Auto News 5

Ready or not, the electric propulsion age has begun. New battery-powered vehicles are about to travel where GM's EV1, the Tesla Roadster, and a few other low-volume demonstration projects dared to venture. Thanks to the availability of more efficient battery systems, electric cars you can actually buy are finally available.

I could do without the big wing perched on the trunk lid, but as a whole, I rather like the way the new STI looks, what with its protruding wheel wells, strong shoulders, sparkly yet purposeful wheels, and rally blue paint. Nice.

Months in service: Four
Miles to date: 9004

Love the flat-bottom steering wheel and its Alcantara trim. Love the fabulous cream-colored sport seats over a black interior. Love the engine and the sounds it makes. Love the downshift blips from the seven-speed automatic.

It’s tempting to forget about the Ford Edge. After all, the Blue Oval’s exhaustive lineup of crossovers includes far cooler (Flex) and more capable (new Explorer) offerings. A quick gander at the sales chart, however, reveals that the Edge is Ford’s second best-selling crossover/SUV, trailing only the fleet-favorite Escape.

The fastest-growing segment is the compact crossover utility vehicle segment --- and Kia is bringing a real contender to market with the all-new 2011 Kia Sportage. West Coast Editor Jason Cammisa and Kia Design Manager Massimo Frascella discuss latest model’s engineering and design advances. Want to know more? Read our 2011 Kia Sportage review

Months in fleet: Ten
Miles to date: 29,648

You can't buy Ford's S-Max people mover, nor are we likely to see one of these highly versatile crossovers cross our shores for at least three years. That's a pity because this Belgian-built five-door wagon is one of the hottest shots in Ford's global arsenal.

I used the Range Rover to tow my race car and trailer to the track over the weekend. The supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 engine did really well considering the extra 4500 pounds attached to the rear end. I was really impressed with the automatic adjustable suspension; after loading my car onto the trailer, the rear end of the Range Rover was compressed quite a bit, but after starting the Range Rover and letting it sit for a minute, it automatically lifted the rear end back to a level ride height.

In about a year, Mitsubishi will join the electric-car club by offering its i-MiEV city car to US consumers. The first 'i' in the name is a play on the Japanese word for 'love' and has been used on a conventional-powered mini (kei) car that debuted in 2003 and has been sold in Japan since 2006. The remainder of the name is an acronym for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle.

The Subaru Legacy and its wagon counterpart, the Outback, share a lot of mechanicals, yet these two vehicles are quite different in how they drive. The Legacy sedan handles and steers much better, with noticeably less float. The continuously variable transmission is a bit of a drag, however. If you peg the throttle from a stop, it's painful to watch how slowly the tachometer needle climbs to its redline. In most situations, you run out of road before the needle reaches 5000 rpm. And yet peak power isn't made until 5600 rpm. The manual shift mode actually works quite well and makes the CVT more tolerable. The transmission also helps the Legacy return an EPA-estimated 31 mpg on the highway.