Drivers should be able to concentrate fully on the road ahead. That's obvious. Yet, all too often, half-hidden and hazily-marked controls make driving more difficult and complicated rather than easier.

Not everyone grasps the meaning of the little pictorial icons that identify so many controls and functions these days, as actual descriptive words disappear from our dashboards and door panels. If letters of the alphabet appear at all, chances are they're obtuse abbreviations or acronyms that leave some drivers bewildered. Sure, we know that "AC" probably stands for air conditioning; but many of the two- and three-letter combinations in today's cars are far less obvious.

Engineers have to believe they're making driving easier–and safer–by moving toward modern control layouts. Yet, not everyone benefits equally. Steering-wheel controls for such features as the audio system and cruise control, for instance, are considered safer because the driver can use them while keeping hands on the wheel. True enough, but that's only helpful if the driver understands what each of those little buttons does.

Electronic control adds another dimension to the problem, and it's partly a generational issue. Younger people tend to favor electronic selection methods, whether to simply tune the radio or to program a host of comfort/convenience functions. Those of us who learned to drive on simpler vehicles, with far fewer controls, lean toward the simplicity offered by ordinary rotary knobs, clearly-identified buttons, and mechanical levers.

Interior designers like to believe their cars' control systems are intuitive, meaning drivers should quickly grasp how to operate them. If only that were true. As more features are added to vehicles, even the elementary tasks of driving inevitably become less obvious.

BMW's iDrive system gets the credit–or the blame–for the invasion of electronic control, though several other luxury-car makers use similar setups. Making so many tasks controllable by a single, central knob and pattern of pushbuttons on the console is supposed to let us do everything without taking eyes off the road more than momentarily. For those who "get it," that's a big step forward. For the rest, these systems violate a basic rule: You shouldn't have to study the owner's manual to figure out the simplest tasks, like picking out a radio station or switching from FM to XM.

Building a small-block Chevrolet V-8 engine has been an enthusiast rite of passage for decades, though the classic art may be lost on today’s electronics-driven youth. For those well-heeled Corvette Z06 and ZR1 buyers who are so inclined, Chevrolet is offering to let them build an LS7 or LS9 engine for their car at General Motor’s Performance Build Center (PBC) in Wixom, Michigan.

The rare experience costs $5,800—on top of the car’s purchase price. Not to worry: The engine is covered by the traditional five year, 100,000-mile warranty.

Chevrolet has not offered to allow enthusiasts to just build themselves an engine, or build one for regular production use.

Read our 2010 Corvette Grand Sport and 2009 Corvette Z06 reviews.

Check out our Chevrolet Research Center, with quick access to pricing, photos, reviews, and more.

It sounds like a late-night informercial. Act now. Don’t delay. Operators are standing by.

It may be gimmicky, but this new pledge program should bolster consumer confidence and fuel sales—something Chrysler Group needs. The program is simple: Any customer who buys a car starting in July will be able to return a new vehicle within 60 days if they are not satisfied. And Chrysler will cover the first two payments, up to $500 a month. Now underway, the program is available on most 2010 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram Truck vehicles.  

To further sweeten the pot, Chrysler is offering zero-percent financing and rebates on most 2010 models through August 2nd. It is important to note, that customers can choose from the offers, but in most cases, they cannot be combined—including the 60-day return program. More...

Honda will expand its product line in late August with the CR-Z, a sporty compact that is the 21st-century interpretation of the classic CRX hatchback. Like its inspiration, the two-seat CR-Z is stylish, agile, and frugal. Designed for a new era, the CR-Z is derived from a platform shared with the current five-door Insight and it likewise uses a hybrid powertrain. Priced just under $20,000, at $19,950 with the $750 destination charges, the CR-Z aims at drivers who want a balance of fun and thrift. (Read our Honda Insight review.)

Underhood is a 1.5-liter iVTEC four-cylinder engine fitted with an Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system to provide an electric supplement to the small-displacement engine. The driver can choose from three modes to match performance to the mood, with Sport, Normal, and Econ adjusting powertrain responsiveness accordingly. Two transmissions are offered, a six-speed manual and a continuously variable tranny. The stick shift is more fun, but the CVT is more efficient, rated at 35 mpg city, 39 mpg highway. The CVT gets 37 mpg overall, besting the manual’s modest 34 mpg. For such a slight car, these figures don’t impress. (The Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Fiesta will both deliver better highway figures, with a lower purchase price and no hybrid complexity.)  More...

For the first time in 24 years, domestic automotive brands bested imports in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). Released today, the latest study shows the industry average is 109 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100). Domestic brands increased by four points this year, averaging 108 PP100, edging out imports with 109 PP100.
Looking at specific brands, imports still lead. The above-average brands in rank order: Porsche (83), Acura (86), Mercedes-Benz (87), Lexus (88), Ford (93), Honda (95), Hyundai (102), Lincoln (106), Infiniti (107), and Volvo (109).

J.D Power says that Ford has improved steadily over the past nine years, and it points out that General Motors has 10 models that rank in the top three in their segments. However, Toyota saw its problem count increase 16 this year to 117 PP100, moving it from 6th to the 21st position for 2010.

Among the findings, J.D. Power points out that all-new and redesigned models tend not to fair as well, though this year there were several fresh vehicles that performed well, including Ford Mustang, Ford Taurus, Honda Accord Crosstour, and Lexus GX 460. The Ford Fusion, Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe and sedan and Porsche Panamera had notably high initial quality levels. More...

Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga threw a perfect game last week against the Cleveland Indians, but an umpire famously called the final batter safe in a close play at first. On replay, he was most definitely not safe. The umpire issued heart-felt apologies and Galarraga took it in stride, exhibiting more grace than most players could probably muster. His reward: growing fan adoration and a brand-new 2010 Chevrolet Corvette convertible.

In a sharp move, Chevrolet presented the pitcher with a high-performance consolation prize. The $53,000 netted Chevy about $8.9 million in media exposure, including this blog, according to a study by Joyce Julius & Associates Inc.

Definitely a feel-good story all around. Should Chevrolet want to spread more good will, we’d welcome a six-speed coupe.

Read our 2010 Chevrolet Corvette review. Check out our Chevrolet Research Center, with quick access to pricing, photos, reviews, and more.