MotorMouths

The goal of the Touareg Hybrid is to give buyers V-8 power with V-6 fuel economy. If you’re comfortable spending $61,000 on an SUV that says VW on the outside but implies Audi on the inside, the Touareg Hybrid is easy to live with.

Tthe Passat could be poised to grab a solid slice of America’s midsize-car pie. While dull to look at and a bit lazy on the road, the car is comfortable, well-made and competitively priced.

The character and content of the Jetta have changed. The old-school Jetta with its class and execution are no more. In its place is a mainstream, American take on economical; plenty of functional space and puritanical efficiency without offending or exciting anyone.

The 2010 Volkswagen Golf consistently gives drivers German craftsmanship and poise they would otherwise pay much more for.

With the 2012 Beetle, Volkswagen manages to put together one of its most unique and balanced models in the entire fleet – albeit with a hefty reliance on the corporate parts bin.

The 2012 Camry offers improved fuel economy and a new exterior design that will enable it to handsomely blend in at mall parking lots nationwide.

From the outside, the 2010 Subaru Outback looks as if your run-of-the-mill station wagon. But climb inside and voila! Suddenly you’re in an SUV, with the same field of vision and command of the road.

For denizens of Big Bear’s slopes or voyagers on Malibu’s Backbone trail, this 2012 Impreza hits all the marks. Although it’s a little noisy at times, the car as a whole is as functional, well-built and economical as it’s ever been.

This car is undeniably down on power to other performance cars of its ilk. But to dwell on this deficit misses the point of the BRZ. It has a balance of old-school thrills and connectivity to the road that additional power would probably upset.

Think of the 2011 Scion tC as a $19,000 gender-neutral blank canvas. It’s an upgrade in every aspect from the previous tC and is entirely capable of serving your needs as is. But in order to get it to raise your blood pressure, you’ll need to add your own flair.

The iQ distills the automobile down to its most basic premise better than anything we’ve seen in the U.S. for a long time. It’s a shame that many bigger cars have lower starting prices.

The Cayman R is easily the most raw, honest and condensed Porsche I’ve driven. It’s an homage, an oratorio to the days when sports cars were loud, uncompromisingly carnal articulations of testosterone that bullied you into driving fast and dramatically.