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.

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.

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.

Looking to add some top-down thrills to your life? Our updated convertibles buying guide video and latest road tests can steer you in the right direction.

Six automakers have seen front air bags from supplier Takata blow up in their face, as 3.4 million cars will be recalled worldwide from BMW, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, and Toyota. From the headlines, it sounds frightening, with fire and shrapnel being among the risks, but what does it mean to you? We'll explain.

Automakers tout the size of their SUV's third-row seats claiming they are accessible and usable. And while SUVs are pitched as a hipper alternative to the minivan, they still can't rival the big people movers.

It's amazing what you can find out from an auto show. This year, in the course of covering the New York International Auto Show, we came across some exciting electronics news: Readers no longer need commit to a book format the whole time they're reading, even when behind the wheel.

The New York auto show isn't just about cars. As proof, BMW announced a new suite of apps that will be compatible with iDrive, bringing Internet radio to new and recent models.

No, not those models that frequent a runway. Instead, two of the big introductions here at this year's New York auto show are trumpeting major weight reductions. To be fair, it did require major surgery in both cases.

Listen to hallway and office chatter at Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center and you'll find widely divergent opinions about the BMW X1. They mostly fall into two camps, and it all boils down to the car's value.

While car brand reputation can be a strong influence on purchase decisions, such perceptions can be misleading. The reality is, every brand offers models that perform across a spectrum, with some are clearly better than others.

It's important, of course, to get a good deal when you buy a car. But it's just as critical to look down the road at how much a vehicle will cost you to own.

Spring is just weeks away, and with the new season comes the dream of warm weather and open-road romance for top-down driving. It just so happens we have two German roadsters for sale from our test program that fit this bill.

You may not have heard, but BMW now offers its luxurious 5 Series sedan as hybrid. We recently spent a few days with a BMW ActiveHybrid 5 to see if it lives up to the promise and share our first impressions.