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Tire technology is advancing quickly. Today there are specialty tires for every application: snow tires, ice tires, dirt tires, three season tires, low-rolling resistance tires; the list goes on and on.

Yesterday we eliminated five cars from the 2014 AutoGuide Under $30,000 Performance Car Shootout.

That leaves the final three, which are all completely different takes on affordable fun. Weren’t we surprised when the numbers were tabulated and the top cars included not just all-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and front-wheel drive rivals, but a hatchback, a sedan and a coupe.

The Scion FR-S is a low-slung, rear-wheel drive sports coupe built without compromises. The Ford Fiesta ST is a sub-compact hatchback jacked on steroids. And finally we have the sensible, all-wheel drive Subaru sedan, that also just so happens to deliver awesome amounts of turbocharged thrust.

This is it, time to crown a victor. Who is your money on?

The compact luxury sedan market is an interesting place. When designing a new entry, manufacturers are constantly trying to find the perfect balance between sport and luxury. Although most cars end up skewed one way than the other, these vehicles typically offer a plethora of trims and options that allow potential customers to tailor their rides with as much sport or luxury as they want.

Anyone that’s ever topped off their tank or filled up a jerry can knows gasoline comes in different grades, from regular unleaded to pricey premium. Each “flavor” has a number that corresponds to its octane level, but what does this mean? What is octane and what role does it play? AutoGuide reached out to experts in the fuels field for answers.

A study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety revealed a significant drop in fatalities involving accidents between a car or a minivan versus an SUV of comparable weight.

The 2011 Dodge Durango was awarded the Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The SUV earned the award based on receiving a score of ‘good’ in front, side, rollover and rear crash tests.

The Dodge Durango implements advances to offer 45 safety and security featuers aiding drivers in vulnerable situations as well as keeping drivers safe when accidents occur.

“The performance of the Durango means buyers are getting the best protection in the most common kinds of crashes, and electronic stability control for avoiding many crashes altogether,” IIHS President Adrian Lund said.

The Durango can now join the line of other Top Safety Pick winners including the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Chrysler 200 sedan, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Journey and Jeep Patriot.

Check out the crash test after the jump!