Having just tested and lived with a quartet of German roadsters, our staff has convertibles on the brain. No doubt, you've seen the road tests and know the official scores and rankings. We thought it would be fun to go behind the ratings to see what some of our team members would personally recommended.

The redesigned Subaru Forester is the only small SUV out of 13 tested to earn a top score of Good in the new small overlap crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Both the Forester and the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, which received an Acceptable score, earn the Institute's Top Safety Pick+ award.

Honda just announced two new models aimed at beginning and experienced riders looking for fuel-efficient, easy-to-handle transportation, including a scooter with optional antilock brakes.

Beyond the fact that it's an all-electric luxury car, one of the surprising things about the Tesla Model S, is that it can seat seven.

It's clear the Tesla Model S dazzles us. But what you might not know is that even the door handles are cool.

Does Tesla envy have you pining for an affordable electric car? Well, we just happen to have two test cars that we need to sell to make room, and funds, for new cars.

With the release of our Tesla Model S road test, there have been many questions regarding what other models stand out. Here, we present the current class valedictorians, those cars that have faced our more than 50 tests and managed to earn an A.

Imagine driving while using your iPad to play music, and look at Google maps. Now imagine your iPad is built into the car and also runs your climate control, phone, and even basic car controls, such as braking, steering, suspension, and sunroof settings. Oh, and it's much bigger than a standard iPad. That's what it's like driving a Tesla.

Quality, safety, and value are the top factors for new-car buyers and are certainly not lost on moms looking to buy the right family car. Hitting all these attributes in a vehicle that is also kid friendly can be a challenge, but our experts have found 25 of the best, least-expensive mom-friendly cars that are appealing to moms with children of varying ages.

Auto Test Director Jake Fisher, my fellow Senior Auto Test engineer Gabe Shenhar, and I recorded this Tesla-only episode of our podcast, Talking Cars with Consumer Reports, to share more insights on this top-scoring car. You asked for it, and we delivered.

There, we said it. The Tesla Model S outscores every other car in our test Ratings. It does so even though it's an electric car. In fact, it does so because it is electric.

As the buzz builds around our countdown to the release of our Tesla Model S road test, we couldn't resist having some fun in the luxury electric sedan. In the process, we answered the seminal question: Will it drift?

Volkswagen has carved out a fuel economy niche with its efficient diesel models, but it turns out, the German brand also offers an impressive hybrid. And get this: It's actually enjoyable to drive. Really.

Automakers make routine price adjustments to respond to market forces or account for increased production costs. In an interesting move, Nissan lowered the prices substantially on seven models to help them appear in search results when shoppers are researching cars online by price.

Volkswagen is bringing more power to the people with a revised four-cylinder engine that will bring a power boost to the Beetle Turbo and Jetta GLI this month, making it the most powerful Beetle ever offered in the United States.