2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed & 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybri

HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK !

JOIN US AS WE TAKE OFF IN BENTLEY'S BIG TIME BRUISER, THE TWIN TURBO 12-CYLINDER CONTINENTAL GT SPEED.

WE REVIEW OUR ANNUAL MOTORWEEK DRIVERS' CHOICE AWARDS -- OUR BEST PICKS OF THE YEAR IN NEW CARS, TRUCKS, AND UTILITIES.

AND WE'LL SEE IF OBTAINABLE LUXURY AND MPGs MIX IN THE TOYOTA AVALON HYBRID.

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION Announcer: MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE.

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WHILE THE PURSUIT OF SPEED HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MUCH LONGER THAN THE AUTOMOBILE ITSELF, WHEN THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE FIRST MERGED WITH FOUR WHEELS THAT SEARCH GREATLY INTENSIFIED.

NOW FAST-FORWARD TO THIS LATEST BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT.

NOT ONLY DOES IT OOZE SEX APPEAL AND EXTRAVAGANCE, BUT IT'S THE FASTEST BENTLEY EVER, AND IT'S FITTINGLY CALLED THE GT SPEED.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

WELL, AS SPEED IS IN THE NAME OF THE 2013 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT SPEED, IT'S CLEAR THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS CAR IS ALL ABOUT.

AS ITS TOP SPEED OF 205 MILES-PER-HOUR, IS INDEED ONE MILE-PER-HOUR FASTER THAN THE BENTLEY CONTINENTAL SUPERSPORTS.

AND WHILE THERE ARE NO PUBLIC ROADS IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT LEGALLY, JUST KNOWING THAT YOU CAN IS ENOUGH FOR MOST PEOPLE.

MAKING THE SPEED POSSIBLE IS A SLIGHT TWEAKING OF THE CONTINENTAL'S 6.0-LITER TWIN-TURBO W12 ENGINE.

TURBO PRESSURE IS BOOSTED TO 28 PSI, AND THE ECU GETS REPROGRAMMED TO MANAGE IT.

THE RESULT IS 616-HORSEPOWER AND AN EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE 590 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

EXTERIOR TWEAKS TO THE GT SPEED ARE SUBTLE, BUT LIKE ANY LUXURY ITEM, THOSE "IN THE KNOW" WILL QUICKLY SPOT THE 21-INCH SPLIT-SPOKE WHEELS AND THE DARKER FINISH TO THE FRONT AIR INTAKES.

AND THOSE THAT AREN'T "IN THE KNOW" CAN APPRECIATE THE NEW CHROME TRIM AROUND THE TAIL LIGHTS AND UNIQUE RIFLED EXHAUST TIPS AS YOU STREAK PAST THEM.

AND IF OUR CAR'S FLAMING ORANGE PAINT JOB IS NOT OSTENTATIOUS ENOUGH, BENTLEY WILL BE HAPPY TO MIX UP A CUSTOM COLOR JUST FOR YOU; AS IN CREWE, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE FOR A PRICE.

STREAKING DOWN THE TRACK LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN OUT OF CONTROL, THE GT SPEED REACHES THE END OF THE QUARTER IN JUST 12.1-SECONDS AND 119 MILES PER HOUR, AND IT FEELS LIKE IT'S JUST GETTING STARTED.

WITH SPEED IN THE NAME IT HAD BETTER BRING IT, AND IT SURELY DOES AS IT LEAPS OFF THE LINE WITH AUTHORITY, AND THANKS TO ALL-WHEEL DRIVE, NO WHEEL SPIN, LAUNCHING TO 60 IN JUST FOUR SECONDS FLAT.

IT SOUNDS MEAN UNDER FULL THROTTLE, BUT STILL NOT AS AGGRESSIVE AS THE V8 CONTINENTAL.

WITH ALMOST 16-FEET OF LENGTH AND OVER 600-HORSEPOWER CONNECTED TO YOUR RIGHT FOOT, NAVIGATING THROUGH THE CONES IS AN EXERCISE IN RESTRAINT.

INITIATING THE SPEED'S DYNAMIC MODE HELPS A LITTLE.

BUT UNLESS YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PRIVATE RACE TRACK, MOST OF YOUR TIME WILL BE SPENT AT MORE SEDATE SPEEDS, AND THAT IS WHERE THIS CONTINENTAL REALLY IMPRESSES; WITH A SMOOTH MANNER AND SOLID RIDE THAT CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN CARS OF A CERTAIN EXCLUSIVITY.

THIS BASIC CHASSIS HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE NOW AND WE LOVE IT JUST AS MUCH NOW AS WE DID WHEN IT FIRST APPEARED.

IT HAS SPAWNED SOME GREAT AUTOMOTIVE MACHINERY OVER THE YEARS, BUT THIS ONE'S THE BEST YET.

INSIDE, THE FEEL IS INCREDIBLY "HIGH-END," BUT THERE'S STILL A DECIDEDLY SPORTY TURN WITH A PERFORATED LEATHER HEADLINER, TURNED METAL TRIM, METAL PEDALS, AND COLOR STITCHING THROUGHOUT THE CABIN.

THERE'S SOMETHING FOR ALMOST EVERY SENSE TO ENJOY, WHETHER IT'S THE FEEL OF THE CONTROLS, THE SMELL OF THE LEATHER, OR THE SOUNDS COMING FROM THE 1,100 WATT "NAIM" AUDIO SYSTEM.

THE FRONT SEATS LOOK GREAT AND PROVIDE BOTH INCREDIBLE COMFORT AND SUPPORT.

IF THERE'S ANY BAD NEWS TO REPORT, IT'S THAT THE SPEED WILL COST YOU A TRUST FUND BUSTING $215,000.

AT THAT PRICE, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OPTIONS OUT THERE; MOST OF WHICH ARE ACTUALLY MORE ENTERTAINING TO DRIVE.

BUT NONE CAN TOUCH THE BENTLEY'S MIX OF EXQUISITE STYLE, PERSONALIZED LUXURY, AND SHEER PERFORMANCE.

IT'S NOT AN EXOTIC SPORTS CAR, JUST AN INCREDIBLY WELL-DONE HIGH-END LUXURY COUPE.

IS IT WORTH IT?

WELL, IF YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY TO CONSIDER IT, IT PROBABLY DOESN'T MATTER.

ALL WE KNOW IS, WE LOVED THE CONTINENTAL BEFORE AND WE LOVE IT MORE NOW.

AND WHILE IT IS CURRENTLY NOWHERE NEAR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, WE'D PUT UP A TREE ANY TIME IF THERE WAS EVEN A CHANCE THAT WE'D FIND A 2013 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT SPEED UNDERNEATH.

HERE AT MOTORWEEK WE TEST WELL OVER 150 NEW CARS, UTILITIES, AND TRUCKS EVERY YEAR.

AND KEEPING UP WITH SUCH A VARIED LOT IS CHALLENGING, EVEN FOR US.

SO, ONCE EVERY 12 MONTHS WE PAUSE IN OUR TESTING TO HIGHLIGHT THE VEHICLES THAT WOWED US THE MOST AND AWARD OUR MOTORWEEK DRIVERS' CHOICE AWARDS.

NOW, SOME OF OUR WINNERS ARE VERY FUEL EFFICIENT, SOME ARE CLASSY, AND SOME ARE JUST A PURE JOY TO DRIVE.

SO LET'S GET ROLLING WITH OUR PICKS OF THE BEST CARS OF 2013.

IN THIS ERA OF FUEL ECONOMY CONSCIOUSNESS, THERE WERE NO SHORTAGE OF SMALL CARS THAT MADE THEIR WAY TO US LAST YEAR.

BUT NO SUBCOMPACT HAD ROAD MANNERS THAT IMPRESSED US MORE THAN LAST YEAR'S WINNING DUO, THE HYUNDAI ACCENT AND KIA RIO.

SURE, THEY NO LONGER CLAIM THE 40-MPGs THAT WERE FIRST PROMISED, BUT WE'RE JUST FINE WITH A FEW LESS IN A PACKAGE THAT'S AS STYLISH AND PRACTICAL AS THE ACCENT, OR AS SPORTY AS THE RIO.

SO, IT'S A REPEAT WIN FOR THE HYUNDAI ACCENT AND KIA RIO.

NEW COMPACT CAR ENTRIES WERE EVEN MORE PLENTIFUL, AND OUR TROPHY GOES TO A BRAND THAT'S BEEN OUT OF THE 4-DOOR COMPACT SEDAN SEGMENT FOR A WHILE, BUT RETURNED WITH A MIX OF ITALIAN FLAIR AND AMERICAN INGENUITY, THE DODGE DART.

AVAILABLE IN MODELS FROM MILD TO WILD, THE ALFA ROMEO BASED DODGE DART GETS OUR NOD THANKS TO ITS FUN TO DRIVE NATURE, ADVANCED POWERTRAINS THAT ARE BOTH SPIRITED AND FUEL EFFICIENT, A GORGEOUS EXTERIOR DESIGN, AND A KNOCKOUT INTERIOR WITH CHANGEABLE GAUGES AND THE LARGEST TOUCH SCREEN IN ITS CLASS.

IT'S THE FIRST ALL-NEW CHRYSLER PRODUCT DEVELOPED UNDER FIAT LEADERSHIP, AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S COMING NEXT.

OUR BEST FAMILY SEDAN WINNER IS THE SECOND GENERATION MID-SIZE FORD FUSION.

SURE, ITS ASTON MARTIN FLAVOR KNOCKS IT OUT OF THE PARK IN STYLING, BUT FUSION HITS ABOVE AVERAGE AS WELL IN HIGH TECH FEATURES, PRACTICAL COMFORT AND SPACE, AND FUEL ECONOMY WITH ALL FOUR-CYLINDER POWERTRAINS, PLUS HYBRID AND PLUG-IN MODELS.

INDEED, THE 2013 FUSION BULKED-UP BIG TIME ON DRIVER ENJOYMENT, THANKS TO AN AVAILABLE MANUAL TRANSMISSION FOR THE 1.6-LITER ECOBOOST ENGINE; WHICH IS ONE REALLY HOT COMBO.

THESE ARE THE DRIVERS' CHOICE AWARDS AFTER ALL.

MOVING ON TO BEST CONVERTIBLE, IT'S THE VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE DROPTOP.

WHILE THE "TOUGHER" MAKEOVER DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH TO FULLY WIN OVER THOSE WITH BOTH X AND Y CHROMOSOMES, THE CONVERTIBLE BUG STILL PUT A SMILE ON OUR FACES.

AVAILABLE WITH BOTH GAS AND FUEL STINGY TURBO DIESEL POWER, THE CLOTH POWER-TOP FOLDS QUICKLY, STORING MORE COMPACTLY THAN BEFORE; GREATLY INCREASING VISIBILITY.

GOOD NEWS FOR DRIVERS WHO LIKE TO SEE WHAT'S BEHIND THEM.

AND ITS $25,000 STARTING PRICE IS EVEN BETTER NEWS FOR ANYONE WHO LIKES TO HAVE THEIR TOP DROPPED AND STILL HAVE SOME MONEY LEFT IN THE BANK.

LIKE SOME WORDS, LUXURY IS HARD TO DEFINE.

BUT LIKE SOME OTHER WORDS, WE KNOW IT WHEN WE SEE IT.

AND INCREASINGLY WE'RE SEEING TRUE LUXURY ON CARS WITH SMALLER AND SMALLER PRICE TAGS.

AND THAT'S A BIG REASON WHY OUR BEST LUXURY SEDAN AWARD GOES TO THE LEXUS ES.

NOW BASED ON THE FULL-SIZE TOYOTA AVALON CHASSIS, THE ES HAS ENOUGH INTERIOR SPACE AND UPSCALE AMENITIES TO PLEASE MOST EVERYONE.

SO, WHETHER YOU CHOOSE THE SILKY SMOOTH ES350 OR THE ECO-CONSCIOUS ES300H HYBRID, YOU'LL WANT FOR LITTLE AND DO IT WITHOUT A 6-FIGURE INVESTMENT.

YOU MIGHT THINK OUR BEST SPORT SEDAN WINNER IS A SHOCKER, BUT NOT IF YOU'VE SPENT ANY TIME BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE CADILLAC ATS.

ONCE YOU'VE MASTERED ITS CUTTING-EDGE CUE VOICE AND TOUCH SCREEN CONTROLLER; IF YOU KEEP BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL AND YOUR FOOT TO THE FLOOR, YOU'LL BE IN FOR AN AMERICAN-MADE DRIVING EXPERIENCE THAT'S AS CLOSE TO A CLASSIC EUROPEAN SPORTS SEDAN AS YOU CAN GET.

ADD IN GREAT STYLE, GOOD COMFORT, AND PLENTY OF OTHER HIGH-TECH GOODIES, AND THE ATS IS A MAJOR GAME CHANGER FOR CADILLAC!

DESPITE THE RETURN OF THE AFFORDABLE REAR-WHEEL DRIVE SPORTS CAR AT SUBARU AND SCION, IT'S ACTUALLY A FRONT DRIVER THAT GETS OUR NOD FOR BEST SPORT COUPE, THE FIAT 500 ABARTH.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE EVEN WITH FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE, IT TACKLES THE ROAD BETTER.

THE ABARTH LOOKS MEAN, SOUNDS GREAT, AND, OF COURSE, HANDLES WAY BETTER THAN ANY OF US EXPECTED, ALL WHILE GETTING 34 MILES-PER-GALLON, OFFERING A SURPRISING AMOUNT OF STORAGE SPACE, AND COSTING A COUPLE GRAND LESS THAN THE FR-S AND BRZ.

LAST YEAR, FORD TOOK OUR BEST PERFORMANCE CAR PRIZE WITH THE BOSS 302 MUSTANG, AS NO OTHER CAR OFFERED MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK.

WELL, THIS YEAR, FORD ONE-UPS THEMSELVES WITH THE SHELBY GT500.

WE COULD SUM UP OUR REASONING BY JUST SAYING 662-HORSEPOWER FOR $55-GRAND, BUT THE GT500 IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

IT'S A TOTAL PERFORMANCE PACKAGE BUILT FOR THE TRACK, BUT MANAGEABLE ON THE STREET.

WE FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS SHELBY AT THE FIRST TURN OF THE KEY.

CHOOSING OUR BEST ECO-FRIENDLY WINNER HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT, AS THE FIELD IS INCREASINGLY CROWDED WITH NEW EVs, HYBRIDS, PLUG-INS, AND EVEN DIESELS.

WELL, WE ALWAYS SIDE WITH CARS THAT WE ENJOY DRIVING, SO OUR PICK THIS YEAR IS THE VOLKSWAGEN JETTA HYBRID.

WITH ITS 40 PLUS MILEAGE EXPECTATIONS, THIS FULL HYBRID IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF GETTING YOUR ECO ON WHILE HAVING FUN DOING IT.

HOW CAN YOU ARGUE AGAINST A CAR WITH SPIRITED HANDLING, PLUS THE BEST ACCELERATION, MOST REAR SEAT LEGROOM, AND LARGEST TRUNK IN THE COMPACT SEDAN HYBRID CLASS?

WE NORMALLY DON'T CONSIDER FUEL ECONOMY PERFORMANCE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR PRICE-IS-NO-OBJECT DREAM MACHINE CATEGORY, BUT THIS YEAR WE MADE AN EXCEPTION WITH THE TESLA MODEL S. THIS PURE EV UPSTART DELIVERS HIGH LUXURY, HIGH STYLE, AND HIGH PRACTICALITY THAT RIVALS THE WORLD'S BEST KNOWN LUXURY SEDANS.

TURNING FROM ECO-PERFORMANCE TO ALL OUT PERFORMANCE, OUR NEXT DREAM MACHINE FOR 2013 IS THE SRT VIPER.

IT'S BACK!

AND WHILE THE EXTERIOR HAS BEEN TAMED SOMEWHAT, ALL OF ITS V10 FURY REMAINS INSIDE.

AND WE DON'T JUST DREAM ABOUT CARS EITHER.

THE LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BRUTE IN A TUXEDO, BUT NOW IT'S DROPPED SOME 700 POUNDS OF WEIGHT, AND PUT ON SOME FANCIER DUDS FOR TRUE EXCEPTIONAL TOWN AND COUNTRY LIVING.

WE'LL BE BACK LATER IN THE SHOW WITH MORE DRIVERS' CHOICE AND OUR PICKS FOR BEST TRUCKS AND UTILITIES OF THE YEAR.

OVER THE YEARS, THE DUTY AND DEFINITION OF THE WORD "TRUCK" HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED.

NO LONGER CONSIDERED PURELY COMMERCIAL VEHICLES, TODAY'S TRUCKS; PICKUPS, SUVS, AND CROSSOVERS; DO A LOT MORE FAMILY HAULING THAN THEY DO HEAVY HAULING.

SO LETS SEE WHICH "TRUCKS" ARE OUR DRIVERS' CHOICE PICKS FOR THE BEST OF 2013.

INDEED, TODAY'S TRUCKS AND UTILITIES ARE ALL ABOUT HELPING FAMILIES GET THROUGH THEIR WEEKLY TASKS AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN HAVING WHAT IT TAKES TO DELIVER FUN ADVENTURES ON THE WEEKEND.

AND FOR SMALL FAMILIES, NONE DOES IT BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL SMALL CROSSOVER, THE TOYOTA RAV4.

THE ALL-NEW 2013 EDITION IS THE 4TH GENERATION OF THE RAV.

AND WHILE ITS EXTERIOR MAY HAVE GOTTEN A BIT SMALLER, MOSTLY FROM THE RELOCATION OF THE SPARE TIRE FROM OUTSIDE TO INSIDE, INTERIOR ROOM IS UP; INCLUDING CLASS BEST MAXIMUM CARGO ROOM.

BESIDES MORE SPACE, THE INTERIOR IS FAR MORE LUXURIOUS AND TECH-SAVVY.

GONE TOO IS THE PREVIOUS GEN'S DOUR LOOKING SHEET-METAL, REPLACED BY A MUCH MORE VIBRANT LOOKING DESIGN THAT MATCHES ITS MORE DYNAMIC DRIVING CHARACTER.

FOR EVEN MORE EVIDENCE OF THAT SHIFT TO INCREASED COMFORT AND LUXURY, LOOK NO FARTHER THAN OUR BEST LARGE UTILITY, THE NISSAN PATHFINDER.

WHILE THE PREVIOUS GENERATION BOASTED A FULL FRAME AND OPTIONAL V8 WITH BEST IN CLASS TOWING, THE NEW PATHFINDER CASTS ALL OF THAT ASIDE FOR A UNIBODY CHASSIS AND V6-ONLY POWER.

BUT THAT'S OKAY BY US AS IT REMAINS PLENTY CAPABLE OFF-ROAD AND CAN STILL TOW 5,000 POUNDS.

AND OF COURSE YOU CAN RATCHET THE LUXURY FACTOR UP TO THE HILT BY UPGRADING TO ITS KIN, THE INFINITI JX.

NOT ONLY WILL YOU TRAVEL IN A DOWNRIGHT PLUSH ENVIRONMENT, BUT DO SO IN A BOLD BUT RICHER EXTERIOR DESIGN, WITH A RIDE THAT'S AS SMOOTH AS YOU'LL FIND IN THE CROSSOVER RANKS, MAKING THIS AMERICAN-MADE PAIR AN EASY WINNING HAND.

PERHAPS THE BIGGEST SURPRISE OF THE TRUCK YEAR IS THE EMERGENCE OF OUR BEST PICKUP TRUCK WINNER, THE RAM 1500, AS A FUEL-ECONOMY TRENDSETTER AMONG FULL-SIZE HAULERS.

RAM DESIGNERS RECOGNIZED THAT WHILE PICKUP SALES REMAIN STRONG, BUYERS WANT MORE OPTIONS TO SAVE ON GAS.

THE RAM 1500 GIVES IT TO THEM WITH AN ULTRA-MODERN V6, BACKED BY THE FIRST 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC IN A FULL-SIZE TRUCK.

ITS 305-HORSEPOWER IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO HANDLE MOST FAMILY HAULING DUTIES, INCLUDING TOWING 6,500 POUNDS.

AND IF YOU NEED MORE TOW -- TWO V8s, INCLUDING A HEMI, ARE STILL AVAILABLE.

RAM'S NEW GUTS ARE JOINED BY THE GLORY OF A HANDSOMELY RUGGED EXTERIOR FACELIFT, AND A COMPLETE OVERHAUL IN TRUCK INTERIOR DESIGN THAT PROVIDES A NEW BENCHMARK FOR PRACTICAL COMFORT.

HUGE CONTROLS, AND THE BIGGEST FACTORY NAV SCREEN GOING, MAKE THIS "BIG" TRUCK AND BIG WINNER IN OUR BOOK.

SO WHILE KINDER AND GENTLER MAY BE THE NEW NORMS FOR TRUCKS, THESE HAULING WINNERS STILL DELIVER THE GOODS.

STAY TUNED FOR OUR MOTORWEEK DRIVERS' CHOICE BEST OF THE YEAR!

WE'VE ALL FANTASIZED ABOUT FINDING THAT SUPER RARE CAR IN A BARN SOMEWHERE.

AND WHILE MANY OF THOSE STORIES THAT YOU HEAR ARE JUST THAT, FANTASIES, AUTHOR JERRY HEASELY DOCUMENTS 30 REAL ACCOUNTS IN HIS BOOK "JERRY HEASLEY'S RARE FINDS".

JERRY HAS TRACKED DOWN MANY UNEXPECTED DISCOVERIES THROUGH THE YEARS, AND WRITTEN ABOUT THEM FOR MAGAZINES SUCH AS MUSTANG MONTHLY, VETTE , AND MUSCLE CAR REVIEW .

EACH STORY IS PACKED FULL OF HISTORY, AND INCLUDES LOTS OF COLOR PICTURES THAT DOCUMENT THE UNCOVERING OF THESE RARE PIECES OF AMERICAN METAL.

MAKING THIS BOOK A TRUE MUST-READ FOR ALL OF YOU CAR SPOTTERS OUT THERE.

WELL, YOU'VE SEEN OUR BEST CARS AND TRUCKS OF THE YEAR, SO YOU MIGHT THINK WE'RE DONE DOLING OUT THE TROPHIES.

BUT YOU'RE WRONG.

THERE'S STILL ONE MORE TO GO... OUR 2013 MOTORWEEK DRIVERS' CHOICE BEST OF THE YEAR!

THE 2013 MOTORWEEK DRIVERS' CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST OF THE YEAR GOES TO THE MOST IMPRESSIVE LUXURY SPORT SEDAN EVER TO WEAR AN AMERICAN BRAND NAME, THE 2013 CADILLAC ATS.

THE ATS NOT ONLY TAKES ON ESTABLISHED SEGMENT LEADERS LIKE THE BENCHMARK BMW 3 SERIES, BUT DOES SO WITH TOTAL COMPETENCE.

WE CANNOT OVERSTATE JUST HOW REFRESHING IT IS TO SEE A DOMESTIC AUTOMAKER BUILD A SMALL, REAR-WHEEL DRIVE SPORT SEDAN WITH PERFORMANCE AS ITS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

YET, YOU CAN ALSO LABEL THE ATS COMFORTABLE AND PRACTICAL.

AND THIS LANSING, MICHIGAN ASSEMBLED SPORT SEDAN IS ALMOST BARGAIN PRICED.

WEIGHING IN AT JUST 3,400 POUNDS WITH NEAR 50/50 WEIGHT BALANCE ON A CONCISE 109-INCH WHEELBASE, THE ATS DRIVES LIKE WAS BRED FOR TIGHT, HIGH SPEED CURVES.

AND IT WAS.

NOT THAT IT FALLS SHORT WHEN IT COMES TO CIVILITY AND LIVABILITY.

THERE'S PLENTY OF SEAT COMFORT AND LOTS OF HIGH TECH AS WELL, INCLUDING THE NEW CUE SYSTEM THAT USES A CAPTIVE TOUCH TABLET-STYLE INTERFACE AND NATURAL VOICE RECOGNITION.

THERE'S ALSO POWERTRAIN CHOICES TO PLEASE ALL COMERS.

STARTING WITH A 200-HORSEPOWER 2.5-LITER I4 AND ENDING AT A 320-HORSEPOWER 3.6-LITER V6; WITH OUR FAVORITE, THE 272-HORSEPOWER 2.0-LITER TURBO, IN BETWEEN.

BOTH A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC AND 6-SPEED MANUAL ARE AVAILABLE.

AND YOU CAN EVEN GET ALL-WHEEL DRIVE IF YOU'RE SO INCLINED.

AND IT'S ALL WRAPPED IN MODERN LOOKING SHEET METAL THAT SMOOTHES OUT THE ART AND SCIENCE DESIGN THEME, YET LOOKS EVER MORE AGGRESSIVE.

THE ATS IS A CAR THAT ONCE AND FOR ALL PUTS TO REST ANY QUESTION ABOUT CADILLAC STANDING ON A WORLD STAGE.

WHEN IT COMES TO DELIVERING A PURE DRIVING EXPERIENCE WITH THAT ULTRA-CONNECTED FEEL WE COVET SO HIGHLY, THE ATS DOES MORE THAN JUST TAKE THE CHECKERED FLAG, IT PUTS MOST OF THE COMPETITION A LAP DOWN.

AND THAT'S WHY WE CHOSE THE CADILLAC ATS AS THE 2013 MOTORWEEK DRIVERS' CHOICE AWARDS BEST OF THE YEAR.

AS THE BRAND'S FLAGSHIP, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE TOYOTA AVALON TO BOAST THE FULL SPECTRUM OF TOYOTA TECHNOLOGY.

SO, WHEN THE ALL-NEW 2013 AVALON WAS LAUNCHED, IT FINALLY INCLUDED A HYBRID MODEL.

NOW WE TOOK A BRIEF SPIN IN THE AVALON HYBRID A FEW MONTHS BACK, BUT WE THOUGHT MORE TIME WAS NECESSARY TO GET A TRUE SENSE OF WHAT HYBRID POWER BRINGS TO TOYOTA'S TOP SEDAN.

AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, THE MAIN THING THE 2013 TOYOTA AVALON HYBRID BRINGS TO THE TABLE IS BETTER FUEL MILEAGE.

JUST HOW MUCH BETTER?

WELL, GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 40-CITY, 39-HIGHWAY, AND 40-COMBINED.

OUR MIXED-DRIVING AVERAGE WAS CLOSE TO RIGHT ON THE MONEY AT 38.9 MILES-PER-GALLON.

STAYING MOSTLY IN THE CITY, WE AVERAGED AN EVEN BETTER 45.1, BOTH ON REGULAR GRADE GAS.

THAT'S A HUGE IMPROVEMENT OVER THE 21-CITY, 31-HIGHWAY, AND 25-COMBINED OF THE V6 AVALON; AND CERTAINLY MAKES IT STAND OUT AMONG FULL-SIZE SEDANS.

THE HYBRID SYSTEM WORKS VERY WELL, WHICH IS NO SURPRISE, AS IT IS THE PROVEN HYBRID SYNERGY DRIVE OUT OF THE CAMRY HYBRID; WHICH COMBINES A 156-HORSEPOWER 2.5-LITER I4 ENGINE WITH TWO ELECTRIC MOTORS THAT GENERATE 105 KILOWATT OF ADDITIONAL BOOST.

ALL OF THE POWER THEN FLOWS THROUGH A CVT TRANSMISSION.

244.8 VOLTS WORTH OF TRADITIONAL NICKEL METAL-HYDRIDE BATTERIES ARE LOCATED IN THE TRUNK, AND ROB JUST 2.0 CUBIC-FEET OF STORAGE SPACE FOR A STILL VERY GOOD TOTAL OF 14.0.

MUCH LIKE THE V6 AVALON, THE HYBRID'S RIDE IS VERY SOLID, BUT IN NO WAY SPORTY.

THERE'S NOTICEABLY MORE NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN UNDER FULL THROTTLE, BUT CRUISING IN NEAR SILENCE IN EV MODE MAKES UP FOR IT.

ALL-IN-ALL, THE HYBRID WEIGHS 124-POUNDS MORE THAN THE V6; BUT IT ADDS MUCH MORE TO ACCELERATION TIMES, AS YOU LUMBER ALONG TO 60 IN 8.0-SECONDS.

RUNNING OUT THE FULL QUARTER WILL TAKE YOU 16.3-SECONDS AT 89 MILES-PER-HOUR.

THE INTERIOR HAS A BROAD, HORIZONTAL THEME WITH THE SAME LOW COWL, HAND STITCHING, AND MULTIPLE MATERIAL TEXTURES WITH WOOD TRIM AS IN THE V6 CAR.

WE COMPLAINED BEFORE ABOUT THE SMALL NAV SCREEN, BUT LIKE THE OPTIONAL BLIND SPOT MONITORING AND REAR CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT.

MOST CONTROLS ARE EASILY WITHIN REACH; WHILE THE SEATS, THOUGH FIRM, OFFER GOOD LONG DISTANCE COMFORT.

LONG DOORS MAKE FOR EASY GETTING IN AND OUT PRICING COMES IN AT $36,350, WHICH IS ABOUT $4,500 MORE THAN A BASE AVALON, BUT ALMOST $4 GRAND UNDER THE LEXUS ES300 HYBRID WITH THE SAME POWERTRAIN.

DOES THAT MAKE THE 2013 TOYOTA AVALON HYBRID A BARGAIN OR A BUST?

WELL, TO US, IT'S A GREAT BIG CAR FOR A VERY GOOD PRICE, WITH FUEL ECONOMY THAT RIVALS MOST COMPACT CARS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE FULL-SIZE SEDAN MARKET IS A VERY SMALL ONE.

HOWEVER, BEING THE MOST FUEL EFFICIENT SHOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS HELPING THE AVALON STAY NEAR THE TOP OF THE SEGMENT.

WELL, I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US AGAIN FOR MORE MOTORWEEK , AS WE RIP THROUGH A FAST PACED REVIEW OF THE MINI PACEMAN.

AND THEN REALLY LET LOOSE IN THE SRT VIPER.

PAT GOSS KEEPS HIGH PERFORMANCE ENGINES RUNNING COOL.

WE HEAD TO VEGAS FOR MOTORWEEK'S ULTIMATE AUTOMOTIVE EXPERIENCE, AND WE'LL GRAB MORE FIRST DRIVING IMPRESSIONS.

NOW, IF YOU STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN ENOUGH OF US, WHY NOT CHECK OUT OUR MOTORWEEK PODCAST AT PBS.ORG.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, I'M JOHN DAVIS.

WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE ON MOTORWEEK .

Announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY TIRE RACK.

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NO MATTER WHAT CUSTOMERS DRIVE, THEY CAN PURCHASE ONLINE FROM A COMPREHENSIVE SELECTION OF BRANDS, PRICES, AND SPECIFICATIONS.

ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

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HELPS PROTECT YOUR PAINT IN THREE STEPS, DRYING TO A CLEAR, REMOVABLE FILM FOR PROTECTION.

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