Cars and car-based crossover vehicles are hotter than they have been for years, as sales of less-fuel-thrifty light trucks such as SUVs have fallen.
Autos were king before truck sales boomed for nearly the last decade. Automakers refined their trucks, which were more profitable than cars, and loaded them with carlike features to lure auto buyers.
Trucks also offered greater utility than cars, and few seemed to care that they consumed more fuel and were more awkward to enter or park. However, they often were the second vehicle in families, with a more fuel-efficient car used for most in-town driving.
The move to trucks upset the natural order of things in the vehicle market. But $3-a-gallon gasoline prices last summer and steady arrivals of attractive new autos have tipped more folks back to cars. Or to crossover vehicles, which the industry calls trucks but essentially are just large station wagons.
Trucks still grabbed about half the market last year, but cars and crossovers are gaining.
Here are my annual ratings of most new cars on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being tops, and average list prices. Ratings are based on such things as steering, handling, braking, ride, roominess, comfort, reliability, safety, equipment levels, economy of operation and resale value.
Acura RL ($46,000-$53,000): Sporty sedan with standard all-wheel drive. 7.
Acura TL ($33,600-$38,000: Return of a performance model adds luster to top-selling Acura. 7.
Acura TSX ($28,000-$30,000): Similar to TL but smaller and more fun to drive. 7.
Audi A3 ($25,000-$34,000): Polished, versatile compact sedan with lively performance. 7.
Audi A4 ($28,000-$66,000): Vast array of trim levels. Sophisticated, with high quality. 8.
Audi A6 ($42,000-$72,000): New high-performance sedan spices up A6 line. 8.
Audi A8 ($69,000-$119,000): Top luxury car that's often overlooked. 10.
BMW 3-Series ($35,000-$40,600): New coupe version joins sedan. Generally the benchmark premium compact sporty car. 8.
BMW 5-Series ($43,500-$82,500: Most models are under $53,000. Outstanding in most respects. 8.
BMW 6-Series ($74,000-$104,500): Generally very impressive, once you get past the awkward rear styling. Avoid the confounding iDrive control. 7.
BMW 7-Series ($75,000-$121,500): Flagship sedan that drives like a dream. Also avoid the iDrive. 10.
BMW Z4 ($36,400-$52,000): Zoomy sports car. New coupe version is especially attractive. 7.
Buick LaCrosse ($22,300-$27,000): Traditional Buick mid-size room and comfort. 6.
Buick Lucerne ($25,600-$34,600): Good blend of American and European/Japanese sedan assets. Opt for the CSX for motoring fun. 7.
Cadillac CTS ($30,000-$51,300): Solid and fun-to-drive European-style premium mid-size sedan. New model just around the corner. 7.
Cadillac DTS ($41,400-$48,800): Surprisingly good full-size sedan. 8.
Cadillac STS ($42,300-$75,000): Euro-style sedan is sporty, luxurious and very fast with V-8s. 7.
Cadillac XLR ($78,000-$97,500): Posh, fast two-seat cruiser. 10.
Chevrolet Aveo ($9,400-$13,500): Revised styling for attractive economy model. 5.
Chevrolet Cobalt ($13,000-$21,000): Nicely priced and well-equipped. 6.
Chevrolet Corvette ($44,000- $69,000): Can't be beaten for the money. 10.
Chevrolet HHR ($16,000-$17,000): Versatile, with unique retro design. 6.
Chevrolet Impala/Monte Carlo ($21,000-$27,600): Impala sedan and similar Monte Carlo coupe offer room, affordability and good road manners. 7.
Chevrolet Malibu ($17,000-$24,000): Practical and roomy, but get the V-6 instead of the four-cylinder for highway driving. 6.
Chrysler 300 ($24,000-$40,400): Not as hot as it once was, but a solid buy -- especially with Hemi V-8. 8.
Chrysler PT Cruiser ($14,600-$29,000): Aging, but versatile, with unique retro styling. 7.
Chrysler Sebring ($18,300-$23,300): New attractive, roomy, solid sedan with flair. 8.
Dodge Caliber ($13,500-$19,700): Versatile new crossover built for world market. 7.
Dodge Charger ($21,800-$35,900): Modern muscle car with Hemi V-8. 8.
Dodge Magnum ($23,000-$37,600): Stylish, roomy station wagon. 8.
Dodge Viper ($82,000-$83,000): Ferocious, iconic sports car. Not really suited for daily use unless you're a NASCAR racer. 9.
Ford Crown Victoria ($24,500-$27,500): Surprisingly nice aged rear-drive sedan with loyal following. 5.
Ford Five Hundred ($23,000-$28,500): Roomy, made-in-Chicago family sedan with lots of virtues. 8.
Ford Focus ($13,500-$17,600): Fun-to-drive European-style compact. New version coming soon. 6.
Ford Fusion ($17,300-$24,800): Impressive new mid-size sedan that's been a hit since its debut last year. 8.
Ford Mustang ($19,300-$45,700): Most Mustangs cost less than $31,000 and have deft retro styling and strong V-8. (The V-6 also is pretty good.) Tight rear seat, but that's a Mustang tradition. 8.
Honda Accord ($18,600-$33,000): Large number of trim levels. Solid No. 2 seller for years and sportier than rival Camry. 8.
Honda Civic ($14,800-$24,400): New sedan version. Smaller than Accord, but just as good. 8.
Honda Fit ($13,800-$16,000): One of new breed of refined super-economy small Japanese cars. Especially fun to drive. 7.
Hyundai Accent ($10,400-$15,000): Economical base transportation with many safety features. 5.
Hyundai Azera ($24,500-$27,000): Hyundai's flagship, with moderate styling pizzazz and lots of equipment. 7.
Hyundai Elantra ($13,400-$17,700): Hyundai's top-selling car is redesigned for 2007. Well-equipped. 7.
Hyundai Sonata ($17,400-$23,400): Comfortable and roomy, with a mainstream design. 5.
Hyundai Tiburon ($16,000-$21,000): New styling for this sporty hatchback coupe. Nicely priced and has Hyundai's long warranty. 7.
Infiniti G35 ($31,500-$34,000): Revamped, with slicker styling and more power. Fast and capable. 8.
Infiniti M ($41,500-$50,500): Impressive Japanese rival to German mid-size cars. 9.
Jaguar S-Type ($48,000-$63,300): Posh and fast sedan, with nice retro styling. 8.
Jaguar X-Type ($34,300-$39,300): Entry Jag sedan has standard all-wheel drive and Jaguar's typically plush interior. Comes as sedan and wagon. 7.
Jaguar XJ ($64,000-$91,000): Fast and luxurious sedan, with advanced aluminum construction and typical sleek Jaguar styling. 10.
Jaguar XK ($75,000-$92,000): Redesigned coupe and convertible sports car has gorgeous styling and oh-my-gosh performance. 10.
Kia Amanti ($28,000): Kia's biggest car gets freshened styling and more power for 2007. Lots of standard equipment. 7.
Kia Optima ($16,300-$20,400): Not as refined as top Japanese rivals, but lots of features for the money. 6.
Kia Rio ($10,800-$14,600): Solid economy car, with long warranty and good safety features. 5.
Kia Rondo ($16,400-$20,200): Versatile compact wagon with a good amount of equipment. 6.
Kia Spectra ($13,000-$17,000): Comfortable and roomy economy model. 5.
Lexus ES 350 ($33,000): Arguably the best Lexus for the money. 8.
Lexus GS ($44,000-$55,000): Matches top German mid-size sedans in most respects. 8.
Lexus IS ($30,000-$35,800): Sporty upscale compact sedan offers typical Lexus luxury and rear- or all-wheel drive. Alternative to the BMW 3-Series. 7.
Lexus LS ($61,000-$71,000: Some consider this Lexus flagship sedan to be virtually perfect, although it's more oriented toward comfort than top German rivals. 10.
Lexus SC 430 ($65,500): Posh two-seat cruiser with unique styling and retractable hard top. 9.
Lincoln MKZ ($29,000-$31,000): Improved styling and more power than its predecessor, which arrived just last year and was called the Zephyr. Available all-wheel drive. 8.
Lincoln Town Car ($42,000-$50,600): Only U.S. large luxury car with rear-drive. Has devoted owner body despite dated design. 5.
Mazda 4 ($13,700-$24,000): Lively compact sedan. 6.
Mazda 6 ($18,900-$29,900): Ford Motor bases a bunch of Ford and Mercury badged cars on this spirited auto, which comes in a very high number of trim levels. Pretty darn good. 8.
Mazda MX-5 Miata ($20,400-$27,500): Still the best lowest-priced sports car for the money. 8.
Mazda RX-8 ($26,400-$31,800): Slick, genuine four-seater sports car with small back access doors and Mazda's famous rotary engine, which has few moving parts. 7.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class ($29,700-$40,000): Smallest Mercedes sedan is solid and every inch a Mercedes. 7.
Mercedes-Benz CL-Class ($99,900-$144,000): Mercedes' redesigned flagship coupe has improved styling, more power and additional safety items. Hard to fault. 9.
Mercedes-Benz CLK Class ($46,200-$89,200): Sleek, fast, four-passenger coupe and convertible with potent new V-8 engines. 8.
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class ($66,900-$92,200): About as sleek a sedan as you can get, with lots of power and typical Mercedes luxury. 8.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class ($50,500-$85,400): Most popular Mercedes models, it gets revised styling, new engines and more safety equipment. 8.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class ($85,400-$181,500): Highest-priced model has a 604-horsepower turbocharged V-12 engine, but lower-horsepower entry model is just fine. Redesigned for 2007, with sportier styling, more power and a larger number of safety and convenience features. 10.
Mercedes-Benz SL Class ($94,800-$186,000): Two-seater has a power retractable metal hard top and loads of charisma. Doesn't look like it ever will go out of style. High resale values. 10.
Mercedes-Benz SLK Class ($43,400-$62,500): Smaller of Mercedes two-seat convertibles and also has a retractable hard top. Good second choice if you can't afford an SL-Class. 8.
Mercury Grand Marquis ($24,800-$29,500): Upscale sister to Ford Crown Victoria. 5.
Mercury Milan ($18,7600-$25,150): Slightly higher-line version of Ford Fusion. 8.
Mercury Montego ($23,800-$29,200): Chicago-built upscale Mercury version of Ford Five Hundred. 8.
Mini Cooper ($18,000-$25,500): Coupe gets more power and is slightly larger. Still small, but loads of fun in a small coupe or convertible retro package from BMW. 7.
Mitsubishi Eclipse ($20,000-$29,000): Fairly new, stylish Illinois-built coupe and convertible spruce up this automaker's lineup. Powerful V-6. 7.
Mitsubishi Galant ($19,900-$27,000): Revamped Galant line gets revised styling, curtain air bags and sporty new Ralliart model. Priced lower than rivals. 7.
Nissan 350Z ($27,700-$41,000): Fast, head-turning sports car comes as coupe or convertible. 8.
Nissan Altima ($18,000-$28,400): Redesigned Altima a big improvement over its predecessor. Offers plenty of practicality and driving fun. 8.
Nissan Maxima ($28,000-$30,300): Nissan's flagship sedan gets new styling, inside and out, and a new continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). 8.
Nissan Sentra ($14,750-$18,400): Solid compact sedan with a comfortable ride and upscale features. 6.
Nissan Maxima ($28,000-$30,300): Revised styling, inside and out, along with a new transmission, for this flagship sedan. 8.
Nissan Sentra ($14,750-$18,400): Competent economy car with upscale items. 5.
Nissan Versa ($12,600-$$15,600): One of the best new refined Japanese economy cars. 7.
Pontiac G5 ($14,700-$18,000): Nicely priced and well-equipped coupe. 6.
Pontiac G6 ($17,200-$28,700): Step up from the G5, the mid-size G6 undercuts Japanese rivals on price and has standard V-6. Sedan version is the most practical. 6.
Pontiac Grand Prix ($22,00-$29,000): Sporty and comfortable, with lively performance and lots of features for attractive prices. 7.
Pontiac Solstice ($21,500-$26,500): Sexy and fast two-seater, especially with turbocharger. 7.
Pontiac Vibe ($16,700): Economical and practical, but no more all-wheel-drive feature. 5.
Porsche 911 ($72,400-$123,000): Defines the words "sports car." Variety of models. 10.
Porsche Boxster and Cayman ($45,600-$59,000): Boxster is a convertible, the Cayman a sharper-looking essentially hard-top version of Boxster. Among top sports cars. 9.
Saab 9-3 ($26,000-$42,400):olid, safe and fun to drive. For those who want something a little different. 8.
Saab 9-5 ($34,400-$36,400): Old design but above-average in most respects. 8.
Saturn Aura ($20,000-$24,000): Compares favorably with top Japanese sedans and has standard V-6. 8.
Saturn Ion ($12,300-$20,000): Satisfactory in most respects, with hot Red Line version and no-rust, dent-resistant body panels. 6.
Saturn Sky ($25,000-$28,500): Similar to Solstice, but has more comfort and glitz. 8.
Scion tC ($15,000-$17,200): Sporty and roomy, with lots of standard equipment. 7.
Scion xA ($13,000-$13,600): Fuel-stingy compact with a good number of standard items. 7.
Scion xB ($14,000-$14,800): Boxy but very practical, with high fuel economy. 7.
Subaru Impreza ($18,000-$33,500): Solid, with standard all-wheel drive. Higher-line WRX versions among hottest small cars. 7.
Subaru Outback and Legacy ($20,500-$33,500): Rugged crossover sedan and station wagon body styles with standard all-wheel drive. 8.
Suzuki Aerio ($14,300-$16,200): Efficient economy car with available all-wheel drive. 6.
Suzuki Forenza and Reno ($14,000-$15,600): Attractive prices and lots of standard features. 6.
Suzuki SX4 ($15,000-$17,400): Impressive new small, versatile crossover vehicle. 7.
Toyota Avalon ($27,000-$34,000): One of Japan's best full-size cars. 8.
Toyota Camry ($18,300-$27,800): America's top-selling car provides comfort and practicality. Strong acceleration with available V-6. 9.
Toyota Corolla ($14,000-$16,200): Old design but is refined, with high fuel economy. 6.
Toyota Matrix ($15.300-$17.600): Versatility and high fuel economy, but all-wheel-drive system gone. 5.
Toyota Prius ($22,200-$23,100): Most popular gasoline/electric hybrid car. Cleverly engineered. 8.
Toyota Solara ($20,000-$30,500): Similar to Camry but has sportier two-door coupe and convertible styling. 8.
Toyota Yaris ($11,000-$14,200): Another new, refined Japanese small economy car. 8.
Volkswagen Eos ($28,000-$37,000): New retractable hard-top convertible with room for four. 7.
Volkswagen Jetta ($16,500-$25,000): Solid alternative sedan for those who don't want an American or Asian car. 7.
Volkswagen New Beetle ($&17,200-$23,200): Still cute as a bug. Convertible version is visually reminiscent of the classic $100,000-plus 1950s classic Porsche Speedster. 7.
Volkswagen Passat ($23,000-$33,000): Top VW sedan one of the best practical "driver's cars." 8.
Volkswagen Rabbit and GTI ($15,000-$23,700): Practical, nicely built and sporty. The GTI is higher-performance version. 8.
Volvo C70 ($39,000): Stylish, solid retractable hard-top convertible.
Volvo S40 and V50 ($24,300-$30,200): Smaller sedan and wagon versions of larger Volvos, with many safety features. 8.
Volvo S60 ($31,000-$39,000): Stylish and fast with available turbocharged engines. Available all-wheel drive. 8.
Volvo S80 ($38,700-$47,400): Stylish, redesigned model is comfortable and well-built. 7.
Volvo V70 and XC70 ($30,000-$41,000): Slight styling changes and standard anti-skid control for this station wagon. Ferocious V70 R version has 300 horsepower, but the mid-range 208-horsepower engine makes more sense for this family hauler -- offered with rear-facing third-row seat. 8.
