As soon as someone finds out what we do for a living, the next question is usually "What car would you buy?"
While we always point out that our answers to this question are bound to be subjective--it is, after all, like someone asking you to name the best dessert (rhubarb pie a' la mode, if you must know)--we suppose there's probably some value in the perspective of an automotive journalist who's been driving 70-plus new cars a year for the past decade.
With that in mind, here are our answers to the inevitable "What would you buy?" question:
Sport-Utility Vehicles
While the new Toyota Landcruiser and Land Rover LR4 both offer a hard-to-beat combination of comfort and mind-boggling off-road capability, the super-safe, environmentally-friendly, surprisingly rugged, and much more affordable Subaru Forester is the SUV most likely to end up in our garage.
Wagons/Crossovers
GM's luxurious Buick Enclave crossover and new Cadillac CTS wagon both have a lot to recommend them, and we really kind of dig the Ford Flex. But the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sportwagen has won us over with its sporty driving character and sweet 40MPG turbodiesel engine.
Sports Cars/Convertibles
Oh, this is a tough one. We love the mid-engined Porsche Cayman S and could definitely get used to cruising around in the new Infiniti G37 Convertible. But our sentimental favorite, the Mini Cooper S, is still the one way-fun automobile we'd gladly write that monthly check for.
Luxury
If we win the lottery, we're making a beeline for our closest dealer and driving off with a shiny new Lexus LS 460L long-wheelbase sedan. Unless, of course, it's a really humongous jackpot, in which case we'll be rolling through the drive-thru in the back seat of our new Maybach 62.
Minivans
We've always had a soft spot for Mazda's Mazda5 mini-minivan a lot, but at this point I think we'd be holding out for the downright sporty SE version of the all-new Toyota Sienna.
Pickups
Okay, we have no use for a pickup truck and, if we did, the Honda Ridgeline would probably be all the truck we're ever likely to need. That said, we still lust for the Dodge Ram MegaCab and its limo-like back seat.
Green Cars
The new Toyota Prius may still be king of the hill when it comes to fuel economy, but it's the much more low-key and likeable Ford Fusion Hybrid that would get our vote if we were looking to do right by Mother Nature.
Leave a comment