Editors' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2006

Most Wanted Minivan
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Winner: Honda Odyssey

Just as the New England Patriots have dominated professional football of late, Honda has virtually owned this segment since stealing the title from Chrysler in 1999. And 2006 is yet another championship year for the Odyssey. The Odyssey continues its tradition of carlike ride and handling, further enhanced by a stout structure and well-tuned suspension dynamics. If you're looking for a minivan that's enjoyable to drive in addition to being practical, Honda's van remains the leader in this area. The Honda Odyssey offers two V6 options. Both are 3.5-liter VTEC engines rated at 244 horsepower, and are mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.

Honorable Mention: Toyota Sienna

Toyota has been nipping at Honda's heels for some time now and remains a solid choice. The Sienna stands above the pack for the same reasons the Odyssey does: a spacious cabin with all the creature comforts. This year, the Sienna receives more standard equipment including front side-impact airbags and three-row head-protecting side curtain airbags. Other changes include new seat fabric for the CE and LE trims and Optitron gauges for LE, XLE and XLE Limited models. The XLE also has dual power front seats this year, and the XLE Limited gains driver-seat memory. There's also a new power-folding rear-seat option on XLE Limited 2WD models. In addition, all Siennas receive a new grille, headlamps, foglamps and taillamp clusters.

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