2009 Mercedes-Benz C300

INTERACTIVE EDITOR DALE JEWETT: We've sung praises for the Mercedes-Benz C-class before, and this example does nothing to change that tune.

The 3.0-liter V6 is powerful and smooth, capable of rocketing away from an intersection or getting you up to speed quickly on the freeway on ramp. The seven-speed auto snaps off crisp shifts, even in the Comfort setting. The chassis is rock solid, a real benefit as nearly every street in my neighborhood seems to be under construction right now.

The power driver's seat and power tilt and telescope for the steering column make it easy to find a comfortable driving position. And the seat heater is strong and soothing on a back that was tired from a weekend of yard work, digging and planting.

This brings me to a note about the C-class trunk--it can hold a bunch of stuff. I filled it with six bags of mulch, two bags of decorative rock, some edging, weed block and a few paving bricks with no hassle.

On the down side, setting the driver's seat for a full-size adult leaves very little leg room for the rear passenger, unless the driver is kind enough to scrunch up a bit.

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2009 Porsche Cayman S

SENIOR EDITOR FOR NEWS BOB GRITZINGER: It's hard to bitch about a drive in any Porsche, but this Cayman somehow left me wanting for more. Don't get me wrong, the car is spectacular in many ways--steering, handling, styling, braking--but somehow, it falls just short of my expectations, especially at this sticker price. Start with the power, which is strong but runs out of punch before I expected, and it doesn't provide the same accompanying symphony as other Porsches, or what you'd hear in a Boxster S, top up or down. I kept looking for the Sport button, but it's not there in this model, so the engine always felt a little underwhelming compared with what I knew was possible.

The interior and comfort and convenience features also seemed lacking at this price, with what seems like little attention paid to the driver interface. The controls are there, but punching up the right button while concentrating on driving isn't as intuitive as one might like. Steering-wheel-mounted redundant buttons would help.

All that said, again, it's hard to complain about any Porsche. At the same time, when a company sets a high mark, it needs to meet or exceed it every time. This Cayman may not.

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2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP

SENIOR EDITOR FOR NEWS BOB GRITZINGER: The New GM should make some effort to find a place for cars like this. This one is especially painful, because the car is almost stillborn, getting just one model year before its division and its chassis head for the scrap heap.

That's too bad, because despite some shortcomings (see later) this is one fun little ride. There's just enough fiberglass smell emanating from the removable roof panel, and just enough crease in the fenders, and just enough zip to the engine, and just enough responsiveness to the chassis, to make this feel every bit like a poor man's Corvette.

I think the coupe's styling runs circles around the Solstice roadster's chopped look, while its hatch-under-glass storage provides some reasonable room for cargo. The interior is nothing special, with a little too much ugly plastic covering large unbroken swaths of dashboard and center console, but the seats are good and the driving position is excellent.

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2010 Roush 427R Ford Mustang

We've driven faster cars before. Heck, we've driven faster Ford Mustangs before, but few cars, no matter their make, model or country of origin, have bested the all-out balance--and fun--of Roush's latest creation, the 2010 427R Mustang.

With 435 horses on tap and a full 400 lb-ft of torque twisting the tires via a

supercharged and intercooled 4.6-liter V8, the 427R certainly makes exhilarating off-the-line starts. Power is prodigious and nearly endless, the car showing only a bit of lag before launching in a glorious roar at every twitch of the right pedal. As you let the revs build, the supercharger screams to life, its climbing wail joining the Roush exhaust's growling, spitting, bubbling rumble in a cackling mélange of sound.

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2009 Mazda 6i

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JONATHAN WONG: Most of the time, it's sad to see a car grow up and become more mature and accommodating to the masses. More often than not it means a car loses its original identity that set it apart from the crowd. Thankfully, the new Mazda 6 has retained many of the traits that made it such an enjoyable driving midsize sedan during the previous generation.

Dimensions have grown in every direction for a larger interior space and trunk. There is a clear jump in interior quality with a more stylish layout and soft-touch materials on major surfaces. Seating position is comfortable and the backseat appears to be more accommodating for passengers compared to the last car.

The new car is good looking on the outside as well with a fuller, more distinctive appearance, while the flared front fenders styled after the RX-8's keep it sporty.

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