MotorMouths

The SLS will still reward drivers and casual enthusiasts with a car that’s perfectly fine as a commuter — provided they don’t mind the attention — and is also a capable canyon carver.

The new 2013 Mazda CX-5 still has plenty of the zoom-zoom DNA that made his Mazda3 so much fun. Bargain hunters and enthusiasts alike should be happy, and engineers also worked some magic with interior space.

Buyers hoping for a high-strung, highly caffeinated Sonic will likely wish for more performance. But compare the Sonic RS to other B-segment players, and the sum of its parts becomes hard to match.

The Taurus is a solid choice if you want a big (on the outside, anyway), extremely quiet, and reasonably equipped sedan.

While the ILX hybrid’s handsome looks and comfortable and tech-filled interior is everything you would expect from an Acura, its coarse powertrain, while adequate in the Civic, is a bit of a letdown.

The Grand Vitara is in limbo between comfy crossover and tough truck. It has the potential to excel being at either one, but it’s not quite there.