"How the heck do I turn on the heater on this bloody car?" I almost screamed at my 11-year-old son while seriously editing my language and shivering while driving him to school in a 2009 Chrysler Town & Country. 49 — That's how many bottoms, knobs and dual function controls the Chrysler's center stack has, and that's not counting the dozen or more touch screen functions associated with the multimedia entertainment screen. 7 — That's how many functions you'll find on the key for the minivan including a remote start button.

As the first minivan for Volkswagen in six years, the 2009 Routan joins a long series of popular large and funky VW vehicles — the Microbus to the Vanagon. The new vehicle, available in 10 trims, hopes to appeal to the needs of large families seeking maximum passenger and cargo space. But the Routan has no easy path among 2009 minivan comparisons. The potential market share is tight, so the Routan will have to compete against segment leader Honda Odyssey as well as Chrysler's Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, its not-so-distant cousins.

Two things seemed odd about driving the 2009 Suzuki Equator. It’s the first time I’ve reviewed a new vehicle not yet available to the public. More relevant, with all the outdoors-type products Suzuki manufactures — motorcycles, dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles and marine equipment — it’s never made a pick-up.

One of the tangible but often unwritten tests of a new vehicle is its initial comfort. In short, does a car suit a driver without a lengthy technological learning curve? Maybe that makes me a simpleton, but there’s something to be said for an efficient, straightforward, no-nonsense car that doesn’t require intense reading to operate. And that’s an appropriate description for the 2008 Kia Rondo.

Looking to distance itself from the unpopular Freestyle, Ford decided to make a clean break, opting for a new name, new look and significant improvements. Although a practical seven-passenger vehicle, the car-based Freestyle never attracted much attention from car shoppers. It slid anonymously out of the Ford lineup after three years, replaced by the versatile 2008 Taurus X, another crossover wagon.

Taking another step from its uninspired, stodgy past, Volvo decided to pursue the makeover route for the XC70. Typically, there’s certainly nothing wrong with redesigns, they're sometimes long overdue. Not that the XC70 falls into that category, but it did emerge in 2008 as a more appealing vehicle. The remodeled vehicle is four inches longer overall and two longer in the wheelbase. It origin is Volvo’s premium sedan (S80), not the scaled down S60. The XC70 also has revised interior and exterior design.

If you’re shopping for a steroid-induced, compact hatchback, call off the search. Although not all aspects of the 2008 Volkswagen R32 are appealing, it will definitely satisfy your need for speed.

The “R” doesn’t stand for rich, but it could considering the price. At nearly $33,000, this is a fairly expensive hatchback. The “R” doesn’t stand for racy, either. But again, it could. For the record, the R32 gets its name from a 3.2-liter, V6 engine that cranks out  250 horsepower.

When regularly faced with full-sized chores, a full-size pickup is the way to go. Small trucks later came along for those who still enjoyed the versatility provided by a pickup, yet preferred a vehicle that wasn’t a headache to maneuver and park.

What has changed gradually is the emergence of mid-size trucks. And in the mid-1980s, Dodge was the first to design — a a new brand of pickup — the Dakota. It was introduced to admirably fill the gap between big and small. It could still carry a decent-size load, while also providing more refined ride than its heftier, older relative, the Dodge Ram.

Although hardcore truck owners feel they need a big, beefy V-8 vehicle for hauling anything from a load of dirt to large plywood planks, that same requirement is rarely needed among the masses.

Recognizing the need for a truck that can provide both comfort and versatility, Honda unveiled the Ridgeline several years ago to a mostly U.S. market with the idea that this crew cab pickup would be a wonderful cross between a sports utility vehicle and a truck. But the 2007 Ridgeline is beefed up and will even make big-truck buyers happy.

With its 2008 models, Subaru begins its second decade of offering only all-wheel drive as a standard feature throughout its line — Forester, Impreza, Legacy, Outback and Tribeca.

Subaru is the only manufacturer that offers AWD in every car, and that guarantees one quality. All Subarus corner and maneuver under any circumstance like no other vehicle. The ride is steady and sure and drivers have few concerns in inclement weather, during sharp cornering or on rough roads.