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Do not be fooled: the sports cars are fun to drive, but not only cars that can provide the excitement behind the wheel. No need to sacrifice rear seat or a monthly fee so steep that you eat only ramen noodles to enjoy driving your car. We have a detailed model of 1910, that are fun beyond all expectations. Some are sports cars, while others are families or first home. What have the excellent performance that sets them apart from competitors.

Won't Break the Bank

2011 Ford Mustang

The Mustang has always been fun to drive, in a raw, muscle-car way. The 2011 is so much more refined that it now competes with what most people consider to be sports cars. It gets the nod because it beat the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger in our comparison test and because the V-6 model's 305 horsepower and 31 mpg highway are staggeringly good for the price.

2011 Mazda3

Affordable cars are becoming better performers, and the Mazda3 stands among the best. Spot-on steering, strong brakes and responsive drivetrains will make the daily commute a bit of fun. Want more? The turbocharged MazdaSpeed3 hits 60 mph in a blistering 5.2 seconds — muscle-car numbers from a hatchback that's less than $24,000.

2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata

From its specs alone, you might be wondering how the Miata made this list. It has a four-cylinder engine, and at 158 hp it doesn't sound like it would be a driver's car. Numbers don't always tell the whole story, and with the Miata, driving is believing. Great balance, precise steering and an available short-throw manual shifter all contribute to an exceptional driving experience at an affordable price.
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Fuel-Efficient Enjoyment

2011 Honda CR-Z

Add a hybrid powertrain to a small, lightweight sport coupe and you get what could be called the first sport hybrid for the masses. The all-new CR-Z has three selectable drive modes. One is for maximum mileage, but Sport mode completely changes the driving dynamics for a sportier ride. For the driving enthusiast, that's the mode that will be on all the time.

2011 Mini Cooper

The 37-mpg Cooper is among the best-handling front-wheel-drive cars around. Don't let its modest 121 hp fool you: On sweeping curves, you can put the hatchback into four-wheel drifts. Excellent handling need not require extra power, but if you want it, the turbocharged Mini Cooper S moves out.

Family-Friendly

2011 Mazda CX-9

Having a family vehicle doesn't mean you can't enjoy road trips and carpools. The CX-9 is one of many three-row crossovers on the market, but it's the only one that exudes sportiness from all angles, including the driver's seat. The steering is precise, and the engine is no slouch, even when the crossover is loaded down with kids and cargo.

2010 Suzuki Kizashi

The Kizashi is as fun to drive as it is to say. Smaller and nimbler than the reigning family cars, it packs road manners and ride quality that are both a cut above. The Kizashi is a refreshing break from the suburban troupe of Toyota, Honda and Ford sedans. If your neighbors ask why you got a Suzuki, a quick ride should turn them into believers.

2011 Volkswagen Tiguan

The little-known Tiguan is an exceptionally fun-to-drive compact crossover. The base front-wheel-drive trim level comes with a manual transmission, which Honda's and Toyota's models lack. Also, it has the excellent turbocharged four-cylinder with direct injection that has breathed new life into many Volkswagen models. Its relatively short wheelbase makes it nimble, feeling more like a car than SUV.

Fun, Bar None

2011 BMW 3 Series/M3

The BMW 3 Series is legendary in enthusiast circles for good reason. It's an entertaining driver's car, and the one we'd take in a heartbeat to attack our favorite back roads. The high-powered M3 is a track-ready variant that doesn't give up any of the base model's commendable ride comfort. Many automakers have tried to copy the 3 Series formula; some have come close, but none have equaled it.

2010 Porsche Cayman S

Frankly, we could fill half this list with Porsche models. Porsche is about performance, which equals fun. Why the Cayman? Because it's one of the most affordable Porsches, second only to its roadster sister, the Boxster. The 911 is so unflappable that it's almost boring to drive unless you're on a racetrack. The Cayman is fun to drive in normal circumstances, especially in its S form.

We spend a lot of time discussing how a car behaves, how it looks and how it performs in crash tests, among others. Sometimes, however, our first impression of a car comes from his name - and this impression is not always a good idea. Here are 10 cars in 30 years with names so terrible and difficult as we are sometimes surprised consumers gave them a shot. Remember this list is based solely on the name of the car, and has absolutely nothing to do with the actual substance of the car.

10. The Entire Lincoln Lineup

2010 Lincoln MKZ

Lincoln is a brand with a considerable history, and we know they know how to give cars strong iconic names such as Continental or Navigator. Somewhere around 2007, many of those easy-to-remember names went out the window, leaving consumers with a hodgepodge of names starting with "MK." That's a shame because Lincoln has a strong lineup right now. What's the difference between the MKZ, MKX and MKS? Gimme a second to look it up because I honestly can't remember which is which.

9. Hyundai Equus

2011 Hyundai Equus

The inclusion of the Equus might be premature considering it's not even on sale yet, but this could be the push Hyundai needs to give the car a proper name before it's released. Companies occasionally give Latin names to products to make them sound sophisticated or fancy, but Equus just makes us think of the Broadway play of the same name — most recently starring Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame — where a young man loves horses a little too much.

8. Toyota Yaris

2010 Toyota Yaris

There was a girl in my dorm freshman year who organized her shoes alphabetically by mood. She majored in dead languages and responded to every single question with "no worries." She once set the dorm microwave on fire by overcooking a ham-and-cheese Hot Pocket. Yes, that story is ridiculous and nonsensical ... sort of like naming a car Yaris.

7. Kia Forte Koup

2010 Kia Forte Koup

As writers, we're particularly offended when companies take liberties with the English language in an effort to be cutesy — and this is no exception. We actually like this car! But Kia is asking us to overlook years of schooling and experience to accept their quirky spelling of coupe. It might require a few sessions with a therapist before we can get to that happy place.

6. Subaru B9 Tribeca

2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca

Here we've got a family crossover named after a fashionable neighborhood in lower Manhattan and ... a World War II bomber? Consumers didn't understand the B9 moniker either; that part of the name got the ax when Subaru redesigned the SUV for the 2008 model year.

5. Volkswagen Touareg

2007 Volkswagen Touareg

A few Volkswagens could've made this list, but the Touareg was easily the name that tripped up our American mouths the most. Early Touareg commercials in the U.S. even depicted people struggling to say the name. When an automaker has to spend precious time and ad dollars helping consumers learn to pronounce the car's name — something is wrong.

4. Ford Probe

1993 Ford Probe

There are many borderline inappropriate jokes you could make about a 1990s sport compact named Probe, but we're far too classy for that. Even if you don't take into account the tasteless jokes, this is just a bad car name. There is nothing cool about a probe (the word, not the car). What thesaurus was Ford using where probe was synonymous with sleek and sporty?

3. Subaru Brat

1982 Subaru Brat

Although Brat is technically an acronym — it stands for Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter — it's a particularly unfortunate one. "Brat" is almost never used to describe something positively. A brat is not a calm, confident driver who knows what he wants and how to get it. A brat is busy throwing a hissy fit in the corner because his mom won't let him borrow the car to go buy the new Styx album.

2. Isuzu VehiCROSS

2000 Isuzu VehiCROSS

Isuzu deserves a little credit for creating an attention-grabbing crossover before it was even a recognized vehicle segment, but the name practically beats consumers over the head with the idea (think SUV plus a cross-training sneaker). Add to that the unnecessary capitalization and the fact that VehiCROSS is a mouthful, and you have one bad name.

1. Ford Aspire

1997 Ford Aspire

It's pretty safe to say that many drivers' dream cars fall under the category of sports car or luxury auto; few children hope to one day spend their commuting hours behind the wheel of a 63-horsepower subcompact hatchback. When Ford slapped the Aspire name on the back of this car, they were basically saying: "Yeah, even our car knows you wish you were driving something cooler."

Liberal college kids are not alone in planning road trips. Last Thanksgiving, AAA estimated at about 32 million Americans will travel by car at least 50 miles from home - share the space with many brothers and sisters, parents and stepparents. Having the right features can make the difference between reaching your destination refreshed and longing for home, before joining the motorway. Here are our 10 favorites:

1. Navigation system and trip computer

Navigation systems can make in a snap of the most convoluted trips. Many new systems offer traffic reports in real time, and almost all have voice directions, which can direct you to the main road, your sister-in-law by insisting on a detour Tchotchke. Almost all navigation systems include some sort of board computer that monitors fuel consumption, miles until your tank is empty and more. Road Atlas - your days are numbered.

2. Music flexibility

Sun-visor CD jackets to keep maybe a dozen albums - which means you're out of songs when you have exceeded the three countries - and 10 pounds of books to put next CD drivers at risk when you look at highway speeds. advanced stereo systems, rescue, most of the extra connections include MP3 players, and some further integration, so you can see the playlist of the iPod and then to monitor the stereo controls. Want to know more? Satellite radio broadcasting commercial-free music, and on-board hard disk you can copy and record songs on CD. charge collection, and you can listen to John Denver in Denver.

3. Cruise control

Consider Salvatore foot cruise right. It 'an old dog, but can do some new tricks. luxury cars now offer advanced cruise control that can accelerate and brake - within reason - to maintain a comfortable, safe distance behind the car you are following. Even if you have a more basic version of cruise control, but thanks to the legs at the end of the day.

4. Multi-zone climate control

different climatic parameters for different passengers often are not used in everyday driving, but can be very useful on long trips. Front, rear and sometimes even passengers can set their own temperature independent of the driver to avoid complaints of being too hot or cold. Available a decade ago, only in luxury cars, dual-zone controls to come by car every day as the Honda Accord and Ford Escape.

5. DVD entertainment systems

DVD players are the holy grail of minivans and SUVs, offering parents hours of peace while the kids watch cartoons - in silence, too, thanks to the wireless headset. Models like the Nissan Quest offers two drop-down screens, one for each row in the back. Last minivans Chrysler offers two screens with satellite TV and dual programming, so that a line can play video games while another watches Nickelodeon. Children and parents have never been so easy. Or so quiet.

6. Smart cupholders

If the cup holder is designed to accommodate a 44-ounce Slurpee, connecting a 20-ounce Evian could do for all spills when you press the exit ramp. The small cup, meanwhile, leave the soda chuggers among us dry. smart coasters are an effective solution: They are big, but they have internal padding that skinny cup forceps or give way to accommodate big. Buy what you want to stop - is meant to be good.

7. Heated and cooled storage units

Only once in expensive luxury cars, the temperature-controlled storage finally made its way into the scale of affordability. A number of Dodge and Volkswagen models have cooled glove box, and the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring sport heated and cooled cupholders. These functions will not turn cold soda warm, but they can help frosty beverages stay chilled for several hours or keep the java hot a little longer. Warning: Boxes left in cars can explode hot - no refrigerators.

8. Lane-departure warning systems

Lane-departure warnings technically go to the security of the column, but we included them because when you're on the road, some features are more manageable. Infiniti has been a pioneer in the system, and now offers one of the Cadillac STS. Lane-departure warning systems use cameras to check the road markings and a warning chime when it comes too close to the left lane without signaling. The system does not replace the drivers who are paying attention, but it's nice to have as a second line of defense.

9. Household power outlets

Anyone who has ever had portable electronics running out of juice on the road will appreciate the car's grip on two fronts. When the voltage is typically used between 110 and 120V, domestic markets can accommodate most devices plug into a double. Most cars should have a utilitarian bent - that all means of Toyota Matrix, Volkswagen Touareg. Remember charger for the packed house, and batteries should be drained of complaints in the past.

10. Reclining rear seats

Here's betting no one can really get any sleep with a neck pillow shaped like a U. When the rear seats recline, you can leave at home. rear seat passengers dozing in no time, even if the drivers want to keep them lean too far, because it can be a safety hazard. Some models are still holding out, but most of the SUVs and the space for them in the second row, if not the third as well.