CashforClunkersHeadquarters.com:

1. The definition of "clunker" is a car that gets 18 mpg or less and 16mg for trucks/SUVs.
2. Owners who purchase a new passenger car that gets at least 4 mpg higher than their old "clunker" get a $3,500 voucher. If the mileage difference is more than 10 mpg, the consumer gets the full $4,500.
3. Buyers of small trucks and SUV's need less of an improvement to get the same amounts. If the new vehicle gets at least 2 mpg more than the "clunker," a $3,500 voucher is issued; for new trucks or SUV's getting 5 mpg, the new car owner gets $4,500.
4. For work trucks older than 2000 they get a flat $1,000 regardless of improvements.
5. Consumers need to have owned and registered the vehicle in their name for a minimum of one year to qualify.

If this law passes, Moose, my old Toyota 4Runner, may be headed out to pasture. Wonder what I should buy? Any suggestions?

Photo © Jason Fogelson

I've rarely been as nervous about a first drive as I was when I was enroute to Detroit to drive the new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox last week.

My trip came right on the heels of GM's bankruptcy announcement, and I was very eager to take the temperature of the Chevy employees and execs. Would they be confident, defiant and assertive? Or would they be meek, reserved and scared, looking over their shoulders every moment, waiting for the axe to fall. Well, the only scary thing on this trip was how normal everything seemed, just business as usual. Detroit hasn't shut down just yet, and the folks at GM keep plowing ahead.

Read my 2010 Chevrolet Equinox Test Drive and Review to see what they've been up to, and what to expect in the near future.

Photo © Jason Fogelson

Though you may not have realized it, Saab Automobile AB has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors since 1989. Well, if all goes according to plan, Saab will be back in Swedish hands by the end of the third quarter of 2009.

According to the General Motors media website, Koenigsegg, a supercar manufacturer based in Angelholm, Sweden, has emerged as the leading partner in a letter of intent to purchase Saab from GM.

Saab's time with the General could be the best example of how globalization didn't really work as designed. Saab vehicles were always known for their quirkiness, and the longer they remained in the GM stable, the less quirky they became. Saab engineers and designers were forced to adapt to the GM global vehicle platforms, until eventually, the only quirky thing left about Saab was the placement of the ignition lock in the center console. Unfortunately, an SUV was emblematic of the disfunction: The 9-7X was nothing more than a re-badged Chevy Trailblazer, with little Saab to be seen. It was the biggest, heaviest, most expensive Saab ever produced, and the first production Saab with a V8 engine. It was discontinued in 2008 after lackluster sales.

Good luck, Koenigsegg, and long live the real Saab.

Photo © Jason Fogelson

It's weird to think that the Chrysler nameplate only has one SUV right now -- that's the Dodge Durango variant called the "Chrysler Aspen." The Pacifica has been discontinued for 2009, though lackluster sales have resulted in a glut of Pacificas still sitting on dealer lots. Though Aspen used to have a wider range, including the HEMI-equipped top of the line model, the range has shrunk to four trim levels. Here's hoping that Chrysler can pull out of this tailspin, and pay a little more attention to its SUVs, especially the ones that don't have "Jeep" on their tailgate.

I've put together a Chrysler SUV Overview for your perusal, to help you keep track of what's going on in Chrysler's SUV lineup.

Photo © Jason Fogelson