Lexus HS250h unveiled at Detroit auto show 2009

By Tim Pollard Motor Shows 12 January 2009 13:47 Lexus showed off its latest hybrid car at this week’s Detroit auto show 2009: the new HS250h. The new combination of letters and numbers confirm this is a new additional petrol-electric hybrid to sit alongside the existing models such as the GS450h, RX450h and LS600h. It’s shorter than, but as wide as, the Lexus IS and is in the compact executive mould.

NHTSA report: Audi S8 tops 2009 theft rates

The Audi S8 and the Toyota Camry stood out among the most stolen 2009 passenger vehicles in a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The just-released report tracked theft rates for all new 2009 passenger vehicles stolen that year. It excludes most SUVs and pickups, so the Cadillac Escalade won't make this list.

BMW X5 (F15)

This is the new, third generation BMW X5, the biggest-selling SUV in its segment with over 1.3 million sold since the first was launched in 1999. While the previous versions have sat more in the high-riding wagon space (BMW prefers to call them Sports Activity Vehicles), this latest F15 model appears to have shifted closer to a more traditional SUV, appearing taller and less ‘squat', certainly than the car it replaces. This is partly due to the DLO, which dips down behind the A-pillar, creating a deep window.