You could say Kia’s current run of sales success and image improvement really began with the latest, American-built Sorento, which debuted as a 2010 model. It’s been a big, big seller, and served notice of the onslaught of more great products to come. Tested recently in four-cylinder, EX-trim, it also shows how fast the pace of improvement is at Kia. It is now feeling a bit downmarket inside compared to the company’s own Optima, with universally hard plastics (well assembled) and very few visual or tactile indicators of luxury. But it is loaded with oodles of equipment, such as the UVO infotainment system that easily syncs with your phone, smart key, climate control, and of course, Kia’s killer warranty. The test vehicle had lots of nice options such as power, heated leather chairs with driver’s memory, an intuitive navigation system, and nice Infiniti sound system. Speaking of sound, it was the “tick-tick” noise of the Sorento’s engine that alerted me to its cylinder count and use of direct fuel injection. This 175hp, 2.4-liter mill is smooth enough and offers enough low-end torque (169lb-ft) that I’d not noticed it while driving a few blocks to the market. But as soon as I tried ...

That exclamation point is Kia’s, not mine, but it is quite suitable when applied to the reborn Soul, one of the company’s best sellers. For here is a fun, funky, audacious vehicle that is also supremely practical and affordable. The Soul is an almost perfect urban warrior: small and square making it easy to slot through dense traffic or parallel park, yet with an upright stance and good space utilization that make for a perfect smaller family truckster, with supportive seats, good visibility and lots of cargo room. Changes to the successful Soul recipe are fairly minor: outside, revised fascias front and rear and bigger headlamps (which I think hurt the proportions) allow for rows of LEDs that lend it a more upmarket air; other changes bring it more in line with the rest of the company’s offerings. Inside, the cool herringbone seat trim remains, along with some fun interior color schemes (light beige and gray on the test vehicle) that work surprisingly well, all rendered in higher quality matierals. Kia’s UVO infotainment system (basically the same as Ford’s Sync system, courtesy of Microsoft) means easy Bluetooth integration, a useful backup camera, and small, touchscreen interface. Some issues remain, namely the Soul’s easily ...

Want to save the planet? Or just save at the pump? There are plenty of choices out there. Want to have fun while doing so? Then your choices diminish rapidly. About the only solutions I know of are the turbodiesel VW Golf and the Skyactiv Mazda 3 and CX-5. As a brand new vehicle, the CX-5 is getting all the press right now, but that shouldn’t diminish the kudos the older 3 receives. For here is one of the finest driving, smaller cars you can buy, and it returns astounding real world fuel economy numbers of 28 city, 40 highway. You do loose an mpg from each figure if you choose the six-speed manual over the automatic (which has the same number of gears) but either way, you’re looking at basically class leading figures, and—unlike most competitors—results on the road that match the EPA labs. The 3 has always led the class in driver satisfaction, with great steering feel and precision, a tight, tied-down chassis that still absorbs bumps and smothers noise, great brake feel, and an overall sense of driver involvement missing from other class leaders like the Chevy Cruze and Hyundai Elantra. Only the Ford Focus and VW Golf really ...

Combine ingredients like the driving prowess of the Mazda3 and the style of the new Hyundai Elantra, and season with a leavening of technological options virtually unmatched in the class, and what do you have?  The newest Focus. Ford have tried this whole ‘world car’ thing before, but this time I think they’ve got it right.  This European-engineered car has the dynamic polish of the best from the Continent; within the first 100 yards you can feel just how right the control weightings are.  Steering heft, polished ride, and smoothly spinning 2-liter, 160hp engine all offer a level of refined driver interaction only the Mazda can exceed. On the highway, the Focus is a bit noisier—both from wind whistle and road roar—than expected for an all new design, but in most all other ways it is as refined as one could wish.  The seats are incredible supportive, the driving position spot-on.  Tactilely, the surroundings are good (the Hyundai is better), and the design and layout very contemporary.  The available smorgasbord of options, such as an amazingly effective $695 self-parking system, the latest gen Sync system (best in class), and the radical MyFord Touch interface, place the Focus at the forefront technologically. Also noteworthy ...

The new Benz CLS63 possesses one heckuva mean front visage, at least based on the number of drivers who moved aside as its blazing array of LED lights appeared in their rearview mirrors. Even if they hadn’t been inclined to let me by, it wouldn’t have been the work of a moment to dispatch them unto the annals of history, such is the monstrous thrust available from the all-new twin-turbo V8 that resides within that bold proboscis. Packing 516 horses and a walloping midrange of 518lb-ft of toque—up 51 over the older model, thanks to those blowers, this AMG runs and guns like the proverbial scalded cat. And if that’s not enough juice, you can get the Performance Package, which ratchets those numbers to a frankly insane 550/590. But unlike some past products of Mercedes’ in-house tuner division, this is more than a one-trick pony. The CLS63 was blessed not only with the finest steering of any Benz I’ve ever sampled, but its rack rivals those of its hallowed competitors from BMW and Porsche. Subtly direct and super-quick, it endows this sleek four door with reflexes befitting a car that seats only two and weighs a half-ton less. Ably abetted by a ...

I’ve had a soft spot for Infiniti’s big bruiser FX since it came out. In its second generation, it became even bigger and a perhaps a touch more bad, adding to its charm. Recent minor tweaks include a revised front fascia that better harmonizes with Infiniti’s other models, and makes for an even more audacious visage when an FX shows up in your rear view mirror. The view over the hood in particular is very evocative, reminding of time spent behind the wheel of a Porsche 911, and most definitely sets the right tone. But to really make the more voluptuous proportions of this sport ute work, you need the bigger, 21” wheels. The downside of these gorgeous, six-spoke jobs is that they add an even flintier edge to the FX’s already firm ride. What makes it tolerable is Continuous Damping Control; this is basically a sophisticated set of sensors that tell the dampers (shocks) what valving to run, and how soft or firm to be. CDC comes with the Sport package, and I would consider it necessary if you live and drive rough roads. You also get active rear-wheel steering with it, and when you switch the CDC control to its ...

I had an interesting time with Kia’s latest, the Rio, leaving me a bit up in the air about how to judge it. All started well; I couldn’t help admiring Peter Schreyer’s latest design triumph. The Rio, at least in five-door, SX trim, is taughtly styled, with great proportions, tight surfacing, and intriguing details, like LED front headlamps. With the wheel wells stuffed full of polished 17-inch alloys, it was quite sporty, too, especially for such a diminutive car. Inside, the Rio didn’t disappoint either. The overall design aesthetic was very pleasing, with contemporary shapes and excellent build quality. Intriguing details included the HVAC control area, with its bright surround and cool toggle switches. Seats where supportive and comfortable—front and back, a surprise based on the Kia’s size. And trunk space was decent with seats up, generous when they were folded. The amount of technology aboard the SX was frankly astonishing: things like Microsoft’s UVO phone integration, the backup camera, auto on/off headlamps, power folding outside mirrors, are almost unheard of in the price class. I enjoyed driving the Rio, too—at least for a while. It’s combo of 1.6-liter, direct gasoline injection engine and slick-shifting six-speed automatic was much more pleasing to use ...

Such is the cultural baggage that accompanies any discussion of hybrids, it is sometimes important to just step back and evaluate them as cars. No hyperbole about saving Gaia, or that they’re some insidious government plot designed to remove all enjoyment from the act of driving, either—just what it’s like to live with them for a week. I’ll start with the Prius. I detested this car when it came out—I admit I just didn’t “get it.” It was slow, didn’t really get great fuel economy (35mpg average out of Generation 1), and was soundly trounced by the European turbodiesels we are denied by various government legislations and consumer misunderstandings. But Gen 2 was better, and I find the latest to be quite amazing. For a start, it looks great: truly 21st century, both inside and out. When I sit behind that funky ovoid steering wheel, with its cool little touch controls that, when operated, create graphic overlays on top of the other instrument displays, I feel very Buck Rogers. Driven like a normal car, the Prius is slow, somewhat noisy (Toyota’s ruthless efficiency sacrifices the weight of extra sound deadening material on the alter of MPG), and stiff riding, due to the ...

The last of the real SUVs—at least those from Nissan—strikes me as an apropos eulogy after a week in an Xterra buffed up with the Pro-4X off-road package. Here is an actual truck that boasts of its fully-boxed frame, not its car-like ride. Its beefy Bilstein shocks and electronic locking differential mean it can do the dirty business in the dirt, as opposed to carving corners like a sports car. The Xterra’s stout 4-liter V6 may not be the last word in refinement—and its fuel economy ratings wont win it any Green awards—but it’s low-end torque gets the rig off the line with vigor and means you can tow with confidence. Inside and out the Nissan is proud of its heritage and purpose; I love the steps built into the tow hitch and rear fender cladding, along with the tie-down system and easily-cleaned (and scratched) plastic that lines the copious cargo area. The beefy roof rack (with built in box for dirty detritus) and its quartet of off-road lights, along with the Xterra’s upright stance and high-profile tires, make it more and more a standout amongst the faux-4x4 brigade. I don’t even mind the slightly numb steering nor hobby-horse ride, for these ...

The latest BMW 6-series is a radical in conservative clothing. Gone are the scooped and scalloped surfaces of the Bangle-era; in their place a sexy yet predictable blend of Bavarian styling cues. The tester’s white exterior with ivory interior might have struck some as effeminate except for the more aggressive M Sport body kit and 20” wheels; the overall effect was very West Coast and drew universal acclaim, even though it packed none of the visual drama of the car it replaces. The 650i’s interior is a triumph of functional style; gorgeous swathes of strait-grain wood, an (optional) leather dash, and large, sleekly integrated monitor and intuitive iDrive system make it a space you relish spending time within. Back seat space is adequate for short trips and trunk room generous, backing up the largest BMW coupe’s credentials as a consummate grand tourer. The 650i’s powertrain certainly wont disabuse one of such notions. The twin-turbo, 4.4-liter V8 combines astonishing low-end thrust (450lb-ft at only 1750rpm) with a relish for the redline that has defined the Motoren Werke’s products for decades. With 400hp coupled to a deftly-programmed 8-speed auto, acceleration to 60 is sports car-like at 4.5 seconds, and highway fuel economy and quietness ...