Best Cars 2006

Best Small Car - Mazda 3 Any shortlist of compact cars is sure to include the Toyota Corolla and the all-new 2006 Honda Civic, but the Mazda 3 is simply a cut above. It's practical and easy on gas, but also stylish and fun to drive.Sedan shoppers can choose the 3i model's 150-hp, 2.0-liter 4 or the 3s model's 2.3-liter 4 with 160 hp. The handsome five-door hatch gets the 2.3-liter only; that engine is paired with a new five-speed automatic and anti-lock brakes, both of which are standard.Options include a navigation system and satellite radio. Go easy on extras and a well-equipped 3 can be had for $16,000 to $17,000. Small Luxury Sedan - BMW 3 Series After serious challenges from Infiniti and Lexus, BMW released a new 3 Series last year, and its subtle gains in power, braking and handling have vaulted the four-door to the top of the pack once again.The new 3.0-liter inline-six engine now produces 255 horsepower for the 330i. The small four-door remains one of the best handling cars on the road, period.The interior isn't groundbreaking, but at least BMW's oft-lambasted iDrive controller (a big console-mounted knob that operates almost everything in the car -- and does so in a confusing fashion) is an option here, one you can happily skip. Mid-size Sedan - Honda Accord Despite strong new competition from Toyota and Ford, Honda still sits at the head of the family-sedan table. The Accord is as roomy, comfortable and safe as its main rivals yet still feels more sporty and refined whenever the road throws you a curve.Four-cylinder, 166-hp models are so smooth, affordable and economical that there's little reason to opt for the 244-hp V-6. The 2006 model gets a mild makeover for the exterior and interior, including new rear-end styling, as well as a new steering wheel, driver's gauges and seat fabrics.All Accords feature side- and side-curtain air bags, six-cylinder models add standard electronic stability control, and the EX V-6 now offers a six-speed manual transmission. Mid-size Luxury Sedan - Audi A6 Judging a luxury car comes down to how well it can juggle. Can it excel in design, performance, features, quality -- all while leaving you thoroughly entertained?Among $40,000 to $65,000 sedans, the Audi A6 deserves top billing. The four-wheel-drive four-door topped our recent test of five mid-size luxury cars (January 2006) by perfectly balancing beauty and brawn, comfort and sportiness.The body is modern but not too flashy; the sleek and comfy cabin again asserts Audi's leading position in interior design; the switches and knobs don't feel at all plasticky or flimsy. The 335-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 model is certainly potent, but it's the 255-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 that offers the most muscle for the dollar: That engine has a healthy amount of power but also delivers fuel economy of 21 mpg in city driving and 29 mpg on the highway. Large Car - Chrysler 300 This is a big, beefy sedan that's American and proud of it. Sounds simple, but that cupboard was bare for years before Chrysler released its award-winning 300.Some say that the 300's success is only about its signature grille and muscle-man styling, but it's equally about the muscle under the hood, in the form of the optional 340-horsepower Hemi V-8. Some of the car's excellence can be traced to corporate sibling Mercedes-Benz, which had a hand in the transmission and suspension.Flaws are few, including mediocre plastics inside and a center control panel with too many dinky buttons. The Hemi shuts down half its cylinders during cruising to boost mileage, though fuel- and price-conscious buyers should check out the 3.5-liter V-6 version. Large Luxury Car - Lexus LS 430 Sure, big German sedans are more fashionable and fun to drive, but most could take some lessons from Lexus when it comes to value, reliability and ergonomics.Instead of reaching for the owner's manual when you step into the sumptuous interior, just drop the LS into gear, set your course and soundtrack with the simple touch-screen navigation and audio systems, and settle into those comfy leather seats. The LS gathers speed with a soft murmur from its V-8. It handles with aplomb on the highway and has an enormous 20-cubic-foot trunk.Pricey option packages quickly ramp you into 70-grand territory, but even at that price, the Lexus still costs thousands less than its rivals. Sports Car - Chevrolet Corvette With supercar performance at a mere-mortal price, the Chevrolet Corvette is easily the best sports-car value in its class. The sixth-generation coupe and convertible squeeze 400 horsepower from their standard 6.0-liter V-8s, and then add superlative handling and stopping power to the mix.The Corvette is also surprisingly easy to live with: It has generous cargo space, a forgiving, comfortable ride -- even some fuel economy, with a 28-mpg highway rating. This year, the Z06 model mates a 500-horsepower V-8 with technology usually limited to $150,000-to-$600,000 cars, including weight savers like an all-aluminum chassis and carbon-fiber bodywork.It adds up to a 198-mph top speed and a 3.6-second blast from 0 to 60 mph. It also costs only $65,000 -- $105,000 less than the cheapest Ferrari. Convertible - Ford Mustang Plenty of people dream of a convertible -- but their lives can't handle two seats at a second mortgage price. The Ford Mustang convertible, however, has eye-catching retro styling, seating for four and a low price.Oh, and the Mustang GT has a 300-horsepower V-8. (The 210-hp V-6 version is a bit more economical but falls well short of the GT's thrills.) Ride quality is much improved, as are interior comfort and road handling.The '60s-style cabin does suffer from a few cheapo bits, and the convertible top fastens with clunky manual latches, but they don't ruin the experience, especially considering the price of about $25,000 for the V-6 model and less than $31,000 for the GT. Mid-size Luxury SUV - Mercedes ML-Class Mercedes' first SUV, the ML320, arrived to fanfare in 1997. But timid performance and shaky quality gave it a reputation as a minivan posing as a Mercedes.The new ML, however, with its strong stance, well-appointed cabin and sophisticated engines and transmission, is a bona fide Benz. The SUV has been stretched and widened, gaining passenger and cargo space. The new 3.5-liter V-6 delivers stronger acceleration than before yet boosts fuel economy by 1 to 2 mpg. The V-8 ML 500 is even quicker but kicks the base price past $50,000. Large Luxury SUV - Range Rover When it comes to large, luxurious SUVs, the Range Rover is really in a category of one. Lexus' LX470 is basically a Toyota Land Cruiser with more wood and leather. Cadillac's Escalade? Not bad, but there's still a slight resemblance to Chevy's Tahoe.The Range Rover has unmatched style, serious off-road ability and buckets of country club prestige -- all of which fairly justifies a base price of around $75,000. On road, the Rover drives as good as it looks, with smooth and responsive steering and surprisingly good handling for a truck that tips the scales at up to 5,900 pounds.There is an optional supercharged, 400-horsepower, 4.2-liter engine available, but getting it adds $15,000 to the sticker price. Better use of the same amount of money: Buy the Range Rover with its standard (and more than sufficient) 305-hp V-8, and a new Mazda 3 to use for errands around town.