MONTICELLO, N.Y. — The setting was a wide track with large, perfectly manicured grass runoff areas that sits in a valley with its extremities running up and down the hills that feed into this depression. Its pavement describes arcs from surprisingly tight to wide open, joined by straights of varying lengths.

GOLDSBORO, N.C. — There were a number of good things to write about with the Acura ILX entry level luxury car after it arrived on the scene as a 2013 model, but performance and driving excitement were just a couple of its detriments — at least in the hybrid edition we were evaluating. Our conclusion at the time, the ILX won't make our recommended list.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Lexus invented the luxury midsize crossover way back in 1998. It was an idea that quickly blossomed into one of the hottest segments in the luxury ranks and within a few years Lexus was faced with serious competition for its groundbreaking RX 300. But Lexus remains the midsize sales champ rolling on with the ever-popular RX 350.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Hybrid and electric cars might be all the rage in the eyes of many new car buyers; but there are still plenty of people who just lust after an exciting car with plenty of power. Fifty years ago, when Ford introduced the original Mustang it started a whole new genre — muscle cars, aka pony cars. For many years the cars in this purely American segment captured the imagination of anyone looking for a more practical alternative to a two-seat sports car.

LOS ANGELES — If open-air motoring is not to your taste, a coupe version of the Jaguar F-Type will give you the head turning styling and performance you so desire. The all-aluminum F-Type Coupe delivers the uncompromised design vision of the Jaguar C-X16 concept, and complements the existing F-Type Convertible.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — More than four years ago Hyundai answered the criticism that all mid-sized sedans look the same by stepping away from the stereotypical styling with the 2011 Sonata, a car so daringly different that it set a new tone for the design future of the popular segment. It was a smash hit not only for its good looks, but for its above-average performance, generous standard features, and improved build quality.

GREENVILLE, S.C. — At the introduction of the 2015 Hyundai Genesis here we never got a chance to drive the V-8 version, spending 150 miles behind the wheel of the 3.8-liter V-6 in rear-wheel and all-wheel drive formats. And we were impressed with every aspect of the newest Hyundai, a noteworthy update of the first-generation Genesis.

SAN DIEGO — Honda hired a professional packer to demonstrate the interior size of its third-generation 2015 Fit at an event introducing the all-new subcompact hatchback. The packing theatrics provided auto writers with a few minutes of entertainment as she worked to shove and push and cajole five full-sized bean bag chairs into the cargo hold behind the rear seats.

PALO ALTO, Calif. — It’s a natural tendency for each new generation of a car to be slightly larger than its predecessor. I was vividly reminded of that when I walked out of a store just a couple of weeks after the all-new 2015 Audi A3 sedan was introduced and saw one in the wild so to speak. Initially I thought it was an A4 before I recognized it as the new A3, the smallest car sold by Audi in the USA.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The big hole in Chrysler's lineup is the mid-sized sedan, which just happens to be one of the largest and most profitable segments in North America. Its only entry until now was an aging Chrysler 200 — formerly known as the Sebring — and the rather bland sedan has not been competitive in recent years.