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| Editors' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2006 |
Most Significant Vehicle of the Year
 What's This?
 Most Significant Vehicle of the Year: Pontiac Solstice
GTO. Firebird. Fiero. The history of Pontiac is peppered with nameplates that helped establish the brand as a legitimate performance division within GM. Whether they were ramming air, making a chicken scream, or putting the engine behind the driver, the folks at Pontiac always had something interesting to draw enthusiasts into the showroom.
That all ended in 2002 when the Firebird flamed out. Not only was the division's pony car dead, but there wasn't a rear-wheel-drive model to be found in the entire lineup. So much for "building excitement." The "new" GTO (from Australia?) tried to revive the brand's image in 2004, but it's the all-new 2006 Solstice that has returned a sense of thrill to Pontiac showrooms — and created customer orders that far exceed initial supply.
Beyond its arresting appearance and rear-drive chassis (GM calls it the "Kappa" platform), the Solstice features a four-wheel independent suspension, standard 18-inch wheels and a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The price is right at just under $20,000, but if you want power windows, cruise control, or even air conditioning, you'll have to pay extra.
Of course, you can't say "Solstice" without someone saying, or at least thinking "Miata." That car is all-new for 2006 as well. But with a 16-year history of making a sporty two-seater, Mazda's redesigned Miata isn't as significant. But GM going from concept to reality in 27 months on a two-seat roadster? A roadster that looks as good as the concept while offering an entertaining ride and attractive interior for less than $20,000? Beyond redefining the low-priced roadster market, the Solstice also revives the company's image. For 2006, there really is some excitement at your local Pontiac dealer. Now that's significant.
Honorable Mention: BMW 3 Series
The sport sedan that sets the bar has raised it once again. Just when the competitors from Audi, Infiniti and Mercedes look to be catching up…WHAM! A new 3 Series arrives and puts them squarely in its rearview mirror. We knew a redesigned 3 was coming, and we figured it would be a great driver. What's so significant about that? All we can say is — drive the new 2006 model and find out yourself. It's tough to convey exactly how the 3 Series continues to redefine excellence in the entry-level sport sedan segment. But we know, without a doubt, that it does.
Honorable Mention: Honda Ridgeline
After years of watching the lucrative truck market from the sidelines, Honda has jumped into the fray with its own take on what an open-bed vehicle should be. The Ridgeline is tough to classify, as it looks like the Chevrolet Avalanche while being roughly the size of the Toyota Tacoma. It doesn't offer the Avalanche's "Midgate" between the cabin and bed, and it doesn't have the rugged, utilitarian feel of the Tacoma. But it is the first truck with a trunk beneath the bed, and its carlike ride and handling make it very easy to maneuver in city driving. Think of it as the "minivan" of trucks, with a cabin that could have the best interior storage array of any vehicle on the market. Whatever you call it, it's an entirely new class of vehicle from Honda.
Honorable Mention: Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
When is a sedan a coupe? When it has a sleek body that almost makes you forget about the second set of doors. But the new CLS from Mercedes-Benz doesn't just look sporty. It uses the E-Class platform with recalibrated suspension settings to improve handling on twisty roads, and its interior design and materials are a clear cut above the E500. Engine choices range from the venerable 5.0-liter V8 that makes 302 horsepower, up to the 5.5-liter, 469-hp V8 in the CLS55. Regardless of which version you choose, you can bet it won't blend in at the local country club parking lot.
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