AAA Top Car Picks for 2006
That
trusty institution that’s always ready to lend a tow has announced its Top Car Picks for 2006. AAA looked at more
than 200 vehicles and chose winners in 13 categories based on criteria like ride, performance, braking, handling, cargo
space, value and fuel economy. The categories have been broken down by price as well as class and the “Cool
Car” category, won by the Corvette Z06, was thrown in there just for fun.While the Honda Ridgeline did take top honors in the Pick Up Truck category, it’s stablemate, the Honda Civic, came up empty handed for the first time this year, bested instead by the well-liked Mazda3 in the Under - $15,000 category.
Under - $15,000 Mazda3
$15,000 - $20,000 Honda Accord Sedan
$20,000 - $25,000 Dodge Charger
$25,000 - $30,000 Toyota Avalon
$30,000 - $35,000 BMW 3 Series
$35,000 - $40,000 Volvo S80
$40,000 - $50,000 Infiniti M35/M45
$50,000 Jaguar XJ8L
SUV $30,000- Ford Escape Hybrid
SUV $30,000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
Minivan Honda Odyssey
Pick Up Truck Honda Ridgeline
Cool Car Chevrolet Corvette Z06
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Jim 4:46PM (3/09/2006)
Oh for cryin' out loud. Is Honda buying hookers for everyone involved in one of these lists, or what? How can the Ridgeline be the "best pickup truck" when it's not a pickup truck?
Reply
LoneWolf 4:47PM (3/09/2006)
Hmm, i'm waiting for the GMBashers who says that the Enzo is a even cooler Car, and the 'Vette is crap.
Or that the Dodge Charger should be replaced by a Toyota because, uhm....uhm...it is a american Car.
Reply
Gunnar Heinrich 4:51PM (3/09/2006)
I like their choices for $30K - BMW 3-series
and $50K + - Jag's XJ8L
Too bad they don't have a 100K + - The Phantom would surely win.
http://automobilesdeluxe.blogspot.com/2006/01/best-in-show-for-2005.html
Reply
Hemidakota 4:51PM (3/09/2006)
300 SRT-8 for the 40-50K class hands down. Sorry Volvo...just no real performance to speak of...
Reply
Hemidakota 4:55PM (3/09/2006)
Pickup the Frigline? I didn't see that one but then, that is not a real pickup truck.
Tacoma...Dakota....Colorado is the three to choice from...
Hey AAA! I hope you are not becoming like the CR. The people without real automotive creditability...LOL
Reply
Bill 5:06PM (3/09/2006)
I love my Mazda3 to death, but I don't think it's realistically possible to get one for sub $15k.
Reply
salguod 5:10PM (3/09/2006)
As an owner of a brand new Mazda3 hatch like your picture, I say good luck getting one for under $15K. The base 4 door starts at a $15,150 sticker and the 5 door (in your picture) starts at nearly $18K. I guess with the ~$1,000 folks are getting off sticker on 3's, I suppose that one could get a lesser model for under $15K.
Don't get me wrong, it's a great car (I did buy one), it's just not a sub-$15K car. Of course, how many of those are there anymore?
Reply
Joel A 5:13PM (3/09/2006)
Having recently rented the Mazda3, I can vouch for AAA's pick. WOW. Do I really want to buy a (used) Jaguar S-Type?
Reply
s 5:15PM (3/09/2006)
Ridgeline is a pickup. Don't hate cause your so-called "real" pick-up didn't make the top of the list.
Atfer Honda drops a V8 in the Ridgeline you'll be driving one!
Reply
Ryan 5:29PM (3/09/2006)
I own a Mazda 3, love the car, hate the rattles and squeaks and wind noise, I wonder if the Civic is better in that category?!
-As for under 15k HA, I dont even think the MSRP is under 15k anymore, it might be, but not by much. I paid almost 19k for mine. I just cannot stand the rattles, my Hyundai Elantra beat the shit out of the 3 in terms of "quiet and rattle free"
Reply
silvrbreez 5:33PM (3/09/2006)
Too bad Honda's V8 will still be anemic compared to Nissans VQ series 4.0L in the new Frontiers.
Reply
CanadianJeepYJ 5:35PM (3/09/2006)
V8 in the Ridgeline....not any time soon
Reply
Jared 5:47PM (3/09/2006)
How much does a BMW 3 go for? I think it is more than 35k usually.
Why do groups only pick one pick-up truck? Considering how many r sold each year, wouldn't these groups want to at least look at full sized vehicles?
Reply
Jas 5:57PM (3/09/2006)
The Ridgeline is a chick truck.How is putting a V8 going to heip.Nissan Nor Toyota still can't beat the blue oval.The tree i cut down this weekend fit just fine my big truck.If i had put it in the honda i would of scraped the rear bumper or tore it off.
Reply
Michael 6:09PM (3/09/2006)
Ditto to all the comments on the 3. My five door cost over 19k and I love it to death. But it squeaks and rattles like no other car I've ever driven. No clue why.
Reply
Krishna Das 6:22PM (3/09/2006)
I have a 05 Mazda 3, 5 door, stick with 16k miles. No squeaks/rattles on mine. Though I find it susceptible to crosswinds.
Are the 06s going down in quality?
Are you referring to the tire noise? They are because of the crappy standard Eagle RS-A . Replace them with Avon.
Reply
Tad 6:26PM (3/09/2006)
Honda and v8 dont go together...Honda is always going to make bland, boring, underpowered yet reliable commuter cars. The Ridgeline an hardy be considered a truck, you'll never see one of those where I live...all the dang thing is, is a status symbol (which doesn't show very good tatse by the way)
Reply
Aki 6:28PM (3/09/2006)
Ah yes, the backlash against the Ridgeline from guys with masculine insecurities is always entertaining. Hope autoblog has more flattering threads about the truck.
Reply
Mick 6:51PM (3/09/2006)
Just as with CR, AAA has increasingly become a bit of a farce over the years. Their most useful product - towing their members and providing TripTics - has been overtaken by their desire to sell insurance products, travel packages, tours, etc. As far as anything automotive goes, even their monthly magazine is a joke. In any event, how they could put the Charger on thier list is a bit of a mystery, but if they put all foreign cars on the list some of their gray-haired members would probably cancel their memberships. (In fact, I was in a large AAA office today - and almost every single member had a head of gray hair; me, too!) Then again, they alos don't define what they mean by "top" cars, do they, so they can put any car they darn well like on the list with absolutely no fear of contradiction. These days lists are like sphincters - everyone's got one.
Reply
D 7:05PM (3/09/2006)
A ridgeline would be great, if it wasnt ugly, or had a lower towing rating than my car, Or had the room to carry real loads.Oh lets see what else,It gets worse MPG than either of my vehicles, and am I the only one who is wondering how it would hold up if it was actually used as a truck?
Reply