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Editors' Most Wanted Sort by Type | Sort by Price
Editors' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2006

Every year, the Edmunds.com editors gather to ponder that eternal question, "What cars or trucks would we most want to park in our garage?" For the 2006 model year our editors have once again scoured the entire automotive spectrum looking for their favorite vehicles. What they've came up with are the Edmunds.com Editors' Most Wanted cars and trucks for 2006.

Most Significant Vehicle of the Year: Pontiac Solstice

An affordable American roadster that puts excitement back into the General's excitement division.
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Sedans | Wagons | Coupes | Convertibles | Trucks | SUVs | Vans | Exotics

Sedans

Sedan Under $15,000: Mazda 3

Mazda proves you don't need big bucks to score a sedan with performance, practicality and style.
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Sedan Under $25,000: Dodge Charger

It's big, brash and full of Hemi muscle. Exactly what you would expect from a Dodge sedan.
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Sedan Under $35,000: BMW 3 Series

Last year's model was nearly perfect. This year's redesigned 3 Series is even better.
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Sedan Under $45,000: BMW 5 Series

New engines for 2006 give the 5 Series yet another advantage it didn't even need.
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Sedan Over $45,000: Audi A8

Style that doesn't need to be explained and an interior to match. That's our kind of ultraluxury sedan.
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Wagons

Wagon Under $15,000: Scion xB

Practical, cheap and just out there enough to catch your eye, the xB is a risky idea from Scion that works.
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Wagon Under $25,000: Dodge Magnum

Drive this wagon and you'll wonder why all those people like SUVs so much.
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Wagon Under $35,000: Audi A4 Avant

As good-looking as the A4 sedan, the Avant offers similar performance and extra cargo space to boot.
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Wagon Over $35,000: Mercedes-Benz E-Class

If you can afford it, there's no reason to look anywhere else for a luxury wagon.
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Coupes

Coupe Under $15,000: Honda Civic

More powerful and stylish than ever before, the eighth-generation Civic coupe defies its budget price tag.
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Coupe Under $25,000: Ford Mustang

The king of budget thrills, the Ford Mustang more than lives up to its legendary ancestors.
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Coupe Under $35,000: BMW 3 Series

Timeless in its performance and beauty, BMW's 3 Series coupe remains one of the most desirable cars on the market.
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Coupe Under $45,000: Chevrolet Corvette

There's something about 400 hp for less than $50K that makes us forget about cheap plastics.
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Coupe Over $45,000: BMW 6 Series

It looks like a $75K coupe from the outside and drives like a $100K coupe from the inside.
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Convertibles

Convertible Under $25,000: Ford Mustang

Performance and style wrapped in an affordable retro package. An easy pick.
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Convertible Under $35,000: BMW Z4

A convertible that's both spellbinding and sane.
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Convertible Under $45,000: Lotus Elise

A supercar in every respect but its price.
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Convertible Over $45,000: Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

The last word in luxury and performance.
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Trucks

Compact Truck: Toyota Tacoma

Indestructible, powerful and practical, the Tacoma is a truck that never forgets why people buy trucks in the first place.
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Large Truck: Nissan Titan

Smart design, innovative features and huge muscle under the hood make the Titan the head of this class.
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SUVs

SUV Under $25,000: Nissan Xterra

Still the rugged, affordable SUV it promises to be, just the way we like it.
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SUV Under $35,000: Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer

With solid all-around performance, safety and comfort, this set of twins reminds us why midsize SUVs became popular in the first place.
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SUV Under $45,000: BMW X5

Proof that BMW takes its whole "ultimate driving machine" slogan very, very seriously.
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SUV Over $45,000: Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX 470

Easy to drive and easy to own, these are the SUVs of choice when you really need plenty of room and four-wheel drive.
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Vans

Minivan: Honda Odyssey

Massive interior, efficient engines and all the features you could ask for. A minivan with few equals.
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Exotics

Exotics: Bentley GT Coupe and Bentley Flying Spur Sedan

Power, performance and prestige wrapped in classic British style.
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How It Works

Why We Began the Editors' Most Wanted List

  • Our staff members get the same question over and over: What's the "best" car or truck?
  • There isn't a single "best" car or truck that will meet everyone's needs.
  • When somebody asks us what the "best" of the crop is, we respond by quizzing the inquiring mind about his needs and wants in a vehicle.
  • Still, readers want to know which cars and trucks we'd buy given the resources.
How We Selected the Editors' Most Wanted Vehicles
  • Our editorial staff gathered to hash over the roster of 2006 models.
  • We voted for our 28 favorite models in a variety of vehicle classes, plus we chose our Most Significant Vehicle of the Year. To improve the functionality of our Most Wanted awards, we picked standardized price points for each vehicle type (sedans, wagons, SUVs, etc.). To be eligible for a given price category, at least one version of a model line had to have an MSRP (not including destination charge) below that category's price limit. This was typically the base model with no options. Unlike in previous years, there was no upper price limit for eligible winners.
  • The result of our voting is a list of cars and trucks we'd want in our own garages.
  • Only 2006 models were eligible and at least one member of our editorial team had to have driven the vehicle prior to our voting deadline of October 1, 2005.
Who Selected the Editors' Most Wanted List

When reviewing our selections, keep in mind that we're a group of men and women who enjoys driving.

  • Our staff of writers ranges in age from the mid-20s to the late-40s.
  • Some of us have kids.
  • We all enjoy long road trips and the occasional blast up a twisting canyon road.
  • Some of us lead active lifestyles, while the rest of us chomp Thai chicken pizza and eagerly await The Simpsons reruns each night.

We need vehicles that fit this kind of lifestyle.

Our Selections Were Guided as Much by Our Hearts as Our Heads

We eat, breathe and dream automobiles, and in many instances, this love for the car overruled common sense during our selection process. But that's the great thing about the Edmunds.com Editors' Most Wanted list: it's guided by passion, not science (much like the majority of car purchases).

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Your Feedback

Give us your feedback about our Editors' Most Wanted picks.
E-mail: editor@edmunds.com

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