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Although the slab-sided styling isn't very appealing to me, I generally was impressed with the Nissan Quest. I get the impression the entire vehicle has been carefully designed to make it as practical and as sensible as possible. The extremely low step-in height and quick power sliding doors are very convenient. All the switches and instruments are incredibly easy to use. The third row of seats offers enough space for me to sit there comfortably, and it can effortlessly be folded flat.

So you'd love a small BMW but don't like the 1-series' impractical coupe body? You fancy yourself young and sophisticated and would buy a 135i if you could just get it in chic hot-hatch form? Well, we have good news: come this fall, you can get a subcompact 1-series hatchback with either four- or six-cylinder firepower. Even better news: it's cheaper than the 1-series coupe.

Lovers of the Subaru WRX will hope the brand's latest, and remotely kindred, crossover is as raucous as the red-tailed tropicbird and as pertinacious as the Hawaiian petrel. We mention these species, the former of which is indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands while the latter is endemic, after going to Oahu's north shore to test the 2013 XV Crosstrek. We not only learned how limber the compact crossover is but also got sidetracked on the birds.