AguiLeon Health Tech

The automotive industry has experienced a significant upswing in 2012. Several automakers have introduced striking new models, injecting new excitement for buyers. Here are the six best car models released in 2012 1. Toyota Camry Hybrid The Toyota Camry Hybrid has been completely redesigned to attract younger buyers who wanted a sportier look. It also has a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine and an electric drive motor that provides 200 hp. The improved braking system helps the Hybrid achieve an astounding 41 mpg in combined driving and 10 mpg in city driving, according to Edmunds.com. The suspension has been improved for better handling. The Camry Hybrid is considered a great choice for a family car, Edmunds.com says. 2. Hyundai Sonata New engines and revamped interior and exterior designs have brought this Korean model to the top of the pack. The Sonata features a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine or a 2.4-liter or 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine producing 198 hp for an impres

NEWS GREG MIGLIORE: The 2012 Acura MDX is a classy SUV with respectable power and a bit of space inside. Using it for a commuter lap, I unfortunately didn't make full use of its potential, but I'll leave that to members of the staff with offspring of the two- and four-legged variety. I was impressed with the six-cylinder engine. It didn't strike me until I merged a few lanes over and jabbed the throttle, producing a pleasing sound and decent acceleration as I trailed in the wake of a Chevy Camaro convertible. I played with the paddles a bit, too. They were fun, amusing for a good-sized crossover, but not exactly Formula One-inspired. They're just something to spice up the drive into work and summon the revs a bit more purposefully on the expressway. The cabin of the MDX is impressive in appearance and execution. This sampler came in stately black inside, and the steering wheel and door panels were smart. The atmosphere was quiet and serene, with just a bit of wind

This 2012 Subaru Impreza WRX for the weekend, and I was surprised by how little I missed our long-term 2011 Impreza WRX STI version. This car provides almost all of the fun, without many of the drawbacks of the hard-core model. The WRX is down 40 hp from its big brother, but in between 3,000 rpm and 5,000 rpm you'll hardly notice. It makes the same sounds as the STI and rips off the line with the same aplomb. Unfortunately, fuel mileage didn't seem to improve; my two fill ups averaged about 19 mpg. I did like the feel of an old-school five-speed manual in the hatchback, instead of the six in our sedan. The cogs could be held for a bit longer, and there are no extra steps to get into reverse. Like the STI, the driver doesn't need to shift out of top gear to pass on the expressway. Also, the shifter felt robust in the hand. There wasn't a lot of flexing from any of the linkage parts. The steering and suspension are both softer than the STI. I put a good amount of miles o

Audi has revealed that it is releasing a further 250 Audi RS3 Sportback quattro models into the UK market due to 'consistent demand'. The new batch of cars will join the 500 units sold in the UK last year and will carry the same £39,930 price tag. The Audi RS3 is powered by the marque's turbocharged, five-cylinder, 2.5-litre engine, which produces 335bhp and 332lb ft torque. The RS3 will sprint from 0-62mph in 4.6sec before hitting its 155mph limited top speed. External features of the hot A3 comprise 19-inch alloys, flared carbonfibre arches and a prominent roof spoiler. The RS3's closest rival is the BMW M135i, which goes on sale in October and costs from £29,995 (three-door) and £30,585 (five door). The BMW produces an RS3-rivalling 316bhp from its turbocharged in-line six-pot motor. BMW claims that when mated to its 6-speed manual gearbox, the M135i will hit 62mph in 5.1sec or 4.9sec when fitted with its eight-speed auto 'box. The Mercedes A45 AMG another of the

Price: £31,595 0-62mph: 4.9sec Top speed: 155mph (limited) Economy: 37.7mpg combined CO2: 175g/km Kerbweight: 1500kg Engine: 6-cyls, in-line, 2979cc, petrol turbo Installation: Longitudinal Power: 316bhp at 5800rpm Torque: 332lb ft at 1300-4500rpm (with overboost) Gearbox: 8-spd automatic A mix of dry and damp, tight bends and a narrow road should be challenge enough for a hot hatch with 316bhp to spill from its rear wheels. And if that sounds like a temptingly reckless number then you'd be right it's only 19bhp down on the output of the lately departed 1M Coupe, and the M135i's 320lb ft of torque is identical. If it comes with the optional eight-speed paddle shifter of our test car, the 135i will zoom-flick, zoom-flick, zoom-flick through the gears to 62mph in just 4.9sec. Go for the six-speed manual and the time actually rises to 5.1sec because its wider spread of ratios are less speedily swapped. Either way, this new three-door 1-series is eag

After four days in this truck I began to feel something of an appreciation for how Genghis Khan must have felt as he charged into unsuspecting villages. The 450 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque were intoxicating in this pickup, and the whine of the supercharger was a quick way to bring a smile to my face. While docile under normal driving conditions, when dipping into the WEP War Emergency Power of the supercharger, the truck became even more enjoyable. While the truck is no slouch, given its weight, the additional height from the off-road suspension and its oversize wheels, it feels much faster than a normal Sierra, but not as insanely quick as one would hope with the additional power of forced induction. The TVS 1900 supercharger kit for the 5.3-liter gives you instant power when you tromp on the loud pedal. And loud it is, because with the addition of SLP exhaust tips, the truck has a burble and growl that makes a great addition to something with a high ride height and badges that say &qu

BY: Nic Cackett An exhaustive introduction to the Ferrari FF is likely to be superfluous to even the most casual Ferrari fan so we'll only pause for a brief recap before getting to the nitty gritty of our first UK drive. Launched around a year ago, the shooting-brake-styled four-seater offered buyers a first: a full-size Grand Tourer with a 651bhp V12 engine and, somewhat contentiously, four-wheel-drive.

 The colossal, naturally aspirated unit is a direct injection descendant of the V12 that featured in the Enzo, but Ferrari's first production all-wheel drive system is an altogether more novel solution. When required by the front wheels, power is fed directly from the crank into a second, smaller gearbox located beneath the engine. This transmission only has two forward gears, and because its ratios cannot replicate the seven-speeds of the main gearbox, the resulting wheel speed mismatch is managed by two continually slipping clutches. The main benefit of the system is that it

Leave it to a black Subaru Impreza interior with Vinyleather upholstery and all-weather floor mats to redefine the word cheap. Add a raucous engine note amplified by the dreaded continuously variable transmission, and you have a recipe for Japanese Econobox Flashback, 1988-style. Justy, anyone? OK, so comparing our 2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Sport Limited to the three-pot Scooby scooter is probably a bit harsh. In Subaru's defense, I probably wouldn't be so hard on the Impreza if it weren't for the fact that I was in two Kias earlier in the week, each of which had interior appointments far surpassing that of our Subaru. These weren't $30,000 Optimas, either: They were both Kia Rios, and both came in at less than $21,000. On the road, once the CVT had stopped adjusting its belts and pulleys, things definitely improved. Noisy though the cabin was, the 2.0-liter flat-four proved adequate for pushing the Impreza along. The driving position was good, with much better seat-bott

You might think you know every last detail about the BRZ. Between Subaru and Toyota, there's been a blizzard of multimedia. Enough concept cars, prototype sneak previews and track tests to broach your download limits. But you don't know it all. Because this is a road car, and here we are for the first time on the actual road. So does it live up to the hype? Of course not. Unless it had been styled by da Vinci and engineered by Brunel - and for good measure had Newton quietly bent the laws of mechanics in its favour - it'd never have been as good as they said it would be. A quick recap. It's a low-built, short-overhang, long-wheelbase rear-drive coupe. But the centre of mass is even lower than everyone else's cars of that type, because it has a flat-four engine. And actually the flat-four is even lower and far further back than with other Subarus, because (since it's RWD-only) there are no front driveshafts or diff in the way. There's a limited-slip diff. It