Too many questions in the world of autos

As I sit in the American Airlines terminal of Bradley International airport, waiting out a five-hour delay en route to the Texas Truck Rodeo, I have some time on my hands to ponder all things automotive.

Reflecting back on a busy week driving different cars, some questions come to mind:

• Why does a $19,000 Volkswagen Rabbit have a clock that's easier to adjust than a $50,000 BMW?
• Why does our new Subaru Impreza WRX (complete with a wicked-fast 224-hp turbocharged engine) not come with a trip computer but instead only gives you an "average MPG" readout? I can understand the manufacturer wanting to save the cost of a real trip computer, but I can't imagine anyone buying a car like the WRX is overly obsessed with fuel economy. I'd be more worried about how much fuel range is left after frequently dipping into that power. It seems like a strange decision.
• Why does Mercedes think its cars should be smarter than me? When I drive the S-Class, I really like the cooled seats and I've (finally) come to master many of the car's complex controls. However, when I've got the seats blowing cool air all over my back, and the trip computer giving me the "distance to empty" readout, I want these settings to still be the default when I turn the car on again. Why do the engineers insist on turning everything off rather than leaving it the way I left it?
• Why does the base, $23,000 Volvo C30 not come with standard cruise control? Even the most basic Hyundai Sonata comes with this feature.
• I often used our Ford F-250 heavy-duty pickup truck this summer and actually utilized the truck for what it was designed for--serious work chores. But why would anyone drive this rig everyday and put up with the harsh ride, incredible noise and rotten fuel economy (10 mpg, overall, in our tests) if the bed and hauling capacities weren't being used? I appreciate the irony that I'm about to board a plane to the heart of truck country, but are there really people out there who drive 2500-series trucks as a daily commuter car? With consistently empty beds and nothing to tow?
• Why do some (but not all) state and/or local municipalities give hybrid vehicles special permission to drive in certain highway lanes--for example, the Lexus RX400h, which got 23 mpg overall--but not allow a fuel-sipping, non-hybrid model (like the manual transmission Honda Fit, which got 34 mpg)?
• Why isn't satellite radio standard on every car? Or an auxiliary jack for iPods?
• Will the upcoming Dodge Challenger help to turn around Chrysler's latest streak of so-so cars, or deflate the high-octane dreams of musclecar enthusiasts? (See our tests of the new-ish Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Caliber, Dodge Nitro, and Jeep Patriot.)
• Will the Chevy Camaro get here soon enough to be a sales rival to the Challenger?
• Will my plane ever get here?

Check back later for reports from the Texas Truck Rodeo. Until then, what questions do you have for and about the auto industry? Use the Comments function below.

--Mike Quincy