LEV II aka LEV II LEV (Low Emission Vehicle)

The LEV II program became the new emissions standard starting in 2004. LEV II established new categories (such as SULEV), radically reduced nitrogen oxide pollution, clamped down on evaporative emissions (fuel vapors escaping from pollution-control hardware), and finally, applied a single standard to passenger cars, and most pickup trucks and SUVs. LEV II was rolled out between 2004 and 2007.

Just to make things confusing, the baseline, gotta-meet pollution standard in the LEV II program is also called LEV II. A LEV II car is pretty darn clean compared to a LEV car, with 75 percent fewer nitrogen oxide emissions. But LEV II pickup trucks and SUVs are radically cleaner than their LEV predecessors, emitting 25 percent to 91 percent fewer pollutants across the board. A LEV II vehicle must maintain this standard in its first 50,000 miles.

A note on diesels: now that ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel is available, new diesel cars should start showing up in the U.S. fairly soon. But only one new diesel car--Mercedes' vaunted BlueTec E320--has met California's LEV II standards. Honda claims a four-cylinder diesel debuting in 2009 will pass muster.

2006 Buick Lucerne

The bottom line: With plenty of standard onboard tech, a comfortable interior, and a premium V-8 under the hood, the 2006 Buick Lucerne CXS lives at the top end of the midrange sedan market. Unfortunately, its price tag suggests something more impressive.

2007 Volkswagen Touareg

The bottom line: The 2007 Volkswagen Touareg offers a solid driving experience, although it's too sluggish for fast maneuvers in traffic. The cabin tech needs an upgrade, something we hope to see in future models.

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