MotorMouths

Competitors from Mercedes and Jaguar may have more room, comfort and ride quality but none of them perform near the Porsche 911’s threshold.

Infiniti’s 2009 G37 coupe continues to impress. Stylish, quick and relatively affordable, it’s a compelling alternative to BMW’s 335i, with no excuses required.

The 2009 BMW Z4 occupies a sweet spot between performance and comfort. Surprisingly livable for every day, the Z4 is definitely worth checking out.

Perhaps Subaru’s last hurdle is the Forester’s image as a quirky car for quirky people. The latest model does a lot to overcome this, and it’s time mainstream shoppers gave it a look.

The Fusion Hybrid is a significant step forward for the technology, particularly for family sedans. It’s worth a look, and not just if you’re in the market for a hybrid or a Fusion.

The Camaro SS is quick. Silly quick. But sadly, other aspects of the SS fail to impress. The more refined 305HP V-6 is expected to account for two-thirds of sales.

The 2010 Volkswagen GTI looks rakish but not rowdy; it prefers balance to sheer power. The kids will prefer a Mazdaspeed3 or Subaru WRX, but the GTI will keep its fans

Sharp styling, unlikely versatility and a snappy drivetrain give the Audi S5 a fighting chance, despite the absence of a retractable hardtop. In an economy most would characterize as dubious, though, I wish the car wasn’t so doggone expensive.

GM gets points for making a styling statement, inside and out. I’ll harp about certain angles, but on the whole the Traverse at least looks interesting, and that’s ever so important in a field of increasingly similar-looking family-haulers.

The Mazda CX-7 is not a particularly logical choice — but is it ever a fun one. Take a drive and consider some of the CX-7’s strengths that are less apparent on paper.

The Enclave combines outstanding utility with premium touches not usually found in such a roomy vehicle. It’s styling and cabin design will impress less as fresh competition arrives, but I suspect the Enclave’s inherent qualities will be harder to beat.