Auto News 5

I really admire the Volkswagen CC's premium interior, practical-yet-engaging powertrain, and reasonable price. Well equipped in its base trim and starting at $28,560, I think of the CC as an Audi A4 with a $5000 discount. The slick-shifting six-speed manual and willing-to-rev 200-hp four-cylinder are a joy to work quickly. There are some interior bits here shared with $18,000 Golfs, but they still meet the class standard in a $30,000 sedan; this is how VW earned that reputation for fabulous interiors, by creating shared parts that are at-home in the most expensive vehicle they're used in.

We have a long-term Volkswagen GTI in our fleet, so the prospect of driving a base Golf wasn't that exciting to me. What a surprise, then, when I got into this car last night and was simply blown away by the level of comfort, refinement, quality, and performance in this $18,240 hatchback. The words that come to my mind to describe the Golf are creamy, supple, smooth, fluid, and firm. From the level of tension in the clutch pedal, to the easy-shifting five-speed manual, to the natural feedback in the steering, the Golf just feels right. The ride and handling balance is ideal, and worlds better than that of Golfs from a decade ago, which were far too soft. Its interior also feels good to the touch, as the cabin materials and textures are all exemplary, and the interior design is itself simple yet elegant. Even though our test car is a two-door hatch, there is a decent amount of room in the back seat, and the large rear side windows give rear-seat passengers a good outward view, which should reduce any feelings of claustrophobia.

It's appropriate that BMW has bestowed perhaps the most extreme example of its ridiculous new naming convention upon the most extreme version of its Z4 hardtop roadster, the sDrive35is. Suffice it to say that the "s" at the end of the newest Z4's name stands for "sport" and is accompanied by a lot more than a cute little body kit.

Both the Scion xB and the Nissan Cube are funky, boxy compact hatchbacks, but the two manage to feel significantly different on the road. The Cube is more relaxed in busy city traffic, but it can grow tiresome on the open highway. The xB, however, drives like a much larger car. I was fairly impressed with the Scion's demeanor over a 150-mile trip this past weekend. Wind noise is noticeable, but road noise is well insulated, the steering well weighted, and the suspension tuning never comes off as overly harsh, even over Michigan's broken concrete highways.

The Countryman is a big one for Mini - in size, certainly, but even more so in concept. As Dr. Wolfgang Armbrecht, Mini brand manager, explains: "For Mini it's a huge step - four doors, four-wheel drive, higher seating position. We weren't sure it was the right direction."

It may be another gut punch for purists, but Porsche's foray into volume products and new segments continues with a hybrid model for the new, second-generation Porsche Cayenne. However, the Cayenne S Hybrid isn't just an overweight Toyota Prius. Both the hardware and the software feature unique - or at least unusual - approaches to hybrid execution. The result is that the Porsche Cayenne doesn't drive like any other hybrid.

The bright blue hue and upright profile of this Versa reminded me of our Four Seasons Honda Fit Sport, but I'd argue that the similarities end there. Both cars run roughly $19,000 and include navigation, but the Versa has the little Honda outclassed. At this price point, Nissan adds other features like a sunroof, satellite radio, Bluetooth phone connectivity, and keyless entry/ignition.

Much as we car enthusiasts like to whine about being underappreciated and underserved by profit-driven automakers, there are a ton of really good sports cars to choose from these days. That's good for enthusiasts but might be a problem for the Audi TTS.

The addition of a six-cylinder engine to BMW's flagship 7-series lineup might let the recession's sour taste seep into the mouths of some Bimmer fans, but it shouldn't. After all, the 7-series was a six-cylinder-only model from its U.S. introduction for 1978 until 1988, when the twelve-cylinder 750iL debuted. BMW hasn't built a six-cylinder 7-series for the U.S. since the 1992 model year (the 735i), but the twin-turbo straight six in the 2011 740i and long-wheelbase 740Li is a big-league engine that's clearly worthy of BMW's top sedan, what with its 315 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. Indeed, the powerplant produces nineteen more horsepower and only two fewer pound-feet than the aforementioned V-12 7-series of twenty years ago.

Believe it or not, people are still buying full-size luxury SUVs, even in this age of increased "green" concerns and our dismal economy. Although full-size luxury SUV sales peaked at nearly 300,000 units in 2006, the market has settled into a 100,000-unit rhythm in the United States, which Infiniti expects to continue for the life cycle of its all-new, second-generation QX56 that goes on sale in July 2010.