Gasoline and diesel prices continue to drop from the week before. The national gasoline average is now more than a dollar cents below the price this time last year—$1.03. Diesel fuel is now 60.1 cents below this time last year. National retail fuel price averages Price Change from last week Regular gasoline/gallon $2.07 ↓ .15 Diesel fuel/gallon $2.81 ↓ .14 Regional regular gasoline prices Price Change from last week East Coast $2.11 ↓ .16 -New England $2.12 ↓ .17 -Central Atlantic $2.21 ↓ .18 -Lower Atlantic $2.04 ↓ .14 Midwest $1.93 ↓ .13 Gulf Coast $1.96 ↓ .14 Rocky Mountain $2.03 ↓ .22 West Coast $2.36 ↓ .18 -California $2.37 ↓ .18 Source: Energy Information Administration, 11/17/08. Figures rounded to the nearest cent. For more information on saving fuel see our reports on how to get the best gas mileage and where to find the cheapest gas.

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As we wind down our coverage of the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show car and component extravaganza in Las Vegas, CR’s attendees have been reflecting on the vehicles that made the greatest impression. It truly takes something special to stand out among the hundreds upon hundreds of vehicles on display. After all, these show vehicles have been specially prepared for this mega event, often built exclusively for showcasing the latest parts, trends, and building techniques. But, it isn’t always the fanciest car that fuels fantasies, nostalgia, or water-cooler discussions. Between writing more than 20 blog posts about this year’s show, a few team members shared their personal picks. A couple others, overwhelmed by the selection, simply couldn’t decide. John Galeotafiore: The 2009 Dodge Challenger was my clear. In my early driving days, I was the proud owner of a beat-up 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T. It had a powerful 383 cubic-inch motor with a four-barrel carburetor and four-speed manual transmission. It had the most unbridled power of any car I’ve driven to this day. The new Challenger pays homage to my old 1971 with all the technological advances that have come in the last 38 years. While the old car had power, its handling, ride, and comfort all left much to be desired. I’m sure Challenger purists would disagree, but I could see myself cruising to work every day in the ‘09 version, something that I wouldn’t have wanted to do in my ‘71. Gene Petersen: Domestic car makers draw on the past. You have to look back 40 years ago to what made Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors great and formidable car companies. All three automakers were not bashful at all in showing 1960s vintage Dodge Chargers, Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros, and Pontiac GTOs. These were and still are the cars that I dream of, and they were the cars that drew show goers like moths to a bright light. Yet, when looking at the late-model offerings, the car that appealed to me the most was the Ford Flex fitted with oversized wheels and tires. There were numerous Flex concepts on display, and they all looked as cool as the first-generation Scion xB in custom gear. Mike DiLauro: Over the past seven or so SEMA shows that I’ve attended, my favorite vehicle has most often been an SUV. This standout vehicle is usually outfitted for some kind of adventure, whether off-road or for the urban jungle. This year, like the rest of America, I’ve been more interested in downsized vehicles. So although I’m going to go small this year, it still has to be tricked out to inspire me, since SEMA is all about tuning an OE vehicle and making it into something completely new. I found the best expression of this from Scion. It is fitting that Scion would go to great lengths to live up to that intent. Within the line, the xB hits the sweet spot for tuning—it’s truly the tabula rasa of the auto…

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As we have expanded our portable GPS testing program, many readers have requested GPS buying advice and ratings on hiking handhelds inspiring the team here to hit the trails. We purchased a variety of models from Garmin and Magellan to evaluate. (We have heard from a smaller, though no less passionate, group of golfing enthusiasts, but the GPS team will not be hitting the links this year.) Trails have been trekked, dozens of geocaches found, and testing has been completed. We are now working on buying advice and Ratings. As promised, we’ll have the hiking GPS information live this month, leaving ample time for holiday shopping. As we get the big pieces together, our first review is of the affordable Garmin eTrex Venture HC. We found the eTrex Venture HC to be a great entry-level handheld device that is well-suited for the casual hiker or someone just getting started in geocaching. The other units evaluated are significantly more expensive, with additional features and in some cases much slicker overall packages. However, we found the eTrex Venture HC was equipped with the features that will matter most to the typical weekend adventurer. Read our Garmin eTrex Venture HC first look for the full story. We’ll have much more to report on hiking units in the days ahead. —Jeff Bartlett For more information on portable automotive GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums.

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Anyone who has attended the massive SEMA show in Las Vegas can attest that spending a fair bit of time as a pedestrian is necessary when taking in the giant car accessory and equipment event. The question is, how much? Being both a reporter and a glutton for punishment, I decided to find out this year. I borrowed a top-rated Omron Healthcare HJ-112 pedometer from our testing lab, strapped it on, and worked the show. The result? I walked, hobbled, and limped eight miles the first day, including schlepping from my hotel to the monorail to get to the show, and a leisurely stroll to dinner in the evening. The second day, I logged seven. By the third day, I was ready to give the Omron pedometer the rest of SEMA off and left it in my room. I knew all I needed to know: the show is huge and my dogs were barking. I figured I’d save a couple of ounces of weight for the remaining two days. Hey, every little bit helps. —Jim Travers Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA.

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As the portable GPS navigation market continues to grow, we are beginning to see creative aftermarket applications being developed. A notable new product seen at the SEMA show is the GPS-Buddy Connect. This product can be used as a standalone unit, but more interestingly, it can be paired with compatible Garmin units. Priced at $399, the GPS-Buddy Connect replaces the standard Garmin power cable to provide tracking and messaging features. The tracking feature could enable companies to manage their fleets or parents to monitor their child’s driving. The GPS-Buddy also allows users to communicate with two-way text messaging by using the touchscreen keypad. The software to enable these features is standard on many Garmin GPS devices, though the list posted online does not include the current-generation products, such as the basic Nuvi 205 or voice-recognition Nuvi 880. Another interesting feature is the ability to send new destinations to the device—again, a potentially useful tool for businesses. The connectivity for these features requires a GPS-Buddy Web-based Data Service Plan. This also allows a user to view updates of a vehicle’s location, speed, and status every 60 seconds, reflected on the GPS-Buddy Web site. The Web-based service has different pricing options, with $24.99 per month being typical. —Frank Spinelli Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA. For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums.

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Wandering the seemingly-endless show floor at the SEMA show, sometimes you see a product that stops you in your zombie-like tracks and simply invokes a “Why didn’t I think of that?” response. This year’s entry: the Cargo Sock. (Not to be confused with the AutoSock for tires.) As I wrote recently in a Personal Pick, I find that my minivan does almost everything that an SUV can do. But neither is quite as good as a pickup truck for hauling loose, messy loads. Sure, I throw down an old blanket in the back to ease cleaning, but that doesn’t do much to protect the side panels or headliner. The battle scars, er, scratches in the back of my Odyssey are testament to this. The $200-$240 Cargo Sock is basically a big nylon bag that envelopes the entire cargo bay of a mid-sized or large SUV. (Other sizes, including small SUVs and minivans, are coming soon.) You suspend the sock sack inside using straps through the side and rear doors and over the roof. A flap covers the vehicle’s rear bumper when unloading, and a clever clear plastic window lets you see out of your rear window. This looks like a clever way to extend the usefulness of your SUV while protecting it at the same time. —Tom Mutchler Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA.

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Conventional wisdom says that manual transmissions deliver better gas mileage than an automatic, especially if the majority of your driving is done on highways. A stick shift may also give you improved acceleration (particularly helpful if the car’s got a small engine) and the unquantifiable fun factor (many drivers feel that driving a manual is really driving). But do these old adages still hold true? Consumer Reports purchased and tested numerous vehicles in the past few months in both manual and automatic form to see. In the subsequent tests, we’ve found that a stick shift can improve gas mileage by a notable 2 to 5 mpg, compared with an automatic transmission, and can cut a car’s price by $800 to $1,200. But there are downsides to driving “old school.” For example, not as many vehicles are still available with a manual; you need some experience to operate a stick shift and clutch smoothly; getting going with a manual transmission on hills can be a challenge (think San Francisco); and driving a manual in city traffic can be a tiring hassle (push the clutch in, let it out…). Depending on the model, a manual may also make it harder to sell your car since many people are intimidated by the aforementioned list of living with a stick-shift car. See the highlights in the accompanying video, and read the larger report, “Save gas and money with a manual transmission.” –Desiree Calamari

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Gasoline and diesel prices continue to drop from the week before. The national gasoline average is now 88.7 cents below the price this time last year. Diesel fuel has fallen below $3 / gallon, and it is now 48.1 cents below this time last year. National retail fuel price averages Price Change from last week Regular gasoline/gallon $2.22 ↓ .18 Diesel fuel/gallon $2.94 ↓ .14 Regional regular gasoline prices Price Change from last week East Coast $2.22 ↓ .18 -New England $2.27 ↓ .18 -Central Atlantic $2.39 ↓ .17 -Lower Atlantic $2.18 ↓ .19 Midwest $2.06 ↓ .18 Gulf Coast $2.10 ↓ .13 Rocky Mountain $2.26 ↓ .23 West Coast $2.53 ↓ .21 -California $2.56 ↓ .23 Source: Energy Information Administration, 11/10/08. Figures rounded to the nearest cent. For more information on saving fuel see our reports on how to get the best gas mileage and where to find the cheapest gas.

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Infiniti’s mid-size sedan, the M, has been around for quite some time, but it’s still one of our favorite luxury sport sedans. We lived with an M45 for a full year, and not once did it require repairs. Even those in the office who didn’t initially understand the M45’s place in the automotive world came [...]

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As I drove home in the CLS last night, I couldn’t stop thinking about Jaguar’s XF. The Mercedes has a dramatic presence that the XF is missing. I don’t find the CLS gorgeous - especially the headlights - but it does stand out in the crowd. What a great concept Mercedes has. Build the E-Class [...]

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