MotorMouths

While the 2011 Volkswagen Tourag’s difference in ability, comfort and appeal over the original is impressive, the $10/pound premium is not.

If Dodge is able to turn around its image as quickly as it turned around these improvements, they’ll do very nicely. There’s finally a reason to consider a Grand Caravan besides the best dollar-to-pound ratio.

Given its relative age, the Enclave remains one of the most attractive vehicles on the road, and offers full-size luxury with room to stretch out and enjoy your trip.

So did Toyota succeed and make a minivan cool? No, but they have made it much more tolerable for drivers with the Sienna.

Like all Mercedes E Classes, the 350 BlueTec hits the sweet spot for power, features and luxury but now adds fantastic fuel efficiency too

The Equinox isn’t the best of the bunch, but it is pretty close. It’s only a repositioned touch-screen and higher-quality plastics away from a place in our heart. It’s definitely one of the more attractive efforts in what used to be a yawn-inducing segment.

Unlike older ‘Benzes, the current E is a wonderful and rewarding car to drive, even in the most basic, pedestrian specs. You’ll have more fun than in any of the company’s similarly sized sport-utes or crossovers.

For customers looking for a ‘sporty’ Camry, this is the best yet. But compared to similarly equipped Optimas and Sonatas, the SE doesn’t hold up on the ‘sport sedan’ front. Critically, Toyota has addressed one major problem, and that’s value.

The 2010 Subaru Legacy is familiar to those who were already fans, but its increased size and reduced price will certainly appeal to those shopping the Honda/Nissan/Toyota triangle.

But the Avalon really is as close to a Lexus as you can get without paying the price premium for the little “L” badge. It’s perfectly positioned to capture Toyota customers who’ve grown up with the brand and grown out of a Camry.

Even the basic ML is a good compromise between luxury and safety. While it’s hard to pick out any one area where the ‘Benz excels, the improvements are small but significant.

The E Cabrio buyer isn’t looking for a deal. Not when better-performing options are available for less dough. No, to those privileged few, the three-pointed star and the fact that the interior trim perfectly matches a four-figure handbag is what really matters.