MotorMouths

The 2011 Kia Optima SX makes the midsize sedan interesting through fine cabin appointments, plenty of power, and unique exterior styling.

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

The 2011 Volvo XC60 T6 is a very practical car with good fuel economy. Tech options are cutting-edge when it comes to safety, but mundane for infotainment.

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 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.

If it weren’t for the poor fuel economy, the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe would work well as both a weekend racer and a daily commute car, combining exceptional sport performance with practical cabin tech.

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 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.

The 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman maintains the fun character established by Mini’s other models, and all-wheel drive will give confidence on slippery roads. Cabin tech, however, is middling, and the cabin suffers from some very poor ergonomic design.

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.

With only moderate tech updates over the years, the 2011 Acura RL lags behind the cutting-edge competition, and has trouble justifying its over-$50K price.

Most automakers use the additional energy provided by a hybrid system to get away with a smaller gasoline engine, thereby maintaining expected power but reducing fuel use. BMW looked at that extra power and thought, “excellent, we can make our cars go even faster!”