One of the best parts about being a member of the Autoblog team, besides all the chicks and autograph requests, is driving some of the best vehicles in the world and writing about it here. When it comes to hybrids, though, we tend to leave the heavy lifting to our brethren over at AutoblogGreen, and our eco-conscious friends never let us down. Gang green got their hands on a 2008 Chevy Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid, and they knocked the review right out of the park. Hit the link below to see how a Tahoe with two electric motors and a 300-volt battery pack fared, i.e. what kind of mileage it achieved.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Despite a number of great coupe offerings recently, two-door hatchbacks have sold rather badly in this country in the past few years. Volvo, however, thinks the best way it can compete in the coupe niche is by resurrecting the 1971 P1800ES. And if you ask us, they could be right.

The Volvo C30 is an odd car when seen among SUV-filled American traffic. Its relatively tall, stubby nose juts out from the headlight-capped fenders wrapped snugly around 18-inch alloys. The front fender line continues as the car’s full length shoulder, and just beyond the doors, widens to become the rear fender and taillights. It’s a dramatic look that lets the C30 trick those on the outside into seeing a much smaller vehicle than it actually is.

In back, you might first think the hatch opening would be huge, but only the rear glass opens, reminding us of another favorite two-door hatchback: the BMW Z Coupe. But unlike the Bimmer, the Volvo has some usable space back there, though it’s not that easy to access through the small opening. There are also two more seats than in the Z, and more than adequate head and leg room for all passengers. We don’t recommend the C30 for cross-country trips with all the kids, but singles, young couples and maybe a small, light-traveling family will find it big enough for daily use and possibly even weekend treks.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Ford knew what it was doing handing me the keys to a 2008 Ford Taurus Limited AWD. I’m a self-professed Taurus fan, counting the 1991 Ford Taurus SHO Plus as one of my favorite cars of all time. I consider the Taurus one of the most influential cars in the history of the American auto industry. I even read a book about it called “Car: A Drama of the American Workplace” by Mary Walton. That makes me, like, an expert on the subject. Unfortunately, by the time production of the Taurus ended in late October of 2006, it had come to represent Ford’s over-reliance on fleet sales rather than its cutting edge innovation.

When a CEO from Kansas named Alan Mulally took over as CEO of Ford last September, one of his first actions in office was to announce that the Taurus name would return in 2008, replacing the forgettable Five-Hundred and Freestyle badges affixed to Ford’s large sedan and wagon. So here we are, reviewing the 2008 Ford Taurus, and along with a new name, it’s got an updated design and more powerful engine. Does the new Taurus do the old one any justice? More importantly, is it a better car than the Five-Hundred it replaces? All those questions and more will be answered after the jump.

Source[AutoBlog]