The annual Pittsburgh International Auto Show is set to get under way tomorrow at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. And if you think that the sour economy means there won't be much to see this year in the way of new cars and trucks, think again.

As sales slip, automakers are working harder than ever to get your attention. And that means that there are dozens of exciting new models to catch your eyes at this year's show. From the fuel-sipping Honda Insight to the gorgeous Volvo XC60 to the peppy Kia Soul, there's something for car buyers of every stripe this year.

• Show still has some must-see models
It's that time again. Pittsburgh's International Auto Show gets under way tomorrow.

• Station wagon, meet the crossover
Call out the cavalry. Phone the fire department. And while you're at it, go ahead and summon the Marines, too. The battered, pockmarked auto industry is under siege.

• Acura TL is luxurious but trips over technology
Acura peaked early. Like a sports team that looks unbeatable early in the season but folds when the competition gets tough, Acura burst out of the gate strong but has faded down the stretch.

• A4 roomier after remake
Look into the eyes of the Audi A4 and you get a sense of its soul.

• Corvette sports most speed, power and cost ever
Sometimes you know you're in the presence of something special. Thousands of people felt the thrill as Justin Verlander closed in on a no-hitter for the Tigers in 2007.

• Dodge Ram pickup has styling flair, innovation
As bad news swirls around Chrysler, the 2009 Dodge Ram pickup arrives to remind us that the automaker is very good at some important things.

• Electric car a bid for 'sustainable' leadership
The electric vehicle Ford Motor Co. announced last month at the Detroit auto show is part of an array of products that the automaker will offer as it waits to learn what type of alternative vehicles consumers will prefer, company Chairman Bill Ford Jr. told the Free Press.

• Honda Fit's interior has room to fit plenty
Riddle me this, Batman: When is a fuel-efficient subcompact not? Answer: When it's the 2009 Honda Fit. Appearances can be deceiving, and seldom more so than in the case of the 2009 Honda Fit.

• Genesis a big leap for Hyundai
If you can't build a great car, build a car with a lot of great stuff in it. That strategy has served Hyundai well.

• Lincoln MKS inspired by 1941 Continental
Ford Motor Co. went back to the future in designing its 2009 Lincoln MKS as the flagship of the company's luxury brand.

• Mercedes BlueTEC has luxury, technology
Technology occasionally trumps style, as in the 2009 Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC sedan. Sleek, statement-making Mercedes styling is readily evident, to be sure.

• Versa a top choice among small cars
Bargain hunters, rejoice! Automakers are again competing to claim the lowest price on a new car. And plummeting pump prices make these high-mileage models even more affordable.

• Pontiac G8: Bavarian look from Down Under
Pontiac's G8 is an American sport sedan with a Bavarian personality, inside and out.

• Saturn Astra XR a snazzy compact sports coupe
Less than a year after it debuted in the United States as a replacement for the Ion, Saturn's Astra XR has proved itself to be a snazzy sports coupe that's a fun, stylish ride.

• Suzuki Equator is one hot pickup
First impressions can be important when it comes to cars and trucks. The 2009 Suzuki Equator pickup sure made a good one. Not on me. On my wife.

• The Green Car of the Year: The Jetta TDI
The conventional wisdom that ultra-environmental vehicles must be tiny and impractical or festooned with expensive hybrid technology got a kick in the teeth as the diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta TDI won the Green Car of the Year award at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

---

• Some car companies, dealerships thriving
The nation's automotive landscape is suffering a deluge of poor sales, closing dealerships and layoffs. But not every car brand has been engulfed.