For our October-issue road tests, we rounded up a group of nine small, sporty cars that are big on fun. In these videos, Consumer Reports auto experts walk (and drive!) you through the highs and lows of their tests of these sporty cars. Heres a brief snapshot of each: BMW 135i: It is small inside and not cheap, but Consumer Reports found the 135i simply a joy to drive. Chevrolet Cobalt SS: Chevy transformed its mediocre Cobalt into a sporty coupe, with a powerful turbocharged engine and very capable handling and braking. Dodge Caliber SRT4: The SRT version adds lots of power and sporty cues to the unrefined Caliber, but that doesnt make it much fun to drive.  read more »

In the October issue of Consumer Reports, and online, we reviewed several sporty cars that go beyond the mainstream to deliver true driving excitement in compact packages: BMW 135i, Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Dodge Caliber SRT4, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Subaru Impreza WRX, Subaru Impreza WRX STi, and Volkswagen R32. Several of these cars scored very high in the class with impressive performance and packaging. Though, by definition, these vehicles each have very distinct personalities, and the raw numbers do not tell the full story. We have rotated through the cars repeatedly, debating all the while over our preferences. It is a tough group, because often there is a car that appeals for a weekend and another that suits for the daily grind.  read more »

Since the dawn of the stoplight, drivers have been challenging one another for automotive bragging rights. Just as the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang have been pitted against one another since the mid-1960s, the last decade has given rise to more international rivalries, due in some part to the advent of PlayStation and the Gran Turismo video game franchise. These games are heavily credited for inspiring Mitsubishi and Subaru to bring over their World Rally Championship-focused Lancer Evolution and WRX turbocharged, all-wheel-drive cars to the United States. The wild-winged, previous-generation cars took the video game competition to the street bragging rights, creating a legion of loyal enthusiasts. When the redesigned models were introduced, we had to stage our own showdown.  read more »

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has named six small SUVs Top Safety Picks: the Volkswagen Tiguan, Mitsubishi Outlander, Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute, Mercury Mariner, and Nissan Rogue. To qualify for this accolade, the six got the Institute's top rating of Good in offset frontal and side crash tests, plus an evaluation of rear crash protection. They also all offer electronic stability control as standard equipment. The Mercury Mariner and the Mazda Tribute are twins to the Ford Escape; the test results also apply to the hybrid versions of these models. The Honda CR-V, Honda Element, and Subaru Forester are also Top Picks in this class based on earlier tests. IIHS rates cars in an offset frontal crash that is more severe than U.S.  read more »

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