MotorMouths

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco comes off as a bit light on cabin tech, but its high mileage and good driving character make it a practical choice.

The 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS has a sportier look than most suburban runabouts, but lacks real sporting performance.

A comfortable and practical car boasting decent fuel economy, the 2012 Acura TSX Sport Wagon offers a few high-tech features in the cabin, but the engine and transmission are trapped in the last decade.

Although we found the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S falls a little short of sports-car performance, it is far better than the majority of SUVs. It wins points for its exterior design, but electronic interface design could use some work.

The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX works as well for everyday driving as it does for weekend fun. Cabin tech covers essential features but is nothing special.

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 2013 Acura RDX is a comfortable and easy-driving small SUV with a premium feel, but the cabin tech shows some flaws that will prove frustrating over time.

The 2012 Ford Edge, with the EcoBoost engine, makes for a very practical family hauler, with a useful range of cabin electronics.

As a subcompact car, the 2012 Ford Fiesta faces pretty fierce competition. Sync and AppLink give it an impressive techie edge, while the body design and decent fuel economy lend to overall practicality, but the car does not punch above its class in comfort.

The 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon boasts a very practical body style along with a modern cabin tech suite, but the power train doesn’t take advantage of recent efficiency innovations.

The 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid offers the performance you would expect from a Porsche, and better fuel economy. But the cabin tech isn’t up to the level of a car in this price range.

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.