The 2010 Buick LaCrosse comes the closest I've seen to an American car replicating the Lexus experience. On comfort, ride quality, and roominess, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse delivers an experience roughly on par with the Lexus ES350, Buick's target. Fit and finish is good if not quite Lexus-freakin'-awesome, either on the car or on the Buick website. Bluetooth comes standard on two of the three trim lines and a USB jack is standard on the top line, part of a $650 package on the other two. And the LaCrosse is easier on the eyes than the other outstanding American sedan, the slab-sided Ford Taurus. You need to check out the Buick LaCrosse if you're in the market for a midsize sedan.

SAN DIEGO - The completely redesigned 2011 Hyundai Sonata is the best midsize sedan you can buy. Every Sonata comes standard with Bluetooth, USB jack, and satellite radio. There's a full set of safety features. The styling dazzles. It's big inside. Handling is improved, it's quicker, and it gets 35 mpg on the highway. It's cheaper than the competition. The only drawbacks are the costlier package price of the navigation system for 2011, no parking sonar option, and the lack of a driver assistance system offered by one competitor. Even with that, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata is the car to beat in its segment.

The government agency that could enlighten us about Toyota's runaway-cars problem can't help because the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration doesn't employ the right engineers. This shocker appeared in the Washington Post: "NHTSA ... was woefully unprepared to decide whether engine electronics might be at fault, [Congressmen Henry] Waxman and [Bart] Stupak said ... NHTSA officials told investigators that the agency doesn't employ any electrical engineers or software engineers." Toyota initially blamed slippery floor mats and sticking accelerator pedals for its problem; now there's concern that electronics controlling Toyotas' drive-by-wire system may malfunction.

The new Rolls-Royce Ghost not only is the most luxurious car you'll ever drive, it's also one of the quickest at 4.8 seconds to 60 mph, and - this may be a surprise - its technology offerings are virtually unsurpassed, particularly the vision systems. It debuts in the U.S. this spring as a smaller and sportier $245,000 counterpoint to the $380,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom.

The redesigned 2010 Hyundai Tucson represents a big step up for this small crossover utility vehicle (CUV). It looks better, the cockpit feels nicer, road noise is reduced, and a USB music adapter and satellite radio come standard. But Hyundai took a step backward with other technology options. You need to spend $3,700 to get navigation on the entry model GLS. Bluetooth is standard only on the higher-end Limited. The ride is stiff. Hyundai's advantages over the competition aren't quite as clear-cut with the Tucson compared to other Hyundai models.

Volvo is planning to unveil its long-awaited S60 mid-size sedan revamp at the Geneva Motor Show on March 2nd, but the company has already announced one of its key features: Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake.

The new S60 will be able to--you guessed it--figure out whether or not a pedestrian walks in front of the car. If it detects someone, it will first warn the driver, and then apply full braking power if the driver doesn't respond in time.

The automaker said in a statement that the technology can avoid a collision with a pedestrian at speeds up to 35 km/h (22 miles per hour) if the driver doesn't react in time. At higher speeds, the system will still work to slow the car, if not stop it outright. I applaud all genuine safety advances, but is anyone else worried about this thing malfunctioning?

Kia ran just one ad during the Super Bowl and it was best car ad of Super Bowl 44. The ad for the Kia Sorento, called Joyride, shows Sock Puppet, a teddy bear, and other animated toys enjoying themselves on a cross-country trip, stopping to jet-ski and relax in a hot tub, with a final stop in Las Vegas. (Reference to Las Vegas has been a big no-no in the past, on account of the word "Las Vegas" suggesting people might gamble on the Super Bowl.) The ad ends with the toys no longer animated, in the back seat of the Sorento, as a child climbs in, fastens his seat belt, then mom presses the Sorento's start button and drives away. Fun, nostalgia, a blonde in a hot tub and a brunette in a nightclub, cute kid, motherhood - everything you want in a car commercial - and at just the right time for Kia.

With its pending Uvo Bluetooth and entertainment system (think Ford Sync on steroids), Kia is a car company about to be noticed this year. The ad couldn't be better. More on the automotive-related cars of Super Bowl 44 (XLIV for traditionalists) where the game (New Orleans 31, Indianapolis 17) actually was better than the commercials, after the jump.

Toyota is a Japanese car and it's a German word that comes to mind, schadenfreude: taking glee in the misfortunes of others. In this case, take glee if you want, but also take advantage of their misfortunes if you're in the market for a car. Toyota's reputation is horrible this month. Whatever ails the cars is relatively minor (I believe) but prices will depressed and dealers will be cutting prices to build showroom traffic. If you're thinking of buying, now's the time. Some tips after the jump, plus how to deal with a sticking throttle.