MotorMouths

The 2012 Infiniti M35h pushes the envelope with its hybrid system and its driver assistance features, making for one of the most economical luxury sedans, without sacrificing power.

The FX35 is well-designed from an aesthetic view point, carrying Infiniti styling effortlessly from sedan to SUV. The cabin tech interface also wins it design points. But while the cabin is comfortable, its cargo space is limited, losing a little on practicality.

The 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid makes for a high-tech cruiser. It’s a comfortable car with impressive body styling and useful cabin electronics.

Although it does not push the tech envelope, the 2011 Hyundai Equus looks good, has a well-rounded set of features and comes in at an extremely low price for this segment.

The Fit EV represents one of the new breed of electric cars, which current battery technology is making more practical for daily use. And in my drive I found the Fit EV the best of the bunch.

The 2011 Honda Accord Crosstour EX-L offers only a couple of technical highlights, mostly getting by on easy drivability, practical cargo space, and all-wheel-drive utility.

Although it’s a fun, low-power car with sharp looks, the 2011 Honda CR-Z gains little from its hybrid system, and its cabin tech is barely average.

There is nothing extreme about the 2012 Honda CR-V; this car is an excellent example of moderation. Although an SUV, it is far from a monster truck. Its four-cylinder engine gives it all the power it needs, but no more.

The 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas works well as an economical commute car and errand runner, but its average cabin tech falls far short of the cutting edge.

Honda needed the technology boost represented by this new generation of Accord. But rather than lap the midsize sedan competition, Honda seems to be merely keeping pace.

The 2013 Ford Mustang GT looks very cool and churns out tons of power, yet its reasonable fuel economy, easy driving manners, and useful cabin tech make it a fun daily driver.

Although excellent for showing off to friends and attending track days, it will be tough to live with the 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 on a daily basis because of ride quality and gas costs.