Auto News 5

We're big fans of the Suzuki Kizashi, admiring its smart styling, practicality, and engaging handling dynamics. The one area we'd address is acceleration, which is competent but hardly awe-inspiring, thanks to a 2.4-liter inline-four offering 185 horsepower (180 with continuously variable transmissions) and 170 pound-feet of torque. Suzuki will cater to our speed-freak side with a turbocharged Kizashi capable of up to 300 horsepower, debuting at the New York auto show.

For those of us who've been around long enough to witness the entire history of the Ford Taurus brand, from its seminal mid-1980s debut as a modern American design icon; to its mid-1990s battle for sales supremacy with the likes of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry; to its millennial malaise as its maker kicked it to the curb in favor of SUVs; to its recent renaissance at the hands of Ford's make-it-happen CEO, Alan Mulally, the 2011 New York Auto Show is a bit of a mind-blowing experience. Ford brought in dozens of members of the nation's automotive media corps and staged two consecutive nights of events at a huge venue in Chelsea, including a live performance of the rock group Train to showcase its alliance with Sony, all in the name of promoting the Taurus, a car that until recently was synonymous with "rental car" in the minds of many, many Americans.

For those of us who've been around long enough to witness the entire history of the Ford Taurus brand, from its seminal mid-1980s debut as a modern American design icon; to its mid-1990s battle for sales supremacy with the likes of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry; to its millennial malaise as its maker kicked it to the curb in favor of SUVs; to its recent renaissance at the hands of Ford's make-it-happen CEO, Alan Mulally, the 2011 New York Auto Show is a bit of a mind-blowing experience. Ford brought in dozens of members of the nation's automotive media corps and staged two consecutive nights of events at a huge venue in Chelsea, including a live performance of the rock group Train to showcase its alliance with Sony, all in the name of promoting the Taurus, a car that until recently was synonymous with "rental car" in the minds of many, many Americans.

The IS350 is something of a dark horse in this very competitive segment. In this case, I mean that literally, as our test car looks quite stealthy and intimidating in black. The aggressive styling isn't quite as pretty as that of an Infiniti G37 or an Audi A4 but still convinces you this is a sport sedan, and it has aged well. The interior is less successful, as lots of dark trim and modern shapes create an atmosphere more gloomy than sporty. Still, the materials are of high quality and the simple, circular gauges are just right.