MotorMouths

The 2012 Buick Verano drives great. Looks cool. Makes you feel like somebody special behind the wheel. Perfect? Nothing is. Among premium small cars, though, Verano is close enough.

The MKT really does put Lincoln back in the luxury category and might be the first big step toward rescuing — redeeming? — the brand. Don’t laugh. General Motors did it to Cadillac.

Easier on fuel than others of its ilk. Odyssey made you want to volunteer for a carpool so you could justify having one. It seems the premier example of how good a van can be — but is so ugly it’d be embarrassing to park one in the driveway.

You have to consider Prius c a success: frisky, inviting, easy to park, classier than expected, comfortable (at least in front) and faithful to its mpg promise.

The 2012 Wrangler’s new drivetrain and the suspension changes that accompany it make it a Jeep to savor. Not only can you still do hardcore Jeep things — slam around off-road, take off the doors and the top, fold down the windshield — but now you also can take it home to meet the family.

It’s hardly a stretch to call the 2013 Malibu the best modern Chevy. Styling is crisp and restrained. Interior is roomy and quiet, outfitted with classy trim. Engine’s strong.

The 2012 Accent subcompact is among the nicest automotive surprises in years. For the most part, it’s a classy, quick, comfy little car that responds nimbly to the driver and doesn’t leave you devastated that you didn’t buy a bigger car.

Distinction is often what sells a car, but the 2012 Kia Rio sedan is endearing among small cars because it lacks distinction — the negative kind that hobbles most subcompacts. Rio’s main virtue is absence of vice; it lacks those unpleasant signals of cheapness.

The 2012 Volkswagen R is an extraordinary small car. It’s a superb driving machine, almost unbelievably satisfying in most circumstances. And it’s remarkably expensive.

Impressive, satisfying and much more fun to drive. With the new drivetrains for 2011, improved noise isolation and general refinement, premium-car features and better fuel economy, the F-150 is very hard to beat.

The 2010 Lexus RX is a class act, now with personality. The latest version of Lexus’ crossover SUV resembles its forebears but is quite different and more desirable.

If we’re going to save the planet by taking less space and using less fuel, let’s do it in Fiat 500s — almost impossibly stylish, and graced with an engine that loves to run hard and doesn’t use a lot of fuel doing so.