Available As: Large pickup with regular, extended, and crew cabs

Base Price Range (MSRP): $18,275-$39,355

Pros: Price, interior space, interior quality, refinement.

Cons: Acceleration, fuel economy, ride comfort.

Overall: What was groundbreaking about the F-150 in 2004 is now mediocre, and its flaws that were apparent then are even more obvious now.

Rating: 6/10

Recommended: NO

The F-150's 2004 redesign brought a new level of luxury and refinement to its class, along with what was at the time the highest towing capacity. But its main competitor, the Chevrolet Silverado, was just redesigned for 2007, bringing even more comfort, refinement, and capability, along with better powertrains and a lighter weight (F-150 weak points from the start). And other competitors have focused even more on their engines, making the F-150's shortcoming in that area even more obvious. The F-150 retains its roomy, comfortable, and high-quality interior, but with the Silverado matching that and it and others exceeding the F-150 elsewhere, it is no longer within sight of best-in-class. 2009 brings a necessary redesign.

The Chevrolet Silverado is the obvious better choice, offering a very similar character to the F-150 but with better ride and handling, even more capability, and better acceleration and fuel economy. The F-150's rebates currently keep it less expensive than that truck, however. If you favor power over refinement, consider the Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra, though the Titan is only available in a few versions and the Tundra is more expensive. And if luxury is paramount, consider the relatively pricey crew cab-only Chevrolet Avalanche.

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Available As: Compact sedan and coupe

Base Price Range (MSRP): $14,075-$16,375

Pros: Ride, handling, price, interior comfort.

Cons: Interior quality, safety ratings (coupe).

Overall: A competitive and well-priced small car that's a bit rough around the edges.

Rating: 8/10

Recommended: YES

Though the Focus was redesigned for 2008, it retains the fundamental mechanicals it has had since 2000. But although this has led to the car being widely criticized by reviewers, the car has not aged poorly. It still rides and handles better than many newer competitors, still has a relatively spacious and comfortable interior, and still comes competitively priced. However, while its interior quality, refinement, and fuel economy have improved, though not enough to put it at the top of its class in those areas. The new coupe model also did poorly in NHTSA side crash testing. But overall, the 2008 Focus builds on excellent fundamentals to continue to be a highly competitive economy car, though Ford did not go the extra mile to make its former shortcomings (primarily interior quality and refinement) into strengths.

Other capable, well-rounded, and well-priced economy cars on the market are the Nissan Versa, Hyundai Elantra, and Toyota Corolla. The Versa got excellent crash-test scores, rides and handles well, has very comfortable seats and a high quality interior, and isn't too expensive. The Elantra is similar to the Versa, but with a longer warranty and slightly sloppier handling. The Corolla gets excellent gas mileage, but tall drivers may be uncomfortable behind the wheel, and it's even less agile than the Elantra. None are nearly as as fun to drive as the Focus, however. For similar steering and handling but a nicer interior, consider the much pricier Mazda3, which also is quicker than the Focus but not as spacious or fuel efficient. The Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris are relatively inexpensive and very fuel-efficient, but rather slow and, in the Fit's case, hard to find.

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See the 2008 Focus SE in the IFCAR Economy Sedan Comparison Test

Available As: Midsize sedan

Base Price Range (MSRP): $17,295-$23,825

Pros: Price, ride, handling, interior comfort, fuel economy (4-cylinder), available AWD.

Cons: Fuel economy (V6).

Overall: A well-rounded well-priced family sedan with more sport than most.

Rating: 7/10

Recommended: YES

The Fusion, and its twin the Mercury Milan, is a well-rounded midsize sedan whose weak points are generally only areas where it doesn't stand out in its competitive class rather than where it falls short. Though it isn't as vastly roomy as some competitors, it offers a very comfortable interior, and rides and handles well. (While it's nimble for a midsize sedan, but unlike the related Mazda6, it's not as sporty as it pretends to be.) Get the peppy and economical 4-cylinder over the pricier V6 (unless you need the V6-only AWD option), which doesn't add as much power and refinement as it should to justify the added cost and decreased fuel economy.

The Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima are well-rounded and quite inexpensive, and the V6 Sonata is powerful, but neither car handles as nimbly as the Fusion or offers all-wheel-drive. The related Mazda6 offers sharper handling than the Fusion, but a bit less interior space and a stiffer ride on some versions. The Honda Accord offers a similar driving experience to the Fusion with a higher-quality feel and more refined engines, but costs more and has a smaller trunk. The Nissan Altima offers excellent 4- and 6-cylinder engines and good ride and handling, but a somewhat cramped rear seat and a higher price than the Fusion.

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See the 2006 Fusion SEL 3.0-liter in the IFCAR Premium Family Sedan Comparison Test

See the 2007 Fusion SE 2.3-liter in the IFCAR Inexpensive Family Sedan Comparison Test

See the 2007 Fusion SE 3.0-liter in the IFCAR Inexpensive Family Sedan Comparison Test

Available As: Small Pickup with regular and extended cabs

Base Price Range (MSRP): $13,860-$24,245

Pros: Price, utility.

Cons: Refinement, ride, handling, interior quality.

Overall: Unrivaled in the current market as a cheap work truck, but not recommended for anyone who wants more than that. 

Rating: 7/10

Recommended: YES

The Ranger is everything that today's modern pickup has moved away from: small, bouncy, noisy, and cheap. As its competitors move upmarket to woo the daily-use crowd and the higher prices that crowd is willing to pay, the Ranger continues to offer basic utility with a design that has changed relatively little in over a decade. It isn't comfortable, it offers no version with a usable rear seat, and offers no trace of premium feel. But for consumers still looking for inexpensive utility at a manageable size, the Ranger is the best choice basically by default.

The Chevrolet Colorado (and its GMC Canyon and Isuzu i-Series clones) comes closest in the current market to sharing the attributes with the Ranger. But its weak engines prevent it from sharing the Ranger's utility, and it offers few other advantages despite being a newer design. The Toyota Tacoma offers base versions, but they are more expensive, particularly if you want six cylinders, but is more comfortable and refined. The Nissan Frontier, which is available only in extended or crew cabs, is all-around capable and dynamically impressive, but not as comfortable as the Tacoma.

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Available As: Small Crew-Cab Pickup

Base Price Range (MSRP): $24,285-$29,765

Pros: Ride, refinement, interior comfort, towing capacity (V8).

Cons: Bed size, handling, instrument layout, crew-cab only.

Overall: A good blend of comfort and utility that, but not an ideal one.

Rating: 7/10

Recommended: YES

The Sport Trac is a Ford Explorer with a bed instead of a covered cargo area. As such, it is more family-friendly than many competitors, designed with comfort, refinement, and safety in mind. But it's still a truck-based design, with an available V8 with a high towing capacity. But the Sport Trac has flaws that come both from its and from the Explorer's design. The Explorer lacks the agility and interior quality of its own competitors, and comes with a standard V6 that is not particularly powerful, refined, or fuel-efficient. And the Sport Trac is only available as a crew cab with a very short bed (just over four feet long), which limits its practicality.

The foremost competitor to the Sport Trac should be the Ford Explorer it was designed from. Potential buyers should carefully evaluate the usefulness of the bed against that of the larger, covered cargo space and third-row seat. (If you do prefer the Explorer to the Sport Trac, also consider its alternatives, listed with its review.) Among other pickups, the closest competitor is the Honda Ridgeline, which is more comfortable and agile but, based on a car rather than truck platform, can't match the Sport Trac's towing and off-road capabilities. The Toyota Tacoma crew cab comes the closest among trucks to matching the Sport Trac's comfort, and exceeds its utility, but with its low seats and slightly bouncier, noisier ride it's not all the way there. It's also a bit more expensive.

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See the 2007 Sport Trac XLT in the IFCAR Midsize Pickup Comparison Test

Available As: Midsize SUV

Base Price Range (MSRP): $26,615-$31,800

Pros: Interior space, safety ratings, refinement, fuel economy, ride comfort, acceleration.

Cons: Agility.

Overall: No longer a value leader and still lacking in luxury, but more powerful and refined than before, and still roomy and safe.

Rating: 8/10

Recommended: YES

The Taurus X is a facelifted and renamed version of the 2007 Ford Freestyle. In the transition, it picked up a larger engine and a softer ride, but lost some agility and price advantage. However, the basics keep the Taurus X a highly competitive vehicle. It achieved top safety ratings in NHTSA and IIHS testing, it has a relatively comfortable third row with usable space behind it, and it is more maneuverable than some competitors. But despite additional refinement it received for 2008, it still lacks the interior quality to be considered as luxurious as some competitors, which may be a deal-breaker for some when seeing the price. But the Taurus X is a safe, practical, and relatively fuel-efficient midsize SUV worth a good look from shoppers in this class.

The GMC Acadia / Saturn Outlook twins offer the Taurus X's benefits of a roomy interior with usable third-row seating, as well as better handling and interior quality and more cargo space. However, they aren't as easy to load, as maneuverable, or as fuel-efficient as the Taurus X. The Hyundai Veracruz offers a bit more refinement and a much nicer interior, but without the brand's traditional price advantage. The Mazda CX-9 is the class leader for consumers interested in nimble handling, and the Chrysler Pacifica is a good value alternative, but neither are as roomy as the Taurus X. And, for those willing to consider them, minivans are excellent alternatives to FWD car-based midsize SUVs. Note that these vehicles do not do the same off-road or towing duty as truck-based models, like the Nissan Pathfinder or larger models like the Dodge Durango and Ford Expedition.

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