MotorMouths

The Cadillac ATS is roundly satisfying to drive. It provides crisp handling, quick acceleration, snappy braking, responsive steering, entertaining technology and an alluring base price of $33,990. Bull’s-eye.

The MazdaSpeed3 is a blazing buggy that’s agreeable and accommodating in the daily schlep. It’s big enough in back for a couple of kids. It’s hatchback-handy and spacious enough for the cargo you’re likely to haul. And it’s not very expensive.

Toyota has moved the 2010 Prius toward the mainstream, to broaden its appeal. It’s bigger, fancier, more powerful, and more fuel efficient than its predecessor.

The 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible is a magic carpet for wealthy folks who have thick-enough skins to shed eco-villain barbs from neighbors. Except for some really cheap-looking plastic interior trim. Chevy’s gotta do something about that.

Subaru’s 2013 BRZ sports coupe is such a ball that you seldom notice the few aggravations. The price is remarkably reasonable for the look, feel and joy that you get.

The Scion FR-S is a gorgeous, joy-generating, modest-price, small sports coupe that turns out to be slightly more appealing than its near-clone, the Subaru BRZ.

The XTS is visually pleasant, inside and out. It is comfortable, quick, easy on fuel and technologically gee-whizzed to the gills. The main threat to success, though, seems to be that XTS might fail to fit the brand’s intended image as a perfect blend of sportiness and luxury.

By any name or description, the new Explorer easily deserves to be at or near the top of an SUV (or crossover) shopping list.

The 2011 Sonata gives buyers a huge amount of refinement, driving enjoyment, comfort and style for not a lot of money. And it forces other automakers to confront, and match or trump, Sonata’s package of attributes, which may be the new benchmark for midsize (roughly) family sedans.

We hate indecision as much as the next guy, so we’ll just take the leap. Fiesta’s the best subcompact car you (soon) can buy in the U.S.

It has the distinct advantages of being roomier and more powerful than rivals. In fact, among open-minded shoppers, we’d bet that it’ll be hard to justify a Corolla or Civic or Elantra after driving a Dart.

The 2012 Charger easily triumphs on its strong points: 31 mpg on the highway, a smoothness that’ll trump fancy German brands, and a level of driving satisfaction that is almost unbelievable in a big Detroit sedan.