MotorMouths

The 2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe has to be one of the best cars in BMW’s armory. It’s pleasing to look at, endlessly entertaining from behind the wheel and surprisingly devoid of compromises. BMW took its time to perfect the four-door coupe.

The 2013 BMW 3 Series Hybrid is an appealing prospect, providing more performance and better economy than the standard 335i and the diversion of multiple driving modes. Looks a lot better than a Prius, too.

Like most Range Rovers before it, this one is as much about prestige as capability and comfort. Land Rover was smart to keep the look and the luxury. The fact that it’s more efficient, too, will most likely come as a nice surprise.

Jaguar has more than gotten away with this significant shift of character for the new XJ. With the 2011 Jaguar XJ 5.0L V8, we have a sedan that is richly finished yet modern, civilized yet satisfyingly athletic.

The 2012 BMW 528i is a car with an unusual breadth of personality, ranging from comfortable econo-sedan to sporting four-door. And this efficient new twin-turbo four allows it to pull off these character switches with conviction.

The 2012 model is a decidedly more satisfying Civic; that’s for sure. It’s more fun to drive, quieter, better finished, more economical and (slightly) easier to see out of compared to its predecessor.