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The Car Guide's 2012 Best Buys

by The Car Guide

Each year, Le Guide de l'Auto publishes its best choices per category. Here are the 2012 Editor's choices per category and the editor's choices of most interesting new models for the year also named best SUV/Full Size Pick-Ups of the year and best Car of the year.

New car of the year: New SUV/Full Size Pick-Ups of the year:

2012 Chevrolet Volt
2012 Ford Explorer

2011 Editor's Choice

Subcompacts

  1. Honda Fit
  2. Hyundai Accent
  3. Nissan Versa

Runners-up: Chevrolet Sonic - Fiat 500 - Ford Fiesta - Mazda2 - Kia Rio/Rio5 - Mitsubishi i-MIEV- smart Fortwo - Toyota Yaris

Compacts Cars

  1. Ford Focus
  2. Mazda3
  3. Honda Civic

Runners-up: Chevrolet Volt - Chevrolet Cruze - Chevrolet HHR - Honda Insight - Honda CR-Z - Hyundai Elantra - Kia Forte / Koup - Kia Soul - Mini Cooper - Mitsubishi Lancer - Nissan Leaf - Nissan Sentra - Nissan Cube - Subaru Impreza - Scion xB- Suzuki SX-4 - Toyota Matrix - Toyota Corolla - Toyota Prius - Volkswagen Jetta

Midsize Cars

  1. Kia Optima / Hyundai Sonata
  2. Ford Fusion
  3. Buick Regal

Runners-up: Buick LaCrosse - Chevrolet Malibu - Chrysler 200 - Dodge Avenger - Honda Accord - Mazda 6 - Suzuki Kizashi - Nissan Altima - Subaru Legacy - Nissan Altima - toyota camry- Volkswagen Passat

Sedans (- $50,000)

  1. BMW 3 Series
  2. Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  3. Acura TL

Runners-up: Acura TSX - Audi A4 - Audi A3 - Cadillac CTS - hyundai genesis - Infinit G - Lexus ES - Lexus IS - Lexus HS - Lincoln MKZ - Lincoln MKS

Full Size Sedans

  1. Chrysler 300
  2. Ford Taurus
  3. Dodge Charger

Runners-up: Chevrolet Impala - Hyundai Equus - Infiniti M - Nissan Maxima- Toyota Avalon

Sport Coupe (-$50,000)

  1. BMW 1 Series
  2. Volkswagen GTI
  3. Ford Mustang

Runners-up: Chevrolet Camaro - Dodge Challenger - Honda Accord Coupe - Hyundai Genesis Coupe - Hyundai Veloster - Infiniti G - Mercedes-Benz Classe C Coupe - Mitsubishi Eclipse - Nissan 370Z - Scion tC - Volkswagen GTI

Sedans/Sport Coupe ($50,000 - $100,000)

  1. BMW 5 Series
  2. Audi A6 / A7
  3. Mercedes-Benz E-Class / CLS-Class

Runners-up: Acura RL - Audi A5 - BMW Série 1 - Hyundai Equus - Infiniti M - Jaguar XF - Lexus GS - Lincoln MKS - Lotus Evora - Volvo S60 - Volvo S80

Prestige Car

  1. Porsche Panamera
  2. BMW 7 Series
  3. Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Runners-up: Audi A8 - Aston Martin Rapide - Bentley Mulsanne - Bentley Continental - Jaguar XJ - Lexus LS - Maserati Quattroporte - Maybach 57-62 - Mercedes-Benz Classe CLS - Mercedes-Benz Classe CL - Rolls-Royce Ghost

Cabriolet and Roadster (- $50,000)

  1. Mazda MX-5
  2. BMW 1 Series
  3. Ford Mustang

Runners-up: Chevrolet Camaro - Chrysler 200 - Mini Cooper - Volkswagen Eos

Cabriolet and Roadster (+ $50,000)

  1. Porsche Boxster
  2. BMW Z4
  3. Mercedes-Benz SLK

Runners-up: Audi A4 - Audi A5 - Audi TT - Audi R8 - BMW Série 3 - Chevrolet Corvette - Infiniti G - Jaguar XK - Lexus IS - Mercedes-Benz Classe C - Mercedes-Benz Classe SL - Nissan 370Z - Volvo C70

GT / Sport Performance

  1. Audi R8
  2. Porsche 911
  3. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Runners-up: Aston Martin DB9 - BMW Série 6 - Chevrolet Corvette - Ferrari 458 Italia - Ferrari California - Jaguar XK - Lamborghini Murcielago - Lamborghini Gallardo - Lexus LFA - Mercedes-Benz Classe SL - NIssan GT-R - Porsche Cayman

Crossovers (- $50,000)

  1. Subaru Outback
  2. Ford Flex
  3. Dodge Journey

Runners-up: Chevrolet Traverse - Ford Edge - GMC Acadia - Honda Accord Crosstour - Hyundai Veracruz - Mazda CX-7 - Mazda CX-9 - Mercedes-Benz Classe R - Nissan Murano - Subaru Outack - Toyota Highlander - Toyota Venza

Crossovers (+ $50,000)

  1. Cadillac SRX
  2. Lincoln MKT
  3. Volvo XC70

Runners-up: Acura ZDX - BMW X6 - Buick Enclave - Infiniti FX - Lincoln MKX - Mercedes-Benz Classe R - Volvo XC90

Compact SUVs (- $40,000)

  1. Kia Sportage / Hyundai Tucson
  2. BMW X1
  3. Toyota RAV4

Runners-up: Chevrolet Equinox - Ford Escape - GMC Terrain - Honda CR-V - Jeep Compass - Jeep Liberty - Jeep Patriot - Jeep Wrangler - Mazda Tribute - Mitsubishi Outlander - Mitsubishi RVR - Nissan Rogue - Subaru Forester - Volkswagen Tiguan

Compact SUVs (+ $40,000)

  1. Audi Q5
  2. BMW X3
  3. Mercedes-Benz GLK

Runners-up: Acura RDX - Infiniti EX - Land Rover LR2 - Volvo XC60

Midsize SUVs (- $50,000)

  1. Volkswagen Touareg / Porsche Cayenne
  2. Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  3. Audi Q7

Runners-up: Acura MDX - BMW X5 - Land Rover LR4

Full Size SUVs

  1. Chevrolet Suburban
  2. Ford Expedition
  3. Mercedes-Benz Classe GL

Runners-up: Cadillac Escalade - Chevrolet Tahoe - Ford Expédition - GMC Yukon - Infiniti QX - Land Rover Range Rover - Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Lexus LX - Lincoln Navigator - Mercedes-Benz Classe G - Nissan Armada - Toyota Sequoia

Minivans

  1. Honda Odyssey
  2. Chrysler Town and Country
  3. Mazda5

Runners-up: Dodge Grand Caravan - Ford Transit Connect - Kia Sedona - Nissan Quest - Mazda5 - Toyota Sienna - Volkswagen Routan

Midsize and Compact Pick-Ups

  1. Honda Ridgeline
  2. Toyota Tacoma
  3. Nissan Frontier

Runners-up: Chevrolet Colorado - GMC Canyon - Suzuki Equator

Full Size Pick-Ups

  1. Ford F-150
  2. Dodge Ram
  3. GMC Sierra / Chevrolet Silverado

Runners-up: Cadillac Escalade EXT - Chevrolet Avalanche - Nissan Titan - Toyota Tundra

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