Introduction and Contenders

What a year! A struggling auto industry, already knocked sideways by $4/gallon gas, has been king-hit by the meltdown on Wall Street in 2008. It's a tough, bloody business out there for every automaker-no matter how good the performance, the styling, the gas mileage, the value; without credit a lot of people simply aren't buying new cars.

The irony is 2008 was a vintage year for cool, interesting, and compelling cars. Of the 17 all-new or significantly upgraded vehicles eligible for the 2009 Car of the Year award, a bunch were real show-stoppers. Hero cars included the Euro-chic Jaguar XF, the star-spangled Dodge Challenger, and the techno-thrill Nissan GT-R. BMW's tight, taut 1 Series, Pontiac's suavely muscular G8, and Audi's coolly restrained A4 promised real driver entertainment. Hyundai's surprising Genesis, Honda's cheeky Fit, and Lincoln's glitzy MKS were all hugely significant contenders, for widely differing reasons. Stylemeisters included the Volkswagen Passat CC, the Mazda6, and the Nissan Maxima.

But only one could be voted Car of the Year.

Widely imitated and frequently copied, Motor Trend's Car of the Year award dates back to 1949, making it the oldest in the world. It's not a comparison test-each vehicle is judged against the three criteria: significance, superiority, and value-and the award is open only to new or significantly upgraded new cars on sale from January 1 each year. That's why you don't see our personal favorite cars recycled on these pages year after year.

No other award in this country has such clearly stated criteria or is backed by hands-on testing and analysis like ours. In fact, one Web site last year actually boasted its awards process took just two hours and $120 worth of Chinese food. We spend a little more time and money than that: Motor Trend's Car of the Year judging is an exhaustive process that involves more than a week of detailed track testing, driving evaluations on real world roads, and lots of in-depth discussion and debate. See for yourself by checking out the videos at motortrend.com.

But to begin the car-by-car countdown to the winner, click to the next page.

The Criteria

1. SUPERIORITY.
Engineering excellence, advancement in design, utilization of resources and safety. Vehicle concept and execution are important, as are use of materials, packaging, dynamics, styling, and fuel consumption.

2. SIGNIFICANCE.
How well does the vehicle do the job its maker intended it to do? And how does it impact or change its particular market segment, influence consumer perceptions, and transform product development trends?

3. VALUE.
How does each vehicle compare against its direct rivals? A vehicle with a low sticker price might not be as good a value as a more expensive vehicle that delivers outstanding performance, quality, and functionality.