MINNEAPOLIS — When Kia introduced the boxy Soul four years ago in Miami, little did the company realize what a hit it would become. Manufacturers love to predict how many cars they will sell and the Soul has far exceeded their initial expectations selling four times as many as planned. Its success has left its closest competitors — the Honda Element, Nissan Cube and Scion xB — all but dead in the water.

MINNEAPOLIS — Two years after launching in Japan as a 1966 model, the Corolla joined Toyota’s U.S. lineup where it has stayed for the past 45 years. In that time, Toyota has sold more than 40 million Corolla’s worldwide, including 10 million in the U.S. Last year, despite being an old design in a sea of new releases, the Corolla was the second best selling Toyota in the U.S, and number two in the compact segment overall. That should tell you something.

GOLDSBORO, N.C. — It seems the headlines coming from Cadillac these days are all about the new all-new 2014 CTS and also its all-new VSport model. The CTS VSport features a twin-turbo version of Cadillac's 3.6-liter direct-injection V-6 making 420 horsepower and producing performance in the upper ranges of 4 seconds from 0-to-60.

INDIANAPOLIS — I’m a big fan of the Mercedes-Benz CLS63, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, and Audi RS7 — all super sexy four-door German super coupes.  Packing muscles of the gods, they romp from 0-60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds  and touch 190 mph with their 560 horsepower V8 engines.  Of course, these fabulous show ponies cost around $130,000.  Yeah right! 

INDIANAPOLIS — Trucks are not meant to be glamorous. Sure, they’ll pull a glimmering vintage Airstream trailer, put a wooden Chris Craft boat into crystal water, or carry home that mid-century credenza, but any trucks worth their fully-boxed frames can also haul a bed load of dirt, plow through snow, and charge through muddy fields.

GOLDSBORO, N.C. — After just one year on the market the stylish and good-selling seven-passenger Infiniti JX35 crossover has been scrapped by Infiniti. It's gone from the 2014 lineup. The 2013 JX will become a one-year wonder, equivalent to music's one-hit wonders.

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Nearly all of the truck-like body-on-frame sport utilities have been transformed into unibody crossovers, which is great for getting to soccer practice, but what about the rock climbers? The mud boggers? The mountain men (and women)? In other words, what’s left for the real adventurers?

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Bear with me, here. Do you remember when Charlie Bucket went on the tour of Willy Wonka’s amazing chocolate factory? Remember all the choices and options there were? Lickable, flavored wall paper. Everlasting Gobstoppers. Chewing gum that packed a 3-course meal into one delicious treat.

BALTIMORE — We've spent time with two Fiat 500 models on home turf over the past two years and our usual small crowd of "what are you driving now?" folks were enthralled by the two-door mini hatchback, never having seen one or ridden in one. Both times the 500 "won" over people whose previous knowledge of Fiat was limited to "they aren't very good cars, are they?"

SAN DIEGO — Nissan introduced its new Versa sedan nearly two years ago and since then it has become the best-selling subcompact in the country. Now comes the hatchback version, which is being tagged around the world as the Versa Note. It also has the makings of becoming a best seller in North America.