The refined-and-luxurious Z4 roadster range now sports the first four-cylinder engine BMW has deployed in the United States since 1999. We recently spent some time with a Z4 borrowed from BMW to sample this fresh powertrain and share our impressions.

It’s not often we think of any SUV as being fun to drive. But consider this: The BMW X3 truly fits that description. And seeing as how the original X3 basically invented the upscale sporty compact SUV segment, it’s refreshing that the latest version continues this tradition, while adding functionality.

The upcoming March 2012 issue of Consumer Reports magazine features road tests of the BMW X3, Jeep Wrangler, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Volkswagen Tiguan, and Toyota Prius V. These new or updated models were treated to the full battery of more than 50 tests, and the full results are available now to online subscribers.

Consumer Reports’ 2012 Car Brand Perception Survey reveals how consumers rank car brands across seven purchase-influencing factors, such as safety, quality, and value. And the research also sheds light on what brands consumers are likely to purchase from for their next new car. Ford, Toyota, and Chevrolet lead purchase intent, though Honda has a higher brand loyalty rate than its domestic competitors.

The people have spoken: Toyota, Ford, Honda, and Chevrolet excel over other brands in the minds of adult car owners, though the brand’s advantages are less this year than in the past. These are among the findings of the 2012 Car-Brand Perception Survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

Following the strategy seen with the Mini E electric car, BMW is offering a lease of its new electric car to select consumers in Boston, Hartford, New York, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco. Priced at hundreds less than the Mini E, the ActiveE will be offered at $499 a month for 24 months, with $2,250 down.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and BMW are recalling 89,911 Mini Cooper sedans equipped with a turbocharged engine. The electronic circuit board which controls the electrical water pump to cool the turbocharger may malfunction and smolder, possibly leading to an engine fire.

As I made my last tour of the Cobo Center show floor in Detroit, it struck me how few new models stood out to me this year. I love that most unveilings were practical, or at least skewed toward the practical, from traditional mainstream models edging upscale to prestige brands reaching down toward mainstream budgets. The cars that etch themselves into my memory are distinctive in appearance, function, and/or mission, leaving so many others anonymous in an army of clones.

The last 20 years saw the rise of luxury brands, including Lexus, Acura, BMW, Infiniti, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Even Cadillac, once near death, was revived by edgy styling, improved driving dynamics and a rocking Led Zeppelin ad campaign.

A total of 115 vehicles have earned the 2012 Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) including 69 cars, 38 SUVs, 5 minivans and 3 pickups. Eighteen new models make the list this year including the Acura MDX, Acura TL, Acura TSX, BMW X3, Buick Verano, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, Honda CR-Z, Honda Fit, Honda Insight, Honda Pilot, Honda Ridgeline, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Scion xD, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius V, and Toyota Yaris.

The doors are set to open at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Wednesday morning, November 16th, to give auto industry insiders and the media access to the major new-car show two days ahead of the public opening. Several Consumer Reports staffers will be on hand to witness the more than 50 scheduled vehicle debuts and share the highlights here in the Cars blog, as well as in the special LA Auto Show section. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @CRCars to catch the news and photos uploaded direct from the show floor.

BMW is recalling 32,084 various vehicle makes from model years 2008 through 2011 because the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat, which could cause smoldering of the pump or lead to an engine compartment or vehicle fire.

BMW is about to launch another electric-vehicle field test, this time a two-year lease on the Active E, an electrified version of the two-door BMW 1 Series coupe. BMW claims the Active E has a 100-mile range and will lease the EV for $499 per month, plus a $2,250 down payment. BMW also requires a home charging station from its partner AeroViroment..

The other issue inherent to electric cars, in addition to their limited range, is how long it takes to recharge them. A “quick” 30-minute recharge could make a big difference for electric car drivers, albeit it’s still longer than a fill-up. And one reason such fast chargers have been slow to appear—other than cost, who pays for them, and how do they become profitable—is that it can be hard to get a bunch of car companies to agree on anything. So when seven automakers agree to a new standard for charging, it sounds like a breakthrough. Except when the rest don’t.

Federal investigators with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is trying to determine if the Mini Cooper sport coupes are literally hot cars.