Posted 09/29/2009 10:27 AM

Winmark Authorized Agent

Saturn Outlook XR AWD

Used to be, to accommodate their specific vehicular needs, medium- and large-size families were relegated to penalty-box minivans with questionable styling, or behemoth full-size SUVs with trucklike handling and abysmal fuel economy. The introduction of midsize and large crossovers, like the 2008 Saturn Outlook, has changed all that. Now, soccer moms, NASCAR dads and everyone else with a brood to chauffeur (and cargo to move) have a viable and — dare we say — desirable domestic alternative to the family mobiles of the past. (

- Sunday 08 October 2006)

: Mercedes-Benz S550 - Performance

It also earned accolades on our test track. The S550 went from a standstill to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds, and it did so with grace — power delivery was linear and smooth, and shifts, while not especially quick, were seamless. The car ground to a halt from 60 mph in just 108 feet, and brakes showed zero fade even after numerous punishing runs.

Our S550's optional Active Body Control (ABC) adaptive suspension proved to be a significant asset. It kept all four tires glued to the pavement on the skid pad, and banished body roll on the slalom. Our test driver gushed that the ABC helped make the sedan's slalom runs simple to execute and incredibly consistent. Combine its superb braking with the benefits offered by ABC, and it's pretty clear that the S550 is ideally equipped to keep you safe should the situation call for emergency maneuvers.

Teamwinmark

Audi A3 2.0 T - Performance

Once under way, power is plentiful when you floor the throttle — with an impressive wallop halfway up the rev range from the turbocharger. Unlike many turbocharged cars, though, the A3 is graceful when driven conservatively, with barely a hint of turbo lag. And we were truly impressed with the brakes that stopped this Audi from 60 mph in a mere 107 feet — which is shorter than many high-end sports cars — with little or no fade after repeated runs. (Wednesday 03 June 2009 :

)