MotorMouths

In the case of the A5, which wraps a high-tech, all-wheel-drive chassis and a beautiful interior in some of the sexiest sheetmetal available for under $50K, the 2.0T simply makes a great car better. And more affordable, too, which is something else we can’t imagine many arguing against.

Factoring in the attractive pricing, we find it’s hard to fault the new Sonata on a major level. It does everything well save for ultimate driving thrills, and it’s mega-stylish. Color us very impressed

This Audi makes a great case for the traditional wagon. While it’s no fire-breathing RS6 Avant, our A4 Avant was far more maneuverable and exciting to pilot than SUV and crossover mall cruisers.

There are no formal benchmarks for the Ford F-150 Raptor; this is way beyond Rovers, Hummers, and Unimogs. In its element, it gobbles up rough terrain like a Ferrari tackling a chicane.

Driven in anger, the DBS Volante is an aural delight and satisfyingly responsive. And with the top down, it’s one of the most indulgent tanning salons on the planet.

The 2010 SRT10 ACR-X is a proper fire-and-brimstone race car, devoid of the regulatory compromises that water down lesser Vipers. Pity the fool that doesn’t respect 511 cubic inches of V-10 and rear-wheel drive without any electronic oversight save ABS.

While most of the Grand Sport’s lofty performance can’t be truly realized anywhere but on a race track—an environment where the steering in Corvettes seems to come alive and all their power can be utilized—the GS convertible is easy to drive and more than capable for day-to-day running.

Lucky for us—and for all Mustang fanatics—Ford did its homework; the 2011 Mustang V-6 is an astonishingly good car.

The MKT with EcoBoost is priced competitively in its class and is one of the most surprisingly competent Lincolns we’ve sampled in a long time.

At $6185, the Sport package is a decent value, in that it adds a significant number of performance upgrades and aesthetic improvements, both of which are welcome on the mostly dowdy Lexus LS460.

Aesthetic and technical upgrades bring Acura’s 2010 MDX up to speed. It seems Acura has taken one of our favorite luxury SUVs and made it incrementally better.

For our money, we’d sacrifice some bling and isolation for a better drive. Still, there’s something to be said for the Buick Enclave’s styling and bank-vault-quiet cabin; watch the options, and you can end up satisfied.