MotorMouths

The Nissan GT-R’s incredible performance and ease of use will make it a favorite of performance junkies. That it costs less than $100,000 while achieving performance that usually costs at least twice that boggles the mind — and being able to drive it so easily blew my mind.

The new Lexus GS’ impressive blend of nimble handling, quiet road manners, intriguing looks and high-level interior seem like the perfect blueprint for the brand’s future.

Track-ready yet fun for the street, the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 is a pure performance machine that may be the best version of the classic car I’ve driven. It’s rare to find a vehicle that feels so natural to drive.

In the rarified air of luxury SUVs, the Range Rover Supercharged rules the roost. Even with Porsche exuding performance and Lexus and Mercedes boasting comfort, the Range Rover does an excellent job providing plenty of both.

While I was impressed with the standard 750i, the 750Li’s added length and weight sapped any excitement from the driving experience. Luckily, backseat passengers are cocooned in a level of automotive opulence you don’t routinely find for less than six-figures.

The 650i is a remarkable machine that will find plenty of fans among current BMW owners. Does it deliver a luxurious convertible interior and a gorgeous exterior? Yes. Is it lovely to cruise around town in? For sure.

There are luxury cars with better performance or roomier backseats, and there are luxury SUVs with more utility, but the swoopy Audi A7 is a sexy hatchback with performance and personality to match.

I can’t for the life of me figure out what family-sedan shopper wouldn’t be tempted by the Mazda6. The ride is extremely comfortable, there’s plenty of power, it looks great and it packs a ton of features at a price that beats the competition.

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class has better visibility, tremendous performance chops, and when you compare its interior room with the traditional Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan’s, it barely gives an inch.

The Nissan Maxima succeeds because it doesn’t equate lots of interior space to whalelike exterior dimensions, making it enjoyable to drive. The Maxima is also comfortable and well-equipped, and some trims have extremely competitive pricing.

By using a turbo engine, Hyundai has made the Sonata 2.0T as much fun to drive as the competition, but it gets better mileage — and it’s cheaper. Sounds like a winning formula to me.

If you’re not turned off by the minivan stigma, the Odyssey should be your first stop when shopping. I recommend leaving the kids at home, though, because once they hear that surround-sound system in the Touring Elite, they will not let you buy a lesser trim.