Listed below are over 200 different vehicles waiting to tempt you on the dealer’s showroom floor. The sheer volume of possible cars to choose from raises the value of the Internet as a research tool. This list will help sort out which cars realistically fit into your consideration set and are worthy of a trip to a dealership for a test drive. One thing is certain — this list of vehicle opportunities will continue to grow and change.
Many of the vehicles on this list are available in several different models, such as sedan, coupe, convertible — these versions are indicated within parenthesis following the name of the model. (NOTE: “sedan” simply means a four-door car and “coupe” means a two-door car. “Hatchback” tells you the car has a third door at the rear.) Be aware of a marketing tactic called “sibling vehicles.” The term applies to similar models that are sold under different nameplates, like the Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire. The siblings are joined together in our vehicle listing.
So many choices. So many different vehicles. It’s mind-boggling. But you can cope. The trick is to create a “to do” list and stick to it. Follow it faithfully and be rewarded with a manageable list of the vehicles best suited to your individual needs.
Get out your pens and pencils as you peruse the list of categories below (with links to their locations within this article).
SMALL CARS
SPORTY CARS UNDER $25,000
SPORTY CARS OVER $25,000
TWO-SEATER ROADSTERS
MID-SIZED CARS UNDER $22,000
MID-SIZED CARS OVER $22,000
LARGE CARS
LUXURY CARS
SMALL-SIZED STATION WAGONS
MID/FULL-SIZED STATION WAGONS
SMALL SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
COMPACT SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
FULL-SIZED SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
MINIVANS
COMPACT PICKUPS
STANDARD-SIZED PICKUPS
FOUR-DOOR PICKUPS
ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES
“Small car” is a subjective description — one that is used widely, but not always used consistently. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Fuel Economy Estimates puts “small cars” into three categories based on total cubic feet of passenger and luggage space available in the vehicle: “mini-compact,” “sub-compact,” and “compact.” Consumer publications and automakers themselves will occasionally equate the term “small car” to “economy” or “entry-level” car. The list shown here is loosely based on the EPA’s size categories, but mostly it’s a list of cars we think you, too, would call a “small car.” Interestingly, the cars in this category have more models to choose from, i.e. four-door sedan, two-door coupe, three-door hatchback, than any of the vehicles in the other categories depicted in our list of “Vehicles and Their Categories.” (Several even have convertible models!)
- Chevrolet Cavalier/Pontiac Sunfire (coupe, sedan, convertible)
- Chevrolet Metro (coupe, sedan)
- Chevrolet Prism/Toyota Corolla (sedan)
- Daewoo Lanos (sedan, hatchback)
- Daewoo Nubira (sedan, wagon)
- Dodge/Plymouth Neon (sedan)
- Ford Escort (sedan, coupe)
- Ford Focus (sedan, wagon, hatchback)
- Honda Civic (coupe, sedan, hatchback)
- Hyundai Accent (sedan, hatchback)
- Hyundai Elantra (sedan, wagon)
- Kia Sephia (sedan)
- Mazda Protege (sedan)
- Mitsubishi Mirage (coupe, sedan)
- Nissan Sentra (sedan)
- Plymouth Breeze (sedan)
- Pontiac Sunfire/Chevrolet Cavalier (coupe, sedan, convertible)
- Saturn Series (coupe, sedan, wagon)
- Subaru Impreza (coupe, sedan, wagon, sport wagon)
- Toyota Echo (coupe, sedan)
- Toyota Corolla/Chevrolet Prism (sedan)
- Volkswagen Golf GL (2 door/4 door hatchback)
- Volkswagen Jetta (sedan)
- Volkswagen New Beetle (coupe)
Women like sporty cars — and have for some time. For decades, women have bought well over half of all cars sold in the segment known as “small specialty” and just under half of the cars sold under the segment titled “middle specialty.” Today these cars are better known as “sporty” and we like them even more. 60% of all Pontiac Sunfire buyers, for example, are women. The following list of cars meet the need for a fun, sporty car while respecting budget constraints.
- Acura Integra (coupe, sedan)
- Audi A4 (sedan, wagon)
- Chevrolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird (coupe, convertible)
- Chrysler Sebring/Dodge Avenger (Sebring: coupe, convertible)
- Dodge Avenger/Chrysler Sebring (Avenger: coupe only)
- Ford Mustang (coupe, convertible)
- Honda Prelude (coupe)
- Hyundai Tiburon (coupe)
- Mazda MX-5 Miata (convertible)
- Mercury Cougar (coupe)
- Mitsubishi Eclipse (coupe, convertible)
- Pontiac Firebird/Chevrolet Camaro (coupe, convertible)
- Toyota Celica (hatchback)
- Volkswagen Cabrio (convertible only)
SPORTY CARS OVER $25,000
Women are serious sports car enthusiasts, too. Take the new Audi TT, for example. The demographics for this sports car — born of racing heritage — indicates 40% female buyers. Most of the cars on this list probably will not make it to the list you develop to define “your car,” but all things are possible!
- Audi TT (coupe)
- Audi S4 (sedan)
- BMW 3-Series (coupe, sedan, convertible, sports wagon)
- BMW M (coupe)
- Chevrolet Corvette (coupe, convertible)
- Chrysler 300M (sedan)
- Dodge Viper (coupe, convertible)
- Jaguar S-Type (sedan)
- Lexus GS-Series (sedan)
- Lexus SC-Series (coupe)
- Lincoln LS (sedan)
- Mercedes-Benz CLK-class (coupe, convertible)
- Porsche 911 Carerra (coupe, convertible)
- Volvo C70 (coupe, convertible)
Nostalgia is a hot category for cars just now. The Plymouth Prowler street rod can take us back to the 50s in style and the BMW Z3 can give us the feel of the great roadsters of the past. The Mercedes-Benz SLK, Porsche Boxster and others are being heavily promoted as the auto world enjoys this return to the glory days of yesteryear. All of these cars come as a convertible model or with a removable hard top.
- Acura NSX
- BMW Z3
- Honda S2000
- Jaguar XK Series
- Mercedes-Benz SLK
- Plymouth Prowler
- Porsche Boxster
- Toyota MR2 Spyder
MID-SIZED CARS UNDER $22,000
The following group of cars cost right at, or under, today’s average new car sticker price of $22,000 (though opinions vary about the current average cost of new cars). We have also indicated the model availability for each car. (Sedan = four doors; coupe = two doors.)
(A word about the term “mid-size” — The United States Department of Energy publishes an annual Fuel Economy Guide which reports the Environmental Protection Agency’s Fuel Economy Estimates for each vehicle available for the model year. The organization of this Guide places cars into categories that are defined solely by the amount of interior space in the car. For example their “compact car” contains between 100 and 109 cubic feet of passenger and luggage space and their “mid-size car” has between 110 and 119 cubic feet of passenger and luggage space. If your research includes the EPA Fuel Economy Guide plus various consumer and automotive publications, you will note that not everyone agrees on the category in which a particular vehicle belongs. The Oldsmobile Alero, for example, is listed as a “medium car” in “Consumer Report’s Buying Guide,” while the Fuel Economy Guide calls it a “compact car.” We only mention this minor discrepancy should the cars we are categorizing as “mid-size” appear in another category on someone else’s list.
- Buick Century (sedan)
- Chevrolet Malibu (sedan)
- Chevrolet Lumina (sedan)/Monte Carlo (coupe)
- Chevrolet Monte Carlo (coupe)/Lumina (sedan)
- Chrysler Cirrus/Dodge Stratus (sedan)
- Daewoo Leganza (sedan)
- Dodge Stratus/Chrysler Cirrus (sedan)
- Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique (sedan)
- Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable (sedan, wagon)
- Honda Accord (sedan, coupe)
- Hyundai Sonata (sedan)
- Mazda 626 (sedan)
- Mercury Mystique/Ford Contour (sedan)
- Mercury Sable/Ford Taurus (sedan, wagon)
- Mitsubishi Galant (sedan)
- Nissan Altima (sedan)
- Oldsmobile Alero (sedan, coupe)
- Pontiac Grand Am (sedan, coupe)
- Pontiac Grand Prix (sedan, coupe)
- Saturn L-Series (sedan, wagon)
- Toyota Camry (sedan)
The mid-sized cars on the following list cost over the average price of today’s vehicle. Again, we have indicated the model availability for each car. (Sedan = four doors; coupe = two doors)
- Audi A6 (sedan, wagon)
- Buick Regal (sedan)
- Cadillac Catera (sedan)
- Infiniti G20 (sedan)
- Lexus ES300 (sedan)
- Mazda Millenia (sedan)
- Mercedes-Benz C-class (sedan)
- Mitsubishi Diamante (sedan)
- Nissan Maxima (sedan)
- Oldsmobile Aurora (sedan)
- Oldsmobile Intrigue (sedan)
- Saab 9-3 (hatchback, convertible)
- Subaru Legacy (sedan)
- Toyota Camry Solaro (coupe, convertible)
- Volkswagen Passatt (sedan, wagon)
- Volvo S70 (sedan)/V70 (wagon)
- Volvo S40 (sedan)/V40 (wagon)
LARGE CARS (all are sedans)
Before the gas crisis of the 70s, most cars were big, heavy and had rear-wheel drive (meaning the power driving the car came from the rear wheels). When the cost of fuel skyrocketed, automakers began making smaller, lighter cars that wouldn’t use so much gas, but they couldn’t go very well in snow or on other slippery surfaces. So engineers put the power to the front wheels, under the heavy engine, on many of these small cars so that they could maneuver in bad road conditions. Customers liked the front-wheel drive qualities so much that automakers began to make all their cars with the front engine, front drive configuration. Just a few rear-wheel drive cars can be found in today’s new car marketplace, and most of them are large cars. On the list below, only the Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Gran Marquis, Lincoln Town Car and Mercedes-Benz S-class cars have rear-wheel drive. All are available as sedans only unless otherwise indicated.
- Acura RL
- Buick Park Avenue
- Buick LeSabre
- Cadillac DeVille
- Chevrolet Impala
- Chrysler Concorde/Dodge Intrepid
- Chrysler LHS
- Dodge Intrepid/Chrysler Concorde
- Ford Crown Victoria/Mercury Gran Marquis
- Lincoln Town Car
- Mercury Grand Marquis/Ford Crown Victoria
- Pontiac Bonneville
- Saab 9-5 (sedan, wagon)
- Toyota Avalon
A luxury car is a vehicle that makes you feel good — inside and out. The posh leather seats and lavish array of indulgences are soothing to body and mind. Driving a luxury car makes you feel smug, successful. And rightly so. You have to be financially successful to afford one. However, there is a new category that’s a little easier to attain. It’s called “near luxury” and it means simply that the car is priced around $30,000. Women buyers are the primary targets for the “near luxury” segment. A good example of the “near luxury” versus “luxury” car is the Infiniti I30 (priced around $30,000) and the Infiniti Q45 (priced around $49,000). The list below includes both “near luxury” and “luxury” cars.
- Acura TL (sedan)
- Audi A8 (sedan)
- BMW 5-Series (sedan, sport wagon)
- BMW 7-Series (sedan)
- Cadillac Eldorado (coupe)
- Cadillac Seville (sedan)
- Infiniti I30 (sedan)
- Infiniti Q45 (sedan)
- Jaguar XJ Series (sedan)
- Lexus LS400 (sedan)
- Lincoln Continental (sedan)
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class (sedan)
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class (sedan)
- Volvo S80 (sedan)
SMALL-SIZED STATION WAGONS
Not everybody wants a minivan. One of these small wagons may be just the ticket for your lifestyle. They are easy to drive, easy to park and will cart your stuff just fine.
- Audi A4 Avant
- BMW Sport Wagon
- Daewoo Nubira
- Hyundai Elantra
- Ford Focus
- Saturn SW
- Subaru Impreza
- Suzuki Esteem
- Volvo V40
MID-SIZED/FULL-SIZED STATION WAGONS
Station wagons were once associated with suburbia. Today many moms are choosing a minivan or sport utility vehicle instead. There are those buyers, however, who still want the true car qualities of a station wagon. There aren’t many wagons to choose from today, but this list will give you places to start exploring.
- Audi A6 Avant
- Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable
- Mercedes E320
- Mercury Sable/Ford Taurus
- Saab 9-5
- Saturn LW
- Volkswagen Passat
- Volvo V70
SMALL SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
One of the most popular vehicles around right now is the small sport utility. Women love them. (Fifty-five percent of the Chevrolet 4-door Tracker buyers are female.) These little runabouts are fun, they’re priced affordably and they’re rugged. Just don’t expect them to perform as well as their bigger siblings.
- Chevrolet Tracker
- Honda CR-V
- Isuzu Amigo
- Jeep Wrangler
- Kia Sportage
- Suzuki Vitara
- Toyota RAV4
COMPACT SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
This “compact SUV” category contains the bulk of the sport utility vehicles on the market now. And the list increases daily. One of the interesting aspects to the SUV phenomenon is the growing number of luxury vehicles badged as sport utility. Automotive statisticians tell us that most SUVs never leave the streets or highways. Whatever your reason for choosing a vehicle in this category, you’re sure to find one to fit your life-style.
- Chevrolet Blazer/GMC Jimmy
- Dodge Durango
- Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer
- GMC Jimmy/Chevrolet Blazer
- GMC Envoy
- Honda Passport/Isuzu Rodeo
- Infiniti QX4
- Isuzu Rodeo/Honda Passport
- Isuzu Trooper
- Isuzu VehiCROSS
- Jeep Cherokee
- Land Rover Discovery
- Lexus RX300
- Mercedes-Benz M Class
- Mercury Mountaineer/Ford Explorer
- Mitsubishi Montero
- Nissan Pathfinder
- Oldsmobile Bravada
- Subaru Forester
- Suzuki Grand Vitara
- Toyota 4-Runner
FULL-SIZED SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
Here are the big boys. (Girls like them, too. Forty-seven percent of Lincoln Navigator buyers are women.) These serious haulers and light trucks can meet the needs of many life-styles. But they’re not for all pocketbooks.
- BMW X5
- Cadillac Escalade
- Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- Ford Excursion
- Ford Expedition
- GMC Yukon XL/Chevrolet Suburban
- GMC Yukon Denali
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Land Rover Range Rover
- Lexus LX470/Toyota Land Cruiser
- Lincoln Navigator
- Toyota Land Cruiser/Lexus LX470
MINIVANS
The minivan hit the roads of America in big numbers in the 80s — and they are still popular today with even more models from which to choose. The new driver-side, passenger door is a big attraction and everyone claims they are more car-like than the other. Check them out for yourself. Here’s the list.
- Chevrolet Astro/GMC Safari
- Chevrolet Venture/Oldsmobile Silhouette/Pontiac Montana
- Chrysler PT Cruiser
- Chrysler Town and Country
- Chrysler Voyager/Dodge Caravan
- Dodge Caravan/Chrysler Voyager
- Ford Windstar
- GMC Safari/Chevrolet Astro
- Honda Odyssey
- Mazda MPV
- Mercury Villager/Nissan Quest
- Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager
- Oldsmobile Silhouette/Chevrolet Venture/Pontiac Montana
- Pontiac Montana/Oldsmobile Silhouette/Chevrolet Venture
- Toyota Sienna
- Volkswagen EuroVan
Pickup trucks have a certain attraction for women. Maybe it’s because we sit high and feel in command while driving them. Maybe it’s the bright colors and flashy style of the new pickups, or just possibly it’s because we work and need to haul all kinds of stuff around. If you’re attracted to this fun and rambunctious style, check these out.
- Chevrolet S-10
- Dodge Dakota
- Ford Ranger
- GMC Sonoma
- Isuzu Hombre
- Mazda B-Series
- Nissan Frontier
- Toyota Tacoma
STANDARD-SIZED PICKUPS
These are the “real” pickups. They produce real sales numbers, too. The Ford F-Series pickup has led the list of best selling vehicles for a number of years with the Chevrolet C/K not far behind. Both far outsell any passenger car every year. Women are affecting these numbers now, too. A Ford marketing spokesperson told us recently that women buyers of the Ford F-Series have grown from five to fifteen percent in the past couple years.
- Chevrolet C/K
- Chevrolet Silverado
- Dodge Ram
- Ford F-Series
- GMC Sierra
- Toyota Tundra
FOUR-DOOR PICKUPS
Pickups are one of today’s hottest vehicle categories. Loads of fascinating, innovative pickup concept vehicles have been appearing at major auto shows. Showing up right now in dealer showrooms are several “new” pickups featuring four regular-sized, front-hinged doors. Some experts are saying this type of four-door pickup soon will be as hot as the SUV with women and families, picking up on the advantages of this vehicle type. Listed here are those presently available, but more are on the way!
- Dodge Dakota
- Ford F-Series
- Nissan Frontier
The environmentally-conscioius in both the public and private sector are moving down the road in several types of non-polluting alternative-fuel vehicles. Consider exploring a couple of these unique vehicles as options.
Compressed Natural Gas
- Chevrolet Cavalier
- Ford Contour
- Ford Crown Victoria
- Ford F-150 Pickup
- Honda Civic GX
- Toyota Camry
Electric
- Ford Ranger Pickup
- Nissan Altra EV
Dual-Fuel (aka Hybrids)
- Honda Insight
- Toyota Prius
