For the second time in as many years, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is launching another free service to help protect the nation’s consumers.

Over one million vehicles have been stolen annually in the United States since 1986. With an annual average recovery rate of just 63 percent, several million vehicles remain unaccounted for and could possibly end up being purchased by unsuspecting consumers.

To help prevent innocent people from buying a stolen vehicle and to help recover stolen vehicles that may enter the commerce stream in the future, NICB today is activating the nation’s first Unrecovered Stolen Vehicle Database as a free service to the public.

Anyone anywhere can now run a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) through this database and determine if it has been reported stolen by one of NICB’s over 1000 member insurance companies.

Seeing a way to help mitigate that risk and to provide another free service to help protect the nation’s drivers, NICB sought and received the cooperation of its member companies to make this feature possible.

It was in this same spirit of cooperation and assistance that NICB’s member companies provided their Hurricane Katrina-related auto claims information to create the flood vehicle database. This unprecedented effort was launched on October 17, 2005, and amassed over 300,000 vehicle and boat records which gave prospective buyers critical information to prevent the fraudulent sale of potentially flood-damaged vehicles.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau is the nation’s leading non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through information analysis, investigations, training and public awareness.

Anyone with information concerning auto theft and insurance fraud can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422) or by visiting our web site.

Subaru also altered the rather ungainly name, dropping the “B9.” Now, for 2008, the mid-sized crossover is simply called the Tribeca.

Along with the new name and the new face comes an infusion of horsepower.

This is welcome because the Tribeca has been a fine example of a comfortable mid-sized crossover SUV with contemporary exterior styling, a pleasant ride, an upscale interior and a good seating position for the driver.

The 2008 edition comes with a new larger 3.6-liter horizontally opposed boxer engine generating 256 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque. It replaces a 3.0-liter engine that made 245 horsepower and 215 pound-feet of torque and had earned the tag of “sluggish.”

We delved back into our memory to carve out impressions of the previous Tribeca and the best we could do is remember that the initial offering lacked low-end torque — a bit sluggish off the line — with a tendency to run out of steam under heavy loads when high-speed merging or passing was demanded.

If our memory serves us we rate the new engine a definite improvement in those areas that needed improving. We had no call for criticism this time around, particularly when matching performance against the current Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander, two models the Tribeca tackles head-on.

A new active valve control system that varies timing on both exhaust and intake together with a revised and recalibrated five-speed transmission that delivers faster shifts and quicker reaction time are responsible for better low-end response, Subaru says.

And regular octane gas is recommended for the new engine. Premium gas was recommended for the previous engine. Subaru said it was able to lower the octane rating through improved cooling efficiency.

Mileage ratings are the same as last year at 16 city, 21 highway. Be advised that 2008 EPA mileage is slightly less than 2007 (18/23) because of the EPA’s revised method of figuring gas mileage.

Other than its controversial nose, the Tribeca features modern styling.

Two years ago the styling was considered more radical than today. It seems that Subaru designers were actually on the cutting edge of new crossover design. Since the Tribeca was launched in 2005, the rounded, sculpted look has caught on in a big way. Examples include the Mazda CX-7 and CX-9, the General Motors trio of GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook and Buick Enclave and the Hyundai Veracruz.

The interior also has a modern appearance.

We have been intrigued by the dashboard layout, which has a refreshing quirkiness about it. We like the radical swooping design, which curves down into the center console, making a small M shape from door-to-door.

The curving stereo controls and the dual-zone climate controls immediately below are well marked and easy to use. The round climate control knobs toggle temperature and fan speed in precise fashion. The temperature is displayed large in the center of the knob. It’s a neat and effective idea.

The gauges are back lit for excellent daytime viewing. And the multi-colored lights are attractive at night.

The front seats are supportive and comfortable. And in our test car they came with perforated leather for better breathing quality, particularly in hot weather.

The Tribeca comes with an excellent navigation program. The software showed virtually all streets and highways in our area. The street name is prominently displayed along the bottom portion of the screen. Even the off-ramp on a four-lane road was displayed as “ramp.”

Although the Tribeca can be purchased with an optional third-row seat, it is useless except for the very young. And when in use, it robs legroom from the second-row passengers. But when the third seat is folded flat, the second-row seats, with a 30-70 split, can be slid back on a track giving passengers large-sedan space. The seats also recline for added long-distance comfort.

Reading lights, cupholders in the pull-down center arm rest and magazine pockets on the front seatbacks offer second-row passengers a comfort zone found in few mid-sized vehicles.

The third-row seat also robs the car of storage space, leaving only eight cubic feet between the seat and the rear hatch. Space expands to a generous 37 cubic feet with the seat stowed.

The Tribeca comes loaded with a lot of good stuff as standard equipment including such safety features as all-wheel drive, traction and stability control, antilock brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, seat-mounted side airbags and side curtain airbags for rear-seat passengers.

The new Tribeca comes in at the same price points as the previous edition — $29,995 for the base five-passenger version and $31,995 for the seven-passenger. Add navigation and rear entertainment and prices can escalate toward 40 grand. Our seven-passenger test vehicle, without navigation and rear entertainment, came in at $34,500.

We recommend that if you don’t have to carry several children or grandchildren that you save the cash and opt for the five-passenger edition.

The Tribeca has been a solid mid-sized alternative to the likes of the Highlander, Pilot, Ford Taurus X and the Chrysler Pacifica. With the updated engine and front-end styling tweaks it is an even more attractive alternative, if more expensive.

As predicted the MKX and the new MKZ sedan will have respectable sales in 2007 giving Lincoln a significant increase in year-over-year numbers. In fact, YTD through July Lincoln is up a significant 12.5-percent in a down market.

Was it a bold prediction? You won’t think so once you’ve driven the MKX or the MKZ.

Perhaps the biggest initial roadblock for consumers is the new alphabet soup names Lincoln has decided to use mimicking many of the other luxury brands that have gone the “ABC” route while forsaking names that used to be household words like DeVille and Riviera and Imperial.

Traditional Lincoln buyers are familiar with such monikers as Town Car, Navigator and Continental, not to mention the Mark series. But Lincoln is looking for new buyers while banking that its loyal over-60 customers continue purchasing Town Cars. And they are.

For those who want to shop Lincoln, how about a couple of pointers before entering the showroom? The MKX is pronounced simply M-K-X, not Mark X or Mark 10. Similarly, the sedan, a car previously known as Zephyr, is properly called the M-K-Z.

But enough of alphabets, today we will comment on the new crossover MKX.

A crossover vehicle is basically a high-riding station wagon, a version of the sport utility vehicle built on a car platform for better ride and fuel economy while retaining bad-weather all-wheel drive capability, but without the off-road prowess of a truck-based SUV.

Give Lexus credit for starting the luxury crossover segment nearly a decade ago with its RX 300. Today there are a myriad of examples, which means the new Lincoln is entering a crowded segment chock full of good vehicles.

We think the MKX has the goods to successfully wade into the competition, but that’s not to say that there’s no room for improvements. The MKX is not a perfect example of the genre, but it’s a good first attempt from Lincoln.

Although the MKX is spun off the all-new mid-sized Ford Edge crossover, we discovered that the MKX has a more upscale personality. It’s more refined than the Edge and is a more desirable product.

That translates into about $6,000 difference in comparably equipped vehicles. We think the MKX is worth the extra bucks, but we’re easy.

Outside, the MKX gets an unmistakably Lincoln grille — a retro Continental look — and unique lamp clusters, and different rear lamps, tailgate and rear fascia treatments. Both the Edge and the MKX have a solid and substantial look with a wide stance, standard 18-inch wheels and a high beltline.

Inside is where the Lincoln definitely shines with a unique and stylish instrument cluster, center stack and door panels. It’s a dual cockpit look reminiscent of Lincolns of the 1960s and early ’70s. And unlike many luxury brands, Lincoln has kept the switchgear user friendly.

The MKX has the feeling of refinement, perhaps because it seems quieter than the Edge, but at the same time it just misses the mark of pure luxury a bit sterile instead of warm.

One of our frequent riders, who had developed a critical eye for things we sometimes miss, was lukewarm to the Edge, but offered up kudos for the MKX. “This is what I was looking for in the Edge, but it wasn’t there,” he noted. So maybe today’s MKX is tomorrow’s Edge, and the MKX will move forward towards a more premium vehicle taking on the RX350 head to head. Something we would or should expect from a Lincoln.

At the same time it didn’t hurt that we had the excellent optional 600-watt THX audio system cranked to the rafters. Our frequent rider is a dyed-in-the-wool audiophile and he was duly impressed with the sound emanating from 14 speakers including two sub-woofers proving the MKX isn’t without some premium luxury items.

The MKX has the same 3.5-liter engine generating 265 horsepower mated to a six-speed transmission as found in the Edge. The new setup gives the crossover vehicles respectable acceleration (0-to-60 has been measured at around 7.6 seconds) and with ample power for passing and merging.

But here is where we think the Ford people could have done a better job differentiating the Lincoln from the Ford. A slight modification of the new V-6 bumping up horsepower a modest 10-to-15 ponies would have really set the MDX apart. To us this would have been a terrific selling point for Lincoln. Furthermore, they could have made all-wheel drive standard on the Lincoln.

What you don’t get in either the Edge or the MDX is a third-row seat.

It’s amusing to us how many members of the automotive press wring their hands in anguish every time a new SUV or CUV arrives without a third-row seat. It seems they demand an extra seat be crammed into every vehicle regardless of size. We haven’t jumped on that bandwagon. Most of the far-back seats in mid-sized vehicles are uninhabitable by adults and are too close to the rear gate making them hazardous in rear end collisions. If you want more seats check out Lincoln’s Navigator – terrific vehicle and it has all the seats you want. And if you’re patient Ford hints that a larger crossover with a third row is in the works.

Speaking of seats, we found the front buckets comfortable and easily configured to our driving peculiarities. Back support is good. The optional heated and cooled front seats are a nice touch. A short journey nestled in a rear seat left a good impression. They recline, but don’t slide fore or aft as in some vehicles.

Lincoln has included a convenient one-touch remote seat release that folds the seatbacks into a flat load floor. This is a very good feature.

The MKX comes well equipped in just one trim level starting at $34,120 for two-wheel drive and $35,770 for all-wheel drive.

Standard features include leather seating, eight-way power front seats, dual-zone climate control, 18-inch wheels, traction and stability control, antilock brakes, side-impact and side-curtain airbags and tire-pressure monitor.

Lincoln has bundled its most popular options in two packages, the Elite Package for $4,795 and the Ultimate Package for $1,995.

The Elite includes the huge Vista Roof, which pairs a large front power sunroof with a fixed rear skylight for a truly open-air feel; the THX audio system; and voice-activated navigation system. The Ultimate Package adds 10-way power heated and cooled seats, reverse sensing system and the remote second-row seat release.

Most of the bundled items can be purchased as stand-alone options.

Our test vehicle with all-wheel drive and the two bundled options had a sticker of $42,560.

We think Lincoln can and will do better moving MKX further upscale. But for now we think the price is right and we think the MKX will be the right vehicle for many people.

The Infiniti flagship Q45 was a delightful performance-oriented luxury car pulled by 278 horses, a prodigious number for 1990. It was every bit as alluring and interesting as the Lexus LS and the Acura Legend. And it was more powerful.

The extraordinarily “jellybean” styled J30 entered the lineup in 1993 adding to the luster of the new brand.

But then Infiniti made a wrong turn in the late ’90s.

By 1999 it was left with an uninspiring 140-horsepower G20; a clone of the Nissan Maxima called the I30; and an underwhelming Q45 that didn’t live up to its name having been downgraded to a 4.1-liter engine.

The brand was sliding into mediocrity. But finally and perhaps just in the nick of time, Infiniti made a U-turn back in the right direction. The Q45 was redesigned in 2002 returning to its luxury/muscle days, endowed with a 340-horsepower 4.5-liter V-8.

Yes, the Q45 was again aptly named.

But what really turned the brand around was the rear-wheel drive compact G35 sedan and coupe in 2003. The G35 featured incredible styling, wonderful road manners and a potent V-6 engine. The sedan was endowed with 260 horses and the two-door, a kissing-cousin of the Nissan 350Z, got 280 ponies. The G-series won rave reviews from the press and the motoring public. And an all-new G35 sedan was introduced for 2007. The complete makeover includes a muscular 306-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6.

Then there was the M45. A relatively powerful but somewhat uninspired large sedan slotted between the flagship Q and the sport G.

Infiniti added an all-new up-level mid-sized M-series sedan which replaced the short-lived M45 for 2006, and has continued basically unchanged for ’07.

The M-series is perhaps the best Infiniti in its nearly two-decade history, combining outstanding performance, luxury, handling, spaciousness and good looks in a package that has few rivals. The M35, with a lusty V-6 engine, is a joy to drive. Its more powerful M45 stablemate, which contains a 325-horsepower V-8 under hood, is just as attractive and adventurous.

Infiniti now has in its lineup a competitor to the BMW 3-Series, Audi A-4, Acura TL, Cadillac CTS and Jaguar X-Type in the G35. And the M35/45 has the credentials to take on the BMW 5-Series, Audi A6, Lexus GS350/430, Acura RL and Cadillac STS.

Although the M series shares a platform with the G35, it is nearly six inches longer at 192.6 inches and has a two-inch longer wheelbase at 114.2 inches. This spells more room inside, especially for rear-seat passengers who can enjoy two-and-one-half extra inches of legroom.

The M35 Sport Sedan that we tested displayed impeccable road manners with point-and-shoot steering. We were delighted to find that the sedan has the ability to carve up twisting back-road blacktops like the vaunted BMW.

One of the M’s unique optional features is a form of rear-wheel steering that turns the rear wheels up to one degree opposite of the fronts depending on cornering needs.

The 3.5-liter 275-horsepower V-6 gives the M an urgency that is pleasing at all speeds with the power directed through a slippery 5-speed automatic transmission. When we asked for a downshift by slamming the accelerator to the floor, it responded instantaneously. There was never the agonizing delay found in some other luxury products.

The V-6 will hustle the M35 from a standstill to 60 in 6.3 seconds and through a quarter mile run in 14.7 seconds at nearly 93 miles per hour as measured by a popular automotive magazine.

For more money — about $6,000 — and a slight sacrifice in gas mileage — about two miles per gallon — the M can be purchased with the V-8 good for sub-6-second times.

The M35 is offered in base and Sport and with an all-wheel drive option. Base models are lavishly equipped with genuine, satin-finish Rosewood inlays on the dash, doors, and console, and leather upholstery. The Sport versions get real aluminum trim.

The gauges have a high-tech look with electro-fluorescent lighting.

The M’s controls are fairly intuitive. Included are real knobs for volume and tuning on the radio. You may not think that’s a big deal, but after a week with BMW’s iDrive, simple radio controls deserve a standing ovation.

Although the M does have a joystick control, most of the things you use every time you enter the car including the air conditioning and stereo can be used without wading through a list of options.

The standard-equipment list is long including dual-zone climate control, 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat with memory, color 7-inch LCD information display, keyless entry and push-button starting, a moonroof, a voice-recognition system that manages a half dozen functions, Bluetooth compatibility, and a complete array of power features.

The M also comes with a full compliment of safety features found in sedans over 40 grand including front and rear side curtain airbags. An optional feature is a lane departure warning system that sounds an alarm when the vehicle detects lane drifting. We found it annoying at times, but we can see its usefulness.

Great sound can be part of your M car. The top-line premium package includes a Bose digital Studio Surround audio system with 14 speakers. An in-dash 6-CD player, MP3 player, and satellite radio — both XM and Sirius are offered — are included. A DVD mobile entertainment system with a flip-down 8-inch screen is available for rear-seat passengers.

One of the key factors in a car purchase these days is gas mileage, and the M35 measures up quite well with 18-city and 25-highway for two-wheel drive and 17/24 for all-wheel drive. Infiniti recommends premium fuel, but says the engine will run fine — albeit with a slight decrease in performance — on regular gas.

The M35 starts at $42,100 in base guise, “base” being a misnomer because of its lavish list of standard equipment. Our test Sport model carried a base price of $44,900 and was optioned out for $53,440.

Options included the Bose system, navigation with back-up camera and rear seat entertainment.

The M35 is a delightful luxury sports sedan. But Infiniti may have created a dilemma for loyalists with its all-new G35, which is smaller but more powerful and at a nearly $10,000 savings. If you can get by with tighter rear-seat quarters and a slightly smaller trunk, the G may offer you more value than the M.

Either way, Infiniti has its act very much together.

That was a conclusion easily reached after a few miles behind the wheel of the 2008 Buick Enclave, a full-sized crossover sport utility vehicle.

The Enclave is the third of General Motors’ vehicles off the so-called Lambda platform to reach the showroom. The Enclave is entering the marketplace about six months after its platform mates, the Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia, made their initial appearance.

It’s an impressive trio, all featuring a 3.6-liter V-6 engine with 275 horsepower mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. They all offer excellent build quality, outstanding handling traits, decent gas mileage, real-world room for six or seven passengers, all-wheel drive bad-weather capability and upscale interiors.

The Outlook is the least expensive of the three and is designed — according to General Motors — to meet family needs, a replacement for the out-of-favor minivan. The Acadia, which will be sold along side the Enclave in Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealerships, aims more at GMC truck buyers with an upright stance and more “professional grade” trim pieces.

That leaves the Enclave to challenge the luxury market with a stylish body that includes a large signature Buick waterfall grille, huge wheels, a wide stance, beautifully designed dashboard, soft leather seating and library-quiet interior.

And for extra measure, it comes with three traditional Buick portholes.

This may be the best Buick in decades.

The surroundings are tastefully plush with upscale materials. Seams are aligned and pieces neatly fit together. The interior is amazingly quiet, offering perhaps the most solitude of any American-made vehicle.

The gauges have aqua backlighting with white markings making them easy to read in sunshine or with sunglasses on. The double-stitched leather in the seats is soft to the touch and inviting.

And there’s more. Our week was filled with comments on the Buick’s styling.

One woman in our neighborhood offered this unsolicited comment: “I don’t really look at cars, can’t really tell one from another, but that car you’re driving now is the most beautiful I’ve seen in years. I want one.” That sentiment seems to be holding true in the marketplace as well. Enclave and its sisters are fast becoming real successes.

Whether it’s the big Buick grille or the flow of the lines, including a chrome roof rack that artfully curves with the roof, or simply the whole package we can’t say. But positive remarks on the Enclave styling were so many that we would be remiss in not reporting them.

While so-called crossovers — SUV-like vehicles with unibody platforms — have been in showrooms for years, the new Buick and its stablemates are among the largest to be manufactured so far.

And while we applaud GM’s efforts and specifically the well-done Enclave, it’s still a big vehicle with a big appetite, heavier and thirstier than many of its minivan counterparts.

The front-wheel drive version of the Enclave weighs in at a massive 4,780 pounds and carries a new 2008 EPA fuel rating of 16 mpg city and 24 highway. The all-wheel drive Enclave pushes 5,000 pounds.

On the other hand, the GM trio is a step in the right direction in replacing the old body-on-frame truck-based sport utilities that generally weigh even more and yield even less gas mileage.

We think the Enclave is well powered with the new V-6, certainly no rocket ship, but rather sprightly when compared to other big SUVs and the aforementioned minivans.

While the number most associated with the Enclave is a rather lackluster 8 seconds from 0-to-60, in real-world driving the Buick feels just fine, adequate in all situations including merging and passing.

General Motors has done a good job in the performance/mileage tradeoff.

The Enclave comes in just two trim levels — the CX and the CXL — and in either two-wheel or all-wheel drive starting at $32,055. Our front-wheel drive well-equipped test vehicle carried a base price of $34,990 and with several options a bottom line of $39,080 including $735 destination charge.

If you want to forsake the luxury bent of the Enclave but get basically the same vehicle for less money, the Saturn Outlook begins at $27,255 and the GMC Acadia starts at $29,255.

All feature the same drivetrain and all come with a 4,500-pound tow rating. And all feature scads of interior room for passengers and cargo. The new trio of crossovers beats the full-sized Chevrolet Tahoe in maximum cargo space by eight cubic feet at 116.2. The crossovers offer nearly eight more inches of legroom for third-row passengers. And there is a useable 19 cubic feet of storage behind the third-row seat.

Maybe we’re more snobbish than we care to admit, but we like the Enclave best — and why shouldn’t we since it carries a bigger price tag — because of its head-turning design, its luxury feel and its interior solitude.

The ride may be on the firm side for those used to a Park Avenue or a Lucerne, but it’s still a plush ride, a modern version of the European luxury ride.

Handling is predictable and confidence-inducing. The Enclave is easy to drive, but don’t get carried away on the twisting back roads. Remember, the big Buick is a people mover not a sports sedan.

Standard features abound including 18-inch wheels, full power including power driver’s seat, triple-zone automatic climate control, six-speaker stereo with CD player and MP3 jack and satellite radio, OnStar telematics with turn-by-turn navigation, power tailgate, antilock disc brakes with tire pressure monitoring and three-row side-curtain airbags.

The CXL adds 19-inch wheels, leather seating and heated power front seats with memory.

Options are many including DVD navigation, rear entertainment, upgraded Bose stereo, remote start, 20-inch wheels and a dual sunroof.

The Enclave is not perfect and Buick surely will continue to refine its newest product. But as it sits, the Enclave is the best product to wear a Buick nameplate in many years and it’s a worthy competitor to products from Lexus, Infiniti, Acura and Mercedes.

We hope the Enclave is a reliable predictor of the direction General Motors will take the Buick brand in the future.

That old adage has some relevancy because here comes the Volkswagen Rabbit again.

The Rabbit is back, Volkswagen’s answer to the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus and the VW Golf.

Actually, the Rabbit has been roaming the American landscape since it was introduced as the replacement for the old Beetle in 1975. But in 1985 it became the Golf, the name it has carried worldwide since its inception.

Now we’re back to the Rabbit in the U.S. and, frankly, we were puzzled with the name change until we delved into some Rabbit chatter on the Internet. The original Rabbit, which was manufactured in Pennsylvania from 1976 through 1984, was an entertaining little car. But it was poorly made with inferior materials. And by today’s standards it was agonizingly unreliable.

We remember road testing a new Rabbit GTI in 1983, a pocket rocket that offered a delightful driving experience, but rattled so much we had no trouble handing the keys back to the salesman.

The Rabbit seems to be fondly remembered despite its proclivity for mediocrity.

We found a guy on our Web search who wrote that his 1981 Rabbit is a “great around town car,” and noted that he would buy another Volkswagen. So what’s the big deal?

He made those statements AFTER citing a laundry list of problems under the heading “what things have gone wrong with this car.” The list included “steering rack replacement, all hoses in engine replaced, alternator replaced, heater core replaced, brakes replaced, ignition switch replaced (twice), muffler replaced, water in headlight compartment, roof leaks, trunk leaks, paint rusted, rear window defroster broken, speedometer cable replaced, horn broken, driver’s seat recline knob broken and turn signal assembly replaced.”

Granted, the car is 25 years old, but most cars that age with that much aggravation would now be decorating the far corner of a junkyard.

And there are dozens of missives much like that one.

It has to be Rabbit love. And that gave us an insight into the resurrection of the Rabbit name.

Fortunately, the new Rabbit has little relationship to the old one except for the driving dynamics, which continue to be among the best in the segment. Volkswagen’s build quality, fit and finish, interior materials and reliability are far superior today than in the late ’70s and mid ’80s. The Rabbit has a nostalgic cachet and Volkswagen saw dollar signs in dredging up the name. At least that seems a good theory.

The Rabbit is actually the new fifth-generation Golf with classic Rabbit/Golf squared-off styling that now comes with more rounded lines, an appealing look in a familiar sort of way. The first vehicles, shipped in the spring and summer were tagged 2006 models. In October, they became 2007 models, basically unchanged.

The Golf/Rabbit design has never been one of swooping lines and sexy curves. But the new iteration, which shares a platform and an engine with the more upscale Jetta, is aerodynamic and the design speaks volumes for functionality over styling simply for styling sake.

The prime example is in the rear-seating area where head room is abundant thanks to the squared-off rear. The Rabbit is truly a four-adult-passenger car in both the two-door or four-door models.

The Rabbit has a more classic Volkswagen stance than the new Jetta and is devoid of the over-the-top big-mouth Jetta/Passat grille treatment.

And that’s a good thing. Despite its boxy design, the Rabbit has a crouching look, like it’s ready for action. Some of that look is derived from the color-keyed bumpers and door handles on the four-door model.

One of the more appealing aspects of the Rabbit is its eye-popping list of standard features, starting with the peppy 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine, for the base price of $15,620 for the two-door hatch and $17,620 for the four-door. And unlike most manufacturers who fill their dealer lots with option-laden vehicles, Volkswagen says that more than a third of all Rabbits will reach dealers in base trim. Base trim on our four-door test car included air conditioning, power one-touch up and down windows, power heated outside mirrors, adjustable wipers, cruise control, AM-FM stereo with six-CD changer and MP3 jack, heated front seats, antilock brakes and a full array of airbags including side curtain.

The most popular option will probably be the six-speed automatic in place of the five-speed manual transmission for $1,075. Our tester also added a power sunroof, Electronic Stabilization Program, 16-inch alloy wheels (15-inch wheels are standard) and XM Satellite radio. That brought the bottom line to $20,920 including destination charge.

The good news is that the new 5-cylinder engine generating 150-horsepower is energetic and fun to drive. The bad news — there’s no optional powerplant for those willing to pay a couple grand extra for more horsepower or for those willing to pay more for a fuel-efficient diesel.

The new engine gives the Rabbit a playful nature. It’s got enough grunt to zip from stoplight to stoplight and it’s tossable on the winding back roads thanks in part to a fully independent suspension system.

Zero to 60 can be achieved in less than nine seconds with the automatic, certainly not pocket rocket territory, but satisfying none-the-less.

Switchgear and gauges are standard Volkswagen. That means most of the controls are intuitive and easy to use. It also means the instrument panel lighting is the typical Volkswagen blue and red, very appealing.

The seats are comfortable, and the front passenger seatback can be folded flat to haul such things as a step ladder.

In addition to decent headroom, rear seat passengers also are rewarded with decent legroom, which is exemplary in a compact design. They also get individual reading lights and cupholders. When not hauling passengers, the interior can be configured for 69 cubic feet of cargo space.

As a bonus Volkswagen has generous warranties — four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and five-year/60,000 powertrain.

If you are looking for comfortable, basic transportation at a price that won’t break the budget and that can accommodate a small family while offering a rewarding driving experience, the new Rabbit might be your animal of choice.

Although the RX350 retains the five-speed automatic, it is now mated to a 3.5-liter V-6 generating 270 horsepower, a whopping 47 more than the 2006 model. 
The shifter is silky smooth and acceleration is brisk. 
The new RX moves nicely from 0 to 60 in 6.8 seconds. Of course, that’s not the way to achieve the very respectable EPA gas mileage rating of 20 city and 25 highway for front-drive models, but it points up the vehicle’s proclivity to move quickly when necessary. 
This new-found performance comes at virtually no penalty at the gas pumps. The pervious engine was rated at 20/26. All-wheel drive models are actually more efficient, rated at 19/24 compared to 18/24 in 2006. 
For those people who desire this tasty package, but tow small boats or jet skis, the RX is up to the task with a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds.
The all-wheel drive models feature a 50-50 front and rear torque split in normal driving conditions. Nearly all the torque can be shifted front to back as conditions warrant. At the same time, Vehicle Stability Control limits wheelspin side-to-side. 
By the way, Vehicle Stability control is standard equipment on front-drive models making the necessity for all-wheel drive in warm-weather climates not as crucial for peace of mind.
Hand Lexus an A-plus for the interior layout. It’s one of the few vehicles with navigation that has gotten it close to right. In many vehicles when you include the Nav system, all the stereo and climate controls are embedded in the screen. This arrangement can be aggravating, not so in the RX. Here the stereo controls are separate and climate controls can be regulated with switches on either side of the center stack. 

The dashboard is attractive with big swathes of aluminum accents. The gauges are backlit in usual Lexus fashion which means there is no washout from bright sun and they can be clearly deciphered even with sunglasses on. 
The new RX continues with just two rows of seating and we applaud that decision in the face of a growing trend to stuff as many seats into a vehicle as possible. What’s the use of cramming a third unusable seat into a mid-sized vehicle? Furthermore, Lexus has the GX470 for buyers who absolutely demand more seat space. 
The RX350 comes in just one trim line with a price difference for front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The front-wheel drive model starts at $38,095 and all-wheel at $39,495. 
As you might expect, the base version is well equipped. But a large number of goodies can be added as taste and pocketbook dictate. 
Our test vehicle had two rather costly packages, navigation at $2,650 and a premium package at $2,960. The navigation system comes with Bluetooth, voice activation, compass, and backup camera. The premium package includes a myriad of things — leather trimmed interior, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, moonroof and high intensity discharge headlamps. 
We have a problem with Lexus bundling so many things in expensive packages. For instance, we would enjoy the Mark Levinson sound system — there isn’t one better in the automotive world — but it comes bundled in a $6,190 package with the navigation paraphernalia.
A stand alone top-of-the-line audio system option would be welcome if we were making the purchase. 
There’s just not much to fault in this vehicle. Emotion in driving is sparse but a week behind the wheel convinced us again that Lexus is unsurpassed in building quality segment-leading products. The new RX350, we predict, won’t have to break a sweat to continuing running far ahead of the pack.