• By  Alex Nishimoto
• Posted May 6, 2012

Going up against the major players in the highly competitive midsize sedan class requires guts, but sales of the latest Sonata suggest Hyundai has what it takes. But challenging the reigning champ Toyota Camry means offering a full range of vehicles, from a base four-cylinder, higher-performance turbo I-4 or V-6 to a range-topping hybrid. We recently got behind the wheel of a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid to see whether the hybrid sedan is a viable alternative to the class-leading Toyota Camry Hybrid.

On the highway, the Sonata Hybrid is a smooth ride, with the MacPherson strut front and independent multi-link rear suspension transmitting very few road imperfections to the cabin. The car is also right at home in the city, where it can make the most of its start-stop and regenerative braking tech. During my five-minute, stop-and-go drive from the office to the freeway on-ramp, I only noticed the engine restart once. Since there's no tachometer, it's already difficult to te...

• By  Shaun Bailey
• Posted May 6, 2012

It’s always a good sign when the engineers who develop a car are excited to let journalists drive it. The earnest grin on Chief Engineer Mike Merlo as he discusses the development of Dodge’s Dart speaks volumes, and also hints at the success of Fiat and Chrysler's entwinement. This is the first shared platform between the two. The Dart’s foundation is that of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, however it’s not badge engineering. Merlo’s team evolved the Giulietta’s architecture into what is now that Dart. The cars are significantly different, more so than the Dart being a sedan and the Giulietta a hatch. For starters the Dart is not built in Italy, but in the Belvidere, Illinois, assembly plant where the Jeep Compass and Patriot are made. And where once was built the Neon, the car to which the Dart, name aside, is a true successor.

From the look on its face, it’s clear the Dart is not a happy, googly-eyed cartoon character like the Neon. Head of Dodge Exterior De...

• By  Matt Davis
• Posted May 5, 2012

It's been fascinating to sample Audi's new greener edition of the EA824 V8 in all of its various incarnations. Our first crack at the new TFSI powerplant with cylinder-on-demand was in Audi's own 513-horsepower S8, and we then went on to try it out in the new 500-hp Bentley Continental GT and GTC V8 models. Most recently, we dipped into the 4.0-liter biturbo in the new S7 before getting behind the wheel of the closely related S6 seen here.

Versus the previous S6 with its muy macho Lamborghini-derived 5.2-liter V10, everything is quicker, more efficient and lighter in weight. The new fourth-generation S6 Quattro with S-tronic seven-speed dual clutch comes in at a European curb weight of 4,178 pounds – about 30 pounds lighter than the previous V10-stuffed car with its automated six-speed. Yes, power is slightly lower now at 414 horses, but peak torque of 406 pound-feet is slightly higher and happens over a vastly wider range of 1,400 to 5,200 rpm. Audi's 0-62 miles per...