Top 10 American All-Stars

With all the talk of financial bailouts and corporate jets, politicians, news anchors and stock market analysts have suddenly become automotive experts. They all seem to be saying the same thing: American cars are no good. OK, sure — we'll admit that 20 years ago, American cars like the Pontiac Sunbird and Ford Bronco II weren't even in the same ZIP code as cutting-edge, and quality was often an afterthought. But that's no longer true — today, there are plenty of American cars that deserve respect. These cars are well-built and offer thoughtful features, decent fuel economy and excellent highway manners. Most importantly, though, they offer lots of value. In short, these are American cars we'd gladly buy with our own money.

This collection of domestic sheet metal is so diverse, we're not even going to try to rank our picks. In alphabetical order, here are 10 American cars that shouldn't be ignored:

1. 

   Buick Enclave

General Motors has a quartet of crossover SUVs that share the same platform: the Chevy Traverse, the GMC Acadia, the Saturn Outlook and the Buick Enclave. All four are excellent choices, but if you like luxury, head straight for the Enclave. This Buick is the most opulent of the bunch; it offers lots of high-end amenities and stylish design, along with excellent highway manners. For about the mid-$30Ks, you can get a very nicely equipped Enclave — a similar Audi or BMW SUV costs thousands more.

If you can find a better performance coupe for the Vette's sub-$50,000 price, buy it. The latest version of Chevy's top dog has a fearsome 6.2-liter V8. Despite this, EPA fuel-economy estimates stand at an impressive 19 mpg (combined) for Corvettes equipped with the standard six-speed manual transmission. The Vette offers all the performance you'd expect from an exotic, at a price tag that puts it within reach.

In the 1990s, Cadillac tried to sell the Catera — remember "the Caddy that zigs"? The CTS is what that car should have been. It took Cadillac years to come up with a car that's appealing to younger buyers, and this is it. Stylish inside and out, the CTS effortlessly delivers luxury-oriented performance.

In a recent consumer comparison test, three out of six Edmunds readers chose the new Malibu as their favorite car over the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Two others put the Malibu a close second to the Accord. Surprised? We weren't — the Malibu's comparatively stylish interior and generous standard features list means it's a very competent and competitive midsize sedan. The Malibu is available with a four-cylinder, V6 or hybrid powertrain.

All new for the 2009 model year, the Ram combines real-truck usefulness with a serene ride — an impressive feat. Thanks to a pothole-taming heavy-duty coil-spring rear suspension and tons of storage options (including lockable and watertight storage in the rear fenders), the Ram is a pickup that can truly double as a family car.

Ford's recently redesigned F-150, which won the 2009 North American Truck of the Year title, is packed with thoughtful features like a side step that makes accessing the bed incredibly easy. It also has a comfortable interior combined with tons of optional gadgets like Sync and a navigation system. Underneath it all, the F-150 is still an honest-to-goodness truck, capable of towing trailers and hauling bricks without breaking a sweat.

One look at the Flex and it's clear that Ford has added both style and substance to the terminally dull family hauler segment. The anti-minivan, the Flex is a wagon crossover-ish kind of thing. Its boxy shape stands out in a crowd, and its interior is as spacious as anything in the minivan segment. The Flex successfully blends the coolness of a surf wagon with unbeatable practicality.

Compared to import sedans like the Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry, the Fusion comes across as a more youthful and stylish choice. It's fun to drive and offers enough interior room to accommodate a small family. Those looking for a fuel-sipper will want to check out the hybrid version, rated at more than 40 miles per gallon.

For 2010 the Mustang gets a major reworking — it isn't an all-new car but its interior is light-years ahead of the previous cabin. Muscle-car fans will want the GT, but the budget-friendly V6 version is a good-looking and inexpensive pony car.

Aggressive-but-subdued exterior styling and a straightforward-but-not-cheap-looking interior make the low-key G8 stand out. Opt for the GT and its 6.0-liter 361-horsepower V8 and you're getting one of the best performance-sedan bargains in recent memory.