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The Scion xD is a modest little hatchback but it's very well-executed. I like its looks. I used it to run errands around town on the day before Thanksgiving, and I was thrilled with its in-town visibility and the ease with which I slid into a tight parking space at the always-crowded Ann Arbor Farmers Market. The ergonomics and utility of the interior are impressive. Very good steering feel, accurate and quick. I didn't even mind the automatic transmission, even though the 1.8-liter four-cylinder makes a modest 128 hp.

In an alternate universe, we're tearing through the blissfully serpentine asphalt twisting through Topanga Canyon outside of Los Angeles; a pull of the steering wheel paddle shifter drops the transmission into second before we enter a sweeping corner. Hard on the brakes, and then back into throttle to power out; we're now three-up in the new turbocharged 2011 Kia Optima SX, and quickly bearing down upon a BMW 5 Series. Sound like a dream? Hardly: the Optima SX hungrily devours challenging corners, and its turbocharged engine backs up its good looks with plenty of bite.