2008 Edmunds' Inside Line Editors' Most Wanted Awards
The Cars and Trucks We Like Best
By Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief | Published Jan 4, 2008
0 Ratings
In the past 12 months, Edmunds' Inside Line has tested 268 cars and trucks. That's an average of 5.15 vehicles a week getting pushed and shoved at our test track and evaluated by our staff.
Test that many machines and you're sure to find a few duds, cars we were glad to send home to their makers. A few even left us by truck, proving too fragile to make it home under their own power. But there have been some stars in there, too. Cars and trucks that proved to be better than the rest. The ones we didn't want to give back.
It's those cars and trucks that have inspired us to invent the Edmunds' Inside Line Editors' Most Wanted Awards. Just as the name says, these are the vehicles the editors of Edmunds' Inside Line want the most. They're simply our personal favorites, the cars and trucks we like best, like it or not.
The Selection Process
Our selection process is extremely simple. There's only one real rule: Inside Line must have tested the car or truck by December 1. And there's only one hard-and-fast category: Instant Classic. The other five winners are chosen free-form. In fact, every single car and truck on the market is eligible for all six slots. There's no price cap. No nonsense about being a new model or a redesigned nameplate. Essentially, we can honor any car or truck we so desire.
But we didn't want to award six supercars either, so we did draw ourselves a few guidelines. In an attempt to keep it real, we decided to choose a vehicle for each of the following needs: speed, luxury, hauling, commuting and family. However, the editors were not obligated to award a vehicle associated with each. If the Inside Line editors want to give awards only to supercars, they still have that option.
With those decisions made and mapped out, we locked all 13 Inside Line editors in a room and we voted. A vehicle needed eight votes to win. It was all over and done with in about two hours and $120 worth of Chinese food. And it was fun. Very little bloodshed.With any luck it'll become an annual thing. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2008 Edmunds' Inside Line Editors' Most Wanted Award winners are:
2008 Audi S5
With its new S5, Audi has figured out that a coupe should be beautiful, not merely exclusive. Even as the typical German sedan has become a beast with swollen fenders and a massive grille, designed to bludgeon the meek out of the fast lane on the autobahn, the 2008 Audi S5 has a different look. Its curving contours are leaner, more expressive and more energetic.
With Audi's 4.2-liter V8 calibrated this time to deliver 354 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 325 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm, this coupe fits the way real Americans drive. It's meant to travel enormous distances at high speed, undeterred by the character of the road or the nature of the weather. As the sporting version of the Audi coupe, the S5 has had its suspension snubbed down to a fairly tight calibration, a measure to keep the inevitable torque reaction of all-wheel drive from disturbing your sense of command and control through the steering wheel.
The 2008 Audi S5 grabs people by the neck and makes them pay attention. It has the commanding presence of a BMW 6 Series, runs with the Audi RS4 sedan and sits there at the same price as a Mercedes CLK. — Michael Jordan, Inside Line Executive Editor
2008 GMC Sierra Denali
This is GM's top-of-the-line luxury pickup, but the GMC Sierra Denali emphasizes the truck part of the equation as much as the luxury part. It's for well-heeled buyers with an indulgent sense of comfort and convenience, who nevertheless insist that a truck retain its ability to do hard physical labor.
The GMC Sierra Denali's interior is easily the most comfortable and luxurious GM has ever put into a pickup truck — the dashboard itself looks as if it has been lifted from a luxury sedan. It's also the only pickup available with GM's sweet 403-hp 6.2-liter Vortec V8 and delicious six-speed automatic transmission, a combination that gives this truck the ability to haul to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds, handle 1,719 pounds and tow 8,500 pounds.
Think of the Sierra Denali as the perfect truck for the contractor who actually loves his job and happens to have hit the Lotto. And just bought a boat. — John Pearley Huffman, Inside Line Contributor
2008 Honda Odyssey
After a few years on the market in its present form, the Honda Odyssey is still the best of the breed, and the best for breeders. It's quiet, beautifully finished and well equipped. It also handles better than some sedans and is the only minivan that can be considered a driver's car. It's the one Dad can drive without feeling like Mom.
As much as we're fans of the Honda's 24-valve VTEC, SOHC 3.5-liter V6 and five-speed automatic transmission, it's in chassis refinement and driving feel where the Odyssey shines. The Honda's steering is easily the best of any minivan, with a sweet linear feel and amazingly quick reactions. Although it'll never give a Lotus Elise a run for its money, if there's such a thing as a "driver's minivan," the Odyssey is it. No other minivan feels as substantial or refined as the Honda.
The Honda also continues to hold a slight advantage in interior space over its rival, the Dodge Caravan. It easily accommodates seven comfortably, with room enough for their stuff. If you need more room, look at articulated buses.
With an interior that would make a Bentley blush and road manners not found in many sedans, the Odyssey is still our favorite people hauler. — John Pearley Huffman, Inside Line Contributor
2008 Mazda 3
Mazda says every single car it sells has the soul of a sports car. Drive a Mazda 3 and you quickly realize this is no lie. With a 0.87g skid pad performance and a 69-mph slalom speed, this car is proof that Mazda can make anything handle.
Awesome numbers, but with the Mazda 3 it's the experience that matters most. You must feel the Mazda's precise steering, well-damped suspension and elegant roll control to fully understand this highly underrated machine. Then there's the 3's 2.3-liter inline-4 engine, which pumps out a healthy 160 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque, and its interior that would look at home in a luxury car.
The Mazda 3 does everything — and we mean everything — better than its competition. In fact, its acceleration, handling, build quality, feature content, interior design and styling are on par with cars that cost $10,000 more. That makes the 3 a tremendous value.
Bottom line, the 2008 Mazda 3 is Edmunds' Inside Line Editors' Most Wanted Award winner because it offers a driving experience far beyond our expectations and, more importantly, beyond its price tag. — Josh Jacquot, Inside Line Senior Road Test Editor
2008 Porsche 911 GT3
Let's cut right to the chase. The Porsche 911 GT3 is our favorite Porsche. It's as if everything that Porsche has ever known about fast cars has been stuffed into this 911. Lightning reflexes, check. Sensuous sex on wheels, uh-huh. Neck-stretching cornering grip, you betcha. God-awful speed, abso-bloody-lutely.
Just a few yards down the road, the raw high-performance personality of the GT3 is immediately apparent. The car communicates with you on almost a subconscious level, sending messages about the road through the steering, brakes and powertrain. When you reply, there's no hesitation in the car's response. No slack. No heavy control efforts. And the ability of the car to maintain its balance is eerily good.
Push it really hard, and the GT3 responds in kind. Our jaws dropped after the GT3's 75.3-mph run through the slalom, and the Porsche's 1.02g performance on the skid pad is the highest we've ever recorded. And it's no slouch on the drag strip. Its 415-hp 3.6-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine catapults the GT3 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds on the way to the quarter-mile in 12.2 seconds at 116.1 mph. It's not the fastest car we've tested, but it's damn close.
The GT3 does exactly what people expect Porsches to do well: steer, stop and haul ass. All at the same time if need be, and at a very high level. The GT3 produces world-class performance just a couple of short steps removed from that of legendary racing iron, and it does so in a package accessible to mere mortals. This is the essence of the Porsche story, and it makes this car an unforgettable thrill. — Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing
Instant Classic: 2008 Audi R8
Like anything that trades in fantasy, the 2008 Audi R8 invites you to dream about speed and style. It's a showcase of modern automotive technology: 420-hp V8 with direct fuel injection; all-wheel drive; an elaborate space frame made from aluminum; and leading-edge aerodynamics. It sums up everything Audi knows about the automobile, and yet it's different from any Audi we've ever driven.
Or seen. Exterior Designer Frank Lamberty has created subtly chiseled body lines that have an elegant restraint to them, while a unique "sideblade" accentuates the engine's location in the middle of the car. The Audi designers did, however, let themselves loose with the R8's lighting. Each of the standard bi-xenon headlights is surrounded by 12 LED lights that shine day and night, and LEDs also create a three-dimensional effect for the taillights. Even the glass-enclosed engine compartment lights from within.
When you're at the wheel of the Audi R8, its easy, controllable poise imparts the sense that the most modern, refined technology has been harnessed to make this a genuine road-going sports car. As fast and thrilling as it can be, this is also an exceedingly comfortable and friendly automobile for daily commuting and long-distance touring.
This is a dignified sports car, mercifully free of those elements that make other supercars impossibly taxing in real-world use. It doesn't have goofy scissor doors, and you won't rip the crotch of your jeans while clambering across a wide door sill because the R8 doesn't have one. Nor is its cabin cramped — two lanky 6-foot-2 dudes will fit comfortably with room to spare. The Audi R8 even rides astonishingly well, thanks to its two-mode adaptive dampers.
The Audi R8 successfully extends the automaker's model line beyond coupes and sedans into the realm of the pure fantasy machine. The fact that this car makes you dream about a long-term commitment just makes the whole fantasy that much more enticing.
And for those reasons, we've chosen the 2008 Audi R8 as this year's Instant Classic. — Kevin Smith, Editorial Director
The manufacturers provided Edmunds these vehicles for the purposes of evaluation.
Test that many machines and you're sure to find a few duds, cars we were glad to send home to their makers. A few even left us by truck, proving too fragile to make it home under their own power. But there have been some stars in there, too. Cars and trucks that proved to be better than the rest. The ones we didn't want to give back.
It's those cars and trucks that have inspired us to invent the Edmunds' Inside Line Editors' Most Wanted Awards. Just as the name says, these are the vehicles the editors of Edmunds' Inside Line want the most. They're simply our personal favorites, the cars and trucks we like best, like it or not.
The Selection Process
Our selection process is extremely simple. There's only one real rule: Inside Line must have tested the car or truck by December 1. And there's only one hard-and-fast category: Instant Classic. The other five winners are chosen free-form. In fact, every single car and truck on the market is eligible for all six slots. There's no price cap. No nonsense about being a new model or a redesigned nameplate. Essentially, we can honor any car or truck we so desire.
But we didn't want to award six supercars either, so we did draw ourselves a few guidelines. In an attempt to keep it real, we decided to choose a vehicle for each of the following needs: speed, luxury, hauling, commuting and family. However, the editors were not obligated to award a vehicle associated with each. If the Inside Line editors want to give awards only to supercars, they still have that option.
With those decisions made and mapped out, we locked all 13 Inside Line editors in a room and we voted. A vehicle needed eight votes to win. It was all over and done with in about two hours and $120 worth of Chinese food. And it was fun. Very little bloodshed.With any luck it'll become an annual thing. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2008 Edmunds' Inside Line Editors' Most Wanted Award winners are:
2008 Audi S5
With its new S5, Audi has figured out that a coupe should be beautiful, not merely exclusive. Even as the typical German sedan has become a beast with swollen fenders and a massive grille, designed to bludgeon the meek out of the fast lane on the autobahn, the 2008 Audi S5 has a different look. Its curving contours are leaner, more expressive and more energetic.
With Audi's 4.2-liter V8 calibrated this time to deliver 354 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 325 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm, this coupe fits the way real Americans drive. It's meant to travel enormous distances at high speed, undeterred by the character of the road or the nature of the weather. As the sporting version of the Audi coupe, the S5 has had its suspension snubbed down to a fairly tight calibration, a measure to keep the inevitable torque reaction of all-wheel drive from disturbing your sense of command and control through the steering wheel.
The 2008 Audi S5 grabs people by the neck and makes them pay attention. It has the commanding presence of a BMW 6 Series, runs with the Audi RS4 sedan and sits there at the same price as a Mercedes CLK. — Michael Jordan, Inside Line Executive Editor
2008 GMC Sierra Denali
This is GM's top-of-the-line luxury pickup, but the GMC Sierra Denali emphasizes the truck part of the equation as much as the luxury part. It's for well-heeled buyers with an indulgent sense of comfort and convenience, who nevertheless insist that a truck retain its ability to do hard physical labor.
The GMC Sierra Denali's interior is easily the most comfortable and luxurious GM has ever put into a pickup truck — the dashboard itself looks as if it has been lifted from a luxury sedan. It's also the only pickup available with GM's sweet 403-hp 6.2-liter Vortec V8 and delicious six-speed automatic transmission, a combination that gives this truck the ability to haul to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds, handle 1,719 pounds and tow 8,500 pounds.
Think of the Sierra Denali as the perfect truck for the contractor who actually loves his job and happens to have hit the Lotto. And just bought a boat. — John Pearley Huffman, Inside Line Contributor
2008 Honda Odyssey
After a few years on the market in its present form, the Honda Odyssey is still the best of the breed, and the best for breeders. It's quiet, beautifully finished and well equipped. It also handles better than some sedans and is the only minivan that can be considered a driver's car. It's the one Dad can drive without feeling like Mom.
As much as we're fans of the Honda's 24-valve VTEC, SOHC 3.5-liter V6 and five-speed automatic transmission, it's in chassis refinement and driving feel where the Odyssey shines. The Honda's steering is easily the best of any minivan, with a sweet linear feel and amazingly quick reactions. Although it'll never give a Lotus Elise a run for its money, if there's such a thing as a "driver's minivan," the Odyssey is it. No other minivan feels as substantial or refined as the Honda.
The Honda also continues to hold a slight advantage in interior space over its rival, the Dodge Caravan. It easily accommodates seven comfortably, with room enough for their stuff. If you need more room, look at articulated buses.
With an interior that would make a Bentley blush and road manners not found in many sedans, the Odyssey is still our favorite people hauler. — John Pearley Huffman, Inside Line Contributor
2008 Mazda 3
Mazda says every single car it sells has the soul of a sports car. Drive a Mazda 3 and you quickly realize this is no lie. With a 0.87g skid pad performance and a 69-mph slalom speed, this car is proof that Mazda can make anything handle.
Awesome numbers, but with the Mazda 3 it's the experience that matters most. You must feel the Mazda's precise steering, well-damped suspension and elegant roll control to fully understand this highly underrated machine. Then there's the 3's 2.3-liter inline-4 engine, which pumps out a healthy 160 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque, and its interior that would look at home in a luxury car.
The Mazda 3 does everything — and we mean everything — better than its competition. In fact, its acceleration, handling, build quality, feature content, interior design and styling are on par with cars that cost $10,000 more. That makes the 3 a tremendous value.
Bottom line, the 2008 Mazda 3 is Edmunds' Inside Line Editors' Most Wanted Award winner because it offers a driving experience far beyond our expectations and, more importantly, beyond its price tag. — Josh Jacquot, Inside Line Senior Road Test Editor
2008 Porsche 911 GT3
Let's cut right to the chase. The Porsche 911 GT3 is our favorite Porsche. It's as if everything that Porsche has ever known about fast cars has been stuffed into this 911. Lightning reflexes, check. Sensuous sex on wheels, uh-huh. Neck-stretching cornering grip, you betcha. God-awful speed, abso-bloody-lutely.
Just a few yards down the road, the raw high-performance personality of the GT3 is immediately apparent. The car communicates with you on almost a subconscious level, sending messages about the road through the steering, brakes and powertrain. When you reply, there's no hesitation in the car's response. No slack. No heavy control efforts. And the ability of the car to maintain its balance is eerily good.
Push it really hard, and the GT3 responds in kind. Our jaws dropped after the GT3's 75.3-mph run through the slalom, and the Porsche's 1.02g performance on the skid pad is the highest we've ever recorded. And it's no slouch on the drag strip. Its 415-hp 3.6-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine catapults the GT3 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds on the way to the quarter-mile in 12.2 seconds at 116.1 mph. It's not the fastest car we've tested, but it's damn close.
The GT3 does exactly what people expect Porsches to do well: steer, stop and haul ass. All at the same time if need be, and at a very high level. The GT3 produces world-class performance just a couple of short steps removed from that of legendary racing iron, and it does so in a package accessible to mere mortals. This is the essence of the Porsche story, and it makes this car an unforgettable thrill. — Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing
Instant Classic: 2008 Audi R8
Like anything that trades in fantasy, the 2008 Audi R8 invites you to dream about speed and style. It's a showcase of modern automotive technology: 420-hp V8 with direct fuel injection; all-wheel drive; an elaborate space frame made from aluminum; and leading-edge aerodynamics. It sums up everything Audi knows about the automobile, and yet it's different from any Audi we've ever driven.
Or seen. Exterior Designer Frank Lamberty has created subtly chiseled body lines that have an elegant restraint to them, while a unique "sideblade" accentuates the engine's location in the middle of the car. The Audi designers did, however, let themselves loose with the R8's lighting. Each of the standard bi-xenon headlights is surrounded by 12 LED lights that shine day and night, and LEDs also create a three-dimensional effect for the taillights. Even the glass-enclosed engine compartment lights from within.
When you're at the wheel of the Audi R8, its easy, controllable poise imparts the sense that the most modern, refined technology has been harnessed to make this a genuine road-going sports car. As fast and thrilling as it can be, this is also an exceedingly comfortable and friendly automobile for daily commuting and long-distance touring.
This is a dignified sports car, mercifully free of those elements that make other supercars impossibly taxing in real-world use. It doesn't have goofy scissor doors, and you won't rip the crotch of your jeans while clambering across a wide door sill because the R8 doesn't have one. Nor is its cabin cramped — two lanky 6-foot-2 dudes will fit comfortably with room to spare. The Audi R8 even rides astonishingly well, thanks to its two-mode adaptive dampers.
The Audi R8 successfully extends the automaker's model line beyond coupes and sedans into the realm of the pure fantasy machine. The fact that this car makes you dream about a long-term commitment just makes the whole fantasy that much more enticing.
And for those reasons, we've chosen the 2008 Audi R8 as this year's Instant Classic. — Kevin Smith, Editorial Director
The manufacturers provided Edmunds these vehicles for the purposes of evaluation.