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A good price on a car or truck is no deal at all if you don't like the vehicle.
Each year, I drive between 50 and 70 new vehicles. These come from the manufacturers' press fleets and
I drive many of them for a week in the sort of everyday situations that most drivers experience.
I rate them not only for fuel economy and performance, but for their overall value and the driving
satisfaction they deliver.
So, with the 2008 model year officially coming to a close -- and with manufacturers and dealers slashing
prices -- here are some of my picks for vehicles you should consider purchasing. My picks include sedans, crossover SUVs,
full-size SUVs and even a sports car.
| Bankrate car columnist Terry Jackson offers his top 10 car choices for 2008, in no particular order. |
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1. Chevrolet Malibu
There is a general consensus that this is the best midsize sedan to ever come out of General Motors. The fit and finish
is excellent, the styling is handsome and the ride is taut but comfortable in the manner of a European sedan.
In addition, the interior is so rich looking that you will think you're in a sedan costing $10,000 more
than the Malibu, which starts with a sticker price of less than $20,000. With GM discounts, the Malibu can be bought for
the price of lesser vehicles.
If you step up to the 3.6-liter V-6, you'll still get average city-highway fuel mileage of 17 miles per
gallon to 26 miles per gallon. Go with the four-cylinder, and the Malibu will return as much as 30 mpg city. Or go full-green
and order the hybrid -- highway fuel mileage will then hit 32 mpg.
2. Acura TL
There's an all-new Acura TL hitting showrooms right now, but many dealers still have the 2008 model on hand at a significant
discount. And although the 2009 model has some improvements, the 2008 TL remains an impressive vehicle. It has one of the
sweetest V-6 engines on the market and delivers a luxury feel equal to cars costing a lot more.
Forgo the navigation package and the TL starts at about $34,000. Smart shoppers can usually bargain that
price down closer to $31,000, which makes it a bargain when compared to the BMW 3 Series or the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
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