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This might be the single ugliest engine bay in our fleet. I mean, just look at the size of that oxygen sensor. And what's going on with that plastic toupee on the cylinder head?

Luckily for the Camry, none of this matters whatsoever. Few owners are every likely to bother popping the hood and even if they do they're not going to care what the exhaust manifold looks like.

What they do care about is how this engine feels like from behind the wheel and in that capacity I'd say it's pretty solid. No raspy noises, no odd vibrations, just a reasonable amount of power when you need it and decent mileage no matter how you drive it.

I think it would feel much peppier if the transmission was a little more aggressive, but I can see why it's tuned not to kick down too quickly. It's certainly enough performance for the average driver, so I imagine that V6 sales are going even lower than ever these days.

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line

It's been almost a week since all those much anticipated Super Bowl car ads aired for the first time. Which one has stuck with you? (Note: I don't have a TV so don't know how often these are airing on network TV.) Frankly I'm surprised editor Al "Mr. Jennifer Lopez" Austria wasn't all over the Fiat 500 Abarth's Super Bowl ad. I mean, even I thought it was the best ad that aired during the game. Funny, stylish and sexy. Great shoes, supermodel Catrinel Menghia! J-Lo? Feh. By the way, what was Clint Eastwood selling again?

And, if you still don't know what the Abarth lady is saying, hit the jump for the commercial with translation as well as a Pop-Up Video edition of it. Happy Friday!

The preschool parking lot: it's the social club for minivans and SUVs. You don't see too many Quests, new or used. I have to give credit to Nissan for the styling direction of the latest Quest, though. The designers could have gone with bland in hopes of mass market appeal. Instead, we have the funky Japan van. You may or may not like it, but it does stand out.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

By now we know the drill: At the auto shows I'll walk around searching out the cars from our Long Term test fleet that are on the show floor. Not only is it a good look at the show, but it's a good way to see what cars the manufacturers think will have the most impact on show goers.

Chicago, being a Midwestern show, had a big domestic showing with giant Jeep and Chevy displays. Jeep brought out Wranglers in colors you could never find out here and Chevy brought Sonics. Lots of them. Toyota also had a huge showing with over 40 cars on their massive display. The Camry, predictably, was well represented -- even our sporty SE trim was out.

As always, if they didn't have our exact car, I filled it in with something close.

The other day when I had to load a rolled-up 7'9 x 11' rug in our 2012 Nissan Quest, as soon as I hit the open buttons on the key fob for the two sliding doors (two separate buttons) and the rear hatch, my heart warmed a little toward this "mommy-mobile." 

Since the third row was already down, I was able to slide the rug into the van without any finagling. Just slid that in right down the middle til it cleared the rear threshold and hit between the two front seats. Didn't even have to touch the car. So cool. You may not think that's a big deal, but I liked the fact I didn't have to get my paws dirty. As you can tell, I don't have much experience with minivans. 

Minivans FTW!

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

Like every job, we have good days and bad days here at Inside Line. And then there are odd days. Like when European Correspondent Alistair Weaver went to Switzerland to be dragged behind a Bentley.

Our Audi A8 has a feature called Lane Assist. It helps the driver stay in his lane by detecting when he strays and vibrating the steering wheel to get his attention. Great for long drives when you start to get a little tired and bored.

The system uses a camera to detect lane markers such as painted lines. It only works at speeds exceeding 40 mph and when the turn signal is not activated. You can turn this feature on and off by a switch on the turn signal stalk. According to the manual, it doesn't operate so well in snow or heavy rain for obvious reasons.

In Los Angeles, despite it being against the law, people text and talk on the phone all the time. I see many offenses every day. On my way home last night I saw a distracted driver texting on the freeway and swaying over the line to his left and right. Good thing the people around him were paying attention or he could have LOL'd himself right into another car.

I'm sure this happens in many other cities not just L.A. Wouldn't it be nice if all cars had this warning system?

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

I was in Chicago this week and without my usual video team entourage, so Ed Hellwig filled in for the Week in Review. Enjoy.

But many don't. In fact, our 2012 Volkswagen Jetta TDI is one of the few I've run across with this feature.

Wait, what are we talking about?

It's the little "D" on the gas station POI list. I noticed it when using the navigation system POI feature after discovering the massive new Chevron station I pulled into did not have any diesel pumps. The 2009 Audi Q7 TDI I drove in the Audi Mileage Marathon didn't have this capability, nor did any of the contestants in our heavy-duty diesel truck shootout. 

Back in 2006 I was driving the Dodge Ram and towing the big yellow 10,000 pound trailer back from the test grade near Borrego Springs. At one point I needed to stop for fuel in an unfamiliar part of eastern San Diego county, but the "D-less" POI list on its navigation system was of no help. Much swearing and consternation ensued.

Past experience had taught me to put little faith in the presence or absence of diesel fuel price signs, which sometimes look like portable real estate "Open House" signs, but without balloons, so I eventually wheeled the big rig in and out of three gas stations before I found one with a diesel pump.

Automaker engineers that configure navigation systems generally do so on a corporate-wide basis, and diesel tends to get forgotten because it represents a tiny fraction of total sales here in North America. The two companies that supply map data to all automakers certainly know which stations have diesel, but that knowledge costs a bit more and the in-car database and display system has to reckon with another variable.

Yeah, implementing this feature requires a few extra calories. But the effort seems absolutely vital if you're the one who bought a diesel-powered machine and paid the princely sum they get for navigation -- especially when you're traveling outside your zone of familiarity.

If you're considering a diesel car or truck, punch up "gas station" on the POI list before you leave the showroom. And I think we'd all be interested to hear from diesel owners with navi about any other cars that do or do not have this feature.

Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing

The Ram Laramie Limited -- a $45,000 luxury truck -- debuted at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. We were too busy checking out the Mossy Oak edition to catch it on the floor, but if this video is any indication, we missed something cool. I mean, why else would this lovely lady be snorkeling up to a deserted beach in night-vision goggles?

Oh, because it will be one of the stars of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition? Fair enough.

I may not be a Blackhawks fan, but how awesome is this thing? Ditch the vaguely offensive Native American motif with 5,000 Maple Leafs and this just might be something I'd stuff in the corner of my 18-car hypothetical garage as a laugh. Would I drive it? Well, no, it's a little embarassing (and a Camaro convertible). It would be like going to the grocery store wearing a jersey ... and a hat, shorts, sneakers, foam finger, ear ring and tattoo.

But yes, totally awesome. I mean, how cool is that grille? You could put that on your car alone and nobody would really know what the holes were until you got up close. Ditto the Chevy badge. The clear hockey puck shifter is also just brilliant and only slightly less ergonomic than the Camaro's actual shifter.

In total, however, this is still less ridiculous than this.

This notification popped up on the screen in the Explorer last night. It was accompanied by a soothing announcement from Ms. Sync that asked if I would like to check the health of the Explorer.

This is part of a regular check up schedule and not the result of a suspected problem. After consulting the manual I found out that registered Sync users can have the diagnostics emailed to them so they can have the info ready should they want to schedule a service appointment. It can also send a text message to your phone if it's a serious issue.

At first it felt a little gimmicky, but if owners actually use the system correctly it seems like a good use of Sync's abilities. It's essentially a more sophisticated check engine light and given most owner's propensity to ignore such warnings, anything that gets them into the dealer to check a potential problem seems like a worthwhile feature.

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line

Hit the jump and this video will walk you through many significant milestones in the long lifespan of the first-generation NSX. Tacked onto the end is the brief video Acura released last month showcasing the new NSX's powertrain and styling.

It's worth every second. All 466 of them.

Dealing with the insurance company is any classic car owner's worst nightmare. If you've got your ducks in a row, you've had your baby lovingly appraised at every turn of the wrench. If you're slacking on that -- or don't know how reputable your appraiser is -- every time you leave it alone or drive on a public road, the "what ifs" start creeping in.

The insurance companies get this, too. State farm has come up with this innovative Jekyll/Hyde way to show off their commitment to the classics market. "...the car is being used to educate State Farm field agents on the special challenges of assigning proper values to collector cars and owner-modified vehicles. This knowledge enables the agents to accurately assess value and correctly underwrite such special-case vehicles."

On the driver side, this '68 Chevy Camaro RS Convertible is built to high-quality factory specs. The passenger side is full of aftermarket good, custom body work, and "deliberately less-exacting craftsmanship."

State Farm will be sending the two-faced Camaro to various auto shows including the Chicago auto show which is now open to the public.

Oh, and in case you were afraid that they'd ruined a perfectly good car, this particular Camaro came in as a total loss due to fire and the company's Vehicle Research Facility decided this could be a fun project.

You can get a lot of thinking done in the NSX. A few of our cars are like that. The 911 and Miata come to mind. You don't need the radio, just sounds from the road and engine bay. Driving the NSX is a bit like running (the jogging kind). You can clear your head after hustling three or four good miles, and you can do likewise covering a longer distance in a car like the NSX.

You don't need much aural stimulation beyond what the clutch, stick, throttle and rising V6 pitch offer. When you need variety, just downshift and roll on the throttle. It's like changing the station when the Eagles come on.

Haven't used the radio/tape deck in the NSX yet. Trying to see how long I can hold out. If one of Takahashi's Phil Collins mixtapes slides out from under the seat though, I might cave.  

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor

Normally, Bluetooth streaming audio is my last choice for audio sources. There are plenty of cars I've driven that have this feature, and most of them sacrifice some sound quality for convenience. Not our BMW X3, though.

Getting through this Friday alright? No? Need something to make at least a few minutes go away? Here, watch this formula car drive on the Nurburgring GP track in the snow.

If this car / stunt looks familiar, it's because they've done this before. Previously we've seen Andreas Gulden, Chief Instructor of the Nurburgring Driving Academy driving one of the Formula Cars on the Nordschleife...in the rain. His job does not suck.

It's Friday, so let's have some fun with a Sound Off. 

The engine and exhaust noises of our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 are quite nice. Those sounds are perhaps the best in InsideLine's long-term fleet.

Only one other car we have can even come close.

By request of our reader, commenter and pal subytrojan, a photo of the Nissan Quest conversation mirror. I've probably done him a disservice by shooting an empty cabin, with no perspective of other humans in the bendy glass. Nope. Just me, the dust, and an open bag of Teddy Grahams sliding around in one of the rear door pockets, a solitary man on his way to the car wash.

This high-performance, Nismo-spec convo mirror not only looks vaguely sci-fi sinister, like the visor of some mechanical villain from George Lucas's imagination, but its high-definition widescreen also makes it a pretty good analog blind-spot detector - a good supplement to the electronic referees already embedded in the Quest's side mirrors.

It also makes me think the Quest could devour that smartfortwo alongside in a single bite.

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor

The Ford B-MAX concept that debuted at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show had this nifty pillarless design that we assumed would never make it to production. Without a fixed B-pullar, the B-MAX concept had the type of seat access that parents (or others who need to load a lot of awkward things into the car) would kill for. Today Ford announced that the production B-MAX would have that innovative feature.

16-inch steelies. Non-matching bumpers, door handles and wing mirrors, no AC... I am seriously into this Toyota GT86 RC Spec.

The 86 RC is the least expensive model in the 86 line coming in some 500,000 yen less expensive than the G and aimed at the tuner/racer market. It's got a six-speed manual transmission, the same 200 horsepower flat-four from the normal one and, well, that's about it. The shifter, steering wheel and pedals are plastic. There is no air conditioning or stereo or cup holders. Significant amounts of soundproofing materials have been removed.

This adds up to not only a cheap package, but a light one as well. Curb weight here is 2,623 pounds. Unfortunately, the limited slip also gets removed for this package but that's an easy fix.

Audi has just released official photos (lots in hi res after the jump) and information on the new, 'hot' TT RS Plus. The rumor mill had been grinding away at this one for some time and, as often happens, the final car is a bit more disappointing than we'd heard. It has the same 360 horsepower 2.5-liter I5 as the TT RS but is 108 pounds lighter and has these cool 19-inch 5-arm-rotor-design black wheels with red highlights. These wheels are a $400 option on the normal RS.

Visually this new car has matte aluminum accents on the front splitter, diffuser and the stalks holding up the wing ($950 option on the RS). The wing mirrors are carbon fiber ($1,900 on the RS) and there is no crossbar in the grille.

In other markets, like the normal RS, this will be available as a coupe and a hardtop with either a manual transmission or a DSG. In the US the RS is only available as a coupe with a manual transmission. We probably won't be getting this one and that's okay. Still, it's a looker. Big photos next.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk's presentation got all "frunked" up Thursday night at the unveiling of the 2014 Tesla model X crossover electric vehicle.

The stubbly-bearded entrepreneur was happily explaining the newest Tesla EV's copious cargo space to an invitation-oly audience of close to 1,000 friends, employees, customers, potential customers and the usual handful of scruffy media types when the latch locking down the front hood got stuck.

What's a hood latch got do do with cargo space? Isn't that behind the seats? Well, yeah.

I had this nice view on my drive home from work the other day, with the sun at the exact wrong angle.

And there's the problem with touch screens.

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 9,679 miles.

There I stood at the gas station, daydreaming in the general direction of our 2011 Honda Odyssey. This is what I was seeing. From nowhere an idea snuck into my head. Hey, what would happen if I opened the sliding door right now?

Read Chris's first entry here.

Since the story aired (the pics were originally taken in 2010) I have continued "shopping" on Craigslist. These pics are as of today.

All of these changes were performed from late November 2011 to now. I have completed the following: Genuine Ford Racing FR500 black rims with Nitto 555 staggered tires. Complete Eibach Pro suspension drop kit, Accufab throttle body and Plenem combo with 4" spacer, SCT tuner and Shorty antenna. Also acquired online were gas hood struts, black billet gas door, Mustang Bullitt pedals and factory mud flaps.

I have strived to update the Mustang in a classic and tasteful way. I recently got the car detailed inside and out and tinted the windows. This is a daily driver (though I do have a winter beater) and we will do our first Hot Rod Power Tour Long Haul this year!

Again everything was installed by me in my garage with regular tools. Notice the new driveway too! Current mileage is 126k. -- Chris

Since I've never driven our 911 at speeds over 120 miles an hour, I've never seen the point of the Turbo spoiler on a non Turbo car, until now.

Brilliant.

Kurt Niebuhr, Photo Editor @ 124,121 miles

Yes, that's fearless leader Scott Oldham standing under our 2011 Ford Mustang GT with a wrench in his hand. Our Rotary lift and the prospect of not havng to roll around on the concrete and mess up one of his "meeting" shirts was enough to lure him out of the office for a little DIY routine maintenance.

Draining the oil was easy enough thanks to our new elevated drain pan with its own tank and wheels. But such fancy tools are not required. There's nothing particularly difficult about the Mustang from a basic driveway maintenance standpoint.

I remember our 2005 BMW X3 well. It was in the pre-LTRTB era. On a weekend trip I drove it to Santa Barbara and back to Los Angeles with three passengers. The previous X3 had a very -- and I mean VERY -- stiff suspension. As the driver, I enjoyed the stiff ride but rear passengers felt every bump on the road. This new 2012 X3 is not soft by any means, but noticeably less harsh. I also found it easier to climb in and out and it feels roomier.

A lot of you are asking why we got this vehicle, no one could possibly be interested in the X3. Well, since inception the BMW X3 has sold over 600,000 units worldwide, leading this segment. So somebody cares. I know I do. This is exactly the type of vehicle I would consider purchasing. I would cross-shop it with my new crush, the 2013 Acura RDX and my old flame, the Audi A4 wagon.

I pulled out a few specs for comparison between our two long-termers seven years apart.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Not only does the S60 have concealed trunk hinges, it also offers these handy release levers for the rear seatbacks. Not sure why more cars don't have these, but they make loading something larger into the trunk much easier.

Climbing into the rear seat and releasing the seat backs from the inside isn't any great chore, but having exterior releases isn't exactly a massive feat of engineering either. I also noticed that the trunk is pretty large for a car in this class, or at least it looks that way since there aren't any significant intrusions. Overall, it's a well thought out setup that gives this sedan an added measure of practicality.

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line

Took our Quest on a long highway drive yesterday. Nothing shocking about the experience -- it's a minivan. But a few positive qualities did stand out, most of which we're commented about before in various posts.

The CVT is a standout, particularly for climbing grades -- doing the same grade in the Sienna will have you reaching for its manual gear selector to get it out from its stubborn, sixth-gear programming. The Quest's steering is also pretty tidy, as is suspension tuning. Oh, and the fancy-pants air filtration system? Worked great for when I passed roadside dairy farms. Didn't smell a thing.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

It’s pretty hard to see the Fiat 500 as anything other than a fashion accessory, lacking only a price tag fluttering from a door handle to be seen as some kind of teen girl’s handbag.

But really what we have here is an answer to a serious question about personal mobility, the thing that all the social scientists are wringing their hands about right now. What the Fiat 500 wants to be is its real self, the original 1936 Fiat Topolino.

And it all started with the two most important personalities in America at the time, Henry Ford and Mickey Mouse.

To be frank, the Chicago auto show has limited importance as a venue for introducing new cars to the world through its press days. However, for regular folks visiting the show, it's probably the best in North America. For one, almost everything introduced at Los Angeles and Detroit is shown here in Chicago (not the NSX Concept, though). Then there's the sheer enormity of McCormick Place's two exhibit halls. This allows for a huge number of cars on the floor, with manufacturers capable of showcasing different trims of the same car.

There's also enough space inside for indoor ride-along events. Jeep usually puts one outside and Detroit is home to an environmentally friendly car ride-and-drive in the basement, but there are at least four opportunities for folks to experience what certain cars are like when actually moving. Toyota had a large area dubbed Toyota Monopoly Hybrid Ride Experience (I'm not sure why), while Chrysler alone had three different exhibits. The Jeep and Ram ones included a number of off-road impediments, while Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat had a stretch of road used to showcase an initial burst of acceleration, then braking. The latter actually looks as if you're going to be part of a crash test.

It all seems like good fun and adds something to the auto show experience. Journalists may be cold on Chicago, but car fans shouldn't be.   

There aren't a lot of new cars at this year's Chicago auto show. Sure, we've got the Acadia and the production ILX, but beyond that, everything here is something you've seen before. Or, in the case of this 1993 Ford SVT Cobra R, WAY before. 1992 before.

Ford debuted the SVT Mustang at Chicago in '92 and brought this museum-quality, 4,100-mile beauty back to coincide with the anniversary. It's one of 107 Cobra Rs produced. The Cobra R differentiated itself from the regular Cobra by a factory rear-seat delete, radio delete, sound-dampening material delete, adjustable Koni shocks, external oil cooler, an aluminum radiator and these neat 17-by-8-inch three-spoke wheels. It was powered by the same 5.0-liter V8 making 235 horsepower -- that was a big number in '93.

The only thing Ford could have done to make this a more special reveal would have been to bring out the F-150 Lightning, which also debuted at Chicago in '92.

Chrysler is all about limited-edition models. From the Jeep Wrangler Islander to the Dodge Challenger Yellow Jacket, these low-volume specials add a touch of customization to your car. The Ram 1500 Outdoorsman Mossy Oak Edition is, without question, customized. Mossy Oak is a brand of camouflage, and suitably it has inspired a Ram covered in leafy autumnal camo. I'm pretty sure the pictures speak for themselves here -- especially the interior.

"I sleep in a racecar bed!" "I sleep in a big bed with my wife."

This is the the newest bed from Step2 and is part of their new Corvette Collection. I want it. unfortunately, this is a toddler bed which can be converted into a twin. The base carbed costs $229 and has silver rims, for $234 you can get it with real working lights. Along with the bed are a few other Corvette-specific kids room things like a $109 tool-chest style dresser, a Corvette Storage chest and a Corvette Toy Box.

 I want it bad. It's debuting at the 2012 NYC Toy Fair and should be on sale during the summer of 2012.

(ChildMode)

It may be tough to tell by these pictures, but Toyota has freshened the Land Cruiser for 2013. The front and rear have been given a subtle update, along with the cabin. The big V8 also carries over unchanged.

So what's the big deal, then? The 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser now comes in only one fully loaded trim level. There are no options for Toyota's flagship SUV, which should cost more than $70,000. Standard items now include adaptive cruise control, ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, a center console cooler box, navigation, JBL premium audio and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system. Should you want more, the Lexus LX 570 has also been tweaked for 2013.

Here is Senior Editor Erin Riches with a video review of the 2012 Chevy Sonic. This video covers the whole Chevrolet Sonic model lineup but the action footage is Erin driving our long-term Sonic LTZ.

See the video after the jump...

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

As the car sign-out clipboard made its rounds yesterday, I made a very wise decision. I knew I was heading to a housewarming party on a street with limited parking.

The other night I got stuck in some pretty awful traffic. It ended up taking almost 30 minutes to get home from the supermarket, which was only a mile away. Besides fearing that my pint of Ben & Jerry's was turning into a milkshake in the trunk, the cabin started getting a little hot and stuffy. So, I hit the AC button.

Surely you remember all those hot sport-compact cars of ten years ago? Well, we can barely remember them ourselves, but it turns out that tire manufacturers do, because they built ultra high-performance tires for them. Fortunately all that tire technology has not gone to waste.

As we learned at the introduction of the BFGoodrich g-Force Sport Comp-2 the other week, the tire companies initially thought ultra high-performance (UHP) tires would never be more than a marginal market segment, just like hot sport-compact cars. Instead the market for Z-rated tires since 2006 has grown 10 times faster than the overall U.S. tire market. It’s expected to double in size by 2016 when it will become 8 percent of the overall tire market.

We’d guess that this means a Z-rated tire is probably coming to your car sometime soon, and we’ll bet that it will be a lot like BFG’s Comp-2.

We could have sworn the V12 Zagato production car had already made its debut, but no, we've only seen the concept plus a couple racecar prototypes that Aston raced in the Nurburgring 24 Hours. Turns out we'll get to see this top car in the Vantage series next month at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show, following its official debut this month in Kuwait. We imagine it won't have gotten any cheaper by the time it arrives in Switzerland, but we'll enjoy looking at it all the same. Aston will build 150, and deliveries begin this fall.

Just don't name this one Zig... OK, guys?

In just its second public coming-out after an unveiling at last month’s Detroit auto show, the 2013 Cadillac ATS still was under scrutiny at the Chicago auto show this week – that’s Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik sneaking a peek in this underexposed snap – and we picked up a few interesting new details from global Vehicle Line Executive Dave Leone.

News Editor Kelly Toepke sent me this picture of a Zamboni at Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, the official training center of the L.A. Kings and Lakers. 

TRIVIA QUESTION: Which Edmunds editor used to drive a Zamboni?

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

What you see before you will soon be bolted to the underbelly of our 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sport. It's Mopar's new 3-inch "JK Wrangler Pre-Runner Suspension System - Stage III Performance" and we're going to DIY the installation and document the process.

No welding is involved, but there is a wee bit of cutting and drilling. Maybe some swearing. It should be fun.

Mopar sells two versions: part number P5156141 for the 2-door and P5156140 for the 4-door. Each costs $2,400 and includes everything shown on this bench.

The flyer I have here before me figures it take 6 hours to install assuming you are a Jeep dealer mechanic in full possession of the required skill, tools and equipment. The implication for those not looking for a DIY challenge is you can buy this setup at a Jeep dealer and pay them to install it for a nominal fee that probably amounts to whatever they charge for 6 hours of labor.

We fully expect it to take longer as we photograph the process for what should be the ultimate suspension teardown walkaround.

Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing

 
Our Mazda3's six-speed auto, set in default drive mode, is pretty sluggish on the throttle input. It's a little out of character for a car, and brand, known for sharp reactions. In manual mode though, it calls up the neighboring cog surprisingly quick. Since I spend most of my time in traffic flicking the lever up or tapping it back, I figure my left foot should also do something useful. If you're shopping this car, just get the manual.

If you must have the auto -- someone in the family can't drive stick and refuses to learn -- or you just want that seven percent improvement in fuel economy over the previous auto, this is not a bad box to live with. Just know that you'll be rowing back and forth a lot. I'd be curious to spend an entire tank of fuel with this car to see how that style impacts our average fuel economy.

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor

Last night, there was cold weather and a fair amount of rain, and the S60 didn't seem too crazy about it.

The cold start as I left from the parking structure here at work was rough. Made a pit stop at Whole Foods to get some groceries and the cold start after that detour was rough as well. I pressed the ignition button and the engine coughed and hacked for a moment or two, like a chain smoker with bronchitis, before finding its groove.

While walking my pup this morning, I walked past my neighbor's 199X Quest and couldn't help notice how dated it looks. Sure, most things, if not all things, from the '90s look outdated but it had me wondering how many people buy new cars with that thought in mind, how dated will their car of choice look in the future? After all not many cars age well. 

In fact, name a car that you think has aged well. (And I realize that this may not be so much an issue with minivans as other car types.)

Hit the jump for a side by side look at this old Quest and our 2012 Nissan Quest.

Note to Android users: Ha. Note to iOS users: As you can see here, we have seriously upgraded the Edmunds.com app for iPad. Actually, maybe you don't see, because maybe you don't yet have the Edmunds.com app. Well, now's the time to get it, because the navigation is incredibly slick and the content is extraordinarily rich -- so much so that you may never need to turn on your laptop again.

Basically, what our mobile team has done is revamp the Edmunds app to take full advantage of the iPad's lovely display... looking at photos and reading our reviews has never been so, so, awesome. Moreover, slider bars make it easy to move between model years and types of content (options, specs, colors, safety, dealer inventory, etc.). Optioning out a car is easy and fun (just tap the check boxes), and we've improved the logic, too, so that you don't inadvertently select conflicting options.

In short, Version 3.0 of the Edmunds iPad app is pretty great. It's also free. And if you already have the app, just run the latest update from the App Store, and presto, you'll have the nice new version.

(Download the app from iTunes)

Go ahead. Try to not watch the video. I dare you.