2011 Volkswagen Tiguan (August 2011)

The 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan is a 200-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which is mated to either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission on to the front wheels or to the 4Motion all-wheel drive system.  Fuel economy ratings check in at 18-19 mpg city and 24-26 mpg highway.

The 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan is available in three trims: the S, SE and SEL. Inside, key trim pieces are made of real aluminum, while others feature a chrome finish.  Volkswagen's all-wheel drive system, 4motion, is available on the SE and SEL trims. A CD player and an eight-speaker audio system come standard on the S.  The SE includes higher quality cloth seat skins, heated front seats, a leather steering wheel with audio controls, and an audio system with touch-screen interface and auxiliary inputs.  The Tiguan SEL gets leather seats, upgraded armrests and door trim, and a Dynaudio 300-watt, eight-channel stereo.  A sunroof, iPod cable, backup camera, touch-screen navigation system with 30 GB hard drive, and power sunroof shade are optional, while Bluetooth connectivity is now standard across the board. The S trim starts at about $24,000.

MSRP: $23,720 - $37,390
Invoice: $22,771 - $35,895
MPG: 19 City / 26 Hwy

Purchase Deal

0% APR for 60 months
Expires: 08/31/11

2011 Mazda2 (August 2011)

The 2011 Mazda2 has two trims: Sport and Touring. The Sport trim is fairly well equipped, with power windows, power locks, a jack for MP3 players, and a four-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo. The Touring trim adds nicer cloth seats, cruise control, a six-speaker stereo and steering-wheel mounted stereo controls. Neither trim, however, includes basic tech features like a USB port and Bluetooth connectivity.

The 2011 Mazda2 Sport starts at $14,730 and the Touring model starts at $16,185. Both the Sport and Touring come with a 1.5-liter 100-horsepower engine and a five-speed manual transmission.

MSRP: $14,180 - $16,435
Invoice: $13,996 - $16,216
MPG: 29 (Est) City / 35 (Est) Hwy

Purchase Deal

0% APR for up to 60 months plus no payments for 90 days
Expires: 08/31/11

2011 Toyota Camry (August 2011)

The Camry was last redesigned for the 2008 model year. Some material used in this review may refer to earlier model years that are substantially similar. The Camry is available in a stripped-down base model, a better-equipped LE edition, a sport-tuned SE model and a top-of-the-line XLE trim level. The 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid, a close variant of the gas-only Camry, is reviewed separately.

Shoppers might want to note that 2007 through 2010 Camry sedans were included in a pair of massive and highly-publicized recalls due to allegations that a Camry, under certain conditions, could accelerate even when its driver wasn’t touching the gas pedal. A Toyota spokesperson tells us that the 2011 Camry’s accelerator pedal is a new design that's not affected by the recalls. The 2011 Toyota Camry is also one of the first Toyotas to feature a new brake override system, which ensures that the engine can’t cause the car to accelerate while the brake pedal is being pressed. There have been no allegations of unintended acceleration regarding the 2011 Toyota Camry, but it has only been on the market for a very short time.

MSRP: $19,820 - $29,470
Invoice: $18,530 - $26,816
MPG: 22 City / 33 Hwy

Purchase Deal

0% financing for 60 months plus $500 bonus cash OR $1,000 cash back

Notes: May not be available in all regions.

Expires: 09/06/11

2011 Ford Fusion (August 2011)

Because the Ford Fusion experienced a refresh in 2010, the 2011 model is largely unchanged. However, it does receive a few updates, like HD radio, MyKey and available rain sensing windshield wipers.

The Fusion is available in S, SE, SEL and Sport trims, and is offered with three engines: a 2.5-liter I-4 engine, a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine and a 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine. The sport trim is set apart because of its standard features: a more powerful engine -- the 3.5-liter Duratec V6 -- a six-speed automatic transmission and 18 inch five-spoke aluminum wheels.

MSRP: $19,820 - $28,745
Invoice: $18,567 - $26,400
MPG: 22 City / 32 Hwy

Purchase Deal

0% APR for 60 months plus $500 cash OR $2,500 cash back

Notes: May not be available in all regions.

Expires: 09/05/11

2011 Hyundai Tucson (August 2011)

The 2011 Hyundai Tucson has three trims: GL, GLS and Limited models. The GLS and Limited models have a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and optional all-wheel drive. The GL trim has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. A manual transmission is standard on the base GL. The upper trims receive a six-speed automatic transmission.

MSRP: $18,895 - $26,345
Invoice: $18,215 - $25,028
MPG: 22 City / 30 Hwy

Purchase Deal

1.9% APR for 36 months

Notes: May not be available in all regions.

Expires: 08/31/11

2011 Nissan Altima (August 2011)

The 2011 Nissan Altima is available as a sedan and a coupe. The base sedan is a stripped-down 2.5 model, but you can upgrade to a well-equipped 2.5S, or a V6-powered 3.5SR. Coupe editions are available only in 2.5S or 3.5SR trim. The base sedan starts at $19,900, and the 3.5SR starts at $24,740, and quickly reaches $30,000 with optional packages.

The Nissan Altima is largely unchanged for the 2011 model year.

MSRP: $20,270 - $30,540

Invoice: $19,431 - $28,294

MPG: 23 City / 31 Hwy

Purchase Deal

0% APR for 60 months, 1.9% APR for 72 months OR $1,500 cash back
Expires: 08/31/11