AAA Arizona's 2006 Top Car Picks
By Jim Prueter and Rebecca Antioco

“What’s the best car you can buy?” As automotive journalists, we hear that a lot. And the answer depends on any number of factors, not least of which is the driver’s budget and lifestyle . While safety is always at the top of our list when picking favorites, we admit to being seduced by pure good looks every now and then. For this list, we put our heads together and came up with the vehicles we’d most like to own in each category and price range. The criteria we took into account were fuel economy, safety, reliability, drive quality, comfort and convenience, and of course, looks. We used our heads and our hearts when choosing the winners, and although the process may not have been scientific, we think you’ll agree that there are some pretty great cars among our Top Picks.

Sedan/Coupe Under $15,000
Honda Civic
For over 30 years, the benchmark for what economy cars should be. And best of all it just got a whole lot better.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 30/38
Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Five stars.* IIHS – Good; Gold Award. *Rating for sedan only; coupe has not yet been tested for side impacts
full review »

Under $25,000
Dodge Charger
An iconic name, synonymous for Detroit muscle, returns with stand-out styling. It’s roomy, comfortable, surprisingly well built and safe, with an unbeatable bang-for-the-buck sticker price.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 19/27
Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Five stars. IIHS – Good
full review »

$25-35,000
BMW 3 Series
The new 3 Series proves that “Ultimate Driving Machine” is not just a slogan.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 20/30
Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Not yet rated. IIHS – Good (2005 models)
full review »

$35-50,000
Infiniti M45
It looks like a $75,000 sedan from the outside and a luxury suite inside. No faux finishes here, this ultra-luxurious performance sedan is the real deal.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 17/23
Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Not yet rated. IIHS – Good
full review »

Over $50,000
Mercedes Benz CLS
Talk about stage presence. Nothing says you’ve arrived like the CLS. If we could pick just one car from the entire list, this would be the one.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 16/22
Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Not yet rated. IIHS – Good
full review »

Convertible Under $35,000
Ford Mustang GT
The “feel good while cruising down memory lane, gotta have one” vehicle of the year. Only, far better than anything Ford built in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 19/28
Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Five stars. IIHS – Not rated
full review »

Convertible Over $35,000
Chevrolet Corvette
Exhilarating to drive, advanced technology, faster than a Porsche, remarkably styled. Genuine “all-American” at a bargain price.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 17/27
Safety Ratings: Not rated
full review »

SUV Under $25,000
Hyundai Tucson
Safety, comfort and convenience all rolled into an attractive package under $20,000. That’s hard to beat.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 22/27
Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Five stars. IIHS – Not rated
full review »

SUV $25-35,000
Honda Pilot
Great for active families, it’s a soccer-mom car that dad will love to drive.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 18/24
Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Five stars. IIHS – Good (2005 models)
full review »

SUV $35-50,000
Mercedes Benz M-Class
Looks like it’s spent the last year in a gym with a personal trainer. This is the real deal – chiseled body, killer good looks – and it fits like leather driving gloves.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 16/20
Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Five stars. IIHS – Good (2005 models)
full review »

SUV Over $50,000
Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Sitting at the top of the automotive food chain,  this is what to drive when you can afford to drive anything. Hello, Rodeo Drive.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 14/19
Safety Ratings: Not rated
full review »

Truck Full-Size
Ford F-150
Just the number-one selling vehicle in the world. This is the reason people love to drive trucks. Plush interior, drives like a car, incredible resale value.

Safety Ratings: NHTSA –Five stars. IIHS – Good
full review »

Compact/Mid-Size
Toyota Tacoma
Whatever you’re looking for in a truck, you’ll find it here: comfort, function,
and solid, powerful, nimble performance in 18 available configurations.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 20/27

Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Five stars.* IIHS – Good (Acceptable for head/neck
injuries). *Results are for two-door models. Four-doors not yet rated
full review»

Hybrid Vehicle -Car
Toyota Prius
Not the original, but still the best. It’s fun to drive without sacrificing fuel economy for power. Park yours next to Leonardo DiCaprio’s or Julia Roberts’.

Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Four stars (2005 models). IIHS – Not tested
full review »

Hybrid Vehicle-SUV
Lexus RX 400h
Announcing a new breed of automobile: the luxury hybrid. Who said that environmentally conscious has to mean uncomfortable and unrefined?
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 33/28
Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Not rated. IIHS – Good (Acceptable for head/neck injuries)
full review »

Minivan
Toyota Sienna
Easy to drive, easy to own. A minivan even the non-minivan crowd will fall in love with.
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 19/26
Safety Ratings: NHTSA – Five stars. IIHS – Good
full review »

Cool Car
Pontiac Solstice
The most sought-after car in the world today, Solstice blurs the line between
want and need. American innovation and design at its finest. 
Fuel Economy (city/highway): 20/28
Safety Ratings: Not rated
full review »

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS):
The Insurance Institute also tests both front and side impacts. Ratings are based on head, chest and leg/foot injuries as well as how much the crash-test dummy moves during the collision. Tested vehicles are given ratings of Good, Acceptable, Marginal or Poor. IIHS also bestows Silver and Gold awards on their top safety picks. Get crash test ratings here.

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