The Dart is a charismatic little car. Thanks to its Alfa Romeo roots, the Dart is handsome and fun to drive – especially if you drive like an Italian. The Dodge Dart couldn’t be more American, in that it is an immigrant.

When it hits showrooms later this year, the redesigned 2015 Ford Mustang will have plenty of rivals. From Detroit pony cars like the Chevrolet Camaro to muscle cars like Dodge Challenger to more effete German sport coupes, everyone’s got the Mustang’s number.

Not so long ago, owning a subcompact like the Fit was considered to be a punishment for sins of a past life by most global societies. They were flimsy, clunky, loud, uncomfortable, if economical deathtraps. The original Fit did a lot to change that, though, and thankfully this new one has completely flipped the script.

Car nameplates are recycled on a regular basis. You can’t buy a new third-generation C-Class anymore, but you can drive home from your local Mercedes-Benz dealership in a vastly improved fourth-generation modelthat benefits from the latest advances in automotive technology. For three decades, The Land Rover Defender has managed to eschew this evolutionary pattern, so…

Hondadoesn’tbuild exciting cars, but you already know that. Honda builds reliable cars, and chances areyou’veowned one at some point in your life. The Japanese automaker is slowly getting better at delivering designs that are much less derivative of past models and more appealing to consumers, but at this point in the game it’s been more…