MotorMouths

The clean and stylish exterior, similarly well-sorted cabin, flexible rear seating and sufficient engine simply aren’t enough to keep the Tiguan afloat with a preponderance of well-oiled competitors.

While the 2011 Rogue manages to cover all of the crossover bases, there’s very little to differentiate this compact utility from the rest of the crowd.

The styling of the Nissan Juke may not be for everyone, but after a week with the five-door, we grew warm to its funky face. Hey, if people can welcome pug dogs into their homes, they should have no problem opening up the garage door for the 2011 Juke.

With a tweaked body, slightly adjusted interior and nudges to the suspension and drivetrain, the 2012 Civic is effectively generation 8.1, but that just might be enough to keep the hordes at bay and Honda out of history’s dog house.

We’ve liked the Forester since it’s 1998 debut, and while we would have liked the third-generation boxer engine bring to bring a little more to the table, the quieter, smoother mill makes for a more pleasant driving experience altogether.

We’re thrilled to see Acura invested in toning down its over-the-top styling in favor of lines that are significantly more palatable. Here’s hoping that the 2012 TL will be the new face of things to come from Acura.

With more power, a quieter cabin and an interior that’s finally becoming of a true luxury brand, the MKX has the makings of a sales winner. We’re just not sure the Lincoln high-rider is far enough away from its kissing-cousin, the Ford Edge.

It’s nothing short of amazing how much Dodge has managed to change the Journey in such a short period of time. With a little more work in the fuel-economy and exterior styling department, this could be an unlikely top-runner in a hotly competitive segment.

If you can get past the hurdle of starting the XC60 R-Design, you’ll find one very beautiful, but pricey crossover. Give us a little more power, a set of adjusted dampers and a reworked starting sequence there’s no denying how right the Volvo design team got the XC60 R-Design.

While the R350’s new corporate uniform will likely win over a handful of customers, chances are Mercedes buyers will just as soon buy the big-boy GL-Class SUV over its crossover sister – and at $49,300 for the gasoline R Class, we can’t really blame them.

Despite its excellent on-road manners, the EX35 is ultimately undone by a dearth of cabin and cargo space – it’s a crossover utility vehicle without the utility.

For all of the bellyaching that we could work up over how long it takes to fully charge the Volt, GM has done an amazing job of building an EV that drives just like any other vehicle on the road.