When I was in the market for a new car (last year), I cross shopped an Acura TSX, VW GLI, and a Mazda6.

And while the TSX and Mazda6 seemed somewhat comparable (outside of cost), the VW GLI blew the Acura out of the water in both luxury, handling, performance, and price.

In comparison, GLI had:

a tighter suspension
a 6-speed DSG transmission (vice a 5-speed regular transmission for the Acura)
more power off the line
more luxurious interior
better ergonomics
adjustable air conditioning air vents for the back seat
better fuel economy

and it was cheaper!

So, I really don’t see how the Acura could be the best in it’s class. Maybe in reliability. But that’s a cold comfort considering all the rest you have to give up.

For all the efficiencies that the import brands have brought to automobiles that North Americans know and love today, not a single one has yet built an American car. The Crown Vic survives nearly unmolested from its 1979 foundations because of its lack of imported competition. The import brands changed the way North Americans think about automobiles, and the domestic brands followed this example nearly to the letter.

The Crown Victoria, boiled down to its essence, stands as a testament to everything the American automobile was and should be again. It is the tireless workhorse of the automotive world that treads where lesser cars fear to. In short, it carries the load that other cars have abdicated in the conversion to unit body and FWD.

As such, this vehicle would be conspicuous by its absence in these deliberations.

The car is being praised for its recognizability. Right. Recognition as taxi cabs (that we experience through someone else’s adventurous driving), and as cop cars (driven by those who want rein in our own adventurous driving). Crown Vics are certainly recognizable, but not for any pleasurable reasons.

For that matter, Crown Vics ARE good as cop cars and taxis. But are YOU going to use your vehicle to police highway traffic or pursue criminals? Got any plans to shuttle people across town for money? No? I’d figure that significantly less than 50 percent of us will. The fact that CVs are mad durable and the cops/taxi drivers use them are good points. But acknowledging celebrities’ love of limousine travel has about the same merit–the average car buyer isn’t trying to get in the livery biz.

It’s certainly is the ‘last great American sedan’. And that’s precisely why Honda, Toyota, Nissan, or any import upstart hasn’t bothered to benchmark the car since they’ve been doing business in the U.S. It isn’t the best, it’s the past.

Better money would be spent on a nice pair of running shoes–the Crown Vic has all the appeal of Ensure-drinking folks who like socks with their sandals. There are plenty of cars similarly durable, usable, and fuel efficient–and they’re of the 21st century.

As car enthusiasts, we normally have a pretty good idea of the short-list of cars we want to get when comes time for a new one.

This was the case with me, and I started test-driving the various ones. Normally, I would also have an idea beforehand of what to expect, and which are the likeliest contenders.

A first happened this time: the first car that sold itself to me on the test-drive, and without being on my initial list, is the one I have currently owned for four years: The Acura TSX.

It was spring 2003, and the 2004 TSX had just arrived at the local dealership; I hadn’t even read much about it.

As I moved away from the RSX-Type S I came in to see, I was smitten by the high-quality materials and build of the interior. The design was wonderfully handsome as well. I sat in the driver’s seat, shut the door… what’s this? Very luxurious thud, and a quiet cabin. The instrument panel awoke into a soft glow to welcome me. Equipement list? FULLY EQUIPED! How much is this thing? $3K more (CDN) than the RSX-S I was just looking at. And because it is a 2004 in early 2003, it actually leased better. But the feel of this interior is an entirely different LEAGUE than the RSX-S. It brought back memories of my previous BMW 330Ci.

The dealer happened to be near some mountaineous switchbacks, and as I straightened the wheels after the first turn, having heel-and-toe downshifted smoothly in the setup to the turn, my whole mind became quiet and I heard with pure clarity: I. Am. Getting. This. Car.

A week prior to this, I had test-driven the Mini Cooper and Cooper S. Putting handling numbers aside, I had as much fun in the TSX as I did in the Minis. The connected-ness and whole-ness of the controls is greater than the sum of their parts.

After having aquired the TSX, I’ve described it as giving me 90% of what the 330Ci did, at a value bonus of 140%. Plus, I appreciate the anonymous, yet handsome-on-second-glance styling.

Four years on, I still smile on my daily drives.

And since when was greatness associated with need? People have been saying the Corvette, the Bugattis and other super-exotics are worthy of TBAGs. Who actually needs those? No, the best are the cars that do what they are intended to do better than any other, in my opinion.

but somtimes I still do.

Why is is that some cars offend others? I drive an Xb and I know that car offends some people but I love it. The crown vic is not for me but some people love them. I think that since these are basically popularity contests based on taste is why some vehicles end up as both on the TWATS and on the TBAG list.

The trunk is large for sure, but the cabin is small. Yes, I do have 1st hand experience with Crown Vic.

Cost the same or less? Go compare the standard equipment list.

The only advantage, as I mentioned, is the “bump into others” thing. I don’t care if it’s fair, but that is useful for 1% of the population.

For the rest 99% who don’t intend to bump into others, Azera is better in every aspect.

However, the CV has a V8 with as much power as an Azera, has a larger trunk, RWD, long history of good reliability, ease of maintenance, looks (I like the appearance of the CV over the Azera, but that’s subjective), Crown Vic costs the same, maybe less than the Azera.

But anyway, this is not to say the Azera isn’t a good car, because it is. But I think the CV does what it was intended to do better than any other vehicle.

But cops have different priorities. Bump into escaping criminal cars, for example.

Compare the Crown Vic to a Hyundai Azera, what is the advantage of the Crown Vic, if you don’t intend to bump into others?

Thus, I enter my nomination for “The Most Respected Vehicle in America”.

Sure, the Crown Vic has its problems, but what car doesn’t? And really, if it was so bad, the police wouldn’t be using them all the time.

Someone mentioned there are six or seven other models out there that do things better than a new CV. If that’s the case, then why don’t police and cabbies use those six or seven other models? I think I mentioned this before, but the Crown Vic does what it was designed to do extremely well. It’s not designed to be fast, or fuel efficient, but solid and reliable. Really, I don’t think it’s a huge leap to say that the Crown Vic is the most populous vehicle on the road today. And that speaks volumes about it’s reliability. I think a new car, to get a TBAG, should be reasonable reliable over a number of years. Judging by the number of Crown Vics on the road now, and the number and type of miles put on them, a new Crown Vic will likely last a good number of years. I;d like to see a Camry, or a Mini, or a BMW stand up to the abuse the Crown Vic goes through. That said, those aren’t designed for that type of driving, the Crown Vic is. And it’s the best at it. So it should get a TBAG.

After markets galore,with the things you can do with intake on a throttle body and non-stock exhaust from the headers to tail pipe alone is amazing concerning H.P.

After market shocks,tires and front contreol arms are great to reduce roll.Not all roll but most.

If you drive a particular vehicle for over 14 yrs. you should be able to handle a corner rather well considering what you’re driving.If not,just give up.

Mine’s been well behaved about oil burning. Our department cars were as well. Rear shocks are about $60 a piece for the heavy duty police/taxi suspension. Are you sure you’re not thinking of the Towncar, which does use Ford’s air-ride, and is an expensive mother to fix?

Sorry you dislike the car so much, I think owning one for a year or so would change your mind. To each thier own though.

No. If you’ve made a nomination we’ve recorded it and the car is in the running.

In his mind at least, the Crown Victoria is one of the nicest riding luxury cars out there… even today. Keep in mind this fellow plays around the interstates in a Mazda RX-8 and his wife drives a 1st generation Lexus SC400. His perspective one is not one of pro-Amercian bias, but personal experience.

I have to agree with what’s generally be said about the Crown Victoria, especially the Police Interceptor models, with one not so small caveat.

What most of you are describing is not a best NEW car. It’s a used car that you can typically purchase for twenty to thirty cents on the dollar after a few years. In that regard the Crown Victoria is definitely an exceptional value. I’ve driven at least three Police Interceptors at this point and they have all been wonderful.

But as a new car offering, say anywhere from 20k to 30k, it doesn’t hold up very well. There’s simply nothing that it does that at least six or seven other models don’t do better in the circa 2007 marketplace.

All of this is just filler though. There is only a single reason that I need to nominate the car, and that is the feeling I have when I witness one. The perfect sexy exterior that is both masculinely sporty and feminely stylish, loudly exotic but also with Japenese refinement. I get a little clench in my TBAGs every time I see or hear one on the road, and I will have one someday, hopefully soon. No other attainable production car gives me this feeling.

did I mention it sounds awesome? :-)

not sarcastic, just curious.

i remember moving from michigan to san diego in 1982 and being so overwhelmed with the number of 911s i saw daily on my commute to/from work that i actually began counting them just out of curiousity. back in port huron [pop. approx 40,000] there were only a handful in the whole town. out here, i was driving approximately 20 miles each way and seeing 19 or 20 911/912s on practically every trip.

these days – many more. and many others, too.