https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...-today-feature

Allow us to present our 2018 10Best Cars, a diverse group of satisfying and special machines that delivers a greater combination of value, driving enjoyment, and fulfillment of their intended mission than any other new cars on sale right now. This isn’t some point-and-click exercise, carried out at our desks or over instant-messaging software. Rather, this list springs from two weeks of extensive, down-and-dirty evaluation of actual cars. The rules for vehicle eligibility are thus: Entrants must cost no more than $80,000 (anything pricier should be amazing), and they must be a returning winner, all-new, or significantly revised. Once the dozens of contenders arrive at our secret testing location, our cadre of experts drive thousands of cumulative miles, clamber into back seats, examine engine compartments, poke and prod infotainment systems, and much more. Then we argue. Then we argue some more. Then we vote. Finally, 10 cars emerge victorious. While none of our winners are infallible, they are closer to perfection than anything else on the market today.

Alfa Romeo Giulia / Giulia Quadrifoglio

Audi RS3

Chevrolet Camaro V-6 / SS / 1LE Coupes

Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

Honda Accord

Honda Civic Sport / Si / Type R

Mazda MX-5 Miata

Mercedes-Benz E400 / Mercedes-AMG E43

Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman

Volkswagen Golf / Alltrack / e-Golf / GTI / R / Sportwagen

 

No BMW! Sad that they've fallen so much...

The RS3 is my favorite on the list. Such a monster car and value!

 

My thought also.

But should we be surprised to see the Accord on that list?

 

Read again

 

no suvs i guess because they don't consider them 'cars'.

 

OK, Andrew...you got me on that one LOL ...I'll delete the post.

Still, the 124 Spider could be added...it's the same car except for the front end styling and Italian engine.

 

All of them are exclusively or have iterations that are fast, speedy or a downright rocket, sans the Accord, although that isn't too shabby (it's faster than the Camry...).

 

Should be called the 8 best cars because there are always going to be two Honda's no matter how terrible they are.

 

You certainly can't call the Miata a rocket. While it will at least get out of its own way if you give it enough revs on the peaky torque-curve, it still is a basic small N/A four. The Miata's forte is twisty roads, not a drag strip.

 

No you’re right, that’s slow too.

So, all sans Accord and Miata.

 

They have a separate 10 best truck and suv list.

 

That brings up an interesting point, though. The "Truck/SUV" 10-Best list goes back many years, to the time when trucks and SUVs were distinctly different from regular passenger cars, platform and engineering-wise. Today, almost everything is unibody, exact for traditional pickups and a few of the largest and/or hard-core off-road SUVs. And literally dozens and dozens of vehicles have proliferated that close up the gap between cars, crossovers, CUVs, and more traditional SUVs. It may (?) be time to either revise the boundaries of the two 10-Best list, or to add a third "Crossover" one in the middle.

 

It's interesting that there is no BMW on the top ten cars list, but they have one on the top 10 SUV list (X1 Subcompact Luxury SUV). A sign of the times I guess.

 

Interesting that they picked the Camaro over the Mustang. Personally I think the Mustang is way better styled, has much better visibility(my main gripe with the 5th and 6th gen Camaros), has a nicer interior, and the base GT V8 models are like 5-7k cheaper than the Camaro SS. Granted dynamically the Camaro SS may drive a bit nicer and is maybe a few tenths faster, but its pretty damn close, unlike in the 90's where the Camaro was WAY quicker and handled better than the Mustang.

Sometimes I think Car and Driver places too much emphasis on handling dynamics without looking at the bigger picture of other things like styling, packaging, value, etc. Their 3 row crossover test was a good example, they picked the Mazda CX-9 despite it being noticeably tighter inside than every other car in the test. People buying a 3 row family hauler care a lot more about space than the superior driving dynamics of the Mazda. Hell they didn't even think to put a Toyota Highlander in the test for some stupid reason, despite it being one of the best selling vehicles in that segment.

 

The new Accord angers me most on this list. While I understand styling is subjective, the Accord's hammerhead unibrow, complete lack of grille, and dumpy-butt hatchback styling is so bad, it had to have counted for something.
The RS3 is pure sexiness, cleanliness, and an engineering marvel. I just wish for Audi to give the next A3/S/RS3 a less minimalistic interior and more interior luxury. It's VW counterpart is more plush inside.
No BMW. Chalk that up to an overbaked 3-series, very much due for a replacement. Usually older 3-series still make the cut late in their life, but not this time. The competition is too hot in that segment and it feels like BMW has let this model run one too many years. I don't even think I've seen any test mules running around yet (?).