New Style : 2010 GMC Terrain

It should come as little surprise that the new GMC Terrain, a corporate twin to the redesigned Chevrolet Equinox, retains most of its sibling's strengths and weaknesses. The wild card — or, more appropriately, the elephant in the design studio — is the Terrain's styling. If it works for you, the Terrain is every bit as competitive as the Equinox. One caveat, however: Unless you need the towing capacity, avoid the V-6. The Terrain shows its best colors in four-cylinder form.

In ascending order, trim levels include the SLE1, SLE2, SLT1 and SLT2. All four come standard with the four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional on any trim, and the V-6 is optional on all but the SLE1. On each trim, you get a little added content if you choose the GMC version versus the Chevy, which accounts for the Terrain's higher price.

Nissan’s stylised next-generation 2010 Micra

Nissan’s stylised design sketch of its next-generation 2010 Micra – due to appear in showrooms next summer – might have sparked some speculation that the perennial grandmothers’ favourite will be transformed into a funky, sporty hatch in its next life.

But these leaked official drawings, which reveal the true proportions of the production version, show that once the oversized wheels are removed, the new Nissan Micra will be a much less adventurous proposition.