The Globe and Mail

Affordable Practical people haulers

2012 Ford Explorer

$29,999 base

The arrival of this new Explorer marked the end of the traditional truck-based SUV. The original Explorer filled Ford's coffers and created a boom in SUVS similar to the Ford Ranger pickup-based Explorer of the day. This latest Explorer, though, sits atop the mechanical basics of a Ford Taurus which itself traces its roots to the Volvo S80 of the late 1990s. Settle into this crossover, get comfortable behind the wheel, and you'll be surprised by the driving part. Ford offers front- and all-wheel drive versions, a V-6 and its EcoBoost direct injection/turbocharged engine, too. A complete package. (Jeremy Cato)

Affordable Practical people haulers

2012 Mazda5

$21,795 base

Everyone knows Chrysler is the minivan company, outselling everyone else in that category by a mile. I'm not saying don't buy a Chrysler, but take a look at the Mazda5 minivan for a smaller, more agile, more European take on the family hauler. It's a four-cylinder van, not a V-6, so you'll save gas, but it'll be noisier when you push it. But it's refined and comfortable and doesn't seem like you're driving a box on wheels. Mazda doesn't advertise these things much, so go to a dealer and search for it behind the rows of Mazda3s. (Michael Vaughan)

Affordable Practical people haulers

2012 Subaru Outback

$28,995 base

The problem has to be marketing and distribution. How else to explain why the Outback is not one of Canada's best-selling cars, let alone one of the top five crossover wagons? The Outback is so, so safe; reliability is bullet-proof, the all-wheel-drive system is among the best anywhere at any price and the overall design is pretty enough. Pricing? It is right there. The average vehicle transaction price in Canada is around $30,000. I mean, tick the boxes of a bestseller and you've darkened them all here. It's gotta be the marketing. (Jeremy Cato)

Affordable Practical people haulers

2012 Honda CR-V

$26,500 estimated base

When I took my first test drive in the reinvented CR-V I foolishly went looking for the “Oh, wow” factor. What great invention did Honda have to leave me gasping and breathless? There isn't one here. But Honda has nailed down plenty of “Oh, well, that's nice” developments here. The CR-V is pretty quiet for a small crossover, doesn't slurp down too much gas (only a four-cylinder at 185 hp is available) and by the time it goes on sale in January will surely have nailed down great crash test scores and so on. Mr. Reliable, that's what the CR-V is. (Jeremy Cato)

Affordable Practical people haulers

2012 Nissan Quest

$29,996 base

Was it Bill Gates who once said you should embrace nerds when you're young because one day when you grow up you'll be working for one? This is how car makers can reverse the decline of minivan sales: sell them as nerd-mobiles. Nerds are smart, successful, often very wealthy and they get the girl, as we've seen in The Big Bang Theory. Nissan is trying to push the Quest as the ultimate in affordable family transport. And it is. Love this minivan. But I'd sell it with humour as the vehicle nerds take on a road trip. That's called reverse snob appeal. (Jeremy Cato)

Affordable Practical people haulers

2012 Dodge Durango

$37,995 base

In every divorce, one party gets something the other would have liked to keep. In the case of the Chrysler Group's divorce from its disastrous marriage to Daimler, the likely unwelcome “keeper” was the platform underpinning the Durango. It was developed with Daimler and is now coming to market as the 2012 M-Class and soon-to-arrive GL-Class. So what's underneath the Durango is superb engineering. Really superb. But the Durango sells for thousands and thousands less than even the cheapest ML. I'd tell anyone to drive the Durango back-to-back against any German competitor before spending a nickel. (Jeremy Cato)

— Audi

Big, beautiful boats

2012 Audi A7

$68,600 base

Monkey see, monkey do. Everybody has a coupe-like sedan now. Mercedes started the craze for sloping roof hit-your-head-when-you-get-in-the-back-seat four door sedans with the CLS. It was a big hit and the rest followed. Audi's version, the mighty A7, is the best looking of them all and comes with a thundering V8 engine. We played with this one on the autobahn and it was terrific. I'd lose my license in a day on the 401. Beautiful interior, spectacular performance and thump – just hit my head getting in. (Michael Vaughan)

— Nissan

Big, beautiful boats

2012 Infiniti M and M Hybrid

$52,400 base/$67,300

You may not applaud all the swoops and lines and curves and bulges in the M, but then there's no accounting for taste, is there? I love the look of this car, just like I am fascinated by Christina Hendricks of Mad Men fame. Like Ms. Hendricks in an evening gown, the M seems like it's bursting out everywhere, all at the same time. It is a courageous design and the car has performance to match. The Hybrid flies, by the way, and is not really about fuel economy, but speed. I'd like to date this car. (Jeremy Cato)

2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Big, beautiful boats

2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S350 BlueTEC 4MATIC

$109,900 base

I was at a display once where Mercedes had lined up all the big S-Class sedans that had been ridden in by various German chancellors, bank presidents and a tennis champ or two. These were mighty cars (some heavily armoured) with V8 engines. How times have changed. Now you can get the same top-of-the-line Merc with – wait for it – a six-cylinder, diesel engine. Mind you, it's diesel, and on the autobahn just as fast. This is both a great car and a good idea. (Michael Vaughan)

— Audi

Big, beautiful boats

2012 Audi A6

$58,800 base

Just who is the Audi buyer in Canada? Most likely someone who has either rejected the other German luxury brands, or a defector from one of the Japanese upscale offerings – Lexus and Infiniti, to be precise. This new A6 should pull in all of those, at least for a look-see. But I think the A6 will also catch the eye of nouveau riche buyers looking for their first premium sedan. The A6 is what it should be, a balanced cocktail of tamed yet handsome design elements, solid chassis tuning and iPad-ish technology. Nice interior, too. (Jeremy Cato)

— Audi

Fast and fun rides

2012 Audi R8 GT

$173,000 base

At Audi resides genius. It dipped into the Volkswagen Group parts bin and engineering department for the mid-engine blueprints of the Porsche Boxster and the Lamborghini Gallardo. And presto – there's the Audi R8, a total homerun with the rich boy-racer crowd. Now Audi has shaved off some weight, boosted the horsepower of the V-10 and come up with another gem, but this time with a near quarter-of-a-million-dollar price tag. And guess what? Only 23 2012 Audi R8 GTs are coming to Canada and they have all been sold. Genius. (Michael Vaughan)

— Jaguar

Fast and fun rides

2012 Jaguar XKR-S

$150,000 estimated

The 550-horsepower Jaguar XKR-S coupe is capable of a top speed of 300 km/h and 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. Do I need to say anything else? Okay, let me allow Mike Cross, Jaguar's chief engineer of vehicle integrity, to elaborate: “Here is a car that's capable of transporting a driver in comfort and quiet to the legendary Nurburgring, before lapping the fabled 13-mile Nordschleife in less than eight minutes – which is quick – and cruising home for dinner.” Okay? Anything else? Didn't think so. (Jeremy Cato)

— Porsche

Fast and fun rides

2012 Porsche Cayman R

$75,600 base

I like the Boxster/Cayman class of Porsches because the engine is where it belongs – in the middle. No back seat, but it achieves centre-of-gravity perfection. All my old 911s and 356s have the engine back on the rear bumper somewhere. However, my rule is don't buy any car with the “performance” badge (like R) unless it’s for the race track. It means lighter weight, stiffer suspension, and therefore much less comfort. Having said that, the Cayman R will give any more expensive 911 a run for its money because .... the engine’s in the right place. (Michael Vaughan)

— Porsche

Fast and fun rides

2011 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S

$121,400 base

Full disclosure: I'm a Porsche fan and have owned them in various versions for decades – including many rusted-out wrecks, but they were and are all air-cooled. When Porsche started putting radiators in its cars it lost that on-the-edge feeling. The Carrera 4S tries to get the feeling back with an interior reminiscent of earlier 911s and yet another boost in horsepower. Don’t worry about the tail hanging way out behind you on corners – this one has perfect response to drivers’ wishes through the wonders of computers. In comparison, my favourite-ever Porsche has 75 horsepower, no computer and no roof. Next year a new 911 arrives, and it’s even bigger. Hmm. (Michael Vaughan)

— BMW

Fast and fun rides

2011 BMW 1-Series M Coupe

$53,600

Somewhere outside of Munich you will find the spot where I laid down a 10-metre stripe of rubber. It was my professional duty to see just exactly what this 335-horsepower, twin-turbo testament to the boy racer in BMW and the rest of us unabashed performance lovers, could do. Wow. There is video footage of this out there and we ran it first on Car/Business. Yes, it was childish, I suppose. But like I said, wow. If I were going to buy a 1, this is the one. So fast and so crazy. That's this car in a nutshell. (Jeremy Cato)

2012 Chevrolet Volt— General Motors

Green machines

2012 Chevrolet Volt

$41,545 base

What guts it took for General Motors to pull the trigger on making this car, this electric car with its range-extending gasoline motor. Yes, yes, the Nissan people sniff at the Volt and say it's a hybrid, not a true electric car like the Leaf. But that's splitting hairs. The Volt is an electric car until you drain the battery in all your everyday driving. It is also a marvel of engineering refinement. With government subsidies in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, you can get a Volt for the low-$30,000, which makes it an affordable statement about “green” driving. (Jeremy Cato)

Green machines

2012 Nissan Leaf

$38,395 base

The world's first mass-produced all electric car is the Nissan Leaf and it's a pleasure to drive. So comfortable, so quiet, so emissions-free. CEO Carlos Ghosn, the world's most interesting car executive, has gambled billions on this project and wants to sell 250,000 a year two years hence. If you can afford a car for city-commuting only, this is the one for you. Don't plan on driving it to Vancouver unless you travel with a generator truck alongside. But for the city it's a whole new experience in driving and a very responsible one, too. (Michael Vaughan)

— Ford

Green machines

2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

$42,200 base

I like Lincoln. I never thought I would say those words unless it's in connection to the giant, old Continental of decades ago. But the modern MKZ Hybrid is the glitzy version of the Ford Fusion Hybrid and it's quiet and polished and absolutely seamless in its transitions from gas engine to electric drive. Inside, it's beautiful; outside it has that gigantic smiley chrome grille that can blind oncoming traffic if it catches the sun right. Never mind, Ford dealers are throwing thousands of dollars at you if you take an MKZ off the lot. Maybe you should. (Michael Vaughan)

Green machines

2012 Scion iQ

$16,760 base

Do you ever see a Scion on the road? I don't. They're supposed to be for the skateboard crowd and that sure excludes me, but really they're not that much different than regular old Toyotas. They are also not exactly flying off the dealers' shelves. Well, the iQ might change that. It's a funky – I hate that word – little two-seat city runabout that's more practical than a smart car and cheaper too. These cars are much better in cities than the lumbering sport-utes everybody drives. The iQ might also prove that Scion's still alive. (Michael Vaughan)

Green machines

2012 Toyota Prius V

$27,200 base

This is the Prius that might actually get Canadians to buy a hybrid. It's roomy. It has a hatchback. It can haul kids and sports equipment for soccer moms who want some green cred. It can haul passengers and enough luggage for Toronto taxi drivers who want to save money at the gas pumps. Hybrids get a lot of talk but few sales, and they are much less than one per cent of the Canadian fleet although Toyota is first in the world in overall hybrid sales. The Prius V should finally give Toyota Canada a hybrid bestseller. (Michael Vaughan)

Green machines

2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid

$26,900 base

Toyota seems to have come around to the reality of the marketplace and that reality starts with nailing the price for budget-conscious buyers who read the financial pages and worry about every penny – the 99 per centers, in other words. Here's what I have to say about the 2012 Toyota Camry XLE Hybrid ($28,990) – it is $2,320 less than the 2011 version and this one is better. Toyota also has a $26,900 version for 2012, a Camry Hybrid not in the lineup at all last year. Toyota's hybrid track record is brilliant, so if you want a reliable family sedan with “green” credentials, this car should be on your test drive list. (Jeremy Cato)

Grocery getters

2012 Ford Fiesta

$12,999 base

Stop me if I've told you this story, but for years I went to Europe and rented little Ford econo-cars. Wow, they were terrific, almost as good as Volkswagens. Finally, you can get the best of the Euro-Ford stuff at home and it's called Fiesta (it's also called Mazda2, which is basically the same car).The Fiesta was selected by the Canadian Automotive Jury as the Best of the Best for 2011, and that's high praise. For a little sub-compact, this one is comfortable, quiet and enjoyable to drive. (Michael Vaughan)

2012 Subaru Impreza— Subaru

Grocery getters

2012 Subaru Impreza

$19,995 base

I've called the Impreza the Paul Giamatti of cars. Solid, versatile, decent to look at, safe and reliable. This is a left-brain car. I mean, for less than $20,000 you can get an all-wheel drive runabout, for goodness' sake. That's great pricing. I'd opt for the four-door hatchback that starts for $1,000 more, of course; a completely useful compact wagon-y thing. Subaru has done plenty for the 2012 model, too. The doors are bigger and better designed for entry and exit, the power train has been improved and the cabin no longer looks like dollar-store chic. (Jeremy Cato)

Grocery getters

2012 Hyundai Accent

$13,199 base

Hyundai has a winner here. The Accent is shockingly attractive, more so because the old one was so horribly homely. The last time I tested a pre-2012 Accent I wore a bag over my head. The latter's sole virtue was a compelling cheapness. Along comes the 2012 car and … Whoa!!! This one's a looker, especially the completely functional four-door hatchback. It performs, too. Hyundai has stuffed an all-aluminum 1.6-litre four-banger under the hood (138 hp) that Hyundai touts for its “best-in-class” 4.8 litres/100 km highway fuel economy. And did you notice the starting sticker price? (Jeremy Cato)

Grocery getters

2012 Mazda3 GS-SKY

$19,995 base

Mazda has shuffled its whole 3 lineup for 2012, lowering prices, adding content and tweaking the design. All welcome, especially the end of the old “fish-mouth” front end. But it's the SKYACTIV power train story we'll focus on here. The direct injection gas engine is a sweet treat – quick to respond and fuel efficient in the real world. Better still, the automatic transmission delivers snappy but not harsh shifts when you're feeling frisky, yet is smooth at low speeds. The manual gearbox, Mazda's first new manual in seemingly forever, is even better with its light throws. The engineers are awake at Mazda. (Jeremy Cato)

Grocery getters

2012 Mini Cooper Countryman

$26,450 base

A chicken in every pot; a Mini in every segment. I don't expect it will use that as its new slogan, but you get the idea. Where once there was one Mini, now there's a fleet and the Countryman is that little station wagon version with the cute, teeny-weeny barn doors on the back. All wheel drive, too. You can haul a bunch of stuff in it and it still goes around corners like a go-kart. BMW has made a huge success out of Mini and the Countryman shows how. (Michael Vaughan)

Grocery getters

2012 Chevrolet Cruze

$15,495 base

If Chevy is going to be GM's bread and butter brand around the world, then it needs a hit which cranks out some serious volume. It has it in the Cruze. It's a sub-compact that drives and feels like a bigger car. Great safety, decent fuel economy and nice middle-of-the-road styling. If the Ford Focus is too Euro for you, you'll find the Cruze more pleasing. I've often thought the latest Malibu is the best Chevy ever; the Cruze is just like it but smaller. (Michael Vaughan)

2012 Ford Focus— Ford

Grocery getters

2012 Ford Focus

$15,999 base

I felt dizzy after my first drive in the 2012 Focus. My head was spinning from having been entertained by a small Ford sold in North America. Astonishing. The Focus visually is a head-turner and the cabin looks special and can be had with electronics of all sorts. But it's the driving that sets this little guy apart from the competition. What a tight chassis. Love those quick responses. Ford needs to work on refining the dual-clutch autobox, but overall I'd say the Focus says Ford has finally come to respect its small car customers. Shocking. (Jeremy Cato)

2012 Honda Civic Si Sedan— Wieck

Grocery getters

2012 Honda Civic

$14,990 base

Honda has had a horrible year with the earthquake, tsunami, floods in Thailand and a string of vehicles that elicit yawns from car reviewers. The latest version of the Honda Civic, nearly always Canada's bestselling car, is probably the finest Civic ever from an engineering standpoint but I can't tell it apart from the previous one. I remember 20 years ago when Honda was the most awesome and exciting car company in the world. I would certainly recommend the Civic, but it doesn't excite me. (Michael Vaughan)

Grocery getters

2012 Kia Rio5

$16,695 base

Kia's sales have been off the chart in Canada – up 23 per cent or so and showing no signs of slowing. The Rio5 certainly won't slow this South Korean train. Comedians who have feasted on junky Kias with designs apparently crafted by children with Crayons need to rethink their routines. Kia is making cars with compelling designs, hypnotizing prices and solid engineering. The Rio5, which shares its basics with the Hyundai Accent from its corporate cousin, delivers exactly what a budget ride should. Kia is becoming a force, folks. The big question mark: when will quality scores rise above average? (Jeremy Cato)

Grocery getters

2012 Volkswagen Golf TDI and GTI

$25,425/$29,375 base

The Golf has been Europe's best-selling car year after year for decades and European drivers are smart. The TDI is the more expensive diesel Golf and the GTI is the even more expensive pocket-rocket Golf. Both share basically everything else with the good old garden variety Golf that the Euros love. Great driving cars, solid as a rock, terrific interiors and the best seats in the business. Golfs are getting a little pricey though. The Jetta is now priced lower and it's VW's volume car, but the Golf's still the veedub for me. (Michael Vaughan)

2012 Kia Optima— Kia

Middle market machines

2012 Kia Optima

$21,995 base

Oh Kia, what art thou? They have a fit if you call them Hyundai's bargain brand and they hired a top German car designer to show people like me just how daring and youth-oriented Kia could be. Well take a look at all the creases and angles and curves on the Optima and tell me that's not ... er, well, sexy, I guess. Yes, underneath it shares all the engineering and technology with the Hyundai Sonata, which is selling up a storm. The Optima is Kia's way of saying “Look over here.” Hyundai-Kia sibling rivalry is producing some good results. (Michael Vaughan)

Middle market machines

2012 VW Passat TDI

$27,475 base

Diesel or hybrid? Diesel or hybrid? I'm asked all the time. For stop-and-go city driving, hybrid is best, but Veedub doesn't make one for Canada. Yet. However, for highway cruising there's no doubt that diesel is the answer. And if you want a roomy, mid-size sedan for the open road, the Passat TDI delivers better highway fuel economy than hybrids and is priced about the same. Great interior, perfect seats, but the exterior styling seems dull to me. Passat’s a car for the long haul and long run. I just ran into a guy with a TDI with 800,000 km on the clock. (Michael Vaughan)

Middle market machines

2012 Hyundai Sonata

$22,699 base

No car company has made more progress in the last 10 years than Hyundai. They pack more technology into a moderately priced car than anybody. The Sonata is a very roomy mid-size with four-cylinder engines only – the standard is a 2.4-litre direct-injected inline four cranking 198 horsepower. The styling is a little over the top, but Hyundai wants to be noticed and the new Sonata is selling like crazy. It's hard to remember how awful the first Sonata was in 1989. It proves a company can change for the better. (Michael Vaughan)

— Land Rover

Pricey Practical People Haulers

2012 Range Rover Evoque

$46,995 base

I’m told that Rattan Tata, the Indian zillionaire who bought Jaguar-Land Rover from Ford, is often seen snooping around the design department at his latest possession. He must like what he’s seeing because he’s thrown billions into the company and its product development. Gerry McGovern, Land Rover's chief designer, who has huge talent and an ego to match, has penned the smallest, lightest Land Rover ... er, make that Range Rover – I can never keep the names straight – ever. It's flying off the shelves. Rattan Tata is pleased. Evoque is a winner. (Michael Vaughan)

— Land Rover

Pricey Practical People Haulers

2012 Land Rover LR4

$59,990 base

On the border between England and Wales there is a place called Easton Castle where Land Rover has a driving school. I've done it, tackling the absolute worst kinds of off-road challenges. You name it: mud, water, rocks, stumps… I have driven over and through all of them in an LR4. What a tough rig. At the same time, the LR4 has a cabin fit for Kate Middleton and a cargo area big enough to carry Prince William's helicopter and polo gear, all of it. And while as aerodynamic as a castle, the exterior design looks the part. (Jeremy Cato)

— Chrysler

Pricey Practical People Haulers

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

$54,995 base

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee came out a year ago and it's a winner. Now along comes the souped-up version: the 400 hp, race-track-ready SRT8. Race-ready sport-ute? Yep, I don't see the point either, but here it is and some people gotta have 'em. Many of them are handing over bushels of cash for AMGs from Mercedes or Ms from BMW. Well, this Jeep will give them both a run for their money in power, driving dynamics and posh interior while costing tens of thousands of dollars less. Thank you. You're welcome. (Michael Vaughan)

— Volkswagen

Pricey Practical People Haulers

2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel

$53,575 base

Who wouldn't applaud the upgrades VW has made to the Touareg SUV? The interior looks expensive now, and while not exactly cheap, the diesel Touareg is certainly priced in the mainstream for slightly upscale SUVs. Don't overlook the diesel, either. It's a compelling feature that enhances the overall appeal. The seats, by the way, are brilliant, the noise levels low, the highway comfort very, very good and the exterior design, well, satisfactory. I keep wondering when VW will finally start earning above average scores in the big quality studies. Got an answer, VW? (Jeremy Cato)

Pricey Practical People Haulers

2012 BMW X1

$38,500 base

If you want a sport-ute and you don't need something the size of a moving van, then this little compact job from BMW could be the ticket. I really like its size and its sporty driving dynamics. It has a nice, snug interior with classy Bimmer finishing. A wonderfully smooth transmission manages the power and all-wheel drive is there when you need it. I find it so much more pleasing to drive than any of the SUVs in the heavyweight division. If they'd only put a clean diesel in the X1, I'd be very tempted. (Michael Vaughan)

— Mercedes-Benz

Pricey Practical People Haulers

2012 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class

$57,900 base

Why anyone would buy a gas-powered Mercedes SUV is a mystery. Of course, few are. When last we checked, 80 or 90 per cent of Mercedes SUV buyers had gone diesel. And why not? For another $1,500 you get the BlueTEC with this completely reinvented ML. Great torque, great fuel economy and almost none of the diesel rumble and clatter of 20 years ago. Just don't do like my pal David and pour gas into the diesel tank. Thousands of dollars later it was fixed. As for the 2012 ML, it's top-drawer in every way. (Jeremy Cato)

— BMW

Pricey Practical People Haulers

2012 BMW X3

$41,900 base

At some point around a decade ago, the self-described “Ultimate Driving Machine” makers in Munich bit the bullet and went into the SUV business. The first X3 was a bit of a half-hearted effort and left many disappointed. Not here. BMW makes a pile of cash on its SUVs and in reinventing the X3 that first went on sale here early in the year, the Bavarians showed maturity or at least resignation to the reality of the marketplace. Premium buyers spend wads of G-notes on SUVs. Those who dump them on the X3 will get a smart, handsome and enjoyable ride. (Jeremy Cato)

Serious rigs

2012 Ford F-150 EcoBoost

$22,399 base

Ford replaced the F-150’s entire engine lineup for 2011 to improve fuel efficiency by some 20 per cent overall. What a success story. Here we are going into the 2012 model year and while Ford has a pair of available V-8s, the big problem is keeping up with demand not for its standard V-6 and the EcoBoost V-6 with turbocharging and direct fuel injection. For $1,200 more than the 5.0-litre V-8 you can get the EcoBoost, which is more fuel efficient and has more torque and offers plenty of towing moxie and … Great engine. (Jeremy Cato)

Serious rigs

2012 Jeep Wrangler

$22,595

Let’s all pause and give thanks for the passing of that horrible minivan engine that did service in last year’s Wrangler. It has – oh, thank you lord – been retired. Now, for less than $23,000 to start, you get the Chrysler Group’s ubiquitous 3.6-lire V-6, all 280-hp/260 lb-ft of torque. This is a good engine. It transforms the Wrangler into a cool looking rig that is no longer slightly painful to drive at all. What has not changed is the authenticity of the thing. Even the cheapest Wrangler will go almost anywhere. Jeep is alive and getting evermore interesting. (Jeremy Cato)

Starter luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

$36,700 base

Mercedes' busy design language works wonderfully well here, unlike in the bigger E-Class, which seems like a dizzying collection of disproportionate creases. The compact C, the bread-and-butter sedan in the Canadian lineup, looks striking and modern and expensive and high-tech. Well, Mercedes has made a fetish out of loading up its cars like a Cylon mother ship; the cars almost drive themselves now, it seems. But the C also has its merits from behind the wheel. It's no BMW 3-Series, or even an Infiniti G. We'll call this one a composed looker. (Jeremy Cato)

Starter luxury

2012 Chrysler 300C/Dodge Charger

$29,995/$32,995 base

If Chrysler survives, big Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of both Chrysler and Fiat, is going to want to take all the credit. Well, I'd give him second place. First would go to Ralph Gilles, who grew up in Montreal. He's Chrysler's chief designer. What a great job he's done with cars like the Chrysler 300C and Dodge Charger. They are very similar cars under the skin and each has been made to look and ride and feel better. They're big cars, one more conservative, the other racier, each aesthetically pleasing. Fabulous interiors, too. Go have a look and tell them Ralph sent you. (Michael Vaughan)

— General Motors

Starter luxury

2012 Buick Regal GS

$42,345 base

I liked the Buick Regal when I first saw it. It's not an ancient LeSabre from Detroit. Regal shares great engineering and design with the Opel Insignia, which is why GM didn't sell Opel to Frank Stronach. Anyway, for a Buick it's the right size, it's sleek and stylish and doesn't look like Grandpa is going to climb out of it. So, before you slap your money down on a Bimmer 3 Series, at least visit the Buick dealer. Go in disguise if you're worried. The GS is the new, higher performance version of the kind of car that might give Buick a good reason to exist. (Michael Vaughan)

— Hyundai

Starter luxury

2012 Hyundai Genesis 4.0 R-Spec

$53,499 base

Perhaps this 429-horsepower machine with its tight steering and play-inducing suspension will do the trick. Perhaps the R-Spec will get Hyundai a large dollop of hard-fought regard for making cars that go beyond the basics. Hyundai has earned it. The R-Spec is a legitimate high-performance sedan, but at a price that leaves behind enough money – compared to certain German rivals – to buy a Hyundai Sonata mid-size sedan. I'll concede that the design is a big ho-hum. But the engineering here is noteworthy. Besides, there is something to be said for high-horsepower stealth. (Jeremy Cato)

— Nissan

Starter luxury

2012 Infiniti G37

$46,540 base

The G is one of the great underappreciated premium cars of the last decade. Infiniti has such a good lineup here – coupes, convertibles, sedans, all-wheel drive. It's is hard to understand why talk of the G is fairly uncommon in the places where's you'd expect to hear it. I am talking country clubs and ski clubs and the like. The G37 sedan with AWD, the G37x, is my favourite of the bunch. It goes fast and it will go almost anywhere in any kind of weather, with the right tires, of course. The interior is a triumph of Japanese design minimalism, too. Heck, even Infiniti's residuals are outstanding. Hmm. Why doesn't Infiniti resonate? (Jeremy Cato)

— BMW

Starter luxury

2012 BMW 5-Series

$54,500 base

This was my choice for the Canadian Automotive Jury Best of the Best last year. Needless to say, people like Cato voted me down. But if you have the dough, this is a sedan that will please you in every respect. It's big – too big for me – but it drives small. Great handling, amazing comfort, wonderful safety and driving technologies. I could sit in it all day if I didn't have to worry about the monthly payments. There's a great turbo four in Europe but here unfortunately it's sixes and V8s only. (Michael Vaughan)