Yahoo Autos 
Underrated cars of 2012
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For American consumers, a few names immediately spring to mind when considering great cars: the BMW 5 Series, Honda Accord, Toyota Highlander. With exquisite handling, great gas mileage and comfortable interiors, these are the go-to automobiles of enthusiasts and daily commuters alike.
There are also lesser-known vehicles — or at least less obvious ones — that get the job done just as well but don’t command the same respect as their better-known counterparts. These underrated cars are the dark horses, and though they may not be household nameplates, they have as much to offer as those that have achieved legendary status.
The cars on this list were provided by Karl Brauer, CEO and editor-in-chief of TotalCarScore.com, an online review aggregator and information resource for cars currently on the market. “These cars and SUVs not only earn impressive Total Car Scores, they actually score better than many nameplates long considered best in class,” he said in an e-mail.
Read ahead and see which coupes, sedans and SUVs made TotalCarScore.com’s list of underrated cars of 2012.
Chevrolet Cruze
The Chevrolet Cruze was named "Best Compact Car for the Money" by U.S. News and World Report. It also won the “2012 Top Safety Pick” award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Chevrolet doesn’t have a long history of producing excellent small cars, but the Chevrolet Cruze is among the top scoring cars in the compact sedan category,” Brauer said. “In fact, it’s better rated than longstanding stalwarts like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Jetta.”
Kia Soul
The Kia Soul is a compact car that debuted at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. For the 2012 model, the car received an upgraded exterior, navigation and automatic climate control.
The Honda Fit is TotalCarScore.com’s top-rated economy car, but the Soul runs a strong second. “This puts the Soul ahead of several well-known economy nameplates, including the Nissan Cube and Toyota Yaris,” Brauer said.
Cadillac CTS
The Cadillac CTS is a mid-size car available in three styles — coupe, sedan and sport wagon. It has been named to Car and Driver’s 2011 10 Best list, where it was singled out for its “psychedelic power” and “organ-shifting g-forces.”
“Ask anyone to name a great entry-luxury sedan and you’ll likely hear names like ‘Audi A4’ or ‘BMW 3 Series’ or ‘Mercedes-Benz C-Class,’ Brauer said. “And while those cars continue to be excellent vehicles, the industry likes the 2012 Cadillac CTS even more, giving it the highest Total Car Score in the Entry Luxury Sedan category.”
Buick LaCrosse
The Buick LaCrosse is a mid-size luxury sedan. In a mildly embarrassing turn of events, the car had to be sold in Canada as the Allure, because "la crosse" is a Quebecois slang term for self-gratification. Nonetheless, the vehicle has received high marks on TotalCarScore.com.
“The large sedan category has become quite competitive in recent years, with models like the Chrysler 300, Ford Taurus and Toyota Avalon vying for the top spot,” Brauer said. “But that honor goes to a newcomer you may not know, the Buick LaCrosse. Both the standard LaCrosse and its hybrid variant take the top spots.”
