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Cadillac's SRX has grown beyond its sporty wagon pretensions and is now targeting the heart of the luxury crossover market. The strategy seems to be working, as it's already selling much better than the outgoing model (which, we should note, won a few Automobile Magazine All-Star awards in its time), and yet, it seems Cadillac isn't quite ready to give up on having some high-roof fun. To that end, the premium model featured here has ditched the wheezy base 3.0-liter V-6 and standard front-wheel-drive configuration in favor of a turbocharged, 2.8-liter V-6 producing 300 hp and torque-vectoring all-wheel drive - the same setup found in the Saab 9-3 Aero and Opel Insignia OPC. Given these macho specs, we thought it was time to measure the SRX against the best in its class, which, in our estimation, means the Audi Q5. The Q5 won our three-way crossover shootout last year and has since become a well-regarded member of our Four Seasons fleet for its sporting demeanor, handsome exterior, and, yes, Audi-like interior. Does it have what it takes to fend off the brasher and more powerful Cadillac? Read on for our impressions.

What is it with Acura giving up on great names? This car should, by all rights, be called the Legend Type-S. Except that Acura has abandoned both of those monikers. Acura TL SH-AWD 6MT? That sounds like something an inebriated math teacher would mutter before drifting into unconsciousness.inline_mediumwraptextright32320167/reviews/driven/1004_2010_acura_tl_sh_awd_6mt1004_01_z+2010_acura_tL_sH-AWD_6MT+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

As I approached the Infiniti FX50 in the parking garage, I was relieved to see Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires mounted to the massive twenty-one-inch wheels. With six to ten inches of snow expected that night, I wanted a vehicle capable of dealing with the white stuff and the long trip home.inline_mediumwraptextright27086108/reviews/editors_notebook/1003_2010_infiniti_fx50_awd1003_05_z+2010_infiniti_fX50_aWD+passenger_side_view.jpgTrue

Months in fleet: Five
Miles to date: 8993 milesinline_mediumwraptextright26874410/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1003_2010_subaru_outback_3_6r_limited_march_update1002_03_z+2010_subaru_outback_limited+side_view.jpgTrue

If small cars are particularly adept at changing direction, you might assume that small car companies can react to customer demands quickly, too. In the case of Tesla Motors, that assumption is correct. A host of updates to the Tesla Roadster addresses almost every concern we had after spending a week with the electric sports car - this Silicon Valley company is clearly listening to what people have to say.inline_mediumwraptextright32384862/green/reviews/1004_tesla_roadster_2_0_sport1004_03_z+tesla_roadster_2_0_sport+side_view.jpgTrue

It's rare to have an Audi without Quattro pass through our garage. As all-wheel drive has become synonymous with the brand, it seems a front-wheel example of any Audi is an oddity. I happened to take this front-wheel-drive A3 TDI home on the night of Michigan's biggest winter storm. With a set of Michelin winter tires on, though, I hardly noticed that I had only two wheels to power through the slippery spots. Aside from the torquey engine occasionally spinning the front wheels, the A3 was composed and stable through thick city slush and at highway speeds.inline_mediumwraptextright27080960/green/reviews/1003_2010_audi_a3_tdi_fwd_s_tronic_premium1003_01_z+2010_audi_a4_tDI_fWD_s-Tronic_premium+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

The Venza is a perfectly nice five-passenger tall wagon, as far as space, appointments, and utility are concerned. I just don't understand why Toyota is building it. The company already had an overfull quiver of hatchback crossover things, so why add the strange-looking Venza to the bunch? Well, it turns out that Toyota sold a very respectable 54,410 Venzas last year (nearly as many as Scion's 2009 brand total), so I guess there's the answer. It saddens me, though, that consumers apparently prefer the bulky Venza alongside competent RAV4s, Highlanders, Matrixes, 4Runners, et al. instead of a more carlike, more efficient, and no longer offered Camry station wagon.inline_mediumwraptextright27087650/reviews/editors_notebook/1003_2010_toyota_venza_awd1003_01_z+2010_toyota_venza_aWD+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

I was part expecting and part hoping that the Transit Connect with rear windows and five seats would become a cult family vehicle for a small subset of the American population. Having driven the cargo version, I should have known better. The wagon variant is slightly more livable than the hauler with marginally reduced wind noise and far better visibility. But the rough ride, mediocre mechanicals, and Spartan interior mean it will only appeal to a handful of buyers outside of fleets.inline_mediumwraptextright27083642/reviews/editors_notebook/1003_2010_ford_transit_connect_xlt_wagon1003_04_z+2010_ford_transit_connect_xLT_wagon+profile.jpgTrue

When our 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI arrived at the office back in September 2008, the timing couldn't have been better. Fresh off a two-year sabbatical during which it received a cleaner, more powerful, and more efficient engine, the diesel Jetta was ripe for time in the spotlight with a market that demanded practical, economical automobiles. Four-dollar-a-gallon gasoline, increasing fuel-economy standards, and a gasping economy were practically an advertising campaign for a car that returned 41 mpg on the highway and had a base price of less than $23,000.inline_mediumwraptextright26769299/green/reviews/1003_2009_volkswagen_jetta_tdi_wrapup1003_01_z+2009_volkswagen_jetta_tDI+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Why a hybrid?
The Volkswagen Touareg has always been a bit of an odd man out in the world of SUVs. It arrived to the party a bit late, and since it plays in a segment of the market that's not exactly luxury, but certainly not entry-level, it doesn't exactly have any direct competitors. That said, we've always enjoyed the Touareg. Now we've driven our first example of the new, second-generation Touareg, this time with VW's first hybrid powertrain.inline_mediumwraptextright2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid27063530/green/reviews/1003_2011_volkswagen_touareg_hybrid_reivew1003_01_z+2011_volkswagen_touareg_hybrid+front_three_quarters_view.jpgTrue

The engineers at Ford know there’s a lot at stake with the unveiling of their new 2011 Ford Super Duty. Last year Dodge came to market with a hugely revised Ram HD pickup with great success. Later this year, General Motors brings a new Chevy Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD to the party. And in just a few months, buyers will have three new trucks to choose from, each in a violent battle for market share in one of the most highly profitable segments in the automotive universe. To call this launch critical is a huge understatement.inline_mediumwraptextright2011 Ford Super Duty28314379/reviews/driven/1003_2011_ford_f_series_super_duty1003_01_z+2011_ford_f250_super_duty_crew_cab+front_three_quarters_view.jpgTrue