Auto News 5

Volvo could have stood pat with the S60 and no one would have blinked an eye. A year ago, the Swedish company introduced the long-awaited redesign of its mid-level sedan, which exhibited such impressive handling characteristics and refined styling that we named it to our 2011 All-Stars roster. The success of the S60 has been the primary factor driving increased sales for Volvo, which are up 28 percent over a year ago.

We often speak of the ability of an exotic car to transport your imagination somewhere equally special -- a Ferrari 458 Italia to Monza or a Rolls-Royce Phantom to Downing Street, for instance. For me, however, few vehicles do this better than small vans. Climbing behind the wheel of the tidy Mazda 5, I instantly picture myself flying along the autobahn, sitting in traffic outside Tokyo, or careening down an ancient back alley in Jerusalem - probably because I've ridden in small vans in all those places, usually on my way to or from the airport.