1. Sleeper Beauty: 2013 M-B SL550 is More Eco-oriented But Still With a Lovely, Brutish Side
The 2013 SL550 marks the sixth generation of this two-seat Mercedes-Benz, which debuted as the 300SL in 1954 in the gullwing coupe. Later, the roadster became available. Today, the SL is coupe and roadster in one, though it stretches the definition of roadster. This modern SL is full-fledged luxury and ...
by Mark Maynard on 12/29 06:40PM - Story - 1,456 Hits

2.ML Evolution: Redesigned Model Has Sedan Luxury; Diesel Model Has 600-Plus-Mile Range
Mercedes-Benz has finally merged the concepts of SUV and luxury sedan with its redesigned M-Class. This five-passenger sport-utility vehicle now has a full measure of Mercedes-class refinement, but beneath the rich and full-bodied styling it is still a technological powerhouse of off-road and on-road finesse.
by Mark Maynard on 07/28 06:13PM - Story - 1,578 Hits

3.Dodge Blackout: Charger SXT Plus Has Customized Appearance, Factory Warranty
The four-way-black Charger SXT Plus The Dodge Charger is one of the best family sedans of 2012, merging style and function. And it makes the most commanding design statement of all mainstream cars. You know it instantly on the road by its don't-mess-with-me face, the sculpted sides and -- at ...
by Mark Maynard on 06/27 11:37AM - Story - 6,298 Hits

4.Buick Regal GS With 6-Speed Manual Takes the High Way With Finesse, Force
How many couples do we all know who gave up the fun car when the first kid came along? Been there, leased the subcompact sedan, wanted a Miata. For those who won't give up the clutch and shifter, there is a 270-hp, four-cylinder Buick Regal GS that makes a sensible ...
by Mark Maynard on 06/20 08:41AM - Story - 1,585 Hits

5.Audi Accelerator: TT RS Brings Back Performance Badge With Turboed 5-Cylinder
The 360-hp, 2012 Audi TT RS ($57,725) is capable of 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds. It just seems quicker. It took me about 90 miles to stop driving the Audi TT RS like a power-crazed teenager. From the first time I started the engine and heard the raucous exhaust, I ...
by Mark Maynard on 06/13 08:41AM - Story - 2,029 Hits

6.2012 Toyota Yaris: More Attitude, More Fun to the Drive and 38 Mpg on the Highway
2012 Toyota Yaris I drove it like my dad paid for the insurance and tires, but the Toyota Yaris SE wouldn't whimper or whine. I didn't set out to harm the little car, but it had a smirky attitude and wanted to run. So I obliged. The Yaris SE with ...
by Mark Maynard on 06/09 08:41AM - Story - 1,536 Hits

7. XKR-S: 550-Horsepower Jaguar Makes a Defining Statement
Sold in coupe and convertible body styles, I thought my eyeglasses were going to blow off at 160 mph, but I kept my foot to the floor and headed toward 170 mph before I had to lift and begin braking. It would have been worth it to lose the glasses ...
by Mark Maynard on 04/19 09:32AM - Story - 1,435 Hits

8.Hyundai Veloster: Different, in a Good Way
New Hyundai Volestar The Hyundai Veloster is a good imitation of a cyber-sportster darting around an edgy video game. It's not as quick as its online avatar, but it is just as three-dimensional. And the young adults Hyundai hopes will buy this inventive three-door coupe can plug in their game ...
by Mark Maynard on 02/29 06:58AM - Story - 1,927 Hits

9.Pride of Porsche: Redesigned 911 Carrera Has Evolutionary Styling, Revolutionary Performance
Redesigned 911 Carrera There were some changes made to the new 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera that caused consternation among corporate board members and raised eyebrows among loyalists. But in the end, the 911 Carrera -- known in company terms as the 991 -- is a soaring successor as an icon ...
by Mark Maynard on 02/25 06:59AM - Story - 2,140 Hits

10.Lincoln MKX: 5-Passsenger Crossover Has Executive-Class Presence and Family Utility
Lincoln MKZ I finished my test week in the front passenger seat of the Lincoln MKX, and it had a leavening effect to the evaluation. I was on a round-trip of four hours up and back with a fellow journalist to an event at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, ...
by Mark Maynard on 02/01 09:00AM - Story - 2,440 Hits

11.Confident Camry: 7th-Generation Model Has Understated Finesse, Improved Interior
Toyota Camry You know you're getting older when you're testing a new Toyota Camry and you catch yourself saying, "This is nicely done." I almost forgot I was driving what many would consider the most boring car on sale in the United States. The redesigned 2012 Camry isn't the pinnacle ...
by Mark Maynard on 01/29 09:22AM - Story - 2,472 Hits

12.Volvo S60 R-Design: Balanced, Tasteful and Completely Enjoyable
Volvo S60 The Volvo S60 R-Design wears the halo in the midsize sedan lineup, but this car is no angel. It gets more power and suspension finesse than the standard S60 T6, but it still runs on regular unleaded, you could still tow 3,300 pounds if you wanted to, and ...
by Mark Maynard on 01/11 08:15AM - Story - 2,137 Hits

13. Vagabond: Audi A3 Diesel Has the Heart of a Traveler and a 600-Mile Range
Audi A3 The Audi A3 is a study of good things in small packages. This four-door hatchback has a young vibe and contemporary interior styling. There are hooks, grabs, pockets, slots, a locking glovebox and a folding seatback to fit the essentials and gear of the upwardly mobile. This is ...
by Mark Maynard on 01/09 08:14AM - Story - 1,478 Hits

14.Boss 302: 444-hp Mustang Makes Every Driver Feel Like a Hero
Mustang Boss 302 I knew it was wrong from the start. But I couldn't help myself. It was just one of those things that happened. I wasn't looking for it, but there it was ... undeniable. Nobody was supposed to get hurt. I felt alive; my heart was pounding fresh, ...
by Mark Maynard on 11/21 12:07AM - Story - 1,635 Hits

15.PDK Equals PDQ: Porsche's Automated Manual Adds a New Dimension to 911 Driving
Porsche Carrera GTS On the first day of driving the Porsche 911 GTS with the PDK transmission -- an automated manual -- my left leg kept reaching for the clutch pedal, and my right hand would reach for the shifter. It was my mindset and muscle memory that "all good ...
by Mark Maynard on 11/19 12:05AM - Story - 1,794 Hits

16.Big Easy: Audi A6 Is Larger and Still Forceful With Downsized Engine Choices
Audi A6 Audi didn't follow the leader when updating its Audi A6 sedan. It cornered the BMW 5-series and Mercedes-Benz E-class and then redefined the segment. With a half an inch here and there in the dimensions, new and tighter tolerances in assembly and clean styling, the 2012 A6 graduates ...
by Mark Maynard on 11/17 12:03AM - Story - 1,773 Hits

17.Subaru Impreza WRX: A Handy Carving Tool
Subaru Impreza WRX The Subaru Impreza WRX is a wide-body attitude adjustment in an all-wheel-drive car line that ranges from a meek entry model ($18,220) to the spike-fanged, 305-horsepower WRX STI. The WRX has always been a hoot to drive, but this year Subaru stroked its stance with the same ...
by Mark Maynard on 09/26 07:42PM - Story - 1,883 Hits

18.Hyundai Veloster: $18,060 to $19,310
Hyundai Volestar Pricing for Hyundai's new 2012 Veloster three-door coupe starts at $18,060 for the entry-level model with six-speed manual transmission and ranges to $19,310 with the six-speed EcoShift dual-clutch transmission. Cars are rolling into dealerships now. Both models are powered by a 138-horsepower, direct-injection, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that gets ...
by Mark Maynard on 09/23 07:42PM - Story - 3,123 Hits

19. Kia Optima Hybrid: 40 mpg Highway and Built for the Long (and Comfortable) Commute
The Optima Hybrid, starting at $27,250, The Kia Optima Hybrid sounds too good to be true: a midsize sedan that gets 35 mpg around town, 40 mpg on the highway, costs less than $30,000 and comes equipped with near-luxury features and state-of-the-art engineering.That's all true -- and the closer you ...
by Mark Maynard on 09/01 04:30PM - Story - 2,050 Hits

20.Rapide Transit: Aston Martin's Four-Door 'Coupe' Has Sports-Car Brawn and Family Function
[story:20110812005604799 Read the story] Maybe you can't buy love, but you can buy beauty. And in automotive flesh, beauty runs about a quarter of a million dollars for the 2011 Aston Martin Rapide Luxe. The 470-horsepower, V-12 Rapide has one of those designs that causes people to stop, stare and ...
by Mark Maynard on 08/13 07:56AM - Story - 2,853 Hits

21.Audi Q7 TDI: 660-mile Range
Audi Q7 TDI The Audi Q7 TDI is a diesel man cave of heavy-equipment pull with a range-extending cruising radius of 700 miles on the highway. Climb into the driver's seat and twist the key of clean diesel that speaks softly and plows blacktop with 406 foot-pounds of torque. That ...
by Mark Maynard on 07/29 05:08PM - Story - 2,514 Hits

22.Kia Optima SX Turbo is a Forceful Midsize Sedan
Kia Optima Turbo Take a spin in the Kia Optima Turbo, and your brain will reset all preconceptions that this Korean carmaker makes throwaway cars. That is, if you aren't already a Kia convert. Shut up and hold on. The SX Turbo is a forceful midsize sedan. The suspension is ...
by Mark Maynard on 05/22 02:06PM - Story - 2,063 Hits

23.Multi-Talented: Six-Passenger Mazda5 is Parent-Friendly on a Budget
2012 Mazda5 Don't call it a minivan just because it has sliding side doors. The Mazda5 is a "multi-activity vehicle" well suited for those active families who resist the "M" word, Mazda says. And while some refer to this model as a "mini" minivan, it is actually longer than the ...
by Mark Maynard on 05/06 08:55AM - Story - 2,049 Hits

24.Subcompact Mazda2 is a Simple But Refined Hatchback
Mazda 2 The Spirited Green Metallic Mazda2 is the greenest car on the road. Literally. There is no brighter shade of green offered in the current automotive palette. No recession-era brown for this subcompact, the 2011 Mazda2 steps out loud and proud as a modestly priced and generously equipped subcompact, ...
by Mark Maynard on 02/19 10:08AM - Story - 3,058 Hits

25.Millennial Makeover: Volvo S60 has Trend-Setting Sex Appeal Without Trashy Gimmicks
Volvo S60 The S60 sedan is the new face of Volvo -- sexy and trendsetting without gimmicks and flash. A lot of manufacturers say they are building cars to appeal to the Gen X buyer. But Volvo may be the best at building a car that will appeal to the ...
by Mark Maynard on 02/16 10:04AM - Story - 2,075 Hits