10 Best Car of 2004

It’s not easy being a car manufacturer these days. Factory capacity around the world is capable of spewing about 50-percent more cars than the markets can possibly absorb. At the same time, countries everywhere are propping up their automotive companies because the business is seen as a flagship industry and holds the prospect of great export earnings. Moreover, the established automotive order is under assault. Hyundai is going after the smaller Lexus sedans with its ever more opulent XG350. Cadillac is targeting the BMW M-cars with its hot new CTS-V. And Volkswagen—the originator of the people’s car—has decided to go head-to-head against the Mercedes S-class and other gilded sedans in the top-dollar category with its new Phaeton. Even the companies that are willing to stand pat in the market classes don’t have it easy. Vehicles such as the Chevrolet SSR and Chrysler Crossfire bring show-car styling to everyday drivers. Technological advancements abound with the new-generation rotary engine in the Mazda RX-8, the twin-clutch transmission in the Audi TT, and the bonded and riveted aluminum construction of the Jaguar XJ8. Meanwhile, everyone is competing on value. The new Suzuki Verona EX delivers a six-cylinder engine, a full plate of luxury features, and excellent interior space for a sticker price of $20,000. For about twice that amount, the Chevrolet Corvette delivers more performance than any machine within $30,000 of its price. Stunning styling, terrific technology, and excellent value are virtues we certainly appreciate, and we found them in abundance among the 57 cars nominated for our 2004 awards. As usual, we automatically included last year’s 10Best winners. The balance of the cars are those that had been significantly redesigned or updated for 2004. Carry-over machines have already had a shot at a 10Best award. If they didn’t make it the first time, there are no second chances. BMW 3-series Few cars have spent as much time in the crosshairs of so many competitors as has the BMW 3-series, yet no other automaker has managed to deliver a wounding shot to this king of the compact-sports-sedan hill. Part of the BMW's appeal lies in its variety of rear- and four-wheel-drive sedans, wagons, coupes, and convertibles, spanning a price spectrum from the $28,495 325i sedan all the way up to the screaming $56,595 M3 convertible. And by introducing new variants and packages frequently throughout each model's life span, BMW makes sure the 3-series is never a sitting duck for would-be competitors. A recent addition was the 330i with the Performance package of engine and chassis upgrades that shaved a half-second off acceleration times and improved skidpad grip and stopping distance, too, narrowing the performance gap between the 330i sedan and the M3 coupe. Honda Accord This is the second year of the seventh generation of the Accord, and if that sounds dynastic, it's appropriate, because no other car has run up a 10Best record to rival this one. In the 22 years we've been awarding 10Best trophies, 18 of the annual ceremonies have included Accords. The formula underlying this phenomenal track record is deceptively simple: rigid chassis, intuitive ergonomics, superior powertrains, and exemplary road manners. We say deceptively simple, because despite the absence of mystery, no other mid-size carmaker has been able to match the Accord's results. Mazda RX-8 Here's one of those sports cars whose charm is all out of proportion to its numbers. The Mazda RX-8's pony-keg-size twin-rotor Wankel engine spins smoothly but makes just 238 horsepower and 159 pound-feet of torque when paired with a six-speed stick (197 and 164 with a four-speed automatic), so it needs six to seven seconds to reach 60 mph, depending on how badly one abuses the clutch. Those stats don't make for very good barroom bragging, but bolted into a short 2950-pound body, this mighty-mite motor makes pure magic. The engine's small size allows it to fit behind the front axle, so the weight distribution skews slightly rearward once the driver buckles up. A supple control-arm-front and multilink-rear suspension takes full advantage of that ideal distribution to deliver crisp, neutral handling at the limit of adhesion (which is respectably high, at 0.91 g). More muscular coupes may walk away from the RX-8 on straightaways, but the tables turn in the twisties. Audi S4 Quattro In a way, the Audi S4 represents a page from Detroit's '60s muscle-car hymnal: V-8 power in a small car. But the music has become more sophisticated in this modern sequel. Sure, the S4 can really run: 0 to 60 in five seconds flat. With 340 horsepower on tap from its 4.2-liter 40-valve aluminum V-8 and a slick six-speed manual transmission transferring the power, you'd expect that. But unlike the old-time Detroit tire shredders, it can also turn in without even a hint of reluctance, lend a reassuring sense of security to high-speed cornering (thanks to its Quattro all-wheel drive), change directions without inducing motion sickness, and stop in a serious hurry without drama.