For the 2006 Autobytel Editors' Choice awards, five seasoned auto critics with decades of experience evaluating vehicles chose the new or substantially upgraded 2006 cars and trucks that they would recommend. These recommendations are subjective, and based primarily on value, design, quality, and performance. We limited consideration to vehicles with base prices lower than $75,000, except for the Dream Car category. Honestly, if you're spending more than $75,000 on a new set of wheels, you don't really care what we have to say. At least one critic must have driven the vehicle prior to final voting on Nov. 15, 2005. In most categories, contestants are limited to new-for-2005 models that initially went on sale after Feb. 1, 2005, and new-for-2006 vehicles that initially went on sale before Feb. 1, 2006. One exception to this rule is that winners in the Best Car for the Environment, Best Family Car, and Best Car for Teen Drivers categories do not need to be new or substantially upgraded for 2006. Instead, we review the entire vehicle population based on specific criteria: Best Car for the Environment – Each low-emissions vehicle on our ballot must be sold nationwide and score at least 9 for pollution and at least 5 for greenhouse gases according to the EPA. Editors then select from the list of eligible vehicles. Best Family Car – Each vehicle on our ballot must be a four-door vehicle with a base price under $30,000 that receives no less than a four-star rating in each of the NHTSA's crash tests. For pickups, SUVs and vans, eligible vehicles must also score no less than four-stars for rollover propensity. Finally, contenders for this award must achieve these scores without NHTSA safety concerns prior to Nov. 1, 2005. This year we’ve added IIHS scores for offset frontal collisions and side impacts, requiring that vehicles under final consideration receive a Good or Acceptable rating in these categories. Best Car for Teen Drivers – Each vehicle on our ballot must be a sporty vehicle with a base price under $25,000 that receives no less than a four-star rating in each of the NHTSA's crash tests. For pickups and SUVs, eligible vehicles must also score no less than four-stars for rollover propensity. Contenders for this award must achieve these scores without NHTSA safety concerns prior to Nov. 1, 2005. Note that this year, we raised the base price threshold from $20,000 to $25,000, and we’ve added IIHS scores for offset frontal collisions and side impacts, requiring that vehicles under final consideration receive a Good or Acceptable rating in these categories.
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