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I still don't subscribe to the logic of selling two mechanically identical compact crossovers for the same price under two different brands, but I will admit that I like the Terrain a bit better than I did the Equinox. The beefy, blocky sheetmetal certainly has a more masculine image, which might appeal to people downsizing from something bigger and more truckish.inline_mediumwraptextright26344769/reviews/editors_notebook/0912_2010_gmc_terrain_awd_slt20912_02_z+2010_gMC_terrain_aWD_sLT-2+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

It's easy to criticize cars that are "all show and no go." But looking at this Audi A5, which offers four-cylinder power in a segment dominated by 300-hp six-cylinders, I feel compelled to ask, is there anything really wrong with prioritizing looks over performance?inline_mediumwraptextright26328515/reviews/editors_notebook/0912_2010_audi_a5_20t_quattro_mt60912_01_z+2010_audi_a5_20T_quattro_mT6+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Although the auto industry's renewed global focus is streamlining product plans across continents, there will always be cars we want but can't have. For its discreet performance and sleek luxury, the Audi S3 compact hatchback is one of these mythical machines. To drive the real thing, you'd have to cross the Atlantic or endure the bureaucratic agony of trying to import one, but perhaps the best way to get into an S3 is to make your own.inline_mediumwraptextright31406226/reviews/driven/1001_2009_mtm_audi_s3_sportback1001_01_z+2009_mTM_audi_s3_sportback+front_view.jpgTrue

The Mazda 5 is getting old, but I remain a fan. This is a great vehicle for a small family that needs something bigger and more versatile than a sedan but doesn't want the expense and bulk of a minivan or a larger crossover. With comfortable seating for six spread among three rows, a carlike driving demeanor, and great visibility through its huge windshield, it's a very pleasant vehicle to drive. Yep, it's only got a four-cylinder engine. Nope, you don't need a V-6, which would only drive up the sticker price and lower the fuel economy which, at 21/27 mpg city/highway, is pretty good for a car that can haul six people, or four people and a lot of stuff.inline_mediumwraptextright26344289/reviews/editors_notebook/0912_2010_mazda5_touring0912_03_z+2010_mazda5_touring+rear_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Suzuki wants to reinvent its image in the United States. Actually, let me rephrase that: Suzuki wants to invent its image in the United States. If cars were movies, the Reno and the Forenza would've been as straight-to-video as the Olsen twins' How the West was Fun. The SX4, though, is a spunky little bundle of value, and now we have the Kizashi, Suzuki's most serious attempt yet to muscle into the automotive mainstream.inline_mediumwraptextright26117345/reviews/driven/1001_2010_suzuki_kizashi1001_04_z+2010_suzuki_kizashi+rear_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Even as the miles wore on during two recent road trips, our Mazda 3 remained comfortable and engaging. During a Thanksgiving trip to Boston, assistant editor David Zenlea found the seats supportive over the long haul while the 3's chassis soaked up bumps and kept the drive lively. Having made the same trip two weeks earlier in our long-term BMW 7-series, Zenlea made the surprising assessment that the 3 was "significantly more enjoyable." His only gripe during the1600-mile drive was the navigation system that failed to warn him about standstill traffic near the Canadian border costing him hours and forcing him into a hotel for the night.inline_mediumwraptextright25452041/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/0912_2010_mazda3_s_sport_5_door_december_update0910_01_z+2010_mazda3_s_sport+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Every once in a while, a car comes along that you just know will be a future classic by the sole virtue of how rare it is. Enter the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart, whose name is so long we'll run out of ink if we continue to use it. So, in the interest of saving precious natural resources, we'll call it the LaSpRa.inline_mediumwraptextright27189754/reviews/driven/1001_2010_mitsubishi_lancer_ralliart1001_02_z+2010_mitsubishi_lancer_ralliart+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

I expected a Lexus convertible, whose mission is making its driver look good and feel fine, to have one-finger steering and a pillowy ride. But that's not the case here. The steering has some real substance, and the ride actually errs on the side of too stiff, thanks likely to the 40-series (!) rubber that comes with the optional eighteen-inch wheels.inline_mediumwraptextright27559048/reviews/editors_notebook/0912_2010_lexus_is_250_c0912_01_z+2010_lexus_iS_250_c+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Months in Fleet: 9
Mileage to Date: 33,556inline_mediumwraptextright27592360/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/0912_2009_dodge_ram_1500_december_update0912_01_z+2009_dodge_ram_1500+rear_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Perhaps it's merely a product of the cold, slick roads around here, which prevent much spirited driving, but I might prefer this base A4 over a BMW 328i. Just approaching the car in the parking garage after a long day's work, I gained an appreciation for the sense of drama and excitement Audi has baked into its mainstream, lower-priced model. Indeed, it really doesn't look or feel any less special than a $45,000 S4 or even a $60,000 A6. And though it lacks the dynamic capabilities of its rear-wheel-drive BMW rival, it won't put you to sleep behind the wheel, either. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder's 258 lb-ft of torque quickly quells any six-cylinder envy, and the handsome, three-spoke steering wheel firms up nicely at speed, though I'd prefer a more natural, progressive build-up of effort.inline_mediumwraptextright31734480/reviews/editors_notebook/0912_2010_audi_a4_20t_mt0912_02_z+2010_audi_a4_20T_mT+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Romeo, Michigan
The Ford F-series is one of the most important nameplates in the automotive universe, and we all know why: for most of the past three decades, the F-series has been in the number-one spot on the U.S. sales charts. If you thought that Ford would veer from its proven formula for the 2009 F-150, think again. After all, it was designed and engineered long before last summer's gas-price-induced market meltdown.