Sometimes we can all get along, at least when it comes to the Most Significant Vehicle of the Year for 2006. Echoing the choice by our editors, Pontiac's Solstice was awarded the title by Edmunds' users — and by a healthy margin. With nearly 50 percent more votes than the 2nd-place finisher (Honda Civic), it appears we weren't the only ones impressed by GM's ability to bring this design to market in relatively short order, and with much of its show-car seductiveness intact. Interestingly, there was a substantial number of votes for the Saturn Sky — essentially a Solstice wearing Saturn bodywork. But as a 2007 model, the Sky wasn't eligible for this 2006 title, meaning none of those votes were included in the final tally.

Not far behind the 2nd-place Civic was Chevrolet's Corvette. As a model line, the Corvette wasn't all-new for 2006. We suspect much of this voting was driven by the Z06 version of the Corvette, which was new for '06 and is easily the most capable sub-$100,000 sports car ever created. After the Corvette it was a big drop to a 4th-place tie between the Ford Fusion and Honda Ridgeline. Finishing out the top six places was BMW's 3 Series and Porsche's Cayman.

It's like déjà vu all over again. This is the third year in a row that the sporty Mazda 3 has outranked all challengers in this category. The finish was closer this time, though, with Mazda capturing 30 percent of the vote and barely edging the newly redesigned Honda Civic with 28 percent. The Chevrolet Cobalt came in a distant 3rd with 16 percent of the votes, while another perennial favorite, the Toyota Corolla, received a slim 7 percent. Rounding out the order were the Ford Focus (5 percent), the Saturn Ion (4 percent) and the Scion xA (2 percent).

The vote in this category was as close as the Al Gore-George Bush presidential election. Percentagewise, the Honda Accord tied with its bitter rival, the Toyota Camry, as each captured 11 percent of all votes. However, the Accord got a few more actual votes (though not enough to change the percentage) and thus claimed victory. Alone in 3rd place was the hard-working Chevrolet Malibu with 7 percent of the votes. There was a logjam for 4th place with a five-way tie between the Volkswagen Passat, the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan, Pontiac G6, Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger — all with 6 percent of the votes. The sporty Mazda 6 earned 5 percent, followed by another traffic jam as the Toyota Prius, Volvo S40, Volkswagen Jetta, Nissan Altima and Subaru Legacy each took 4 percent.

This year there was all kinds of movement in this popular entry-luxury price bracket. The redesigned BMW 3 Series snatched top honors with 19 percent of the votes and left the Cadillac CTS alone in 2nd with 15 percent. Last year's winner, the Acura TL, was dispatched to 3rd place with 12 percent of the votes. Close behind, with 10 percent, was the Lexus IS 250/350 followed by the Infiniti G35 with 8 percent. Other contenders included the Audi A4 (6 percent), the Buick Lucerne (5 percent), the Toyota Avalon (4 percent) and the Acura TSX (3 percent). Other vote-getters, ranked in descending order, were the Lincoln Zephyr, Lexus ES 330, Nissan Maxima and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

BMW's 5 Series sedan still owns this category with 25 percent, but its overall percentage has been declining over the last couple years, with 2006 showing the narrowest margin yet. The Cadillac STS managed to climb from 5th place into 2nd this year with an impressive 20 percent, and Infiniti's M45 wasn't far off the mark collecting a healthy 17 percent of the votes. The Lexus GS 300/430 finished in 4th place this year with 14 percent, and the Audi A6 was just one percentage point behind it. Rounding out the list were Cadillac's DTS with 4 percent, Volvo's S80 with 3 percent, and a pair of Lincolns, the LS and Town Car, with 2 percent each.

This year the BMW 7 Series managed to edge out last year's victor, the Audi A8. With 18 percent of the votes, the controversial 7 Series surpassed the A8 (also with 18 percent) by a mere 11 votes. Close behind in 3rd place was the redesigned Mercedes-Benz S-Class with 13 percent, and the Lexus LS 430 in a strong 4th-place finish at 11 percent. Acura's RL collected 10 percent of the ballots cast. In the single digits were the Mercedes-Benz CLS (8 percent), Jaguar XJ (7 percent), Mercedes E-Class (5 percent), Volkswagen Phaeton (4 percent), Infiniti Q45 (3 percent) and Jaguar S-Type (3 percent).

With its boxy design and spacious interior, the Scion xB again came away the winner after capturing 38 percent of the votes. Loaded with standard features and available with numerous dealer-installed options, the youthful xB has now taken this category three years in a row. Coming in 2nd with 27 percent of the votes was the Chrysler PT Cruiser. Scion's smaller xA ended in 3rd place with 16 percent. The Kia Rio5 managed 8 percent. Suzuki pulled up the rear with its Forenza garnering 6 percent and its Aerio capturing 4 percent of the votes.

In this category loaded with players, the all-new Audi A3 secured 1st place with 20 percent of the votes. Audi's 200-horsepower four-door hatchback won our readers' hearts by combining luxury and sport in one small, smart package. A close 2nd was the Chevrolet HHR, gathering 18 percent of the votes. The roomy Dodge Magnum finished 3rd with 14 percent, while the midsize Subaru Legacy and Outback family earned 11 percent and the compact Mazda 3 earned 10 percent. The midsize Mazda 6 collected 7 percent, and the Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix and the Subaru Forester each brought home 5 percent. The Subaru Impreza earned 4 percent of the votes, followed by its corporate twin, the Saab 9-2X, with 3 percent. The Ford Focus managed 2 percent, and the Kia Spectra5 finished out the category by earning only 1 percent of the votes.

It took the all-new, all-wonderful BMW 3 Series to finally overthrow the Audi A4 dynasty this year; it edged out the perennial favorite 23 percent to 20 percent. The crowded field of 10 also saw a couple of ties. The Chrysler Pacifica and Saab 9-3 SportCombi wagon were in a dead heat with 11 percent of the votes each. The utilitarian Ford Freestyle forged a three-way tie with the Volkswagen Passat and Volvo V50, as each wagon took 8 percent of the votes. The Saab 9-5 SportCombi and Volvo V50 wagons were left to trail behind, with 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

For years there were only a handful of entrants in this category, but the increasingly popular luxury wagon field now includes six models, all European. The BMW 5 Series (27 percent) and Audi A6 (25 percent) led the pack, with the Volvo XC70 picking up 3rd (18 percent). The all-new Mercedes-Benz R-Class "sports tourer," the only wagon in this group with forward-facing seating for six, made a respectable showing, tying the more traditional E-Class wagon with 12 percent. Amidst these power players, Jaguar's aging X-Type brought up the rear with 7 percent.

With 61 percent of the votes, the Honda Civic coupe dominated this segment by an even wider margin than last year. It's no wonder; the redesigned Civic is sharper-looking and better-handling than last year's model and boasts a roomy and comfortable interior for a compact coupe. For the second year in a row, the Chevrolet Cobalt took the 2nd spot with 23 percent of the vote, far outpacing the 3rd-place Ford Focus (11 percent). Rounding out the field was the Saturn Ion Coupe which garnered 6 percent of the votes.

For the second year in a row, the Mustang's winning combination of performance, affordability and aggressive yesteryear styling put it ahead of the competition, as it took 26 percent of the votes. Although very different in design and execution, the 2nd-place Mini Cooper earned 14 percent, finishing slightly ahead of the Pontiac G6 and Acura RSX, which earned 12 percent apiece. The Honda Accord followed with 11 percent, and the affordable Scion tC earned 7 percent. Toyota's Camry Solara and Chevrolet's Monte Carlo each received 5 percent of the votes while the Mitsubishi Eclipse (3 percent), Hyundai Tiburon (2 percent) and VW New Beetle (1 percent) rounded out the order. Amidst rising gas prices, the gas-electric Honda Insight two-door received a handful of votes but not enough to earn a full percentage point.

It's official: Consumers are in the throes of an enduring love affair with Infiniti's G35. For the fourth year in a row, the stylish coupe emerged triumphant in this category, snatching 24 percent of the votes from drivers mad for its stellar handling and throaty V6. Its victory was a narrow one: The G35 bested runner-up Pontiac GTO, also with 24 percent, by a mere 14 votes. Last year's runner-up, the BMW 3 Series, had to settle for 3rd place this year with 19 percent of the total tally. Nissan's 350Z ranked 4th with 12 percent. The Mazda RX-8, Audi TT and Chrysler Crossfire rounded out the category, with tallies of 11 percent, 6 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

With only one entrant in this category, the Corvette's win was hardly a surprise. In a repeat of last year's victory, Chevrolet's sexy muscle car scored 100 percent of the votes. It's worth remembering, though, that the coupe has been a winner even in years when it's faced actual competition; the Corvette reigned supreme in the 2004 Consumer's Most Wanted, up against the formidable challenge of the Mercedes-Benz CLK (which has since been priced out of the category). The Corvette's popularity is justified. Offering performance comparable to that of pricey exotics, the affordably priced coupe is a steal relative to other similarly endowed canyon carvers.

Porsche 911, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways. With a list of attributes that includes out-of-this-world handling and jaw-dropping good looks, the coupe's continued domination of this category makes perfect sense, despite the presence of some very stiff competition. The 911 garnered 26 percent of the votes this year, with the BMW 6 Series earning runner-up status once again with 24 percent of the tally. The Porsche Cayman S came 3rd (19 percent), followed by the Lotus Exige (11 percent); both cars are new to this category. The Jaguar XK-Series earned 10 percent; next were the Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class and CL-Class with 7 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

Pontiac's first entry in the roadster market burned brightly and scored a big upset. The Solstice easily eclipsed its arch rival, Mazda's MX-5 Miata, which had gone undefeated until this year. The Solstice won with 38 percent of the votes to the 3rd-place Miata's 21 percent. Another big surprise was the Ford Mustang, which squeezed in between those two to nab 2nd place with 25 percent. The Mini Cooper garnered 12 percent while the VW New Beetle (3 percent) and Chrysler PT Cruiser (2 percent) brought up the rear.

Proof that more and more people are warming up to the Z4's controversial styling and discovering the joy under the skin was this year's victory for the Bimmer. The previous favorite, the Honda S2000, was toppled by the slimmest of margins, as the Z4 scored 28 percent of the votes to the Honda's 26 percent. The Nissan 350Z, at 25 percent, was right there on the S2000's bumper. The rest of the field trailed considerably, with the Chrysler Crossfire at 11 percent, the Toyota Camry Solara at 6 percent and the Chrysler Sebring at 3 percent.

Returning to the winner's circle is the Teutonic thoroughbred known as the Porsche Boxster. With 20 percent of the votes, the Boxster kept the Lotus Elise (15 percent) at bay. Third place went to the BMW 3 Series (13 percent), while the next two drop tops, the Chevrolet SSR (12 percent) and Mercedes-Benz SLK (11 percent), crowded the BMW. The next five were virtually tied, as the Volvo C70, Audi A4 and Saab 9-3 all had 6 percent, while the Ford Thunderbird and Audi TT each had 5 percent.

With supercar performance at a bargain price, it's no wonder that the Corvette powered away with the win. With 24 percent of the votes, the Vette beat some other tempting choices — the Porsche 911 (19 percent), Cadillac XLR (15 percent), BMW 6 Series (14 percent) and Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (10 percent). Rounding out the votes in this "the sky's the limit" category were the Lexus SC 430 (8 percent), Jaguar XK-Series (6 percent) and Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class (3 percent).

It's no longer the new truck on the block, but that didn't stop the Toyota Tacoma from drawing a convincing 38 percent of the votes. With more than 30 different configurations and a reputation for bulletproof reliability, the Tacoma has exactly what customers are looking for in a compact truck. In a surprising reversal of last year's results, the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon twins earned a strong 2nd-place finish with 25 percent of the votes, handily beating out the Nissan Frontier, which came in a distant 3rd at 16 percent. It was single-digit territory from there on out, with the Dodge Dakota getting 8 percent, the Ford Ranger/Mazda Truck 7 percent, the Subaru Baja 3 percent and the Mitsubishi Raider 2 percent.

After getting edged out by the Nissan Titan last year, the Ford F-150 came back strong with a solid 19 percent of the votes to earn 1st place. This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, as the F-150 maintained its No. 1 position on the sales charts in 2005. Not surprisingly, the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra twins weren't far behind at 16 percent. It was a three-way tie for 3rd with the Cadillac Escalade EXT, Honda Ridgeline and Toyota Tundra all receiving 13 percent of the votes. Following close behind was last year's winner, the Nissan Titan, with 12 percent. Filling out the last three spots were the Dodge Ram (7 percent), Chevrolet Avalanche (5 percent) and Lincoln Mark LT (2 percent).

Honda's CR-V had won this category for four times in a row, but consumers are quite taken with the redesigned 2006 Toyota RAV4, which has grown larger and more sophisticated. More powerful, too, if you opt for its 269-hp V6. The RAV4 earned 18 percent of the votes to take the win, followed by the Chevrolet Equinox/Pontiac Torrent twins with 15 percent. Our Editors' Most Wanted pick, the Nissan Xterra, came in 3rd with 11 percent. The CR-V fell to 4th (9 percent), tying with the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute/Mercury Mariner triplets. Behind them were Toyota's midsize Highlander (8 percent) and the Jeep Wrangler (6 percent) and Liberty (4 percent).

Last year import-brand SUVs ruled this category, but this year a couple of full-size domestic sport-utes took the crown. The Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon twins claimed victory in this category with 19 percent of the votes. In 2nd place was the Toyota 4Runner with 18 percent. Nissan's Murano came in a distant 3rd with 11 percent, followed by the Hummer H3 with 9 percent. Jeep's Grand Cherokee received 6 percent, while Subaru's B9 Tribeca, Nissan's Pathfinder and our Editors' Most Wanted award recipient, the Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer twins, earned 5 percent apiece.

General Motors was the big winner in this category, as the midsize Cadillac SRX took 1st with 14 percent, while the full-size Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL came in 2nd with 12 percent. Infiniti's FX45 and Porsche's Cayenne were a strong 3rd with 10 percent apiece. The Lexus RX 330 was next in line with 9 percent, followed by our Editors' Most Wanted award winner, the BMW X5, with 8 percent. Acura's MDX earned 7 percent of the votes, while the Volkswagen Touareg (last year's winner in this bracket), Volvo XC90 and Land Rover LR3 each scooped up 6 percent.

Large luxury SUVs won't be going away anytime soon if consumers have anything to say about it. The Cadillac Escalade and long-wheelbase Escalade ESV took this category by storm, rolling over the competition with 30 percent of the vote. Land Rover's athletic midsize sport-ute, the Range Rover Sport, was far back in 2nd with 18 percent. The Editors' Most Wanted pick, the Toyota Land Cruiser/Lexus LX 470 twins, posted a solid 3rd with 15 percent. The regular Range Rover earned 9 percent, as did the midsize Lexus GX 470. Rounding out the bracket were the Hummer H2 (8 percent), Lincoln Navigator (6 percent) and Infiniti QX56 (5 percent).

Its redesign is a year old, but enthusiasm for Honda's consummate family mover remains fresh in our users' minds. With a strong 36 percent of the votes, the Odyssey captured over twice the checkmarks as the 2nd-place Toyota Sienna, which garnered only 14 percent. Right behind the Sienna was GM's minivan quartet of Uplander/Terraza/Montana/Relay at 13 percent. And right on GM's heels were Chrysler's Town & Country/Dodge Caravan cousins at 12 percent. The new-for-2006 Mazda 5 landed in 5th place with 10 percent, after which the Nissan Quest, Kia Sedona, Ford Freestar/Mercury Monterey and Mazda MPV came in with single-digit showings. Look for these numbers to shift around next year when the redesigned Sedona, refreshed Quest and all-new Hyundai Entourage enter the market for '07.

The Ford GT leaves us after 2006, but it goes out with a bang by grabbing 15 percent of the votes and its second win in the Exotic category. The Ferrari F430 wasn't far off the mark at 13 percent, but after that it was a big drop to the 3rd-place tie between Aston Martin's Vanquish and DB9, each getting 8 percent. Next came the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren at 7 percent, followed by the Bentley Continental GT, Dodge Viper, Hummer H1 and Lamborghini Murciélago capturing 6 percent each. The Bentley Continental Flying Spur, Ferrari 612, Lamborghini Gallardo, Maserati Quattroporte, Maybach 62 and Rolls-Royce Phantom each received less than 6 percent of the votes. At the bottom of the pile sat the Bentley Arnage, Maserati Coupe, Maserati Spyder and Maybach 57, all tied with 1 percent apiece.