Top Vehicles of 2007 Lists
12-30-2007, 02:01 PM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Top Vehicles of 2007 Lists
I have noticed a few Top Vehicle Lists in the news lately & thought it would worth posting together in a thread ... perhaps posters can make their own lists as well :
MarketWatch
2007 Cars of the Year
Our Best of the Best
By Ron Amadon, MarketWatch
Last update: 12:01 a.m. EST Dec. 29, 2007
DAMASCUS, Md. (MarketWatch) -- What a grand year this has been for auto testing...no less than two Porsche 911 Twin Turbos and a day with the new Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera!
Add enough time behind the wheel of some special cars to convince us that the future is not bleak for those who love to drive but cannot afford the ever-increasing price of gasoline. The VW GTI and the Honda Civic Si were both fun cars. The Honda FCX and the Chevy Equinox gave a glimpse of what the future might be like if the nation decides that hydrogen is the way to go before the oil wells go dry.
We humbly submit the following as our cars of the year. A reminder: We only select vehicles that we have driven in calendar year 2007. See slideshow.
Car of the Year: Honda Civic Si. When you put together the total package -- styling, fit, finish, reliability, long life and heaping helpings of fun to drive, nothing tops the Si for the money. The experts say that the price of petrol is going to do nothing but go up, so we might as well make the best of it. Yes, one has to keep the revs at silly levels to extract all that this car has (0 to 60 mph in about 6.5 seconds) but the Honda fours have always been like that. Add some great handling into the stew, a comfortable and somewhat futuristic interior, and for an affordable price of $22K or so you have our car of the year. Close runner up: Mazda's Mazdaspeed 3.
Best Sports Car: (Tie) Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and the Porsche 911 Twin Turbo. Two very different cars, with similar results -- and that is lots of super car power and excellent handling. The Lambo is in-your-face Italian virility, both in its styling and its performance. If you want to be seen, the Lambo is the way to go and we think the slightly lighter and slightly more powerful Superleggera is the way to do it.
The Porsche is a more timeless design and better for those who would like to blend in. That is, until you press down sharply on the pedal. Then the 510 horsepower kicks in with the turbos to propel you to 60 mph and beyond in the time that it takes most people to hiccup. (The Lambo is no slouch either, with 522 horsepower and 60 mph in about 3.4 seconds.) For the well-trained driver on a good track, these cars would be more than breath-taking. For everyday drives on the street, the Porsche would be the way to go. But it would be cool to pick up your old high school sweetheart in a Lambo.
Biggest Surprise: Bentley Continental GT Speed. Let's face it. When you think about a Bentley, you think of a luxury car fit for carrying a king, a queen or a Hollywood star that does not drive a Prius. You do not think of a modern day GT super car with a 12-cylinder, 6-liter engine that in its best stage of tune cranks out 600-horsepower and hustles to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. Not to mention the sleek modern design that turns heads. Price? Well if you must ask, about $190,000, depending on options -- and there are a lot of them. It is one very exclusive way to get where you are going.
Best Sedan: Honda Accord. Every four years Honda manages to find a way to make one of the best cars on the road even better. The 2008 Accord is a bit bigger, and passengers in the back seats will love the change. The excellent fit and finish remain, along with good gas mileage and the promise of dependability and long life. Factor in good resale values and the sporty feel of Honda cars in general, and you have the mid-sized class leader (again).
Best Family Value: Acura RDX. Mom will still not drive a minivan, and the SUV in the garage has become too friendly with a very expensive gas pump. So what to do? Many owners are downsizing their SUVs, and if your family fits inside, we think the RDX is the best of the lot. We loved the sporty handling, the performance of its turbo- charged four, and the well-thought-out interior for five. It is EPA-rated at 19/23 miles per gallon, and like the Accord carries the promise of high quality, long life, and outstanding reliability. Prices start at $33,195. Close second: Mazda CX-7
Best Gas Sipper: Nissan Versa. Offered as a 4-door sedan or a 4-door hatchback, the Versa offers exceptional room for four and has one of the best CVTs we have driven. Owners say 30 miles per gallon is common on the highway. The price is right, too, starting at $12,630. Keep a lid on the expensive options, and the expected rush to $4 a gallon will seem a much more bearable.
Proof that Detroit Ain't Dead Yet: Cadillac CTS. GM went after the autobahn cars with its new CTS and snuck a goal into the far right side of the soccer net late in the game. With its in-your-face front end styling, quality interior, crisp handling and 304-horsepower V6, the CTS serves notice that Detroit ain't dead yet.
Best Uber Alies Car: Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe. It is a big convertible that rings every luxury chime in the books and adds one -- the optional teak wood surrounding the area where the top folds down. There are wonderful retro touches inside, and the big Rolls grill with the Flying Lady stands out from Detroit to Dubai.
Comeback Kid: Saturn. The interior of the Saturn Outlook has a luxury car feel to it, something that you could not always say about this brand. It could use a few more horsepower, but the Outlook will haul lots of kids and their stuff. Add in Saturn's way of dealing with customers and its no-nonsense pricing, and we think the brand is on the way back. Its Aura sedan impressed with its handling and quality interior, and we very much look forward to a spin or three in the upcoming entry-level Astra.
Green Car: (Tie) Honda FCX and Chevrolet Equinox. Both are encouraging looks at what the future might be like without gasoline. They were both comfortable, quiet (since they are electric powered) and eminently practical cars that will meet the real world needs of real customers, assuming that manufacturing costs can be lowered, and a network of hydrogen filling stations can be established. With just water vapor coming out of the pipe, you could be really green in about 2011 or so.
Other notables:
BMW 328i: Simply a great car! Leave off the i-drive, which our test car did not have, and you end up with a fun sedan that is ready to hustle you from New York to L.A., or Brussels to Berlin.
Mini Cooper S: Power, performance and 29 miles per gallon are just a few reasons to buy one. The main reason, however, is that it's just silly grand fun to drive any Mini anywhere.
Volks GTI: The GTI is back and solidly a driver's car again. For less than $30,000 base you get to 60 mph in just over 6 seconds, and will enjoy sports-car handling that is guaranteed to make your palms sweaty.
Toyota Highlander: Smooth, powerful, and able to take large loads at a single bound. That's the new Highlander. Its dash panel with large knobs for audio and ventilation should be required reading for all auto design teams. Keep a firm hand on the options, and the new Highlander is a very good value.
We look forward to the New Year on the roads, even though it could be a rocky one for the auto makers if the price of gasoline continues to soar and the economy stalls. We will keep you on top of the trends with our gas sipper's updates and never-ending search for fun wheels to get through it all.
King5.com
By TOM VOELK / Special to NWCN.com
Of the 52 cars featured in Driving Northwest in 2007, Tom Voelk picks his favorites
As 2007 comes to a close it’s time for me to add to the galaxy of “year end” lists clogging up the media. Sure, I could do the same old Top 10 concept that Car & Driver, David Letterman and everyone else subscribes to but ohhhh no. Borrowing a concept from “This is Spinal Tap,” I am turning it up to 11 this year.
I do my very best to put myself in the shoes of potential buyers for every vehicle I evaluate. With this list I break slightly from that role and selfishly pick the cars that I find personally and emotionally satisfying. In short, these are the rigs I might buy myself. If nothing else it lays bare my love of performance, value, features and design. Most of these vehicles do a remarkable job of balancing all four.
I’ve driven more than 100 different cars, trucks and crossovers in 2007. From that, the most relevant 52 have been featured here on Driving Northwest. My picks are culled from those weekly reviews. Exceptions? I’m leaving cars over $75,000 off the list because, well … because. Very few can afford a Mercedes S Class, Land Rover Range Rover or Lexus LS. Go ahead, call me a populist. Also, I’m not really a pickup truck guy so my choice of the GMT900 rigs (Chevy Silverado and GMC Yukon) will remain null and void. In addition, these vehicles need to be on sale by December 31, 2007 which excludes Ford’s HySeries Drive Edge and GM’s terrific 2-Mode Hybrid SUV that were previewed. Perhaps next year.
The fact that I have revised this year’s choices four times proves how competitive the marketplace is these days. If this list leaves you with any lasting impression let it be this: Those who are thinking about a new car owe it to themselves to test drive everything in the category they are considering. To quote fellow Minnesota native Bob Dylan, “The times they are a changing.” The game is getting competitive and the winner is anyone buying a new vehicle. Those who are clever (or reading this sentence) will notice this is not a ranking, the vehicles are in alphabetical order. Click on the link for the full review.
Acura MDX
Comfortable and athletic, this crossover will satisfy your inner Michael Schumacher if you have a family to schlep around. The DVD music surround-sound system rocks and the middle row is available with bun-warmers. The third row is for small children only but at least it’s available when your kid’s friends need a ride home from soccer practice. Looking like a star in the Transformers movie (sorry, GM has sewn up the licensing for that flick), MDX wins on value and driving dynamics.
Buick Enclave
This large crossover makes Buick’s old slogan of “Wouldn’t you really rather drive a Buick?” relevant again. Enclave’s exterior design makes it a concept car you can park in your driveway. With loads of room (it can comfortably seat eight adults), Enclave wins on functionality, design, comfort and good old fashioned chutzpah. If Buick continues this direction they have a chance of erasing their “grandpa’s car” image for good.
Cadillac CTS
If I were to give a Car of the Year award, this would be it. People compare it to the BMW 3 Series, but really it’s closer in size to the 5er. The designers at Cadillac have sharpened their Art & Science design philosophy to create a terrific knife blade of a car. Open the door and you’re welcomed by a best-in-class interior featuring a handcrafted instrument panel. It delivers on the road too. The best part of the CTS? It doesn’t just ape the best of the European brands. This Cadillac is clearly its own car with its own distinct attitude. These days, that’s tough to do.
Chevrolet Malibu
Finally, GM has woken up and given the masses an affordable family sedan the average Joe and Jane will be proud to park in their drive. Malibu hits the sweet spot with very good driving dynamics, deceptively attractive sheet metal and a cabin that makes you want to spend time behind the wheel. Those in the backseat might find it a little more austere than those in the front though. With its proud gold badge on the split grille, this Chevy just might make bow ties fashionable again. Imagine. A Malibu that people in Malibu, Calif. might actually be seen in.
Chrysler Town & Country
This van isn’t just an automotive Swiss Army knife, it’s the big one with scissors and built-in compass. It may be bland and blocky on the outside, but inside it’s a family’s dream come true. Even forgetting esoteric options like the Sirius satellite television, this not-so-mini minivan beats its competition with its incredibly flexible interior. The much touted Swivel-‘n Go seats swing sideways to make loading very young and very old passengers a snap. With a removable table, kids can play games with each other rather than zoning out to individual video games. Town & Country’s features actually made my mini-van adverse wife a potential customer. Note - T & C’s twin, the Dodge Grand Caravan, has a much more utilitarian cabin. Do yourself a favor and go with the Chrysler.
Honda Accord
The 500-pound gorilla of the sedan world is now the 600-pound gorilla. Accord is now so large it’s rated as a full-sized car by the government. Still, it remains light on its feet. True to its lineage, Accord has remarkable handling, especially for it’s size. Perhaps because of my high expectations, I have some quibbles (no manual shift control for the automatic transmission, no split folding rear seat, and fussy exterior styling details) but overall Honda has engineered a terrific family sedan. Again.
Honda Fit Sport
For those who do a lot of urban driving, the small Fit is a great fit. Frisky, frugal, and functional, Fit is clearly the most versatile small car available. The Magic Seats that fold, flip, and recline turn this pint-sized performer into a small cargo van. I recommend coughing up the extra cash for the Sport model that offers a better sound system and leather wrapped steering wheel among other features. Keep in mind a new Fit is on sale in Japan and due to come to our shores in the near future.
Infiniti G37 Sport
Everyone is gunning for BMW’s 3 Series. The G37 coupe comes closest to matching the Bavarians. Really, what it comes down to here is bang for the buck. Comparably equipped, the G is thousands less than the 3. Opt for the automatic transmission with paddle shifters and there’s a “rev matching” feature that not only makes downshifts smoother, you’ll sound like a professional driver with throttle blips. The back seat is cramped and the trunk is small but hey, most buyers will consider this a two seat vehicle. Wring this Infiniti out on the twisty road of your choice and the G37 will having you saying "gee!"
MAZDASPEED3
The name pretty much says it all folks. This pocket rocket is mucho fun when the right foot comes down. Fortunately the suspension, seats, and 6-speed manual tranny are all enhanced to make that power much more useful. The only problem with the SPPED3 is the torque steer that comes with being a powerful front driver and the inevitable traffic violations for those with little restraint. All this for a bargain price if you can find a dealer who’s not adding mandatory $2,000 floor mats.
Saturn Vue XR
Saturn’s new slogan is “Re-think American.” Considering many of their new vehicles are German Opels I’d say they’re bending the rules a bit. Who’s complaining though. The new Vue (known as the Opel Antara in Europe and GMC Terrain in the Middle East) is a great looking compact crossover inside and out. Even the vents on the front fenders work (aesthetically if not functionally). I’ll be frank, this slot could have easily gone to Honda’s CR-V with its better handling and fuel economy. In the end, I just felt more satisfied in the more stylish and substantial Vue. This Saturn may not run, ahem, rings around the competition but it’s a strong competitor is a crowded segment.
Volvo XC70
What’s with Americans and their loathing of station wagons? Volvo won’t call the XC70 a wagon even though the new V70 it’s based on is one. Figure that out. The XC70 (not called the Cross Country anymore by the way) may be reluctant to admit its obvious genealogy but it has nothing to be embarrassed about. A full day of beating the bejeezus out of this rig on forest service roads in Montana convinced me that Volvo’s new wagon, oops – crossover, is tougher than anyone would imagine. It’s also supremely comfortable while it gets flogged. It may drink a little more fuel than an owner might want, but at least they’ll know they’ll get anywhere they want to go.
MarketWatch
2007 Cars of the Year
Our Best of the Best
By Ron Amadon, MarketWatch
Last update: 12:01 a.m. EST Dec. 29, 2007
DAMASCUS, Md. (MarketWatch) -- What a grand year this has been for auto testing...no less than two Porsche 911 Twin Turbos and a day with the new Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera!
Add enough time behind the wheel of some special cars to convince us that the future is not bleak for those who love to drive but cannot afford the ever-increasing price of gasoline. The VW GTI and the Honda Civic Si were both fun cars. The Honda FCX and the Chevy Equinox gave a glimpse of what the future might be like if the nation decides that hydrogen is the way to go before the oil wells go dry.
We humbly submit the following as our cars of the year. A reminder: We only select vehicles that we have driven in calendar year 2007. See slideshow.
Car of the Year: Honda Civic Si. When you put together the total package -- styling, fit, finish, reliability, long life and heaping helpings of fun to drive, nothing tops the Si for the money. The experts say that the price of petrol is going to do nothing but go up, so we might as well make the best of it. Yes, one has to keep the revs at silly levels to extract all that this car has (0 to 60 mph in about 6.5 seconds) but the Honda fours have always been like that. Add some great handling into the stew, a comfortable and somewhat futuristic interior, and for an affordable price of $22K or so you have our car of the year. Close runner up: Mazda's Mazdaspeed 3.
Best Sports Car: (Tie) Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and the Porsche 911 Twin Turbo. Two very different cars, with similar results -- and that is lots of super car power and excellent handling. The Lambo is in-your-face Italian virility, both in its styling and its performance. If you want to be seen, the Lambo is the way to go and we think the slightly lighter and slightly more powerful Superleggera is the way to do it.
The Porsche is a more timeless design and better for those who would like to blend in. That is, until you press down sharply on the pedal. Then the 510 horsepower kicks in with the turbos to propel you to 60 mph and beyond in the time that it takes most people to hiccup. (The Lambo is no slouch either, with 522 horsepower and 60 mph in about 3.4 seconds.) For the well-trained driver on a good track, these cars would be more than breath-taking. For everyday drives on the street, the Porsche would be the way to go. But it would be cool to pick up your old high school sweetheart in a Lambo.
Biggest Surprise: Bentley Continental GT Speed. Let's face it. When you think about a Bentley, you think of a luxury car fit for carrying a king, a queen or a Hollywood star that does not drive a Prius. You do not think of a modern day GT super car with a 12-cylinder, 6-liter engine that in its best stage of tune cranks out 600-horsepower and hustles to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. Not to mention the sleek modern design that turns heads. Price? Well if you must ask, about $190,000, depending on options -- and there are a lot of them. It is one very exclusive way to get where you are going.
Best Sedan: Honda Accord. Every four years Honda manages to find a way to make one of the best cars on the road even better. The 2008 Accord is a bit bigger, and passengers in the back seats will love the change. The excellent fit and finish remain, along with good gas mileage and the promise of dependability and long life. Factor in good resale values and the sporty feel of Honda cars in general, and you have the mid-sized class leader (again).
Best Family Value: Acura RDX. Mom will still not drive a minivan, and the SUV in the garage has become too friendly with a very expensive gas pump. So what to do? Many owners are downsizing their SUVs, and if your family fits inside, we think the RDX is the best of the lot. We loved the sporty handling, the performance of its turbo- charged four, and the well-thought-out interior for five. It is EPA-rated at 19/23 miles per gallon, and like the Accord carries the promise of high quality, long life, and outstanding reliability. Prices start at $33,195. Close second: Mazda CX-7
Best Gas Sipper: Nissan Versa. Offered as a 4-door sedan or a 4-door hatchback, the Versa offers exceptional room for four and has one of the best CVTs we have driven. Owners say 30 miles per gallon is common on the highway. The price is right, too, starting at $12,630. Keep a lid on the expensive options, and the expected rush to $4 a gallon will seem a much more bearable.
Proof that Detroit Ain't Dead Yet: Cadillac CTS. GM went after the autobahn cars with its new CTS and snuck a goal into the far right side of the soccer net late in the game. With its in-your-face front end styling, quality interior, crisp handling and 304-horsepower V6, the CTS serves notice that Detroit ain't dead yet.
Best Uber Alies Car: Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe. It is a big convertible that rings every luxury chime in the books and adds one -- the optional teak wood surrounding the area where the top folds down. There are wonderful retro touches inside, and the big Rolls grill with the Flying Lady stands out from Detroit to Dubai.
Comeback Kid: Saturn. The interior of the Saturn Outlook has a luxury car feel to it, something that you could not always say about this brand. It could use a few more horsepower, but the Outlook will haul lots of kids and their stuff. Add in Saturn's way of dealing with customers and its no-nonsense pricing, and we think the brand is on the way back. Its Aura sedan impressed with its handling and quality interior, and we very much look forward to a spin or three in the upcoming entry-level Astra.
Green Car: (Tie) Honda FCX and Chevrolet Equinox. Both are encouraging looks at what the future might be like without gasoline. They were both comfortable, quiet (since they are electric powered) and eminently practical cars that will meet the real world needs of real customers, assuming that manufacturing costs can be lowered, and a network of hydrogen filling stations can be established. With just water vapor coming out of the pipe, you could be really green in about 2011 or so.
Other notables:
BMW 328i: Simply a great car! Leave off the i-drive, which our test car did not have, and you end up with a fun sedan that is ready to hustle you from New York to L.A., or Brussels to Berlin.
Mini Cooper S: Power, performance and 29 miles per gallon are just a few reasons to buy one. The main reason, however, is that it's just silly grand fun to drive any Mini anywhere.
Volks GTI: The GTI is back and solidly a driver's car again. For less than $30,000 base you get to 60 mph in just over 6 seconds, and will enjoy sports-car handling that is guaranteed to make your palms sweaty.
Toyota Highlander: Smooth, powerful, and able to take large loads at a single bound. That's the new Highlander. Its dash panel with large knobs for audio and ventilation should be required reading for all auto design teams. Keep a firm hand on the options, and the new Highlander is a very good value.
We look forward to the New Year on the roads, even though it could be a rocky one for the auto makers if the price of gasoline continues to soar and the economy stalls. We will keep you on top of the trends with our gas sipper's updates and never-ending search for fun wheels to get through it all.
King5.com
By TOM VOELK / Special to NWCN.com
Of the 52 cars featured in Driving Northwest in 2007, Tom Voelk picks his favorites
As 2007 comes to a close it’s time for me to add to the galaxy of “year end” lists clogging up the media. Sure, I could do the same old Top 10 concept that Car & Driver, David Letterman and everyone else subscribes to but ohhhh no. Borrowing a concept from “This is Spinal Tap,” I am turning it up to 11 this year.
I do my very best to put myself in the shoes of potential buyers for every vehicle I evaluate. With this list I break slightly from that role and selfishly pick the cars that I find personally and emotionally satisfying. In short, these are the rigs I might buy myself. If nothing else it lays bare my love of performance, value, features and design. Most of these vehicles do a remarkable job of balancing all four.
I’ve driven more than 100 different cars, trucks and crossovers in 2007. From that, the most relevant 52 have been featured here on Driving Northwest. My picks are culled from those weekly reviews. Exceptions? I’m leaving cars over $75,000 off the list because, well … because. Very few can afford a Mercedes S Class, Land Rover Range Rover or Lexus LS. Go ahead, call me a populist. Also, I’m not really a pickup truck guy so my choice of the GMT900 rigs (Chevy Silverado and GMC Yukon) will remain null and void. In addition, these vehicles need to be on sale by December 31, 2007 which excludes Ford’s HySeries Drive Edge and GM’s terrific 2-Mode Hybrid SUV that were previewed. Perhaps next year.
The fact that I have revised this year’s choices four times proves how competitive the marketplace is these days. If this list leaves you with any lasting impression let it be this: Those who are thinking about a new car owe it to themselves to test drive everything in the category they are considering. To quote fellow Minnesota native Bob Dylan, “The times they are a changing.” The game is getting competitive and the winner is anyone buying a new vehicle. Those who are clever (or reading this sentence) will notice this is not a ranking, the vehicles are in alphabetical order. Click on the link for the full review.
Acura MDX
Comfortable and athletic, this crossover will satisfy your inner Michael Schumacher if you have a family to schlep around. The DVD music surround-sound system rocks and the middle row is available with bun-warmers. The third row is for small children only but at least it’s available when your kid’s friends need a ride home from soccer practice. Looking like a star in the Transformers movie (sorry, GM has sewn up the licensing for that flick), MDX wins on value and driving dynamics.
Buick Enclave
This large crossover makes Buick’s old slogan of “Wouldn’t you really rather drive a Buick?” relevant again. Enclave’s exterior design makes it a concept car you can park in your driveway. With loads of room (it can comfortably seat eight adults), Enclave wins on functionality, design, comfort and good old fashioned chutzpah. If Buick continues this direction they have a chance of erasing their “grandpa’s car” image for good.
Cadillac CTS
If I were to give a Car of the Year award, this would be it. People compare it to the BMW 3 Series, but really it’s closer in size to the 5er. The designers at Cadillac have sharpened their Art & Science design philosophy to create a terrific knife blade of a car. Open the door and you’re welcomed by a best-in-class interior featuring a handcrafted instrument panel. It delivers on the road too. The best part of the CTS? It doesn’t just ape the best of the European brands. This Cadillac is clearly its own car with its own distinct attitude. These days, that’s tough to do.
Chevrolet Malibu
Finally, GM has woken up and given the masses an affordable family sedan the average Joe and Jane will be proud to park in their drive. Malibu hits the sweet spot with very good driving dynamics, deceptively attractive sheet metal and a cabin that makes you want to spend time behind the wheel. Those in the backseat might find it a little more austere than those in the front though. With its proud gold badge on the split grille, this Chevy just might make bow ties fashionable again. Imagine. A Malibu that people in Malibu, Calif. might actually be seen in.
Chrysler Town & Country
This van isn’t just an automotive Swiss Army knife, it’s the big one with scissors and built-in compass. It may be bland and blocky on the outside, but inside it’s a family’s dream come true. Even forgetting esoteric options like the Sirius satellite television, this not-so-mini minivan beats its competition with its incredibly flexible interior. The much touted Swivel-‘n Go seats swing sideways to make loading very young and very old passengers a snap. With a removable table, kids can play games with each other rather than zoning out to individual video games. Town & Country’s features actually made my mini-van adverse wife a potential customer. Note - T & C’s twin, the Dodge Grand Caravan, has a much more utilitarian cabin. Do yourself a favor and go with the Chrysler.
Honda Accord
The 500-pound gorilla of the sedan world is now the 600-pound gorilla. Accord is now so large it’s rated as a full-sized car by the government. Still, it remains light on its feet. True to its lineage, Accord has remarkable handling, especially for it’s size. Perhaps because of my high expectations, I have some quibbles (no manual shift control for the automatic transmission, no split folding rear seat, and fussy exterior styling details) but overall Honda has engineered a terrific family sedan. Again.
Honda Fit Sport
For those who do a lot of urban driving, the small Fit is a great fit. Frisky, frugal, and functional, Fit is clearly the most versatile small car available. The Magic Seats that fold, flip, and recline turn this pint-sized performer into a small cargo van. I recommend coughing up the extra cash for the Sport model that offers a better sound system and leather wrapped steering wheel among other features. Keep in mind a new Fit is on sale in Japan and due to come to our shores in the near future.
Infiniti G37 Sport
Everyone is gunning for BMW’s 3 Series. The G37 coupe comes closest to matching the Bavarians. Really, what it comes down to here is bang for the buck. Comparably equipped, the G is thousands less than the 3. Opt for the automatic transmission with paddle shifters and there’s a “rev matching” feature that not only makes downshifts smoother, you’ll sound like a professional driver with throttle blips. The back seat is cramped and the trunk is small but hey, most buyers will consider this a two seat vehicle. Wring this Infiniti out on the twisty road of your choice and the G37 will having you saying "gee!"
MAZDASPEED3
The name pretty much says it all folks. This pocket rocket is mucho fun when the right foot comes down. Fortunately the suspension, seats, and 6-speed manual tranny are all enhanced to make that power much more useful. The only problem with the SPPED3 is the torque steer that comes with being a powerful front driver and the inevitable traffic violations for those with little restraint. All this for a bargain price if you can find a dealer who’s not adding mandatory $2,000 floor mats.
Saturn Vue XR
Saturn’s new slogan is “Re-think American.” Considering many of their new vehicles are German Opels I’d say they’re bending the rules a bit. Who’s complaining though. The new Vue (known as the Opel Antara in Europe and GMC Terrain in the Middle East) is a great looking compact crossover inside and out. Even the vents on the front fenders work (aesthetically if not functionally). I’ll be frank, this slot could have easily gone to Honda’s CR-V with its better handling and fuel economy. In the end, I just felt more satisfied in the more stylish and substantial Vue. This Saturn may not run, ahem, rings around the competition but it’s a strong competitor is a crowded segment.
Volvo XC70
What’s with Americans and their loathing of station wagons? Volvo won’t call the XC70 a wagon even though the new V70 it’s based on is one. Figure that out. The XC70 (not called the Cross Country anymore by the way) may be reluctant to admit its obvious genealogy but it has nothing to be embarrassed about. A full day of beating the bejeezus out of this rig on forest service roads in Montana convinced me that Volvo’s new wagon, oops – crossover, is tougher than anyone would imagine. It’s also supremely comfortable while it gets flogged. It may drink a little more fuel than an owner might want, but at least they’ll know they’ll get anywhere they want to go.
12-30-2007, 04:39 PM
#2
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Gay Wheels
Best of 2007
Gaywheels Picks the Best of 2007
New cars and trucks with a family flair rule.
Each year, the editors of Gaywheels.com drive hundreds of new cars (and some old ones, too) to find the best new vehicles for you, your partner, your family, and sometimes for ourselves too.
For 2007, some clear winners emerged from the field of new and redesigned vehicles. Cars from Cadillac, Volvo and Audi struck a chord with our expert team of car reviewers -- and a handful of new trucks, crossovers and SUVs gave us pause when thinking about what vehicles might fill our dream garage.
So this year, for the first time ever, Gaywheels.com’s editors are picking their favorite vehicles of 2007. The field of best-ofs includes some 2007 and 2008 models--cars perfect for us, for families, for dates and clubbing, and cars and trucks notable for their new looks, new hardware and new attitude.
The winners for Gaywheels.com’s Best of 2007, in order of seniority, are:
Joe LaMuraglia
Founder, Gaywheels.com
Best New Car: Volvo C30
It’s a perfect blend of modern-retro styling, versatility, safety and fuel efficiency--and you never can tell there’s Focus pieces underneath.
Best Makeover: Cadillac CTS
The CTS clearly went to the gym, got a good plastic surgeon and underwent the most thorough transformation of any car I drove this year.
Best Date Car: Audi TT Cabriolet
The perfect accessory to see how your future-ex-husband looks with the wind in his hair--assuming he still has any.
Best Family Car: Buick Enclave
Gorgeous, refined and really easy access to the rear--who doesn't like that?
Best Club Car: Lincoln Navigator
A club car has to have room for all my friends, must get attention and
have a kicking stereo. Mix all that up and you get the biggest Lincoln.
Best Car For Me: Saab 9-3 Sport Combi
It has unique styling, comfortable seats, the versatility of a wagon and the availability of all-wheel drive.
Joe Tralongo
Montana Editor
Best New Car: Audi A5/S5
We want our cars to do so much these days, hence the rise of the five-door monster carriage. Sometimes, the simplicity of two-doors, a gorgeous body and a hell of a lot of horsepower is all one needs to experience utter driving bliss. And how about that bitchin’ Camaro profile?
Best Makeover: Cadillac CTS
The new CTS brings home the bacon with a sizzling exterior, stunning interior and great performance. Easy on the eyes and with a great big six-speed manual stick to wrap your hands around, think of it as the Sean Cody of the luxury-performance set.
Best Date Car: Toyota Corolla
Of course he’s going to swoon for you if you pick him up in a fiery-red Porsche 911, but with all the talk of “I just want to find a normal, decent guy” going around, what better test than this? If he really likes you, the car won’t matter.
Best Family Car: GMC Acadia
Yeah, yeah, it’s an evil SUV--sort of. Actually, the Acadia is a very sensibly sized family hauler, with a genuinely usable third-row seat, tons of cargo space and pretty decent fuel economy. This handsome stud also happens to have a lovely interior with all manner of electronic goodies to the keep the little ones happy on long trips.
Best Night Club Car: Dodge Viper SRT10
With its 600-horsepower V-10 snarling as you glide up to the club, the Viper is just rough enough around the edges to avoid the “pretty-boy” Porsche stigma, yet sharp enough to turn even Tim Gunn’s stylish silver head.
Best Car for Me: Volkswagen GTI
In four-door trim the turbocharged VW GTI satisfies my practical side, my environmental side, my budget-minded husband’s side, my backside (great seats) and my need-for-speed side.
Scott Corlett
San Francisco Editor
Best New Car: Audi R8
The R8 is a serious, grade-A hottie. He shoots from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and rips through turns like a Ferrari. Best of all, he’s a total exhibitionist: the R8’s 420-hp, mid-mounted V-8 works it beneath a transparent hood, with white LEDs for nighttime shows.
Best Makeover: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The legendary Evo has long been the car for the fast-and-furious set. Now, the new Evo has that sexy, edgy BMW/Lexus IS bod. Thankfully, the muscle and guts remain to back it up.
Best Date Car: Jaguar XK Convertible
A ride in an XK is like foreplay, with the supple leather, the throaty growl of the 300-bhp engine, and the ice-smooth ride. Just find a quiet spot, under a starry sky, and throw down the ragtop. And then the XK leaves the rest to you.
Best Family Car: BMW 530ix wagon
Who says you need a lumbering SUV or an emasculating minivan to haul your precious cargo? Not only does BMW’s über-wagon offer seating for five and plenty of space for the pooch, but with the 530’s handling, you can hook the curves so fast and hard that the g-forces will keep lil’ ones in back real quiet.
Best Club Car: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Pull into a parking lot, throw open the Evo’s doors, and crank the 650-watt Rockford-Fosgate sound system, with its 10-inch subwoofer and 30-gig built-in music server. Now, for your outdoor rave, you’ve got tunes until either the sun rises or the police arrive.
Best Car For Me: Volkswagen GTI
This little pocket rocket is super-fast and sized just right for San Francisco’s tight parking. And best of all, the GTI’s sexy, speed-racer wrapper screams ready to go.
Marty Padgett
New Arrival
Best New Car: Saturn Astra
Get over your “Huh? A Saturn?” pose. Here’s the best domestic compact car to arrive since I started driving. There's almost none of the old domestic GM in any cupholder or storage bin in the Astra, three- or five-door version. It's a smart, savvy small car with a great price tag that probably will give Saturn the kind of boost that Ford got from the Focus lineup at the beginning of the decade.
Best Makeover: Cadillac CTS
Sometimes the crowd knows best, and here Gaywheels agrees. Cadillac’s done wonderful things with all its cars but the CTS is the essence of today’s Caddy lineup. It’s sharply dressed, quick on its feet and the equivalent of the entry-level Lexuses and BMWs on most ratings--and their superior in many ways that can’t be distilled in a number or a graph.
Best Date Car: MINI Clubman
This one assumes you want to be hip but nonthreatening, cool in an instantly recognizable way--and let them uncover the many wonderful layers of you as you’ll do with the Clubman. It has MINI cachet, more room and easier access, great fuel economy, and it’s probably the only thing made in Britain any of us can afford anymore.
Best Family Car: Mercedes-Benz GL
I don’t have the big-SUV qualms of some of the other Gaywheels team--I mean, sometimes you have to spell out who’s the daddy. Benz’ big, but not sloppy, GL-Class ute is the best of the Suburban/’Slade class to actually drive, and the prominent three-pointed star on the front earns respect all by itself. Carry your kids, your stuff, and leave room in back for their schtuff--just don’t expect much change from a $75,000 bill.
Best Night Club Car: Infiniti EX35
Practical but swank, compact but not a useless midget, the EX35 looks and fits just fine for you and your rapscallion buds. Whether you’re meeting for tapas first or heading for something topless instead, the EX35 has just enough room to ferry you from hotspot to hotspot and the guts underneath to keep your passengers entertained. Can’t swing this one? Nissan’s own Murano crossover’s a close second in looks and hip factor.
Best Car for Me: Jaguar XKR Convertible
I love practical cars, but my queer little heart secretly pines for a Jag convertible in the biggest, most unaffordable way. I want it supercharged, I want it convertible-ized, I want it triple-black with tan leather, I want the navigation system, and I want someone else to pay the insurance. (Joe, great idea for a new Web site: gaysugardaddies.com!)
12-30-2007, 05:27 PM
#3
I shoot people
I guess I must be gay cuz I actually like a lot of those cars... 
12-31-2007, 05:23 PM
#4
The sizzle in the Steak
Someone actually put an RDX on the list 
01-01-2008, 10:38 AM
#6
Fahrvergnügen'd
Originally Posted by 04EuroAccordTsx
oh great i liked the new CTS until it was put on the gaywheels list. also, the suv i really want to see the ex35 is also on the gaywheels list, wtf?
Gay people are the same as everyone else. They buy cars. Big deal if gay people like them.
They aren't talking about some dude dressed up as Carmen Finestra with the fruit hat and dancing around and acting stupid.
I get so sick of the "oh well if gay people like this car then it's a "gay car"" bullshit.
Gay people drink Diet Coke, go to Chipotle, and watch the Patriots.
You gonna lock yourself in your cave lined with aluminum foil to keep the gaydar from finding you?
01-01-2008, 11:19 AM
#7
Originally Posted by 04EuroAccordTsx
oh great i liked the new CTS until it was put on the gaywheels list. also, the suv i really want to see the ex35 is also on the gaywheels list, wtf?
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01-01-2008, 12:21 PM
#9
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Illinois
Age: 45
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Originally Posted by charliemike
Don't be an idiot.
Gay people are the same as everyone else. They buy cars. Big deal if gay people like them.
They aren't talking about some dude dressed up as Carmen Finestra with the fruit hat and dancing around and acting stupid.
I get so sick of the "oh well if gay people like this car then it's a "gay car"" bullshit.
Gay people drink Diet Coke, go to Chipotle, and watch the Patriots.
You gonna lock yourself in your cave lined with aluminum foil to keep the gaydar from finding you?
Gay people are the same as everyone else. They buy cars. Big deal if gay people like them.
They aren't talking about some dude dressed up as Carmen Finestra with the fruit hat and dancing around and acting stupid.
I get so sick of the "oh well if gay people like this car then it's a "gay car"" bullshit.
Gay people drink Diet Coke, go to Chipotle, and watch the Patriots.
You gonna lock yourself in your cave lined with aluminum foil to keep the gaydar from finding you?
01-01-2008, 12:31 PM
#10
B A N N E D
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: in Madison, WI from Chicago, IL
Posts: 3,001
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Originally Posted by TSX69
BMW 328i: Simply a great car! Leave off the i-drive, which our test car did not have, and you end up with a fun sedan that is ready to hustle you from New York to L.A., or Brussels to Berlin.
FTW!
01-01-2008, 01:58 PM
#11
Safety Car
Thread Starter
C N N $
Best of the Best 2007
Best-selling car
Toyota Camry
Ho-hum. Seems like the same thing every year. Camry, Camry, Camry, Camry, Camry. They make 'em, we buy 'em.
It just shows what you get by sticking to the basics. The Camry succeeds, year after year after year, by being a consistently good, reliable car. In its most recent redesign, Toyota added some slightly edgy styling to both the interior and exterior but it's still the good old Camry.
Detroit is fighting back with some quite good cars of their own - the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu - but it seems unlikely that the Camry will be dethroned any time soon.
Car buyers have long memories and the Camry's virtues - and Detroit's past sins - will likely earn Toyota repeat buyers for many more years.
Best-selling vehicle
Ford F-series truck
People in other countries have trouble understanding this peculiar fact about America. In other places, you have to pay people to drive trucks. Here, we actually like driving them. Lots of them.
In fact, the best-selling passenger vehicle in America isn't a car. It's a pickup. As it has been for more than a decade, the top selling passenger vehicle is the Ford F-series truck.
There are a few things besides mere consumer preference that work in the F-series' favor. For one thing, its sales numbers include a significant number that are sold for actual professional users.
The other is that the F-series badge goes on a wide range of trucks from the basic F-150 to the big, burly Super Duty truck shown here.
If General Motor's pickups didn't get split between two nameplates - Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra - GM would actually carry away the "Top-selling vehicle" bragging rights.
Most satisfying car
Mercedes-Benz S-class
When it comes to cars, the best things in life cost money. According to researchers at J.D. Power and Associates, the cars that owners find most perfect are the ones that - as one might guess - cost the most.
J.D. Power's APEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout) survey asks recent new car buyers about a host of specific vehicle attributes - comfort, handling, engine power, etc. - and ranks cars according to their aggregate scores.
This year, the top-scoring car of all, beating out a Lexus and a BMW, was the Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan with a starting price of about $90,000. Among its many very satisfying features are front and back heated seats with adjustable massage, super-intelligent cruise control that just about drives for you and a sun-roof that reaches from the windshield to the back window.
Add to that prodigious power in even the base-level car, a buttery ride, lusciously communicative steering and an interior that would put the most expensive hotels to shame.
If this doesn't satisfy you, nothing will.
Best-loved car
Toyota Prius
Consumer Reports has a different approach to rating owner satisfaction. They simply ask car owners if, next time around, they would purchase the same type of car they now own.
Asking that question yields entirely different results from J.D. Powers' feature-by-feature checklist approach. That's because car buying is a largely emotional process and Consumer Reports' simple "Would you buy the same car again" taps into the emotional attachment owners have to their cars.
The cars that tend to rank highest are those with some sort of strong performance attribute. Ranking just behind the Prius were the BMW 335i, the Porsche Boxster and Cayman and the Chevrolet Corvette.
The Prius is a "high performance" model in its own right, of course, but it's performance of a different type. And, like those cars, the Prius makes a strong statement about its owners driving preferences.
Safest car
Ford Taurus
While it may be impossible to choose a single, safest car it seemed reasonable to start with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick list. These are, arguably, the safest cars on the road. Take a broader view and one of them, the Ford Taurus, may be even safer than rest.
Starting with the IIHS list, we then looked at the results of seperate crash tests performed by the government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Not surprisingly, many of the vehicles got top scores there, too. But not all of them. Some were less than perfect or simply hadn't been tested by NHTSA.
Then we looked at stability ratings, which only NHTSA provides. These ratings show how stable a vehicle is in an emergency maneuver. All things being equal, a more stable vehicle - one with a lower center of gravity - should be better able to avoid a crash.
Finally, bigger is better. Front impact crash test scores show only how well a vehicle will do in a head-on with a vehicle of its own size, not a bigger one. It's not just about mass, either. Size means more crush space between between you and the other car.
All of that led us to the Ford Taurus full-sized sedan, which has aced every crash test given.
It's conceivable that the new Volvo S80 and the Audi A6 could be even safer, but those cars have not yet been crash-tested by the government so we can't know for sure.
Until then, the Taurus remains safely at the top of the list. Besides, in the Taurus you don't have to pay luxury car money to get armored car protection.
Best fuel economy
Toyota Prius
As we mentioned, the reason the Prius ranked as "Best loved" in Consumer Reports' owner satisfaction survey is that it is truly unique. If you want the car that gets the best fuel economy, there is only one.
To be fair, Prius owners loved the car even when it was only second best, back when the two-seat Honda Insight was still on the market. The Prius does have certain practical benefits - mid-space sedan space, for one - besides the excellent fuel economy.
The way that fuel economy is achieved also makes a difference. The Prius is a true, hard-core hybrid. it's not one of those performance-hybrid cars that cheat fuel economy for quicker zero-to-sixty times. This is a true fuel-sipper's fuel sipper.
Best resale value
Mini Cooper
There's really nothing mysterious about what gives a car good resale value. It's all about supply and demand.
When looking at resale value over the (relatively) long term of five years, the Mini Cooper is big on demand and very small on supply. Parent company BMW keeps it that way on purpose to help maintain the car's unique cache. It's not like Mini Coopers are rare, exactly, but you don't see two parked on every block.
Demand is high because of the Mini Cooper's funky design and rightly acclaimed "go-cart" driving style. It drives as small and sporty as it looks.
After five years, the Mini Cooper will be worth more than 52 percent of its original sticker price. That's better than any other car you can buy for less than $60,000. (Kelly Blue Book excludes the most expensive cars from its rankings.)
Most reliable
Toyota Prius
Getting a sense of deja three? Yes, here's the Prius again. Trust us. We're just letting the rankings fall where they may.
According to Consumer Reports, the Toyota Prius has the best predicted reliability of any new car. That's based on surveys of thousands of actual owners.
Well, to get technical about it, the Toyota Yaris hatchback is even more reliable, but that's just for the hatchback version. Mix in the sedan version and the Yaris dips down a bit and the bubbly Prius rises back to the top.
Even though, Toyota, overall, has taken some lumps from Consumer Reports for slipping off its rock solid reliability pedestal, the company still knows a few things about how to make a car that just keeps on going.
Most-stolen car
1995 Honda Civic
Maybe this isn't really a "Best" category, but it does show that a car is sought after. Unfortunately the people seeking it aren't willing to pay.
Movies like "Gone in 60 seconds" not withstanding, most car thieves aren't after anything very interesting. Exciting, expensive cars are too hard to steal and, once stolen, too hard to discretely monetize.
Old Honda Civics, on the other hand, are easy to find, often not very well protected and, once they're torn apart, there's a vast market for parts. And parts are much easier to sell, and harder to track, than entire cars.
That's why, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the 1995 Honda Civic is the car most car thieves prefer. It also helps that Honda is a popular brand in our nation's coastal states which just happens to be where most of the car thieves are.
Best-selling car
Toyota Camry
Ho-hum. Seems like the same thing every year. Camry, Camry, Camry, Camry, Camry. They make 'em, we buy 'em.
It just shows what you get by sticking to the basics. The Camry succeeds, year after year after year, by being a consistently good, reliable car. In its most recent redesign, Toyota added some slightly edgy styling to both the interior and exterior but it's still the good old Camry.
Detroit is fighting back with some quite good cars of their own - the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu - but it seems unlikely that the Camry will be dethroned any time soon.
Car buyers have long memories and the Camry's virtues - and Detroit's past sins - will likely earn Toyota repeat buyers for many more years.
Best-selling vehicle
Ford F-series truck
People in other countries have trouble understanding this peculiar fact about America. In other places, you have to pay people to drive trucks. Here, we actually like driving them. Lots of them.
In fact, the best-selling passenger vehicle in America isn't a car. It's a pickup. As it has been for more than a decade, the top selling passenger vehicle is the Ford F-series truck.
There are a few things besides mere consumer preference that work in the F-series' favor. For one thing, its sales numbers include a significant number that are sold for actual professional users.
The other is that the F-series badge goes on a wide range of trucks from the basic F-150 to the big, burly Super Duty truck shown here.
If General Motor's pickups didn't get split between two nameplates - Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra - GM would actually carry away the "Top-selling vehicle" bragging rights.
Most satisfying car
Mercedes-Benz S-class
When it comes to cars, the best things in life cost money. According to researchers at J.D. Power and Associates, the cars that owners find most perfect are the ones that - as one might guess - cost the most.
J.D. Power's APEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout) survey asks recent new car buyers about a host of specific vehicle attributes - comfort, handling, engine power, etc. - and ranks cars according to their aggregate scores.
This year, the top-scoring car of all, beating out a Lexus and a BMW, was the Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan with a starting price of about $90,000. Among its many very satisfying features are front and back heated seats with adjustable massage, super-intelligent cruise control that just about drives for you and a sun-roof that reaches from the windshield to the back window.
Add to that prodigious power in even the base-level car, a buttery ride, lusciously communicative steering and an interior that would put the most expensive hotels to shame.
If this doesn't satisfy you, nothing will.
Best-loved car
Toyota Prius
Consumer Reports has a different approach to rating owner satisfaction. They simply ask car owners if, next time around, they would purchase the same type of car they now own.
Asking that question yields entirely different results from J.D. Powers' feature-by-feature checklist approach. That's because car buying is a largely emotional process and Consumer Reports' simple "Would you buy the same car again" taps into the emotional attachment owners have to their cars.
The cars that tend to rank highest are those with some sort of strong performance attribute. Ranking just behind the Prius were the BMW 335i, the Porsche Boxster and Cayman and the Chevrolet Corvette.
The Prius is a "high performance" model in its own right, of course, but it's performance of a different type. And, like those cars, the Prius makes a strong statement about its owners driving preferences.
Safest car
Ford Taurus
While it may be impossible to choose a single, safest car it seemed reasonable to start with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick list. These are, arguably, the safest cars on the road. Take a broader view and one of them, the Ford Taurus, may be even safer than rest.
Starting with the IIHS list, we then looked at the results of seperate crash tests performed by the government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Not surprisingly, many of the vehicles got top scores there, too. But not all of them. Some were less than perfect or simply hadn't been tested by NHTSA.
Then we looked at stability ratings, which only NHTSA provides. These ratings show how stable a vehicle is in an emergency maneuver. All things being equal, a more stable vehicle - one with a lower center of gravity - should be better able to avoid a crash.
Finally, bigger is better. Front impact crash test scores show only how well a vehicle will do in a head-on with a vehicle of its own size, not a bigger one. It's not just about mass, either. Size means more crush space between between you and the other car.
All of that led us to the Ford Taurus full-sized sedan, which has aced every crash test given.
It's conceivable that the new Volvo S80 and the Audi A6 could be even safer, but those cars have not yet been crash-tested by the government so we can't know for sure.
Until then, the Taurus remains safely at the top of the list. Besides, in the Taurus you don't have to pay luxury car money to get armored car protection.
Best fuel economy
Toyota Prius
As we mentioned, the reason the Prius ranked as "Best loved" in Consumer Reports' owner satisfaction survey is that it is truly unique. If you want the car that gets the best fuel economy, there is only one.
To be fair, Prius owners loved the car even when it was only second best, back when the two-seat Honda Insight was still on the market. The Prius does have certain practical benefits - mid-space sedan space, for one - besides the excellent fuel economy.
The way that fuel economy is achieved also makes a difference. The Prius is a true, hard-core hybrid. it's not one of those performance-hybrid cars that cheat fuel economy for quicker zero-to-sixty times. This is a true fuel-sipper's fuel sipper.
Best resale value
Mini Cooper
There's really nothing mysterious about what gives a car good resale value. It's all about supply and demand.
When looking at resale value over the (relatively) long term of five years, the Mini Cooper is big on demand and very small on supply. Parent company BMW keeps it that way on purpose to help maintain the car's unique cache. It's not like Mini Coopers are rare, exactly, but you don't see two parked on every block.
Demand is high because of the Mini Cooper's funky design and rightly acclaimed "go-cart" driving style. It drives as small and sporty as it looks.
After five years, the Mini Cooper will be worth more than 52 percent of its original sticker price. That's better than any other car you can buy for less than $60,000. (Kelly Blue Book excludes the most expensive cars from its rankings.)
Most reliable
Toyota Prius
Getting a sense of deja three? Yes, here's the Prius again. Trust us. We're just letting the rankings fall where they may.
According to Consumer Reports, the Toyota Prius has the best predicted reliability of any new car. That's based on surveys of thousands of actual owners.
Well, to get technical about it, the Toyota Yaris hatchback is even more reliable, but that's just for the hatchback version. Mix in the sedan version and the Yaris dips down a bit and the bubbly Prius rises back to the top.
Even though, Toyota, overall, has taken some lumps from Consumer Reports for slipping off its rock solid reliability pedestal, the company still knows a few things about how to make a car that just keeps on going.
Most-stolen car
1995 Honda Civic
Maybe this isn't really a "Best" category, but it does show that a car is sought after. Unfortunately the people seeking it aren't willing to pay.
Movies like "Gone in 60 seconds" not withstanding, most car thieves aren't after anything very interesting. Exciting, expensive cars are too hard to steal and, once stolen, too hard to discretely monetize.
Old Honda Civics, on the other hand, are easy to find, often not very well protected and, once they're torn apart, there's a vast market for parts. And parts are much easier to sell, and harder to track, than entire cars.
That's why, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the 1995 Honda Civic is the car most car thieves prefer. It also helps that Honda is a popular brand in our nation's coastal states which just happens to be where most of the car thieves are.
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