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10 most memorable cars and SUVs of 2019

It's no surprise that a car reviewer will drive a large number of cars over the course of a year. Indeed, when the clock strikes midnight on Dec 31, I will have driven 75 new cars, trucks and SUV this year (and one old Peugeot) over the course of weekly evaluation loans and first drive events. That sure seems like a lot. Some definitely got more attention than others, and some came and went without leaving much of an impression – I completely forgot I drove a Kia Forte. Yet in the spirit of this day, I thought I'd pick the 10 that I would love to see under the Christmas tree tomorrow morning. You know, just in case you were looking to get me something. I'll also throw in a couple disappointments that were memorable for the wrong reasons. They'd get sent back to the store on Boxing Day. Lexus LC 500 Pictured below and resplendent in its Flare Yellow metallic paint, the car that would reach highest on my list is the divine Lexus LC 500. As a devout lover of GT cars, the LC ticks all the boxes. Muscular and characterful engine? V8, check. Beautifully made and memorable interior? It's gorgeous, to hell with Remote Touch. Check. Comfortable and reasonably practical? Superb seats and, uh, yeah. Makes me want to stand there and stare at it? You bet. Though I long figured my heart would say LC but my head "Porsche 911," after this go-around, that's no longer the case. LC, pretty please. 2020-lexus-lc500-f34-2 View 19 Photos Polestar 1 I actually feel lucky that I got to drive the Polestar 1. Only 150 will be produced each year, and it's a far more special thing than it would initially appear. And that's despite initially appearing to be a beautiful, classic two-door GT car with a roof so rakish it's only possible because it's made of carbon fiber. That itÂ’s a massively powerful plug-in hybrid with more all-electric range than any other PHEV is a thick dollop of whipped cream on a slice of Toscakaka. You know, Swedish dessert, Swedish car. Fine, I'll stick to Ikea references.  Polestar1_Launch_SanFrancisco-0014 View 44 Photos Volvo V60 Cross Country Speaking of Sweden, did I drive this car off the road there? Sure did! And despite this, the V60 Cross Country scratches that certain wagon itch and looks sensational to boot. I wish it were available with the T8 plug-in hybrid powertrain, but it's best not to get greedy at Christmas.

Workers at Mississippi auto supplier protesting low wages

Workers at an automotive seat factory in Mississippi are protesting what they say are low wages and poor working conditions as they attempt to unionize in what could become a new front for the United Auto Workers in the state. A group of workers and supporters at the Faurecia SA seating plant in Cleveland plans a Tuesday march. "We work an auto job and we're getting paid like Wal-Mart wages," said Jamarqus Reed, a 32-year-old Pace resident who has worked at the plant for almost 10 years. "We're trying to better ourselves." Nationally, the UAW has staked its future on unionizing Southern auto factories, with limited success so far. The union has been trying to organize Nissan Motor Co.'s Canton, MS, plant for years, and lost a 2008 worker vote at a Johnson Controls plant in nearby Madison that French-based Faurecia bought in 2011. The UAW narrowly lost a unionization vote at the Volkswagen AG plant in Chattanooga, TN, last year, but the union has since qualified for a new labor policy at the plant that grants access to meeting space and to regular discussions with management. The policy stops short of collective bargaining rights. The union is also trying to organize Nissan's assembly plant in Smyrna, TN, and Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa, AL. Protesters say Faurecia employees make a top wage of $11.64 per hour, while contract workers make $7.73 an hour. Company spokesman Tony Sapienza said that with overtime, the typical Faurecia employee makes more than the $27,000 a year that is the median wage around Cleveland. Wages are often low in the heavily impoverished Delta. "We are very confident that we are offering a very competitive wage," Sapienza said. Organizers criticize use of lower-paid contract workers Shannon Greenidge, a 44-year-old Cleveland resident, said she worked for a labor agency for more than two years before being hired directly by Faurecia. Greenidge said she makes $9.29 an hour, and can't save for retirement or to send her 11-year-old daughter to college. "That's not going to help me down the line in life," she said. Union supporters say as many as half the workers at the plant work for a contract-labor agency. Sapienza said that while the number varies, the company expects 15 percent of its workforce will be temporary employees this year. The UAW has organized some Southern auto parts plants in recent years, including Faurecia plants in Cottondale, Alabama, in 2012 and Louisville, Kentucky in 2013.

Daimler opens the door on Car2go Black with B-Class carsharing

Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler has finally decided to go to its proverbial mothership to further expand its Car2go carsharing service in Europe. The German automaker has long used its itty-bitty Smart Fortwo vehicles for the program, but now it's kicking off a pilot program called Car2go Black that will share Mercedes-Benz B-Class models in Berlin and Hamburg. Daimler will deploy 100 B-Class diesels in each German city. The company says the cars will be parked at so-called "black" parking spots and won't have to be returned to the same spot when the user is done. Daimler, who says the reservation platform is geared for smartphone use, is planning to expand the program to other European cities with existing Car2go service starting this spring. That's important, since once the system is up an running, you will be able to drive a Car2go Black vehicle from one town in the network to another and not need to bring it back. Car2go first started operations in Ulm, Germany, and made its North American debut in Austin, TX, in 2009. The service now has more than 600,000 members worldwide with access to about 10,000 Fortwos in 25 cities throughout Europe and North America. Car2go chief marketing officer J. Paul DeLong said last month that Car2go is the world's largest global carsharing company. You can check out Daimler's Car2go Black press release below. car2go black: Carsharing with the three-pointed star STUTTGART, Germany, Feb. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Daimler Mobility Services offers carsharing with Mercedes-Benz vehicles for the first time Pilot Phase with 200 B-Class vehicles starts in mid- February in Hamburg and Berlin One-way trips and open-ended trips available, within and even between different cities Smartphone-based rental procedure makes usage both easy and flexible Daimler Mobility Services will soon be offering carsharing with the three-pointed star. Under the "car2go black" brand, Daimler Mobility Services GmbH will pilot a fully automated carsharing system with Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The pilot phase will begin in mid-February in Hamburg and Berlin. In the initial pilot phase, select car2go members in those locations can use a network of 200 black B-Class models on short notice. The vehicles can be rented at dedicated reserved parking stations, and do not have to be returned to the same dedicated parking station that the vehicle rental originated from.