Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Best of the Best for 2012: Audi A7 and Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Each year, hundreds of new cars and trucks pass through the Autoweek garage for evaluation by our editors. We bring our enthusiast eye to what we'll admit is a relatively enjoyable task of sorting through all of those test cars, looking for those few stellar models that deserve additional consideration for our top honors. For the second consecutive year, we've applied all of that accumulated knowledge and seat time to pick Autoweek's Best of the Best/Car and Best of the Best/Truck for 2012.

Ownership costs of traditional versus alternative fuel vehicles

As gas prices remain high, and an increasing number of automakers roll out plug-in hybrid cars and full-electric vehicles, it's becoming easier to be tantalized with the idea of driving right past the gas station and simply "plugging in." The debate ensues when it comes to cost: These alternative fuel vehicles mean a larger outlay of cash at the onset, but the long-term fuel savings could make the purchase worthwhile. To help straighten out this numbers game, we use the Department of Energy's Vehicle Cost Calculator to compare alternative fuel vehicles with their gasoline-only counterparts. For each scenario, we assumed that our hypothetical owner was able to get the full $7,500 federal tax credit and a $2,500 state tax credit, such as is available in California.

Skoda GreenLine – Now even more economical

The Skoda Fabia GreenLine Skoda has announced that they’re sticking a new generation of GreenLine engines in across their range and adding GreenLine versions of the Yeti and Superb Estate, so you can be frugal whatever Skoda model you opt for. Every single GreenLine model gets a tweak to squeeze more from every gallon. The newly ‘greened’ Yeti gets the all new 103bhp 1.6 litre diesel with stop/start and brake energy recuperation, as does the Octavia GreenLine and the Superb GreenLine.