Best Cars of 2011: Page 2
The Best Cars of 2011 aren’t limited to selected model categories. Here are some great cars that stand out in other important ways.
The Best Reliable Car of 2011 is the Buick LaCrosse. Among affordable midsize cars, this roomy and stylish sedan ranks tops overall for dependability in owner surveys conducted by J.D. Power and Associates, the leading automotive consumer research firm. Redesigned for model-year 2010, LaCrosse offers four- and six-cylinder engines and front- and all-wheel drive. Base price range: $27,745-$30,305.
The Best Luxury Car of 2011 is the Audi A8. It’s all-new for model-year 2011 and brings together advanced concepts of weight-saving aluminum construction, state-of-the-art tech features, and rational power output. Regular- and extended-length A8L models are offered, both with a 372-horsepower V-8, standard all-wheel drive, and an air of roomy sophistication. Base-price range: $78,925-$84,875.
The Best City Car of 2011 is the Scion xB. With a compact body of shocking space and versatility, this four-door wagon from Toyota’s youth division shows it can pay to think inside the box. Not everyone cottons to the carton-on-wheels styling, but if you get it, the xB rewards with surprising refinement, great maneuverability, and 22/28-mpg city/highway economy. Base price range: $16,670-$17,620.
The Best Car of 2011 for Older Drivers is the Toyota Avalon. Hard to tell by looking, but this embroidered Camry is redesigned for 2011, and Toyota only makes a rational sedan better. Avalon is commodious, quiet, and easy to get into and out of. It coddles on the road but scoots when you need to. The silky V-6 returns 20/29 mpg. Even the gauges are large-type. Base price range: $33,205-$36,445.
The Best Inexpensive Car of 2011 is the Mazda 2. OK, rear-seat room is tight. But Mazda’s imbued this diminutive four-door hatchback with a vitality that’ll have you zipping through traffic and relishing a twisty road. Its tiny four-cylinder has just 100 horsepower but needs to move just 2,306 pounds of car, and fuel economy is a friendly 28/35 mpg city/highway. Base price range: $14,730-$16,985.
The Best Fuel-Efficient Car of 2011 is the Toyota Prius. Gas-assisted electrics like the Chevrolet Volt and battery-only electrics like the Nissan Leaf confuse the issue, but for model-year 2011, nothing on the road beats the Prius’s EPA rating of 51/48 mpg city/highway. Its overall design is as futuristic as they come and the gas-electric hybrid powertrain dispels range anxiety. Base price range: $23,810-$29,080.
The Best Car of 2011 for the Plus-Sized is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. With 125 cubic feet of interior space, it takes a hefty burgher to fill it and a fat wallet to buy it. But if you appreciate huge doorways, broad seats, and homburg-clearing head room, the S-Class is without peer. Rear- or all-wheel drive and a bewildering array of diesel, gas, turbos, even a hybrid, are on tap. Base price range: $91,875-$209,875.
The Best Car for New Drivers for 2011 is the Kia Forte. These four-door sedans and hatchbacks are easy to park but large enough for you and three big friends. They’re not dull to drive but get 27/36 mpg. You won’t mind being seen in them and can afford the insurance. USB iPod and Bluetooth interface and steering-wheel audio/cell-phone controls are standard, to boot. Base price range: $15,690-$20,090.
The Best Fast Car for 2011 is the BMW M3. Controlled power is the most useful power and no fast car gives the driver more confidence on a public road. The suspension sticks even in a bumpy corner. You sit reasonably high and have great sightlines. Coupe, sedan, and convertible body styles suit a variety of needs. And the 414-horsepower V-8 will haunt your dreams. Base price range: $56,275-$67,925.
The Best car of 2011 for Tall Drivers is the Hyundai Genesis sedan. A full-size SUV or pickup is an obvious solution, but among cars, nothing beats this handsome sedan for combined front-seat headroom and legroom. That’s the ticket for comfort, whether you carry your length in your legs or torso. Genesis’s upscale bearing won’t disappoint, either. Base price range: $33,800-$43,800.