Fun to drive in 2005

This year's batch of new cars represents a mix of excitement and practicality, as well as a growing collection of hybrid vehicles. Here are 10 standouts that are most likely to turn heads on the highway.

Take all the attributes of the regular Mini - conversation-starting looks, solid build, great economy - then make the top go down. For sun seekers looking for grins and attention, what could be more fun? The top has a half-open "targa" position for those sunny, crisp fall days. The back seat loses a lot of space to the folding top, but the Mini was never much more than a two-seater anyway. The convertible is available as a basic Mini or a high-performance S model. If you don't mind the tight space, you'll get a lot of smiles for the money.

$20,950 27/35 m.p.g. city/highway

Soccer moms waited a long time for an Odyssey makeover. The old model lasted seven years and put many buyers on waiting lists. But the Toyota Sienna upstaged Honda last year with its back seat that folds away in two sections, side-curtain air bags, and roll-down side windows. The new Odyssey offers that and more. A new engine generates more power and better fuel economy - three of its six cylinders shut down when not needed. Unfortunately, Honda did not offer the fold-away second-row seats or all-wheel-drive found in other minivans.

$25,510 20/28 m.p.g.

Since its inception in 1953, the Corvette has been an American icon, bred to compete with the exotic sports cars of Europe. And new versions of this racer don't come out often. Not surprisingly, the debut of this sixth-generation model has the automotive world atwitter. The latest design, informally called the C6 (for sixth-generation Corvette), is smaller and more powerful than the C5. With better handling and a stiffer body structure, the new model is a precision scalpel compared with the former version, which was more like a brute dagger.

$44,245 18/28 m.p.g.

General Motors calls it a "mild-hybrid" and environmentalists don't know whether to laugh or cry. Unlike other hybrids, the electric motor in the Sierra contributes nothing to the truck's motion. But it does serve as a generator when the truck is parked. It's the ultimate tailgating machine, providing juice to four standard household outlets (two in the bed, two in the cab) to run power tools, electric grills, refrigerators, and so on. Like other hybrids, the Sierra's engine shuts down at stoplights, allowing it to gain about 2 miles per gallon on the EPA city mileage rating. The electric motor seamlessly restarts the gasoline V8 as soon as the driver releases the brake. If it doesn't merit the "hybrid" badge, the Sierra shows that no new car should idle anymore. GM promises to install a full hybrid system into these trucks next year, boosting fuel economy by 15 to 20 percent.

$38,185 18/21 m.p.g.

Welcome to the first luxury-car hybrid. Due in February, the 400h is the top-of-the-line version of Lexus's popular RX330 SUV, with seating for five, a generous cargo hold, beautiful leather and wood interior, and every electronic aid imaginable. This expansion of the Toyota Motor Assist hybrid system gives the 400h 270 horsepower with all-wheel-drive. Mileage ratings have yet to be announced, but figure around 30 miles per gallon. Expect the price to be around $50,000.

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