Best Cars of 2009-2010

We’ve polled people from Maine to California, and they all come up with the same answer: The sharpest, sexiest, hottest vehicle of this past year is … the Dodge Nitro!

Well, if enough people think it’s the best-looking, that will make it so. That’s how the Mercedes E-Class Coupe got to the top. In May it was reported that

the German publication AUTO BILD asked its readers to vote for the best looking car in each of five categories, with the prerequisite being that all of the vehicles must have made their debut in the last year. Then, some 100,000 readers responded, voting the 2010 E-Class Coupe winner in the “Coupe and Cabriolet” category and bestowing the 2010 E-Class sedan with top honors in the overall ranking. Based on this highly scientific, one-hundred percent definitive study, Daimler arrived at the only conclusion that one could derive from a study of this type: that the E-Class business saloon [sedan] is “the most attractive new car in the world.”

Well, the cars shown here, excepting the Nitro, are my choice, my taste, and so there. The E-Coupe is just above. You decide.

The Germans are surely producing prettier cars than they have in years past. BMW’s new Z4 is a big improvement on the older version. I want one.

There has been much hoopla about the new Jaguar XJ, and I’ve looked at some photos and video. I think they missed the boat on this one. The downmarket XF is better looking and still a great performance sedan. I saw one in New York a couple of months ago, and it’s even better looking in the flesh.

In the same vein, we’ve heard much about the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, including its $300,000 pricetag. For that kind of change, it better be good looking. Alfa has also produced the MiTo (above), which may be the world’s best-looking small car.

Okay, you ask, why no American cars? ‘Cause most of them are just plain ugly. Everyone says the Fusion is the best looking U.S. hybrid. If so, that speaks volumes about how lackluster our cars are. The Mondeo (above), on which the Fusion was based, is much better looking, but Ford dumbed the design down, for reasons best known to them.

But we still like the Corvette, especially the Grand Sport version.

And finally the Mazda CX-9 crossover, which is a really sharp design for a medium-size crossover, beautifully executed. My nephew has one, and it makes his former 2006 Volvo look like something out of a World War II motor pool.