MotorMouths

The Routan isn’t a bad choice, it’s just lacking the competition’s higher-quality interiors and flexibility. While its driving dynamics impress, for the money it’s not the best choice in this segment.

Toyota did a nice job styling the new Camry. On the road it’s exceptionally quiet and the ride is refined. Under the hood, the XLE’s V-6 gave amazing performance while giving us 27.2 miles per gallon.

Subaru has redesigned this cherished model for 2010, making roomier for passengers and cargo. This fourth generation Outback is a nice package at a fair price.

It’s the combination of near-luxury and performance that sets the Nissan Maxima into a niche where it will compete with the upscale Acura TL, Audi A4, Hyundai Genesis, Lexus IS 250, Volkswagen CC, and the Infiniti G37. That’s pretty good company.

We found the biggest pluses of this Mini to be the performance of the turbocharged 1.6-liter engine and smoothness of the six-speed manual transmission, along with the secure handling and unique look of the vehicle.

I enjoyed driving the RX 450h. The ride is comfortable, predictable, and refined. Interior wood and leather are first class, as is the build quality. This is a Lexus all the way.

The 2011 Lexus IS 350 AWD sedan is loaded with goodies and is an intriguing entry in the near-luxury market. The styling and build quality are outstanding and materials are all up to anyone’s contemporary standards.

If you’re a fan of these smaller CUVs, be assured that the Kia Sportage fits nicely in this niche with the likes of the Nissan Rogue, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4. We found it more than held its own — along with a lot of ours.

Kia outdid itself with this redesign. The 2011 Optima is well-equipped at each price level and a winner in the “bang for your buck” category.

The new Grand Cherokee is Tom Brady-like — Euro-grizzled, New England tough, equally at home on dirt roads or crashing in the Back Bay, and equally comfortable when its driver is wearing jeans, designer jeans, or a tux.

Infiniti says its EX35 combines the look and feel of a luxury coupe with a crossover’s flexibility. We concur, and add that in “the old days” we’d have just called this a terrific sport wagon.

The Sonata Hybrid is borderline excellent as it stands today. Attention competition: It’s only going to get better.