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Nissan’s funky, front-wheel-drive box on wheels was originally introduced to Japan in 1998. The third-generation model was brought to Europe and North America for the 2009 model year, by which time it displayed a unique (some would say youthful) styling. The Cube’s sole power source was a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine – the same one given to the Versa hatchback- that produced 122 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque.

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The Mazda3 sedan and hatchback wagon supplanted the ProtegŽ sedan and ProtegŽ5 wagon for the 2004 model year. This was followed by a sportier Mazdaspeed3 hatchback that arrived for 2007. Following six successful years, an all-new second-generation Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 were introduced for the 2010 model year. Under the hood was your choice of a 148-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder or optional 167-horsepower 2.5. The Mazdaspeed3 continued with a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder that made 263 horsepower.

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Kia began exporting affordably priced automobiles to North America from its home base in Korea back in 1993. Today, the company sells a variety of vehicles that share most of their mechanical components with similar Hyundai models. Hyundai is Kia’s parent company. For the 2001 model year, the automaker introduced the Rio sedan, which was followed a year later by the Rio Cinco wagon. Both body styles were redesigned for 2006, with the wagon name changing to Rio5. Common to both was a 110-horsepower four-cylinder engine that was available with a five-speed automatic transmission, or optional four-speed automatic.

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The S40 sedan and “V” wagon were introduced in Europe for 1996 prior to arriving in North America in late 1999. Both models shared numerous components, including a Mitsubishi-built turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Also standard was a four-speed automatic transmission (upgraded to a five-speed in 2001) adapted from Volvo’s larger 70-series cars. Part way into the 2004 model year, Volvo rolled out its all-new Swedish-built S40 sedan and V50 wagon that featured a 168-horsepower 2.4-liter five-cylinder and an optional 218-horsepower 2.5-liter turbo-charged five-cylinder that was upgraded to 227 horsepower for the 2008 model year.

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The boxy Element could accommodate a wide range of people and cargo. The clamshell side doors opened 90 degrees and lacked a central pillar, allowing unfettered access to the split-bench rear seat that could be folded against the sides or flat for sleeping. Also handy was the two-piece liftgate/tailgate and optional removable glass roof panel for toting extra-tall stuff. The low and flat hard plastic floor was designed for easy cleanup. A stiff body structure and firm suspension added to the Element’s drivability on winding roads and the optional all-wheel-drive aided traversing poor and/or slippery surfaces.

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The Impala nameplate dates back to 1958. Phased out in the 1980s, it returned as a muscular rear-wheel-drive model from 1994-’96, only to return again for 2000 as a replacement for the front-wheel-drive Lumina sedan. A thorough updating for 2006 included two new V6 engines, displacing 3.5 and 3.9 liters, and the return of the SS model with a 303-horsepower 5.3-liter V8. All three powerplants used four-speed-automatic transmissions. The SS lasted only until the end of the 2009 model year.

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Acura’s flagship sedan began as the 3.5 RL, which replaced the Legend for the 1997 model year. The 3.5 designation was dropped when the second-generation RL was launched for 2005. That model came with standard all-wheel-drive along with a 290-horsepower V6 and a five-speed automatic transmission. The RL received a minor makeover for 2009 plus a new 300-horsepower 3.7-liter V6. A six-speed automatic transmission replaced the previous five-speed unit for 2012, one year before the RLX replacement arrived in early 2013 as a 2014 model.

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The Ranger’s longevity can be attributed to its just-right-size for light-duty hauling, its wide range of features and options, and its attractive price that substantially undercut the larger F-150. A lower rate of fuel consumption, particularly the four-cylinder pickups, was a bonus. The shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive setup (V6 only) used an instrument-mounted three-position switch instead of the more traditional floor-mounted dual-range shifter.

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The Caliber’s main claims to fame were its affordable base price plus its cargo-swallowing abilities, especially with the rear seat folded flat. Rear-seat space was decent, although more than two passengers in back made for a tight squeeze. Subjectively, the Caliber was considered a good-looking piece, especially from the front. Fuel economy was about average in the class. The SRT4 was only available with a six-speed manual gearbox and also included model-specific body cladding, hood scoop, suspension tuning and interior appointments.

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Introduced for 2004, the RX-8 was the last in a line of Mazda’s rotary-powered vehicles dating back to the early 1960s. It succeeded the two-seater RX-7 sports car that was available in North America from 1993-’95 model years. The RX-8 could fit four passengers and provided rear-seat access via a pair of rear-hinged “freestyle doors” that could be opened only when the front doors were unlatched A physically tiny 1.3-liter twin-rotor engine made 238 horsepower in models equipped with the six-speed manual transmission, and 197 horses when mated to the optional four-speed automatic (later adjusted to 232 and 212 horsepower, respectively).

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