Top 10 Fun-to-Drive Cars

Automobiles come in different temperaments. Some work best as reliable daily commuters while others excel in moving large families or saving people cash by sipping their gasoline. Then there’s the kind of car that was born to play. However, these aren’t just the exotics and speedsters—looks and a throaty engine roar aren’t enough in of themselves. Truly entertaining automobiles are the ones with the best overall performance; vehicles that are the most fun to drive because of their combination of qualities such as an exciting personality, quick acceleration, comfortable interior and agile handling response. The following ten pages include muscle cars, stylish coupes, sexy convertibles, luxury sedans and sporty hatchbacks, all of which are guaranteed to satisfy motorists looking for that new toy to take on a weekend romp.

Mazda MX-5 Miata
Convertible
Base Price: $26,350
Engine: 2.0-liter, 16-valve DOHC inline 4-cylinder with VVT
Horsepower: 167 hp @ 7,000 rpm
0-60 mph: 6.9 seconds










Mini John Cooper Works
Convertible
Base Price: $25,400
Engine: 1.6-liter supercharged inline-4
Horsepower: 207 bhp @ 6,950 rpm
0-60 mph: 6.3 seconds










Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Sedan
Base Price: $38,290
Engine: 2.0-liter, 16-valve DOHC inline 4-cylinder MIVEC turbo
Horsepower: 291 bhp @ 6,500 rpm
0-60 mph: 5.2 seconds










Lotus Elise
Roadster
Base Price: $47,250
Engine: 1.8-liter, DOHC 4-Cylinder with VVTL-I
Horsepower: 189 hp @ 7,800 rpm
0-60 mph: 4.9 seconds










Porsche Cayman
Coupe
Base Price: $49,400
Engine: 2.7-liter flat-6
Horsepower: 245 bhp @ 6,500 rpm
0-60 mph: 5.8 seconds










Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Coupe
Base Price: $106,520
Engine: 6.2-liter LS9 supercharged V8
Horsepower: 638 hp @ 6,500 rpm
0-60 mph: 3.4 seconds










Audi R8
Coupe
Base Price: $109,000
Engine: 4.2-liter V8
Horsepower: 420 bhp @ 7,800 rpm
0-60 mph: 4.4 seconds










Dodge Viper SRT10
Coupe
Base Price: $87,460
Engine: 8.4-liter V10
Horsepower: 600 bhp @ 6,100 rpm
0-60 mph: 4 seconds










Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster
Convertible
Base Price: $132,500
Engine: 4.7-liter, 32-valve V8
Horsepower: 420 hp
0-60 mph: 4.7 seconds










BMW 1 Series
Convertible
Base Price: $33,100
Engine: 3.0-liter DOHC inline 6-cylinder
Horsepower: 230 hp @ 6,500 rpm
0-62 mph: 6.4 seconds

Top 10 Convertibles

What could be better than letting the wind stream through your hair as your convertible roars down the highway? Compared to when they first came off the assembly line, today’s topless cars are flashier, faster and more adept at handling inclement weather. From the super luxurious to the sporty, ragtops take everyday driving to a new level of enjoyment. The following ten cars are some of the best convertibles around.

smart fortwo brabus cabriolet










Mazda MX-5










BMW 128i Convertible










Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible










Pontiac G6 GT Convertible










Lexus IS 250C










Audi TTS Roadster










Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG










Chevrolet Corvette Convertible










Bentley Continental GTC

Top 10 Dog-Friendly Cars

We dog lovers take our pets seriously. In fact, we take them so seriously that our four-legged friends are as much a part of our family as our children. So it’s no surprise that when we hit the road for a family outing, we often bring our pups along for the ride. Yet some rides are better than others for roaming with Rover. Here’s a look at the top ten vehicles best-suited for canines and their drivers.

Honda Element
Economic Mid-Size SUV
Cargo: 74 cubic feet
Off-road capability: Moderate
MPG: 20 city / 25 hwy
Price: $20,275










Suzuki Forenza
Sport Wagon
Cargo: 68.3 cubic feet
Off-Road: Moderate
MPG: 20 city / 26 hwy
Price: $19,995










Land Rover Range Rover
Luxury Large SUV
Cargo: 71 cubic feet
Off-road: Advance
MPG: 12 city / 18 hwy
Price: $78,450










BMW X5
Luxury Mid-Size SUV
Cargo: 61.8 cubic feet
Off-road: Advanced
MPG: 15 city / 21 hwy
Price: $47,925










Volvo XC90
Moderate Mid-Size SUV
Cargo: 88.8 cubic feet
Off-road: Advanced
MPG: 14 city / 20 hwy
Price: $37,000










Mitsubishi Outlander
Mid-Sized Hatchback
Cargo: 72.6 cubic feet
Off-Road: Moderate
MPG: 20 city / 25 hwy
Price: $19,990











Mazdaspeed 3
Sporty Hatchback
Cargo: 43.8 cubic feet
Off-Road: No
MPG: 18 city / 26 hwy
Price: $23,410











Ford F-150
Pickup Truck
Cargo: 81.2 cubic feet (cargo bed)
Off-Road: Advanced
MPG: 15 city / 21 hwy
Price: $20,345











Dodge Grand Caravan
Minivan
Cargo: 143 cubic feet
Off-Road: No
MPG: 17 city / 32 hwy
Price: $28,500











Toyota Matrix
Small Hatchback
Cargo: 49.4 cubic feet
Off-Road: No
MPG: 26 city / 32 hwy
Price: $16,290

Top 10 Cars for Moms

Not just any vehicle can handle the rigors of motherhood. Modern moms are a busy lot, dividing their time between work, play, and driving the kids to school and a laundry list of extracurricular activities. As a result, mothers-on-the-go require reliable, safe and versatile "mommy-mobiles." Affordability and a little pizzazz go a long way too. On the following pages are ten of the best cars for moms. However, don't expect just minivans for the soccer crowd. Since personal preferences and a family’s needs vary, our selections range from small and fuel-efficient hatchback wagons to kid-friendly and value-oriented SUVs.

Audi A3
Hatchback
Price: $27,270
Maximum Cargo Room: 19.52 cu. ft.
EPA Fuel Mileage: 22 city/28 highway










Hyundai Azera
Sedan
Price: $24,970
Maximum Cargo Room: 16.6 cu. ft.
EPA Fuel Mileage: 18 city/26 highway










Dodge Caliber SRT4
Sport Hatchback
Price: $24,590
Maximum Cargo Room: 18.5 cu. ft.
EPA Fuel Mileage: 19 city/27 highway










Honda Insight
Hybrid Hatchback
Price: $19,800
Maximum Cargo Room: 31.5 cu. ft.
EPA Fuel Mileage: 40 city/43 highway










Volvo XC70
Wagon Crossover
Price: $37,250
Maximum Cargo Room: 72.1 cu. ft.
EPA Fuel Mileage: 15 city/23 highway










Volkswagen Routan
Minivan
Price: $29,600
Maximum Cargo Room: 83 cu. ft.
EPA Fuel Mileage: 16 city/23 highway










Lexus LS 460
Luxury Sedan
Price: $63,825
Maximum Cargo Room: 18 cu. ft.
EPA Fuel Mileage: 16 city/24 highway










Mercedes-Benz GLK350
Crossover
Price: $35,900
Maximum Cargo Room: 54.7 cu. ft.
EPA Fuel Mileage: 16 city/21 highway










Mazda CX-7
Small SUV
Price: $24,385
Maximum Cargo Room: 58.6 cu. ft.
EPA Fuel Mileage: 17 city/23 highway










Acura MDX
Large SUV
Price: $39,995
Maximum Cargo Room: n/a
EPA Fuel Mileage: 17 city/22 highway

Top 10 Family Sedans

These are the bread-and-butter cars that transport Americans. Despite the swell in SUVs, good-old mid-size family sedans are still the vehicles we turn to the most for our everyday transportation.

Nissan Maxima
Base Price Range:
$30,160 - $32,860
Engines:
3.5-liter, 24-valve DOHC V6; 290 hp; 19 city/26 hwy










Mazda 6
Base Price Range:
$19,220-$28,930
Engines:
2.5-liter, 16-valve DOHC 4-cylinder; 170 hp
3.7-liter, 24-valve DOHC 6-cylinder VVT; 272 hp










Saturn Aura
Base Price Range:
$20,345 - $24,345
Engines:
5.5-liter V6, 224 hp, 20 city/29 hwy
3.6-liter V6, 252 hp, 20 city/28 hwy
Alternate styles:
Green Line hybrid: 164 hp, fuel TBA










Chevrolet Malibu
Base Price Range:
$20,550-$26,145
Engines:
Ecotec 2.4-liter 4-cylinder; 22 city, 32 hwy
Ecotec 2.4-liter 4-cylinder hybrid; 24 city, 32 hwy
3.6-liter V6; 17 city, 26 hwy
Alternate styles:
Malibu Hybrid: 2.4-liter 4-cylinder hybrid












Hyundai Genesis
Base Price Range:
$32,250-$37,250
Engines:
3.8-liter, 24-valve DOHC V6; 290 hp; 18 city, 27 hwy
4.6-liter, 32-valve DOHC V8; 368 hp; 17 city, 25 hwy
Alternate styles:
2010 Genesis Coupe model: 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder; 210 hp











Honda Accord
Base Price Range:
$20,360-$28,060
Engines:
2.4-liter, 16-valve DOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder; 177 hp; 22 city, 31 hwy
3.5-liter 24-valve SOHC iVTEC V6; 248 hp; 19 city, 29 hwy











Lexus ES 350
Base Price:
$34,320
Engines:
3.5-liter, 24-valve DOHC V6; 272 hp; 19 city/27 hwy











Volkswagen Passat
Base Price Range:
$28,300-$29,690
Engines:
2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder, 200 hp, 21 city/29 hwy











Lincoln MKS
Base Price Range:
$37,665-$39,555
Engines:
3.7-liter, 24-valve V6; 273 hp











Dodge Avenger
Base Price Range:
$20,330 - $27,685
Engines:
3.5-liter V6; 235 hp; 16 city/26 hwy
Alternate styles:
SE model: 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder; 173 hp; 21 city/30 hwy
SXT model: 2.7-liter V6; 189 hp; 19 city/27 hwy