2013 Audi RS5 Cabriolet review

All in all, the RS5 Cabrio is for RS-line enthusiasts; we love it, but there are smarter buys out there

I'm surprised to find I have mixed feelings about this 2013 Audi RS5 Cabriolet, as I've always admired both the A5 and especially the S5. The coupe version's muscular exterior is one of my favorites compared to other sports coupes and sedans, and the S5 in particular is notably fun to drive.

Step up to the RS tuned by Audi's in-house Quattro GmbH performance freaks and, not having driven an S5 in quite some time, the 4.2-liter normally aspirated V8 engine stands out immediately as the star of this show. It cranks out 117 additional horsepower compared to the S model, though torque drops by 8 lb-ft.

2014 Mazda3 drive review

The 2014 Mazda3 goes on sale in September of this year.

What is it?

You'll have to forgive Mazda for tooting its own horn, but the company claims it “revitalized” the compact car segment back in 2003 when the first Mazda3 was introduced, a shark amongst beige Civic and Corolla minnows. We personally think the Ford Focus revitalized the segment earlier, and the Shelby Omni GLHS before that, but that's another story for another time. Nevertheless, Mazda's great lil' 3 has always been a darling of the C-Segment class, since it's at least somewhat involving to drive. (See our Mazdaspeed 3 review notes for a torrid example of the model.)

2014 Porsche 911 GT3 drive review

For the first time, Porsche is offering rear-wheel steering.

What is it?

Geneva auto show, Switzerland, March 4, 2013: Latest-generation Porsche 911 GT3 world premiere. “The performance figures will really surprise you,” says Porsche's development boss Wolfgang Hatz, beaming with pride after whipping the covers off the new car. “But it is not the performance figures that make it so memorable. It is the emotional appeal. It gets under your skin.”

It isn't every day a German engineer suggests driving his latest car will be emotional. But Hatz, credited with engineering the original BMW M3 engine and laying the groundwork for Formula One's switch to turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engines in 2014, is passionate about performance. As tradition dictates, the new 911 GT3 has plenty. Loads, in fact.

2013 BMW Alpina B7 xDrive review

We all could agree that the B7 is a rocket

The latest 7-Series is really special. Decent chassis and a great lineup of engines make the 7 a blast to hustle and a joy to cruise the freeway in. With the Alpina B7, you just turn that up a notch or two.

The interior is a little showier, the exterior styling is a touch more flamboyant and -- at least in our case -- you get purple-ish paint. That's hilarious, because with 540-hp and almost as many torques, this thing will generate enough forward momentum to force slower traffic into the right lane as if by magnetic force -- and then you've got this massive purple thing just screaming by people, at the state-mandated maximum speed, of course. For other drivers, it must be like suddenly catching sight of a purple train (see what I did there?) rolling up in the left lane.

BMW i3 drive review

We were surprised and impressed with the i3's pure agility thanks to its low weight

First previewed as a concept in 2011, the advanced electric-powered BMW i3 is the BMW i brand's first model. The contemporary four-seat hatch has progressed to the pre-production stage with North American sales set for March 2014.

2013 Chrysler Town & Country Limited review

The T&C offers an upscale alternative to those in the minivan market

When the current Chrysler minivan came out five years ago, it was packed with innovative features. There were the Stow 'N' Go, Swivel 'N' Go seats, tailgate rear bench, a table that popped up in the middle, handy kid-monitor rear view mirror, rear seat entertainment galore and a host of other features. It was the ultimate family van. Five years later, as the competition has evolved around it, it is still up there with the best of the class.

2013 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged review

The new Land Rover tips the scales at 700 lbs less than the outgoing model, weighing 5,701 lbs

I love this 2013 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged. Not going deny it. I drove it in rainy and muddy Morocco on the preview. From that experience I wrote things like “we weren't impressed that the truck handled it all [I was referring to the nasty Moroccan roads made worse from all the rain]. Of course it did -- we expected nothing less. What did impress us was the ease and smoothness with which it took everything we could throw at it on road and off. It drives like the best luxury cars…”

2014 Volkswagen Golf GTD drive review

A diesel among diesels.

“Pozdamer Platz,” mused your author's companion. "You wanna yell it, like, 'POTZDAMER PLATZ!'” For about 20 minutes, we did just that. We did it in the most grating, Sgt. Schultzian manner possible. Your author on the shy side of 40; his companion a few years over the line, both acting like the metallic teenage chuckleheads we'd been back when Berlin was still two cities. We really should've been blaring Accept to complete the tableau. Upon seeing a sign for Spandau: “Vee are going to Spandau! Vee vant to see the ballet!” If you grew up during the Cold War, this city impacted you in ways you won't even realize until you're actually faced with the place.

2014 Ford Mustang GT coupe review

We loved the Mustang's styling as well, a classic shape but not over the top

What a fantastic car. I'll be sad to see this generation of Mustang go. Want a road trip-capable commuter that'll beat up on high-dollar sports cars with a couple of cheap bolt-ons come track day? Here it sits. Sure, the interior's a little cheap for 2013 and the very good Recaros sit way too high, but that's about the extent of my griping. Besides, as I've said before: if you're in this car and obsessing about the interior, you are horrible. You've got a naturally aspirated V8 turning gas into 420-hp and awesome noise under the hood. If you want, it'll turn your tires into melted rubber. It'll turn your red light into a staging light and your work parking lot into one of those gymkhana videos. It looks great. Mustangs are a little common, but they can be optioned and accessorized into statement-makers. For true enthusiasts with a bit more than $30k to spend, there isn't a better value proposition on the market.

2013 Honda Pilot Touring review

A 3.5-liter V6 making 250 hp and 253 lb-ft of torque propels the Pilot

When Honda rolled out the second-generation Pilot, they made it a point to make it look more like a truck. Hence its squared-off appearance that's reminiscent of the full-frame midsize SUVs of old. Personally, I have a soft spot for things like the Toyota 4Runner and previous Nissan Pathfinder, so I think Honda's decision to make the Pilot a little manlier was cool. It will be interesting to see what Honda does with the next Pilot, which I expect to land in the next year or so. Will they follow Nissan and soften it and make it more crossover-ish like the latest Pathfinder? Or will they stay boxy? I'm guessing the former as that will appeal to a wider range of people

2013 Volvo S60 T5 review

The 2013 Volvo S60 T5 AWD is powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged I5 producing 250 hp.

I thoroughly enjoyed our long-term Volvo S60 R-Design sedan last year, but I always thought that car was rather overpriced for its size and capabilities, coming in around $45,000. This T5 version, on the other hand, strikes me as a relative value in sports sedans with a sticker right at $38k.

2013 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L 70's Edition Convertible review

The 2013 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L 70's Edition Convertible is loud and a little slow. 

The Beetle is one of those cars that I would never buy, but I'm glad Volkswagen is making it. Sort of like the Nissan Cube. It's not for me.

Styling aside, it's pretty noisy with the convertible top letting in a lot of road and wind noise, which was made more painful by the fact that I had to listen to my phone through the phone speakers because there's no USB port. I suppose that's how they did it in the '70s. So where the heck is my eight-track!?

2012 Tesla Model S Drive review

The Model S in its industrial womb.

To the mass media, the Tesla Model S is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated models, if not the most anticipated model to hit the road this year. Since Elon Musk's EV concern showed a mock-up Model S prototype back in 2009, the Model S has been called everything from the salvation of the auto industry to abject vaporware.

2013 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG review

The CL63 AMG comes with a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 mated to a seven-speed multi-clutch sequential manual

Boy, does this 2013 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG ever make you feel filthy rich.

In weather like we had on my drive -- sheets of rain, standing water, little visibility -- my focus was basically not sliding into a curb or another car and pranging a $180,000 worth of gorgeous Benz. Mission accomplished.

2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 drive review

We found the new S-class to be fast, reasonably frugal, comfortable and quiet.

The new Mercedes-Benz S-class is quite possibly the most advanced road car ever. The big four-door sedan is coming to North American showrooms in September. It is a rolling technology fortress, the goal being to place it at the top of the luxury car ranks, ahead of traditional rivals such as the Audi A8, BMW 7-series, Jaguar XJ and Lexus LS, not to mention newer pretenders like the Porsche Panamera.

2012 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS Review

Suzuki Kizashi Sport

It cracks me up that this is called the Sport model. It's anything but. The combination of the four-cylinder and the continuously variable transmission just doesn't cut it. Add in all-wheel drive sapping even more power and, well, you get the picture. The fact that the four-cylinder is a bit crude and loud only adds to my distaste for the 2012 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS. The shift paddles on the steering wheel seem like some sort of cruel joke. 

2014 Buick LaCrosse drive review

The only difference between this and China's? Their Buick badge is colored in.

"This is probably the nicest car you've ever driven," promised Jeff Yanssens, Buick's chief engineer, during the introduction of the car he worked on: the 2014 Buick LaCrosse. "I feel comfortable saying that." 

Whoa, Yanssens -- we here at Autoweek have driven some pretty terrific cars in our illustrious history, just sayin'. But Yanssens is basing this on the LaCrosse's utter serenity and comfort -- and judging by that merit, the LaCrosse becomes a car with priorities that are set in stone.

2013 Chevrolet Spark 2LT review

The Chevy Spark starts at $12,170. This one costs slightly more than that.

Underneath the bright colors, youthful pretension and eager-mouse styling of the 2013 Chevrolet Spark is a decent compact car that is as far ahead of the Aveo it replaced as the Samsung Galaxy S4 is to your uncle's Motorola StarTAC. 

2013 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive review

The 2013 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive could be a good option for some city-dwellers.

The electric-vehicle market continues to shift. There's an increased interest from automakers to build EVs, despite consumers' barely matched interest to buy them. To say Americans have been cautious in adopting this latest vehicle technology is an understatement. Threats of fires and high entry costs have made electric cars unappetizing during a time when many in middle America cannot afford a $40,000 car, regardless of how good the gas mileage is.

2013 Ram 1500 drive review

The 2013 Ram 1500 parked at a wind farm.

The 2013 Ram 1500 still looks like a traditional full-size pickup truck, but the redesigned model has undergone a major makeover—with an eye toward fuel economy.

To achieve the desired fuel-economy improvements, Chrysler engineers combined a redesigned 3.6-liter engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission, introduced start/stop technology that shuts down the engine at stops, improved aerodynamics, reduced the weight of the truck by nearly 130 pounds, added electric power steering and optimized the engine's fuel delivery.

2013 Scion FR-S review

Want to drift? The FR-S can do that, too, thanks to its chassis setup.

If I had to choose between this and the Subaru BRZ, I would take the Subie. They're both a blast to drive, and offer serious competition to everything from the Hyundai Genesis Coupe to the Nissan 370Z -- and it's great to have all of these options on the market these days. But I'd go with the BRZ for the interior interface. The whole audio system setup is a series of complex maneuvers to get simple things done, which is enough for me to be turned off.

2011 Saab 9-5 Aero Review

2011 Saab 9-5 Aero

This 2011 Saab 9-5 Aero is a nice car, but is Saab on anybody's radar anymore? It could indeed be a less expensive alternative to the Audi A6/BMW 5-series/Mercedes-Benz E-class cliché, though I wonder how many BMW, Audi and/or Mercedes owners even realize Saab is still in business. Or care.

2013 Porsche 911 Carrera S review

The boxer six-cylinder engine was excellent with linear power delivery

I know all the “Porsche’s are for tools” stories. How Porsches are for jerks trying to compensate for something. I’ve heard ’em all. Here’s the thing about all that: This car drives so damn nicely, it’s hard to talk someone out of getting one. Jerks be damned.

2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR review

The Evo is a great track car, but doesn't make the best daily driver

I've had several occasions to drive the current-generation Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, and it's always a love/hate experience. In its element, dicing through cones or cutting apexes on a track, the Evo manages to vanish from around its driver. You can perform a maneuver, work some automotive magic and at the end be surprised it was so easy to do well. It's natural to credit yourself because the car is so silly competent that it never seems to be working hard; the result is you think you're a hell of a driver.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 drive review

Maserati will build both rear-drive and all-wheel-drive versions of the V6-powered Quattroporte S.

At long last, a Maserati for the snow states. Equipped with the company's first-ever all-wheel-drive system, this is a four-seasons four-door and also the first Maserati packing the company's new 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 in its engine bay. This potent engine is destined to be Maserati's most important; it will serve in the new Ghibli sedan (to be shown in Europe in June) and the Levante crossover SUV going into production late in 2014.

2013 Lincoln MKZ review

Exterior styling was a bit polarizing, but it grew on us over time

I generally liked this 2013 Lincoln MKZ. I get the launch was a disaster, with the models coming out of Mexico not up to snuff in terms of quality. I also get the sense that Ford has completely lost its way with Lincoln and marketing luxury cars for the most part.

2013 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster Drive Review

Lambo doors

My god man, just look at it: It is the sharp-edged, air-slicing scimitar of speed, slicing its way through the atmosphere with efficiencies only dreamed of in the era of the Countach, Diablo and Murcielago. The Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 roadster is a 217-mph argument against restraint. With a shape inspired by a combination of stealth fighter and (we are not making this up) an Italian beetle, and with a monstrous V12 you'd expect on a rocket ship, this beast is the fitting halo successor to the Lamborghini line. 

2013 Kia Sportage SX review

I like the 2013 Kia Sportage SX just fine. I really like the design inside and out (a woman at the gas station said it looked “hot”). Peter Schreyer is doing some really good work at Kia.

We all liked the looks of the Sportage, one of the best designs in its class

The four-cylinder turbo provides decent poke off the line but doesn't really get with it until the tach swings beyond 3,000 rpm. It's a wee bit like an on-off switch in terms of the turbo spooling, in fact, but eco mode helps smooth things out somewhat. A rating of 260 hp is a stout number for a four-cylinder. 

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee drive review

Jeep's latest Grand Cherokee has been an Autoweek favorite since it went on sale roughly two and a half years ago, and the company credits it with resparking sales enough to position it once again as a midsize SUV market leader. Now, the 2014 model adds relatively significant upgrades and options that push the Grand Cherokee's appeal higher than ever before.

The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee goes on sale this spring.

Indeed, since the Detroit auto show in January Jeep executives have boasted of how the refreshed model represents a new development ethos: In the past, they admit, they would introduce a new model, then allow it to languish pretty much unchanged for years until a replacement arrived.

2013 Mazda Mazdaspeed 3 review

The 2013 Mazda Mazdaspeed 3 is a nice counterpoint to the Ford Focus ST we had in our fleet a few weeks ago. They're both around $28k, have similar outputs and accoutrements, etc. But where the Focus ST felt pretty refined, considering its capabilities, the Mazda, by contrast, felt pretty raw -- in a good way. The clutch pedal will bite you if you're not careful; the shifter is crisp; the car is noisy. 

After some time, we got over the gaping, smiling and obnoxious grille in the front

Even so, torque steer seemed a bit more manageable in the Mazda despite its somewhat higher output (263 hp and 280 lb-ft to the Ford's 252 hp and 270 lb-ft). It still gets a bit squirrely when the turbo kicks in the lower gears, but you feel ready for it somehow -- perhaps the car communicates a bit better thanks to all that noise. 

2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI review

This 2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI is possibly the most fun I've had in a Beetle ever. And I never liked these things, either. 

Our Beetle stickered in at $26,990, with most of the goodies included in the base price

It's all about torque. This diesel has a lot of it and it's a small car. You need to get into that turbo range, and I think that's why I stalled it. But once you get going, it's quick. Not, GTI quick, but quick in the mid-rev ranges, when you get up high in the tach, it loses steam. But that's diesel.

The wheel was a bit skinny for my hands. I felt like I should be driving it with two fingers. On the plus side, it is a VW, so it handles better than many of the cars out there. The shifter action was sufficient, nice and solid, with no flex and no notchiness. 

2013 Jaguar XJ AWD review

We are fans of the XJ's overall design and looks

A while back I visited the largest Jaguar/Land Rover dealer in the country, Prestige in Paramus, N.J. I remember a sales guy telling me he couldn't wait for the all-wheel-drive Jags. “At least they'll give us a chance. Right now, with rear-drive only, we don't have anything to compete with Benz, BMW or Audi. We're basically shut out of the whole northern part of the country.” 

2013 Infiniti FX37 review

The Infiniti feels agile, balanced and the ride is not too hard or soft

This is one of those cars I liked more than I thought I would. The 2013 Infiniti FX37 is a good size, looks cool and swoopy and different -- and it’s very well built. I had a guy pull up to me in a new Cadillac Escalade and roll down his window and tell me how cool he thought it was. The shape is a little left field, but that’s cool -- I like it.

2013 Hyundai Sonata SE 2.0T review

For our money, we'd rather have the sportier SE 2.0T than the non-turbo limited

It's nice to test two 2013 Hyundai Sonatas -- one Limited and one SE 2.0T -- nearly back-to-back. The stickers on both were north of $29k ($29,655 and $29,205, respectively), but their aims are somewhat different; the former went for luxury-value, with heated front and rear leather seats and a panoramic sunroof, while the latter shoots for a sporty feel. 

2011 Fisker Karma, an AW Flash Drive Review

Fisker says the Karma will run from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds when the powertrain is in sport mode

The Karma is Fisker's long-awaited, much-ballyhooed extended-range luxury four-door electric vehicle. As a true series hybrid, the Karma has two electric motors hooked longitudinally to its rear axle (one ahead of the differential, one behind it), and together they produce a claimed 403 hp.

A 180-kilowatt lithium-ion battery pack from A123 Systems is housed in the spine of the chassis, and its case is said to add structural rigidity to the car. All the major drivetrain components are slung low in the chassis, producing a low center of gravity, according to Fisker. Combined with a long wheelbase (124.4 inches) and a wide track (67 inches at the rear), the Karma's all-around wishbone suspension promises excellent dynamics.

2014 Fiat 500L drive review

The 2014 Fiat 500L has a 160-hp, 184 lb-ft four cylinder. Photo by Fiat.

In true Italian style, Fiat brought the drama to its 500L launch event in Baltimore this week. Not only did it provide a small monsoon during the presentation, barely allowing us to hear thickly Italian-accented public relations flacks, it also sent a tornado into BWI Airport, hoping to keep journalists there for another day of driving. Thankfully, during the on-road testing portion, it was all sun and sunroofs.

Ferrari F12 berlinetta drive review

The Ferrari F12 berlinetta is powered by a 6.3-liter V12.

The Ferrari F12 berlinetta is nothing less than Italy's Chevrolet Corvette: similar layout, similar mission, but wearing--with considerable justification--a top-rank designer-label price tag. Ferrari would probably prefer it to be described simply as the replacement for the 599. Either way, the F12 berlinetta is the most evolved, most powerful version of Ferrari's classic front-V12 and rear-drive sports-car format ever created.

2014 Chevrolet Cruze diesel drive review

GM says the Cruze Diesel can get an estimated 46 mpg on the highway

As the name implies, the Cruze diesel is, well, a Chevrolet Cruze with a diesel engine. It’s the first diesel car GM has sold in the U.S. since the 1980s; depending upon your age and experience with those V6 and V8 GM diesels, they were either forgettable or you still haven't forgiven the company for selling them to an unsuspecting public. We have good news: It’s time to move on.

2013 Audi S7 review

The 2013 Audi S7 receives an EPA-estimated 17 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.

Beautiful to look at and sit in, the 2013 Audi S7 nevertheless left me with mixed feelings, much as it’s kissin’ cousin the S6 did. There’s nothing wrong with the handling feel or chassis dynamics; the engine is magnificent, capable of hurling one like a sixth grader’s spitball, but the dual-clutch automatic exhibits enough weird behaviors to spoil much of the fun.

2013 Dodge Dart Limited review

The Dart has made Dodge a player in an ultra-competitive segment. Stem to stern, it looks sharp, is well-executed and stylish. It’s nicely appointed for a fair price and it’s fuel efficient. What else do you want from a small sedan?

For added styling, 17-inch aluminum wheels are optional on the 2013 Dodge Dart Limited.

There were plenty of skeptics the Fiat-Chrysler tandem would prove fruitful, but in just a few short years the industrial giants seem to have truly crafted a strategy that works to their strengths. The Dart has a solid engine and chassis thanks to the Italians, but it looks and feels like a Dodge, no question. I felt the Fiat undertones only because I lived in an Alfa Romeo Giulietta for a weekend a couple of years ago, and I was taken with that machine in many ways. 

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 Autofile sedan review

The Germans don't have a lock on the high-performance luxury sedan market—it just feels that way. Barely a month passes anymore without a pronouncement from Munich, Frankfurt or Ingolstadt about the latest M or AMG or S (or even RS) car that packs big horsepower, monster wheels and mortgage-eligible sticker prices.

We took the 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 to Michigan International Speedway to put it through our Autofile testing.

But sitting over at the Chrysler dealership is a car that can run with the autobahn burners: the Chrysler 300 SRT8. It marries the luxurious, massive interior and trunk real estate Americans crave with a monster motor in the 470-hp 6.4-liter Hemi V8, a heady concoction of pure American bad ass.

2014 Bentley Flying Spur drive review

New 2014 Bentley Flying Spur luxury sedan exterior photo gallery.

The sedan version of the Bentley Continental, the 2014 Bentley Flying Spur drops its Continental moniker but remains three tons of air-conditioned, quilted-leather land-missile. 

Consider these numbers, which would have been fantasy just a decade ago: The 6.0-liter W12 engine now produces 616 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, doled out in a 40/60 front/rear split by the all-wheel-drive system. A 110-pound weight reduction over the outgoing Flying Spur means the power-to-weight ratio improves by 14 percent; every 8.9 pounds gets its own horse. Sixty miles per hour is now achieved in 4.3 seconds, on the way to a terminal velocity of 200 mph. Keep it south of the century mark and a combined 15 mpg is available, rising to 20 mpg on the highway.

2013 Cadillac ATS review

This is a damn fine small sedan, and I can honestly say it’s the first new Cadillac I could visualize myself owning in … well, ever. 

The chassis stiffness, suspension damping, braking and steering feel on the ATS are just about perfect Photo by Cadillac.

I was fortunate enough to have the 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0L Turbo for five days, using it as my commuter, a shuttle, a kid-schlepper and, on two occasions, a corner-carver. Each time I came upon the ATS in a parking lot or climbed into it in the driveway, I got a smile on my face and found myself looking forward to what lay ahead.

2013 Buick Enclave Premium Group review notes

The 2013 Buick Enclave Premium lacks in the horsepower department even for daily driving.

What a difference some interior upgrades make. The Enclave has been a nice enough seven-passenger utility since it launched, but this 2013 Buick Enclave Premium Group adds loads of stitching, soft-touch materials, ambient lighting and other luxury touches that really put it in a class above where it previously played. That’s probably appropriate, considering the $52,000 sticker price puts it in a different league, too, but the Enclave doesn’t leave one wanting for much, at least as far as amenities and technology go.

2013 Lexus RX 350 F Sport review

When the Lexus RX and Mercedes-Benz M-class bowed for 1998, if somebody said “crossover,” my mind immediately went to the punk/metal musical style practiced by artists like D.R.I. and Suicidal Tendencies. “Camry-based Lexus SUV? I'd rather be sleeping!”

Our observed fuel economy was 21.9 mpg

But in fits and starts, Toyota's been attempting to shake off the case of the blands that has dogged its mainstream and luxury brands since they gave up on things like mid-engine sports cars and RWD compacts. The new Toyota Avalon is sublime, offering near-LS-grade appointments and comfort at an ES price. The Scion FR-S has the kids talking. Its hybrids are actually starting to become enjoyable to drive. And the GS is a simply wonderful thing.

2014 Aston Martin Vanquish drive review

The Aston Martin Vanquish, coming next spring as a 2014 model, replaces the DBS in Aston's lineup. It wears an all-carbon body and a new V12 boasting 565 hp and 457 lb ft of torque. The powerplant is an all-new block and head with variable-valve timing, new fuel pump, bigger throttle bodies and a bigger intake manifold.

The 2014 Aston Martin Vaquish out on the street

As for the exterior styling, it was inspired by the mighty One-77. Aston CEO Ulrich Bez calls the Vanquish “the best car we've ever done.” 

1987 Honda CRX Si drive review

When the CRX was introduced, it was something of a revelation. Motor Trend named it the Import Car of the Year in 1984. Car and Driver put it on its 10Best list twice. Road & Track reused the 10 Best appellation and named it one of the 10 Best Cars in the World, which they got away with as both have (and had) the same corporate overseers. Motor Trend was still so enamored with the CRX that it named it Import Car of the Year again in 1988. Sochiro Honda earned a Nobel Prize in Literature for the Honda CRX's owner's manual. Robert Duvall thanked the Honda CRX in his Academy Award acceptance speech for "Tender Mercies." The Honda CRX went on to win Super Bowl XVII due to a technicality, defeating the Miami Dolphins 27-17 in double overtime. And so on, and so forth. 

The last clean Honda CRX south of Paso Robles.

Yes, the CRX is a car spoken about in hushed tones, with a reputation that today precedes it by a country mile. Legions have seen it as a rite of passage: "you, my friend, you don't know anything about sporting intent until you've owned a CRX," either through a first high school car and learning how to maximize interior volume for extracurricular activities, or autocrossing one in SCCA XP on tires stickier than Keany Square after the Great Boston Molasses Tragedy. Or, you may have actually acquired one with real American prerecession dollars; remember those? 

2013 BMW 328i Sedan review

Opportunities to drive the BMW 3-series come all too seldom. Here's your benchmark that the Mercedes-Benz C-class, Audi A4 and Infiniti G37 are chasing. And now you got to throw the Cadillac ATS in there as well because it's that good, too.

It's tempting to write off 3-series drivers as tools, sort of like Porsche drivers. Smug, too-good-for-you types who think they're just so above it all.

Overall, we can agree that the BMW has great chassis tuning and dynamics

This particular 2012 BMW 328i sedan: there's a lot to like here, a reminder that sometimes all you need at the end of a day is a car that drives well. It looks good, too, with longer dimensions but still small-car elegance and simplicity.

2014 Acura RLX review

Abusing the Acura RLX is a national pastime among the automotive press. Lawd knows it's an easy target: it still has a V6 when everything else has a V8; it has front-wheel drive instead of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive like the competition; it has a shared part or two with the (gasp!) Honda Accord … That is all true. And maybe Acura should be shellacked a little bit for keeping the RLX in the '80s for so long. But this new model does finally get some of the features that have been on competitors forever: direct injection, adaptive cruise control, LED head- and taillights, lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning, electric parking brake and even capless fueling. It's kind of embarrassing that Acura has only added these features in 2013 when competitors have had them for many a model year.

The RLX's SH-AWD is solid, especially when sport mode is engaged

Some of the features Acura is hoping will set itself apart might not even be noticed by owners: Precision all-wheel steer that increases stability, grip and speed through corners, more power for the V6 -- up to 310 now, “amplitude reactive dampers” and even an aluminum hood, doors and fenders. Can you really feel that from behind the wheel, unless you've just driven an RL without them? These are all good, logical points that buyers might consider.

2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek drive review

The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek won't win any beauty contests. It probably won't even come in second, which would net you 50 bucks from each player. But as far as utility goes, for the money, it's near the top of the heap.

Competitors to the XV include the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, Nissan Rogue, Ford Escape and other similar crossovers. All the base models fall right in the $20,000-$22,000 range. The Outlander Sport delivers exactly the same hp and torque as the XV, at 148 hp and 145 lb-ft. The Rogue and Escape are both up from that, at about 170 for both power and twist.

The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek gets a 2.0-liter Boxer four.

The five-speed manual, which our tester enjoyed, combined with the boxer four doesn't make for spirited driving, but the Crosstrek is quick enough to get out of its own way. Getting on to the highway takes a nice, one-two-three shift to get up to 65 mph, and you're cruising after that. We're glad Subaru stuck with a five-speed in this crossover; the additional shifting needed with a six-speed would have made it feel slower.