15 new cars you've probably never heard of

To American eyes, the Toyota Century looks like an old Ford Granada. To the Japanese, it has been the country's premier luxury sedan since 1967 and a favorite of emperors and prime ministers. The Century's $156,000 price nets cloth seats — leather is supposedly too loud — and Toyota's only V12 engine. Underneath its dated interior, every modern safety and electronic convenience is here, including optional lace curtains and an opening for the rear passenger to stretch his legs through the front seat.

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Any automaker that names a crossover after a giant, mythical snow creature should be prepared for ridicule. But the Skoda Yeti is a real, tough car; for proof, British auto journalist Jeremy Clarkson drove it through a burning building and landed a helicopter on its roof. The Czech brand makes more affordable alternatives to the German compacts sold throughout Europe. Unfortunately, the Yeti — spacious, versatile and otherwise normal — will never be more than a tall tale on our shores.

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Pickup coupes were history when Chevrolet sold the last El Camino in 1987, and the late Chevrolet SSR convertible failed to revive that style. None of that stopped Holden Special Vehicles, General Motors' Australian racing division, from selling the Maloo R8. It's a practical pickup with a 435-horsepower Corvette V8 engine that can run on liquid propane. Despite the massive brakes, 6-speed manual transmission and fender-scraping 20-inch rims, the Maloo (Aboriginal for "thunder") can tow more than 3,500 pounds.

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Ford discontinued its last rear-wheel-drive V8-powered sedan last year. But speed-crazy Australians have higher standards than our pokey Crown Victorias. The Ford Falcon GT R-Spec, dressed in red and black trim, is essentially a 4-door Boss 302 Mustang — and with independent rear suspension, it's more modern. With 449 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, 40 more ponies than the Boss Mustang, this Falcon could run circles around our domestic police cars and fancy European sedans.

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Before the end of its doomed merger with Daimler, Chrysler built a stylish and popular crossover called the Pacifica. Now under Fiat rule, Chrysler sells another pretty crossover — but only for Europe. While essentially a rebadged Lancia, another Fiat subsidiary, the Delta packs a lot of technology and a manual gearbox under its curvy skin. Active steering can automatically move the Delta's wheel to correct skids. Auto-parking and lane-departure warning systems — two options not available on any U.S. Chrysler — are also available.

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Successful Chinese businessmen prefer to be chauffeured. But due to China's heavy import tariffs on foreign-made cars, large luxury sedans such as the Audi A8 cost twice as much as in other markets. That's why China gets stretched versions of smaller sedans such as the A4L, which features a 2.4-inch longer wheelbase. Similar cars such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class L offer plusher headrests and the ability to control the front seat position from the rear, just as in the S-Class.

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General Motors, facing poor safety scores and uncompetitive vehicles, quit the minivan market in 2008. But in China, this same company builds the GL8, a luxurious and — dare we say — sexy minivan with a Buick badge. Why wouldn't American families want a modern GM van with two-tone leather seats, 5.1 surround sound, double moonroofs and Buick's signature noise-dampening features? Chrysler, Honda and Toyota own the minivan segment. We think the GL8 could put GM back on mom and dad's radar.

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No, this photo of the Honda N Box isn't distorted. Classified in Japan as a "kei" car, which limits engine size to 660cc, the tiniest Honda is just as pencil-thin in real life. Like the larger Fit, the N Box offers enormous levels of headroom and cargo space — thanks to a centrally mounted fuel tank — that defies its featherweight stance and 58 horsepower. The "+" model can convert the rear seats into a flat sleeping bed and offers a cargo ramp for hauling motorbikes.

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No other vehicle says "postwar British colonialism" quite like an old Land Rover. Known for its uncanny traction and incredible strength in the world's harshest climates, the original 1948 Land Rover isn't far removed from today's Defender. The Defender isn't equipped with airbags or stability control, not even as options, so the federal government won't allow it on U.S. roads. When a redesigned Defender debuts in 2015, we hope this classic, barebones 4x4 doesn't lose a drop of character.

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On the outside, the Mercedes Geländewagen appears to be as rudely indifferent to modern life as the Defender. But somehow, grafting a twin-turbo V12 engine to this 33-year-old troop transport defies its age. With 603 horsepower, the G65 AMG is more powerful than the Mercedes SLS supercar, yet it has three locking differentials and the curb weight of a small army.

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When compared with a fancy Vespa, the teensy Renault Twizy starts making sense. At about $9,000, it's the cheapest production electric car in the world. The Twizy's body — what looks to be a melted golf ball with protruding axles — seats two in tandem. Joke as we might, the Twizy makes our list because it introduces a new seatbelt design. A secondary fixed belt slips over the driver's right shoulder, like a backpack sleeve, to better protect the neck and chest in side impact crashes.

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No one, not even Peugeot, can explain why a compact van would be called Bipper Tepee. Our U.K. colleagues called it "the most preposterous" among a list of very bad model names. The Bipper Tepee is hard on the eyes, too, with its triangular windows and double-chinned front end. Among small, high-top vans, we're lucky the Ford Transit Connect is our market's only choice.

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From the rims and lights right down to its shifter and infotainment controller, the Kia K9 is a near-perfect ripoff of the latest BMW 7-Series. Its full-size chassis is shared with the $60,000 Hyundai Equus, an impressive bargain among big luxury sedans, but instantly forgettable. In South Korea's insular car market, Kia will have no trouble selling to wealthy customers. But a pricey Kia — especially a copycat — isn't on our shopping list.

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In the United Kingdom, car buyers can choose from a seemingly limitless supply of frugal, fuel-efficient hatchbacks. They can also choose something wicked: a front-wheel-drive Vauxhall Astra VXR with 276 horsepower, a limited-slip differential and huge Brembo brakes. The previous Astra was sold in the U.S. as a Saturn — poor, poor Saturn — but was killed during GM's bankruptcy shuffle in 2009.

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Playful name aside, the up! takes safety seriously, and it's why we yearn for this model more than any car on this list. It's the most affordable car on sale with an auto-braking system, a feature typically offered only on expensive luxury cars. In Europe, this crash-avoidance technology is becoming more widespread among smaller cars such as the Ford Focus, but the subcompact up! — totaling about $16,000 when ordered with a $365 safety package — is simply unprecedented.

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Clifford Atiyeh has spent his entire life driving cars he doesn't own. Based in Boston, he is the senior news editor for MSN Autos, and contributes to The Boston Globe, Car and Driver, and other publications.