Real drivers pick their favorites
There is no need to pretend. The business of annual car and truck awards has gotten out of hand. There are so many prizes they’ve become meaningless for anything other than holding news conferences and giving parties.
Adding to the nonsense is the notion that such awards are chosen by “experts,” otherwise known as journalists -- people like me.
I am a journalist who enjoys writing and talking about cars. I know some things, but much of what I know comes from listening and talking to people.
And so I turned to readers over the last three months to help me and several colleagues choose new cars and trucks that make the most sense to consumers in the U.S. marketplace.
Two hundred readers responded -- by no means a scientifically or statistically meaningful sample.
So what. Your decisions are just as valid as those rendered by a panel of 40 or so journalists.
Our criteria were simple: Vehicles chosen had to be reasonably affordable; we set a ceiling of $40,000 for the base price. Winners had to make sense in everyday driving, which means they had to be safe, easy to operate and economical to run in terms of the amount of fuel used to meet their intended design and service missions.
That said, the 2006 winners are:
* Common-sense car of the year: This one was easy. With base prices ranging from $14,560 for the Civic DX coupe to $23,350 for the Hybrid Civic sedan with navigation, most of you cited the Civic line as the best-value-for-the-dollar car of 2006. The front-wheel-drive car is safe, and it’s fuel efficient with or without its hybrid technology. Many of you were impressed by Honda’s reputation for quality and simplicity; and nearly all of you said you liked the new car’s exterior and interior styling cues.
* Common-sense truck of the year: This is the difference between journalists and the people they are supposed to inform: Journalists usually look for a silver bullet, something that supposedly stands out above everything else; our readers, listeners and viewers simply look for things that work in their daily lives.
Thus, some readers passionately endorsed the selection of the Honda Ridgeline, agreeing in that regard with the journalists in Detroit who recently voted the Ridgeline “North American Truck of the Year.”
But others just as passionately debunked the notion that anybody who knew anything about pickup trucks, who used such vehicles as workhorses, would ever choose the mostly car/wagon-like Ridgeline as the top truck. You all pointed out that “real truck people” want the Ford F-150.
We agree, and we join you in rendering a split decision -- the Ridgeline, with base prices ranging from $27,700 to $34,640, as common-sense truck of the year for truck buyers who really want a car; and the Ford F-150, with prices ranging from $18,930 to $40,055 (60 styles in all!) for “real truck people” who want a real pickup truck.
* Common-sense sport utility vehicle of the year: Yes, SUV sales are falling in the tumultuous wake of fluctuating motor fuel prices. The poseurs are moving out of the market. But SUV fanatics and people who truly need those vehicles are staying in, which is why all major car companies are updating old models and introducing new ones. Most of the people buying SUVs said they are buying the midsize Ford Explorer, which has been completely revised for 2006, much to the applause of most of you. The new model is super-spiffy with lots of safety equipment, such as anti-rollover protection. Fuel economy has improved, thus allowing Ford to boast of having the “most fuel-efficient midsize SUV.” And Ford is promising to roll out a hybrid version soon. It’s an easy winner here.
Base prices for the 2006 Ford Explorer run from $26,530 to $35,940.
* Common-sense minivan of the year: Another easy one. The winner here remains the Toyota Sienna. It’s simply hard for anyone to beat this one on quality, family ergonomics (the way the interior is arranged to accommodate a family of five or seven) and price. Sienna prices range from $23,625 to $38,080.
