It could be the most extraordinarily bizarre production vehicle in the world. The 2013 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG makes no sense whatsoever. It's a German military truck dressed up in a veneer of civility with a hot-rod engine. It combines legendary off-road capability, AMG performance, luxury, and technology in complete disharmony.

And whether you love it or hate it is a pretty good indication of whether you operate from the heart or the head, at least when it comes to cars.

The sensible approach to the G63 AMG would be to reason that you will never use its three differential … Read more

At first glance, the 2013 RS 5 Coupe Quattro is Audi's answer to BMW's M3 -- nothing more, nothing less. But I find it interesting that the automaker has gone about challenging the Ultimate Driving Machine in a very Mercedes-Benz fashion.

The RS 5 actually reminds me more of Benz' C63 AMG. Like the C63, the RS 5 is a bit of a brute -- sort of a German muscle car, if you will. Both cars start with a capable sports coupe and then cram massive, powerful engines under the hoods. Both seem to place a greater emphasis … Read more

When Jeep released its 2011 Grand Cherokee, it startled old Jeep aficionados by going with an entirely independent suspension and implementing electronic off-road settings. The 2014 Grand Cherokee takes the technology even further with its digital speedometer and integrated apps.

The result is a near-perfect luxury SUV that maintains real off-road credibility.

Rather than manual differential locks, the Grand Cherokee benefits from Jeep's Quadra-Trac and Selec-Terrain systems, which take sensor information and intelligently distribute torque to all four wheels. Likewise, an air suspension automatically levels the vehicle and aids in wheel articulation. As a bonus, that air suspension gives … Read more

Is it too early to say that Honda's got its groove back? Maybe, but that doesn't discount how much the 2013 Accord Coupe V-6 feels like a return to form for the Honda brand. It's attractive. It's design is thoughtful. Most importantly, it's actually fun to drive.

Cabin tech We've seen Honda's new dashboard interface before in the Accord sedan and in the new Acura RLX (albeit, highly modified and reskinned for the premium brand).

In our navigation-equipped Accord Coupe, the infotainment system actually consists of two color LCDs and two different control … Read more

One of the bigger challenges facing automakers in recent years has been making usable and safe interfaces for navigation, stereo, and hands-free phone systems. With the 2014 RLX, Acura shows off its latest attempt at tackling the interface challenge, but ends up with a kludgey design that will leave drivers frustrated.

The RLX replaces the company's RL model as its flagship sedan, and incorporates enough changes to warrant a different model name. It successfully ups Acura's luxury quotient through the use of more quality interior materials and new technologies, yet still does not quite feel up to the … Read more

Car-focused movies, such as the "Fast and Furious" series, show high-speed chases where the hero hits a nitrous button, causing his car to rear up, the front axle leaving the ground. The 2013 Kia Sportage SX felt a bit like that when I mashed the gas pedal. And it was a front-wheel-drive crossover.

The SX version of the Sportage gets near-uncontrollable power from a turbocharger.

The Sportage, Kia's answer to the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape, checks in as a plump-looking crossover. Cargo area with the rear seat up measures 26.1 cubic feet, enough for a … Read more

I figured it would be a slow week when Mitsubishi delivered to the CNET garage a 2013 Lancer with neither an Evo nor Ralliart badge. The rally star Lancer Evo is a glorious little street-fighter, while the Ralliart version is almost as good.

But this 2013 Lancer SE showed me a couple of tricks that ultimately made for some fun driving adventures.

Bargain four-wheel drive Among Mitsubishi's limited line of vehicles, the Lancer is the stalwart -- an economy car offered in multiple trims, and with some tech options. The Lancer SE delivered to CNET was a midtrim model, … Read more

Update: Kia released pricing and new details about trim levels on April 19, 2013. The Cadenza wil be available for a base price of $35,100. The Luxury package, referred to in this review as Premium, raises the price to $38,100. Kia set the price of the Technology package Cadenza at $41,100.

Driving the 2014 Kia Cadenza, I contemplated the older-model Mercedes-Benz E320 sitting in front of me, and realized that the Kia had a much better cabin.

The thought of comparing Kia favorably with Mercedes-Benz was unheard of 10 years ago.

Issues of used versus new aside, … Read more

Maserati released photos and a few details of a new car it will unveil at the Shanghai Motor Show. The Maserati Ghibli looks to be an attempt at more of a mass-market car than the Italian maker's other models.

The Ghibli will be offered with a choice of two turbocharged V-6 engines, one of which will burn diesel, mated to eight-speed automatic transmissions. Maserati says the car will come in rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive versions.

The Ghibli is intended to bolster Maserati's plans to sell 50,000 cars per year.

The interior picture shows luxury materials one would expect … Read more