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I could do without the big wing perched on the trunk lid, but as a whole, I rather like the way the new STI looks, what with its protruding wheel wells, strong shoulders, sparkly yet purposeful wheels, and rally blue paint. Nice.

Months in fleet: Ten
Miles to date: 29,648

The Subaru Legacy and its wagon counterpart, the Outback, share a lot of mechanicals, yet these two vehicles are quite different in how they drive. The Legacy sedan handles and steers much better, with noticeably less float. The continuously variable transmission is a bit of a drag, however. If you peg the throttle from a stop, it's painful to watch how slowly the tachometer needle climbs to its redline. In most situations, you run out of road before the needle reaches 5000 rpm. And yet peak power isn't made until 5600 rpm. The manual shift mode actually works quite well and makes the CVT more tolerable. The transmission also helps the Legacy return an EPA-estimated 31 mpg on the highway.

Scientists can't classify it as an element, but soil is one of the few substances on this planet we simply cannot live without. Foliage and food sources spring from it, our modern world is built atop of it, and arguably, it provides the basis for one of the most entertaining forms of motorsport ever created: rallying.

During the economic nightmare that was 2009, carmakers watched their sales slide off a cliff -- all carmakers but one that is: Subaru. Instead of plunging sales, 2009 marked the third consecutive year of Subaru sales growth; giving it a record market share in the process. So far in 2010, Subaru has done even better. For 2011, Subaru hopes to keep the momentum going, with updates to its performance side of the brand -- the WRX and STI.

Months in fleet: Nine
Miles to date: 25,916