Available As: Large Pickup

Base Price Range (MSRP): $33,435-$37,355

Pros: Interior comfort, interior quality, refinement, ride comfort, cargo versatility.

Cons: Price, bed length, fuel economy.

Overall: A family car that can handle truck duty.

Rating: 7/10

Recommended: YES

The Avalanche is essentially a Chevrolet Suburban with a pickup bed behind the second row of seats rather than space for three more people and/or covered cargo. It also has a unique "midgate" cargo management system, with which the bed can be extended into the passenger compartment by removing a panel and folding down the rear seats. Even without that feature, the Avalanche differs from a conventional 4-door full-size pickup, as it uses an attached rather than separate bed, which makes the driving experience more pleasant when the bed is empty at the expense of loaded behavior. The bed is also relatively short, relying on the midgate system to increase bed space as needed. The priorities in the design of this truck are clear: everyday family use comes first. Interior comfort and quality, ride comfort, refinement, and on-road handling are excellent for a large truck. There is also no stripped-down base version like on most full-size pickups, only well-equipped 4-door V8s are offered, and at a price premium over most other full-size pickups.

If you want a daily-driver pickup that can do heavy duty work occasionally and are willing to pay extra for it and for its gas, the Avalanche is an excellent vehicle for you if the midgate system is sufficient for your cargo needs. But if you like it, also consider the conventional Chevrolet Silverado crew cab, which is mechanically identical to the Avalanche and shares its interior on high-end models. The Silverado is less expensive and has a longer bed, and is less finicky to use. And consumers who like the idea of a comfortable daily-use pickup but don't need as much truck capability as the Avalanche offers should consider the Honda Ridgeline, which is less expensive and more fuel efficient, but lacks the Avalanche's potentially useful midgate bed extending system.

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Available As: Subcompact Sedan, Subcompact 5-door Hatchback

Base Price Range (MSRP): $10,235-$13,920

Pros: Price, general adequacy.

Cons: Acceleration, safety ratings, agility.

Overall: The Aveo is a basic economy car at a low price, but you can do better than a basic economy car even at a low price.

Rating: 5/10

Recommended: NO

The Aveo would seem excellent to someone used to what subcompact cars used to be like. It's comfortable enough for adults to sit in the front and rear, rides comfortably, and has an attractive, high-quality interior (in the sedan version at least, the Aveo5 hatchback has a more basic design), still while coming at a low price with good gas mileage. But not all of the traditional tiny-car virtues are evident in the Aveo. It's not nimble, and its gas mileage isn't all that great for such a small car. And though it's inexpensive, other inexpensive cars offer a lot more comfort, refinement, and driving enjoyment.

The Ford Focus is a solid choice for the most budget-minded consumers. It is not only deeply discounted from already reasonable prices but also drives well and has a reasonably spacious interior. And while being larger and more powerful than the Aveo, it is just as fuel-efficient. For maximum fuel efficiency at a low price, consider the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris. Neither are quite as inexpensive as the Aveo, and the Fit is in very short supply, but beat its gas mileage by up to 8 miles per gallon. The Fit is also fun to drive for a subcompact car, though the Yaris is not. And the Hyundai Elantra and Nissan Versa are well-rounded, relatively inexpensive economy cars with good gas mileage and roomy interiors. 

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See the 2007 Aveo5 LS in the IFCAR Subcompact Hatchback Comparison Test

See the 2008 Aveo LT in the IFCAR Small Sedan Comparison Test

Available As: Compact coupe and sedan, sporty car

Base Price Range (MSRP): $14,225-$22,235

Pros: Acceleration, ride, trunk space, price.

Cons: Interior space and comfort, fuel economy.

Overall: An otherwise acceptable economy car marred by an uncomfortable interior.

Rating: 5/10

Recommended: NO

The mainstream versions of the Cobalt coupe and sedan offer a combination of adequacy and inadequacy, but little stands out about them. They're inexpensive but far from the cheapest cars on the market (Chevrolet's own Aveo costs less), they ride and handle well but are neither particularly comfortable nor much fun to drive, and the interior is well-finished but with too many cheap plastics. A choice of one of two strong 4-cylinder engines is all that distinguishes it positively from the mainstream competition (a turbocharged engine is also available on the sportiest SS version), and even that benefit is offset by the mediocre gas mileage offered from most versions of both engines. A stripped-down manual-transmission "XFE" version returns higher mileage. The Cobalt is relatively quiet at cruising speed, but the engines roar under acceleration. Most disappointingly, the seats are hard and uncomfortable and the rear is very cramped; the smaller and less expensive Chevrolet Aveo (above) is better in both ways. 

Among the capable, well-rounded, and well-priced economy cars on the market are the Hyundai Elantra and Nissan Versa. The Toyota Corolla is refined, roomy, and fuel-efficient, but a bit pricey. The Honda Civic offers excellent fuel economy and safety, but it too is more expensive. The Mazda3 and Volkswagen Jetta and Rabbit offer a premium feel at a premium price. The Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris are relatively inexpensive and fuel-efficient, but rather slow and, in the Fit's case, hard to find. The Ford Focus is pleasant and inexpensive, but feels like the budget car it is. And the Scion tC is a decent choice if you must have a coupe.

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See the 2008 Cobalt LT in the IFCAR Small Sedan Comparison Test

Available As: Small Pickup with regular, extended, and crew cabs

Base Price Range (MSRP): $15,085-$25,150

Pros: Price, fuel economy, ride and handling (Z85 suspension).

Cons: Interior comfort, interior quality, acceleration, towing capacity, refinement.

Overall: A basic truck competing against more pleasant pickups, but decent as a disposable work truck.

Rating: 6/10

Recommended: YES

The Colorado (and the identical GMC Canyon and Isuzu i-Series) was a class leader when it came out in 2004, offering a more pleasant driving experience than most competitors and coming in at a low price. (At least, with the base Z85 suspension, which is highly recommended over the off-road and sport suspensions unless desperately needed.) But since then, every competitor has been overhauled, and surpass it both in capability and in comfort. Base models are a decent value, as price is much more important than comfort among vinyl-seat 2-door pickups, but as anything but a disposable work truck you can do better than the Colorado.

Good all-around pickups are the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma, which offer more comfort and more ability than the Colorado, but cost more. Consumers who will be using their pickup primarily for day to day use and don't need heavy duty ability should consider the car-based Honda Ridgeline, which is available only as a rather pricey crew cab, but is very comfortable and has excellent on-road manners. The Ford Sport Trac is somewhat similar to the Ridgeline, but exceeds its towing capability at the expense of its driving dynamics. And the base versions of the Ford Ranger are the primary alternative to the base Colorado for a disposable work truck, and offer more capability but less comfort than comparable Colorados.

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See the 2007 Colorado 3LT in the IFCAR Midsize Crew-Cab Pickup Comparison Test

See the 2007 Colorado LT crew cab in the IFCAR Inexpensive 6-passenger Vehicle Comparison Test

Available As: Sporty coupe and convertible

Base Price Range (MSRP): $46,100-$83,345

Pros: Acceleration, handling, price, ride comfort, fuel economy, engine note.

Cons: Interior quality.

Overall: Still an amazing performance bargain.

Rating: 9/10

Recommended: YES

The Corvette offers extremely powerful V8s, a composed suspension, a comfortable interior for two, and surprising fuel efficiency on regular gasoline, all for a lower price than most competitors. Too often it is ignored, seen as an icon rather than as a viable fun-to-drive contender against various European premium marques, or considered a mediocre car with a big engine (like Ford's iconic Mustang was for too many years). But while its handling isn't quite as composed or razor-sharp as smaller competitors, it holds its own now more than ever, still without neglecting its traditional thrust, and without neglecting comfort and fuel economy. The interior lacks the opulence expected at even the $46,000 base price, and the steering could return a bit more feedback, but the Corvette is a thoroughly capable competitor to the premium-branded competition.

Consumers looking for the sharpest handling should look at the Porsche Boxster convertible and Cayman coupe, which are more expensive than the Corvette and not as fast, but also have more interior luxury. Those seeking maximum luxury in a 2-seat convertible should look at the Mercedes-Benz SLK, which isn't quite as fun to drive as the Corvette and costs more, but has a retractable hardtop roof, excellent interior comfort and quality, and surprising ride comfort and refinement. Those looking for a Corvette experience on a tighter budget should consider the Nissan 350Z, which also offers a lot of power and competent handling, yet starting under $30,000. And those looking for upscale performance but want more practicality than the Corvette should consider the Audi S4, which is available as a sedan or station wagon with top-notch acceleration and handling.  

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Available As: Small SUV

Base Price Range (MSRP): $22,740-$29,445

Pros: Interior space, ride comfort, acceleration (3.6-liter).

Cons: Agility, fuel economy, interior quality, front seat shape.

Overall: Spacious but otherwise undistinguished, and competing against spacious SUVs with other merits.

Rating: 5/10

Recommended: NO

The Equinox, sized between the average small SUV and the average midsize one, offers a roomy interior for five passengers by either class's standard, a relatively low base price, a smooth ride, and clean styling. But after a potentially positive first impression, its many vices can appear. The front seats are hard and misshapen, interior assembly can be shoddy, and the soft suspension tuning that helps the ride leads to clumsy handling, making the Equinox feel much larger than it is. Also, its standard V6 impresses neither with its power nor with its refinement, and delivers the expected mediocre gas mileage.

The Honda CR-V offers similar usable interior space to the Equinox with more comfortable seats, a nicer interior, and nimbler handling, and its 4-cylinder engine can match or exceed the base Equinox's power and refinement while offering much better gas mileage. The Toyota RAV4 is even roomier, even offering a tiny third row seat, and is available with a powerful and fuel-efficient V6, but the CR-V has nicer seats and interior materials. The Hyundai Santa Fe is as roomy as the RAV4 and more luxurious than either the RAV4 or the CR-V, but doesn't match their gas mileage. None of the three are any more expensive than the Equinox. And competitors such as the Ford Escape and Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage twins offer the same benefits as the Equinox and fewer vices for an even lower price.

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Available As: Compact Wagon

Base Price Range (MSRP): $16,515-$22,170

Pros: Interior space, ride comfort, acceleration (SS).

Cons: Agility, fuel economy, interior quality, rear seat shape, visibility.

Overall: The HHR's flashy styling obscures its inherent mediocrity, and the view out.

Rating: 5/10

Recommended: NO

The HHR is essentially a Chevrolet Cobalt station wagon with with Chrysler PT Cruiser-inspired retro styling,, and while it's better than that coupe and sedan in some ways (particularly rear seat space) it doesn't match up to the strong competition in the class. Neither of its mainstream two 4-cylinder engine options offer either particularly strong acceleration or good gas mileage, and are rather noisy under acceleration. The ride is soft, but the HHR doesn't handle well. The interior is roomy enough, but the rear seat is low and poorly shaped. And the retro styling cuts into visibility. A more powerful turbocharged SS version fails to add to the overall appeal of the car. There are better choices.

The Nissan Versa is a good all-around hatchback, with a roomy and comfortable interior, very good gas mileage, good driving dynamics, and a reasonable price. The Mazda3 and Volkswagen Rabbit offer a premium feel, but are rather pricey and not very roomy. The Kia Rondo and Mazda5 are very roomy, include a third-row seat, and drive well, but are a bit more expensive and doesn't get particularly good gas mileage. And the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe twins are roomy and get very good gas mileage, but are noisy and slow. 

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See the 2006 HHR LS in the IFCAR Compact Wagon Comparison Test