10 Best Cars 2006 - Car and Driver

[treg50]

January 2006 - Car and Driver
10 Best Cars 2006

Best Sports Sedan: Acura TSX

Best Sport Compact: Audi A3 2.0T

Best Luxury Sports Sedan: BMW 3-Series

Best Perfomance Car: Chevrolet Corvette

Best Full-size Sedan: Chrysler 300

Best Muscle Car: Ford Mustang GT

Best Family Sedan: Honda Accord

Best Roadster: Mazda MX-5

Best Sports Coupe: Mazda RX-8

Best Luxury Sports Car: Porsche Boxster


Some interesting choices eh? Link to article (click). (http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=33&article_id=10354&page_number=1)

[heavyD]

I'm just happy that they didn't give the sport compact to the Civic Si. Overall I agree with everything except the two Mazdas. The Solstice should have beat out the Miata and the 350Z is a better car than the RX-8. That's just my opinion though.:nut:

[Xtrema]

Why is the 10 best sperate in categories now instead of just 10 best?

It's almost like they invented best muscle car just so Mustang can get a spot. Lame.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by Xtrema
Why is the 10 best sperate in categories now instead of just 10 best?

It's almost like they invented best muscle car just so Mustang can get a spot. Lame.

Good point considering it's the only muscle car available until the Challenger & Camaro resurface. Ford needs all the help it can get though.

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by heavyD
The Solstice should have beat out the Miata and the 350Z is a better car than the RX-8. That's just my opinion though.:nut:

I think the trunk issue probably keep the Solstice out. And Miata is probably better balanced. They also chose to exclude S2000 and Z4 for no reason.

As for RX-8, Nissan/Infiniti are excluded and it's only competition is GTO and FWD Eclipse. Easy win.

They should've renamed to 10 Best cars from people who buy ad space from us.

[khtm]

Originally posted by heavyD
I'm just happy that they didn't give the sport compact to the Civic Si. Overall I agree with everything except the two Mazdas. The Solstice should have beat out the Miata and the 350Z is a better car than the RX-8. That's just my opinion though.:nut:
Sounds like you're a Mazda hater ;)

The new MX-5 is a better performing car than the Solstice, and most reviews says it's the better "driver's car". Sure, the Solstice is new so it'll sell a lot more, but the MX-5 has proven quality and reliability. Plus it's the best selling sports car of all time.

If you read the article, the RX-8 was picked because of it's practicality. No denying that it's way more practicle than a 350z.

[C4S]

:eek: :eek:


Best Full-size Sedan: Chrysler 300




:eek: :eek:

A car based on a 10 yr old german ..

:eek: :eek:

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by heavyD


Good point considering it's the only muscle car available until the Challenger & Camaro resurface. Ford needs all the help it can get though.


Mustang
Charger
GTO

So there's at least 3 until the Camaro/Challenger come out. :dunno:

[heavyD]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat



Mustang
Charger
GTO

So there's at least 3 until the Camaro/Challenger come out. :dunno:

Charger is a 4-door so I'm not sure how it fits in. Since we don't get the GTO its kind of out of sight out of mind but yeah I forgot that one.

[retro-steve]

just because it's a 4-door doesn't mean it can't be a muscle car

[heavyD]

Originally posted by khtm

Sounds like you're a Mazda hater ;)

The new MX-5 is a better performing car than the Solstice, and most reviews says it's the better "driver's car". Sure, the Solstice is new so it'll sell a lot more, but the MX-5 has proven quality and reliability. Plus it's the best selling sports car of all time.

If you read the article, the RX-8 was picked because of it's practicality. No denying that it's way more practicle than a 350z.

I wouldn't say I'm a hater. I was extremely dissapointed with our last Mazda purchase so I'm not a Mazda fan by any means. I personally can't stand the feminin looks of the MX-5 and since both cars perform almost identical and I'm an enthusiast I would take the car that looks 100 x better.

As for the RX-8 the title is for best sports coupe which technically the RX-8 isn't even a coupe. People don't buy sports coupes for practicality the buy them for sexy looks & performance. IMO the RX-8 is ugly and while it handles nice there are many cars for less money that are faster. I really don't understand how anyone could gush about a car with Civic-like torque and V8-like gas mileage. The 350Z, STi, & EVO easily make the RX-8 their bitch in fact so does my Neon.:D

[retro-steve]

Originally posted by heavyD


I wouldn't say I'm a hater. I was extremely dissapointed with our last Mazda purchase so I'm not a Mazda fan by any means. I personally can't stand the feminin looks of the MX-5 and since both cars perform almost identical and I'm an enthusiast I would take the car that looks 100 x better.

As for the RX-8 the title is for best sports coupe which technically the RX-8 isn't even a coupe. People don't buy sports coupes for practicality the buy them for sexy looks & performance. IMO the RX-8 is ugly and while it handles nice there are many cars for less money that are faster. I really don't understand how anyone could gush about a car with Civic-like torque and V8-like gas mileage. The 350Z, STi, & EVO easily make the RX-8 their bitch in fact so does my Neon.:D

doesn't the top speed of the RX8 rape a lot of cars though?? i like the FD RX7 a lot more than the RX8. i'd go with the 350z convertable over the RX8 any day :drool:

[heavyD]

Originally posted by retro-steve


doesn't the top speed of the RX8 rape a lot of cars though??

Not that I know of.

[habsfan]

i've never liked C&D's 10 best. theres usually a bunch of choices that dont belong, and this year is no different really. i think the criteria is something stupid like only new or significantly updated models, and the defending winners from the previous year are eligible for the "contest".

[googe]

pff, sti > acura tsx

[Redlyne_mr2]

Another shitty car review done by another shitty magazine

[dkny_stylez]

Best muscle? What? Only Between the mustang and charger? :rofl:

[Sunburst_Spec_V]

Originally posted by Xtrema
They should've renamed to 10 Best cars from people who buy ad space from us.

Car and Driver is awful for that.

[Neil4Speed]

Wow, the BMW 3-Series... surprise surprise.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by dkny_stylez
Best muscle? What? Only Between the mustang and charger? :rofl:

If you read the article, the muscle car candidates were:

Mustang GT
Charger
GTO
Cadillac DTS
Impala SS

[Zephyr]

bmw 3 series is lucky that the IS350 didnt come out to production fast enough to get into the review

[Hollywood]

Originally posted by Xtrema
They should've renamed to 10 Best cars from people who buy ad space from us.

^^
:werd:

And they should make the GTO a 4 door and make it weigh less. Dont call it a GTO I dont care. Just make a sporty stylish exterior w/v8 with four doors, with leather, and 0-60 in 4.5 sec. Thanks,.

This whole bringing back of the old cars thing is not impressing me. As the only true succesor is the Ford GT. All the others are shit fugly.

[dkny_stylez]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat


If you read the article, the muscle car candidates were:

Mustang GT
Charger
GTO
Cadillac DTS
Impala SS

since when was an impala or caddy part of the muscle category?

[dkny_stylez]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat


If you read the article, the muscle car candidates were:

Mustang GT
Charger
GTO
Cadillac DTS
Impala SS

since when was an impala or caddy part of the muscle category?

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by dkny_stylez


since when was an impala or caddy part of the muscle category?

If you want to get technical, the only things on that list that aren't muscle cars are the Mustang and GTO. Muscle cars are larger cars with big motors, while the Mustang falls under the ponycar category, which was big motors in small cars.

However, the Mustang/Camaro sect has gradually been lumped in with the Muscle Car designation. Hence, why they are compared alongside the Caddy and Impala.

On the other hand, it's their magazine, they can put whatever they want in the muscle car category. :dunno:

Quote from the article:


It was also a big year for V-8 sedans from Detroit, with the new Buick Lucerne, the Cadillac DTS, the Dodge Charger, which is already available with the high-output Hemi in SRT8 guise, and the Chevy Impala SS and Pontiac Grand Prix GXP, which are now available with the latest iteration of the venerable small-block Chevy V-8, complete with cylinder-shutdown systems.

[b_t]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat


If you want to get technical, the only things on that list that aren't muscle cars are the Mustang and GTO. Muscle cars are larger cars with big motors, while the Mustang falls under the ponycar category, which was big motors in small cars.

However, the Mustang/Camaro sect has gradually been lumped in with the Muscle Car designation. Hence, why they are compared alongside the Caddy and Impala.

On the other hand, it's their magazine, they can put whatever they want in the muscle car category. :dunno:

Quote from the article:



man... why are you so anal? And wrong?
The muscle car era started when they put a giant motor into the Pontiac Tempest, which became the GTO just a few years later. The Goat was actually the first muscle car, and it still fits in this category just fine. And muscle cars, by traditional definition only have two doors, so the Impala, Charger, and Caddy don't belong in that category... and the Mustang fits because it was there at the beginning and was there through the end and is still around today. Same basic formula - relatively small car, pretty big motor.

[bart]

Originally posted by dkny_stylez


since when was an impala or caddy part of the muscle category?

nah the best impala ss was back in 96 :) then it was a real muscle car.

[BokCh0y]

Originally posted by heavyD
I'm just happy that they didn't give the sport compact to the Civic Si.

I think you mean "surprised" as I know I'm sure as hell surprised they didn't give sport compact title to the Si. Usually C & D gives ALL the tops spots to Honda....all the time. Even if there was a comparison and it didn't involve a honda....the honda would still win!!!! .


Originally posted by Zephyr
bmw 3 series is lucky that the IS350 didnt come out to production fast enough to get into the review

:werd:

[Aleks]

Originally posted by BokCh0y


I think you mean "surprised" as I know I'm sure as hell surprised they didn't give sport compact title to the Si. Usually C & D gives ALL the tops spots to Honda....all the time. Even if there was a comparison and it didn't involve a honda....the honda would still win!!!! .



:werd:

Not so

Jetta for teh win!
ahead of both hondas
http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=15&article_id=10515

[benyl]

Originally posted by b_t
and the Mustang fits because it was there at the beginning and was there through the end and is still around today. Same basic formula - relatively small car, pretty big motor.

I don't consider the mustang a muscle car. It was intended to be a sports car.

By definition a muscle car:


The term muscle car generally describes a mid-size car with a large, powerful engine (typically, although not universally, a V8 engine) and special trim, intended for maximum acceleration on the street or in drag racing competition. It is distinguished from sports cars, which were customarily considered smaller, two-seat cars, or GTs, two-seat or 2+2 cars intended for high-speed touring and possibly road racing. High-performance full-size or compact cars are arguably excluded from this category, as are the breed of compact sports coupes inspired by the Ford Mustang and typically known as pony cars, although few would dispute a big-block pony car's credentials as a muscle car.

An alternate definition is based on power-to-weight ratio, defining a muscle car as an automobile with (for example) fewer than 12 pounds per rated horsepower. Such definitions are inexact, thanks to a wide variation in curb weight depending on options and to the questionable nature of the SAE gross horsepower ratings in use before 1972, which were often deliberately overstated or underrated for various reasons.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by BokCh0y
I think you mean "surprised" as I know I'm sure as hell surprised they didn't give sport compact title to the Si.

The reason the Si didn't get on the list because C&D put a better car in the category even though it's fairly pricey to be named a sport compact and that's the Audi A3. I'm sure getting out of the quattro A3's typical Audi interior which are amongst the best in the business and stepping into the Civic's Fisher Price interior complete with mini-van dashboard made the decision pretty simple. The Si is a great Civic but I can't imagine many people picking it over an A3 Quattro with the exception of kids that gotta have their jdm.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by heavyD


The reason the Si didn't get on the list because C&D put a better car in the category even though it's fairly pricey to be named a sport compact and that's the Audi A3. I'm sure getting out of the quattro A3's typical Audi interior which are amongst the best in the business and stepping into the Civic's Fisher Price interior complete with mini-van dashboard made the decision pretty simple. The Si is a great Civic but I can't imagine many people picking it over an A3 Quattro with the exception of kids that gotta have their jdm.

The reason I would pick the Si is because:

Civic Si MSRP = 26K
A3 Quattro MSRP = 45K

Now you have to admit that is a huge difference. Now if you want A3 front drive then MSRP = 33K for roughly the same performance...

[01RedDX]

.