http://www.edmundchein.net

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-Palm Springs, California

We're fresh from the driver's seat of the newest addition to the Lancer Evo fast family, the mildly more grown up MR Touring model. Mitsubishi has got a lot happening at its event in Palm Springs, California this afternoon (stay tuned for much more from this desert trip in coming days), but we felt we'd be remiss if we didn't check in with a few quick thoughts about the new Evo.

CLICK HERE to continue reading this review.

These four hatchbacks are up to something, and we aim to find out what. See how these four fiery hatches behave when we bring them together to see who is the hottest. Plus, don’t miss all the other great content in this issue of Winding Road, including:

- 2010 BMW 5-Series GT
- 2010 Aston Martin Rapide
- Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
- Honda Fit vs. Smart ForTwo
- Living History: BMW M5 at the Nürburgring
- $40K Alternatives: Hyundai Genesis vs. Acura TL SH-AWD vs. Ford Taurus SHO
- SEMA 2009

This issue is packed with much, much more, so check it out in one of our two formats.

CLICK HERE to read this issue in our online viewer.
CLICK HERE to download an ad-free PDF from NextNewsStand.

And don't forget, you can buy a full subscription to Winding Road by clicking here. One year of ad-free, downloadable PDFs can be yours for the low, low price of only $4.99.

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We drive the 2010 Altima Coupe, Sentra Sedan, and Versa Hatchback back-to-back-to-back to see what the refreshed line is made of.

—Nashville, Tennessee

For 2010, a good portion of Nissan’s lineup has been refreshed. The Altima, Sentra, and Versa, were updated to compete with the ever-expanding sedan market. It had been a while since we’ve been behind the wheel of these three models, so we went down to Nissan’s American headquarters among the rolling, green hills of Tennessee to reacquaint ourselves, and to see what each model had to offer.

2010 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5S

Definitely the sportiest of the Nissan news in terms of appearance was the 2010 Altima coupe, which drew us immediately. We admit, it’s a good-looking car. It appears confident, but not without a level of restraint. It still has the same form as the sedan, which itself is sleek yet not approaching aggressive. The wheelbase is shorter, and its more compact footprint and two-door profile give a hint of speed to the curve of the cabin.

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We were overjoyed to find that our weeklong test of the new Corvette Grand Sport coupe was going to be in a manual transmission car—there’s just something about rowing through the gears in a motoring icon. LS3 power, removable roof panel, and launch control all add up to potential for a great next few days. Ask you questions of the 2010 Vette by clicking through the link below.

+ NextAutos Forums: Ask It: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

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The new Mercedes-Benz halo car to end all halo cars just hit the road and track with us at the wheel.

—Monterey, California

You’ll get a chock-full version of this amazing drive experience with the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in the next issue of Winding Road (next week), but we wanted to hit you with some of the fun fresh out of the aluminum Sportwagen. In a nutshell, the SLS is a clear successor to the SLR McLaren and it is clearly improved from the SLR.

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Pros:

• Spacious and practical interior belies modest exterior size

• Fuel economy can be fabulous

• No shortage of amenities and electronic toys

Cons:

• Feels about as slow as any car we’ve driven (as in “Throttle response? What throttle response.”)

• Ride is firm, but also on the harsh side of normal

• Handling is quirky (firm springing + limited roll-stiffness + harsh damping + zero throttle response = not much fun)

Car Summary:

Like the Lexus HS250h, the Toyota Prius offers three operating modes: Power, Eco, and EV (electronic vehicle), which might just as well be labeled Slow, Slower, and Slowest. Although the Prius is lighter and somewhat more nimble than its Lexus counterpart, it exhibits a glacial pace off the line. As it turns out, the car accelerates better than at first seems to be the case, but the throttle response is the opposite of hair-trigger. You really have to get into the pedal to make the Prius move.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of this Buyer’s Guide, or browse the rest of our Buyer’s Guides here.

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As if the too-hot Roush 427R wasn't enough, the much-loved tuning company has now put another spin on the 2010 Mustang. As for appearance, this one is much more tame and subtle than some of the cleft-chinned 'Stangs we've driven, but don't let its looks fool you. The supercharger under this Mustang's hood bumps up power to a GT500-matching 540 ponies, and with suspension tweaking on hand, this latest Roush will surely be a hit for muscle car enthusiasts.

Scoot on over to our Ask It forum post and let us know what burning questions you have about the newest Roush creation. We'll be on hand to respond, as well as post driving impressions throughout the week.

+ NextAutos Forums: Ask It: 2010 Roush 540RH

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— Atlanta, Georgia

To say that Kia has made a lot of changes to the Sorento for the 2011 model year doesn’t quite capture the spirit of it. It’s roomier, lighter, more efficient, offers different powertrain options, and is built in the U.S. to boot. While it is by all means a crossover, Kia has tried to keep the new Sorento from falling in with the rest of the herd, and has created what promises to be a formidable competitor in the otherwise dreary and uninspired segment of affordable CUVs.

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—South Lyon, Michigan

Let’s face it—the latest trend of sleek-lined crossovers is here to stay, and we can look forward to more and more manufacturers creating new vehicles based on this larger design ethos. (See what you’ve done, BMW X6?) So Honda, known for game-changing products, was certain to remind us that the brand new Accord Crosstour had been in the works for many years. “We had been planning this one since before anyone even saw the X6,” we were assured by one executive. When we asked if the Crosstour was in any way developed alongside the recently released Acura ZDX, we were told that the two vehicles have nothing in common with one another. In fact, Honda pointed out that while the ZDX was designed and engineered in America, the Crosstour is, for the most part, the fruit of Japanese labor.

But is it unique? Aside from the styling, there isn’t a whole lot of newness to this car. As the vehicle’s name suggests, the Crosstour is based on the trusty Accord sedan, and instead of dropping the Accord name, Honda left it in place to build better familiarity within its consumer base. Truth be told, about 60 percent of the Crosstour is made up of standard Accord parts, and Honda won’t shy away from telling anyone and everyone that the Crosstour is an extension of the Accord lineup. The automaker wants consumers to view this vehicle as a more premium version of the Accord, but one that offers the space and functionality of a crossover. While this all makes a whole lot of sense in concept, the final product is a bit of an odd duck.

CLICK HERE to continue reading this review.