DETROIT — This is a funny little car. Though a mechanical carry over, the refreshed styling has given the Yaris a cheeky look that is youthful and —from the front — a bit avant-garde. You either love it or hate it, and I found it stopped just short of going over the top. Being a Toyota, reliability isn’t a problem, though — by the same token — it’s also not very likely to have much of a personality or be terribly fun to drive.

HOUSTON — The BMW X5 is the luxury SUV with the soul of a performance sedan. That was true when it first rolled out at the turn of the century, and it remains true today. It just so happens that it maintains its all-weather, all-capable, cargo-hauling soul as well. Powered by a diesel-fueled 6 cylinder engine, it also manages a highly respectable 27 mpg, making the X5 a luxury leader in every sense.

MIAMI — Although it’s likely some people will be impressed as you pilot around a Benz SUV; in truth, you will be much more dazzled by the Mercedes-Benz M-Class from behind the wheel than those gawking at it from the curb will be. This is particularly true if it’s the highly contented ML400 like the one in which I recently cruised the streets of South Florida.

INDIANAPOLIS — With each generation, Mercedes claims the C-Class is more sophisticated, more upscale, and just more of everything.  That was true when the 1994 C-Class replaced the 190E and it’s true as the fourth-generation supplants the third.  You often hear these cars compared to the flagship S-Class.  Beyond hyperbole, those comparisons bear truth.

DANA POINT, Calif., — Many automakers have tried but not one has succeeded in changing the driving public’s perception of minivans. They are considered dowdy vehicles for people who are laden with kids and have no lives of their own. Minivans are thought to be the lone vehicle that people buy not because they want to but because they need to.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Jeep's timing is impeccable, introducing its new Renegade just when the small SUV crossover segment is expected to grow by a whopping 80 percent over the next two years. To make matters even better for the Jeep brand, the Renegade hits the bullseye joining the subcompact SUV ranks with a capable and affordable vehicle for suburban living while giving hardcore Jeep enthusiasts on a budget a true off-road warrior.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — We ran into real world winter weather conditions while here to test drive the new 2016 Kia Sorento. Wind gusts were up to 50 mph and sometimes more, precipitation varied between rain and sleet, and heavy snow was expected that night. We felt some relief when we were told that Kia had brought all-wheel-drive versions of the Sorento utility vehicle. Front-wheel-drive versions are available.

SAN DIEGO — Asked about the reasoning behind the launch of the Chevy Trax, chief engineer Al Manzour answered with refreshing honesty: “Originally, the Trax was scheduled to launch in 2012 just behind the Buick Encore, but it was delayed to see if the sales we thought were in this segment actually were there.”

AUSTIN, Texas — We started the morning on the streets of Austin, then moved onto the highways that ring the Texas capital city, and from there to a handling "test" track set up at Troublemaker Studios, a film production company. It gave us a good feel for the new 2015 Ram ProMaster City work van and how it could comfortably fit into the daily chores of such businesses as a floral delivery company or a plumbing repair shop.

NAPA, Calif. — When Nissan introduced its first crossover more than a decade ago it stormed into the market with a flashy, aerodynamic design penned in its North American studios. The 2003 Murano broke new styling ground with a rounded eye-catching appearance that looked ahead of its time. The design has aged well through two generations, but even with some significant updates, it is becoming dated.