MotorMouths

Using technology to deliver everything from power, to handling, to refinement, this Focus lives up to its ST badge.

The Boxster Spyder is a toy, pure and simple. It’s designed for drivers and meant to be driven. Criticisms are mostly irrelevant anyway as it’s highly unlikely anyone who purchases this car will use it exclusively as transportation.

An improvement in every area and class leader in almost all respects, the 2011 tC looks great, has an impressive new interior and boasts added power with improved acceleration, handling and fuel economy.

The RDX proves that as far a compact premium crossovers go, when it comes to the balance between performance and luxury, compromise isn’t always a bad thing.

The purpose of the Coupe, MINI tells us, is to better shape the brand as a whole, increase the emotion associated with it and to project a more manly image. Check, check and check.

With the all-new Azera, Hyundai is not only able to best its competition, but has continued to offer exceptional value and even challenge some premium models with impressive content and style.

While capable on track with sticky Michelins, form-hugging Recaros and speed-shedding Brembos, the most remarkable feature may be how well this CTS-V Coupe works as conventional, albeit luxurious, transportation.

The Mercedes-Benz ML BlueTEC diesel offers competitive advantages ranging from fuel economy to towing, not to mention the feel of a diesel powerplant that some may prefer.

Decisively more fun, though missing some power, the HFP is the Civic Si we wanted all along. If there’s any down side it’s that you have to pay so much more to get what the Si should have been all along.

The C250 is mostly well-executed from a packaging and driving dynamics standpoint. Taking a broader look at the segment reveals this luxury sport coupe is the antithesis of value and could, at least, use a solid power upgrade.

A pleasant yet commanding highway cruiser, the Dodge Charger R/T is agile enough, though its size and weight are hard to hide. But dull throttle response kills much of the fun of owning a big V8; we’d stick with the V6 model.

Lexus has built on the past strengths of the ES while adding more qualities to further distinguish a car that’s long been a pretender in luxury circle. Growing in size, luxury and style it now looks and feels like a genuine luxury sedan.