Are these Really the Best of the Best?

It's been a busy year in the Lienerts' driveway. By our rough count, through Christmas week we had tested 152 new vehicles this year, with a few more stragglers due in by the end of December. Some of those products were sampled in exotic locales (we won't count the Geely King Kong sedan that we drove in Hangzhou), but many were put through their paces right here in southeastern Michigan, where most of our readers live and work.

The good news, as we reveal our 10 Best Rides for 2007, is that half those choices are made and sold by Detroit automakers.

They are:

Acura MDX
Cadillac Escalade
Dodge Nitro
Ford Edge
Honda Fit
Hyundai Santa Fe
Lexus LS 460
Mazda CX-7
Saturn Aura
Toyota Camry Hybrid






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cynic - 12/21/2006 10:23:31 AM

+2 Boost

I believe that the German fanboys are readying their comments. Let me think of some...

"This is automotive heresy!"
"They were not chosen by real automotive enthusiasts!"
"This article was biased!"
"There was an emphasis on affordability, not Luxury"

Heyhuub - 12/21/2006 10:33:56 AM

+2 Boost

Wow, thats a lame list.

carfan3 - 12/21/2006 12:09:10 PM

0 Boost

funny...was thinking the reverse...the Lexus and Toyota were the lame ones

99gs400 - 12/21/2006 12:00:25 PM

+2 Boost

Dodge Nitro ? someone smoking crack ?

Rupert - 12/21/2006 3:32:45 PM

0 Boost

Acura MDX - no
Cadillac Escalade - no
Dodge Nitro - no
Ford Edge - yes (cheap and looks good, why not?)
Honda Fit - yes
Hyundai Santa Fe - yes (cheap, looks good, reliable, 7 seats)
Lexus LS 460 - yes
Mazda CX-7 - no
Saturn Aura - no
Toyota Camry Hybrid - no

why are so many of these SUVs? half of them! there are other types of car...

Rupert - 12/21/2006 4:35:18 PM

+1 Boost

oh wait which one is the mdx? the bigger 7 seat one with the audi lights or the smaller ugly one? if it's the bigger one then it should be a yes.

Rupert - 12/21/2006 4:36:18 PM

+1 Boost

oh fine a yes to the camry hybrid as well.

socalfrank - 12/21/2006 6:14:53 PM

+1 Boost

I don't understand why everyone likes the Honda Fit so much. It is the ugliest Honda in years...including the Ridgeline. The Nissan Versa blows the Fit out of the water in looks and apparently crash tests too.

Rupert - 12/21/2006 6:35:06 PM

+1 Boost

we don't get the verso in the uk so the jazz (fit) is just really good. but i'd choose a renault modus over it, it's "funkier".

JUGNU - 12/21/2006 3:51:39 PM

+2 Boost

Rupert
I don't think any Hyundai Santa Fe till now have 7 seats.
MDX is a great SUV from Acura.Design,interior,refinement,engine..etc same goes for the Escalade too.

BTW Best of the Best should be LS460.

JUGNU

chewy - 12/21/2006 3:51:57 PM

0 Boost

Obvious choices for that reviewer "couple" that can't even drive a car.

Matthew1 - 12/21/2006 9:40:03 PM

+1 Boost

A typical American car-buyer list.

Full of pointlessly large SUVs and uninspiring and dull sedans.

No imagination here.

S4cabriofoxone - 12/21/2006 9:57:03 PM

+1 Boost

For most of these cars, NOT JUST THE LEXOYOTAS, these journalists have no idea which is the best.

My picks, in order of how they put them:

Audi Q7
Cadillac Escalade
Honda Civic (is that the same class?)
Nissan Murano
Honda Fit
Toyota RAV4
Mercedes-Benz S550
(CX-7 and Edge are direct competitors, so this is redundant)
Saturn Aura
Lexus GS450h (best hybrid?)

XYZZ - 12/22/2006 4:01:31 AM

-1 Boost

when it finally bows, the LS600h will blow them all away.

S4cabriofoxone - 12/22/2006 12:36:00 PM

+1 Boost

Why are there so many empty promises on this site?

(Blank) will blow (blank) away and (blank) will become the best car in the world.

Just stop now. All the cars in the V12 class (which the LS600hL won't have) are too good to clearly be better than another.

XYZZ - 12/23/2006 4:56:01 AM

+1 Boost

if toyota WANTED to have a V12 lexus limo, they could EASILY slap one together. they have offered a V12 in the TOYOTA Century for years.

the beauty of the ls600h, is that it will be the ONLY limo that will be able to glide up to, and away from, show openings and other prestigious events in TOTAL SILENCE. operating on JUST electric power.

S4cabriofoxone - 12/23/2006 11:23:28 PM

+1 Boost

Yes, but I don't care.

Dieter - 12/22/2006 9:17:58 AM

0 Boost

LS600h???? that's just a piece of crap:
car-lexus ls-bycicle

XYZZ - 12/23/2006 4:57:29 AM

+1 Boost

lexus, heck even toyota, doesn't give a crap about children who cannot even SPELL bicycle correctly.

pedal away now, and stop annoying the grown ups.

M53R - 12/23/2006 9:50:40 AM

+2 Boost

Give me a break!!! this is a total mess! My list would be:

BMW 335 coupe/convertible
M-B S550
Cadillac Escalade
BMW X5
Audi RS4
Aston Martin DB9
Mini S

and the best of the best is.... BMW 335

S4cabriofoxone - 12/23/2006 11:24:24 PM

+2 Boost

Nice!

I agree.

Except, for my "best of the best", I wouldn't be able to choose between RS4, 335i and S550.