Car and Driver 10Best


Car and Driver 10Best is a list annually produced by Car and Driver, nominating what it considers the ten best cars of the year. C/D also produced the 5Best list, highlighting what it considers the five best trucks of the year.
All production vehicles for sale in that calendar year are considered with these recent restrictions:
  1. The vehicle must be on sale by January
  2. It must be priced below 2.5 times the average price of a car that year
  3. The manufacturer must provide an example for testing
  4. Only substantially changed or new vehicles and the past year's 10 best winners are nominated
The magazine sometimes selects a specific trim and other times a whole family of vehicles.

Top Ten Marques

From 1983 through 2008, the following marques were represented on the list the most times, including both the car and truck.

Top Models

From the start of the 10Best in 1983 through 2020, the following models were represented on the 10Best lists the most years.

1983

For the 1980s, Car and Driver picked four domestic and six import cars.
Fastest car tested: Jaguar XJ-S HE, 142 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
  2. Ford Escort
  3. Ford LTD

    1984

Instituted the price cap at $30,000.
Fastest car tested: Ferrari 308 Quattrovalvole, 144 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Chevrolet Cavalier
  2. Ford Escort
  3. Ford LTD

    1985

Price cap: $30,000
Fastest car tested: Chevrolet Corvette, 150 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Chevrolet Cavalier
  2. Ford Escort
  3. Chevrolet Celebrity

    1986

Price cap: $30,000
Fastest car tested: Porsche 944 Turbo, 157 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Chevrolet Celebrity
  2. Ford Escort
  3. Chevrolet Cavalier

    1987

Price cap: $30,000
Fastest car tested: Ferrari Testarossa, 176 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Ford Escort
  2. Ford Taurus
  3. Chevrolet Cavalier

    1988

Price cap: $35,000
Fastest car tested: Ferrari Testarossa, 173 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Ford Escort
  2. Chevrolet Corsica/Beretta
  3. Ford Taurus

    1989

Imports and domestics chosen by marque, not by place of manufacture.
Price cap: $35,000
Fastest car tested: 750iL V12, 158 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Honda Accord
  2. Ford Taurus
  3. Ford Escort

    1990

Eliminated half domestic/half import rule as impractical.
Price cap: $35,000
Fastest car tested: Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, 175 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Honda Accord
  2. Ford Taurus
  3. Chevrolet Cavalier

    1991

New rule: No more than two places per marque.
Price cap: $35,000
Fastest car tested: Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, 176 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Honda Accord
  2. Ford Taurus
  3. Toyota Camry

    1992

Price cap: $40,000
Fastest car tested: Ferrari F40, 197 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Ford Taurus
  2. Honda Accord
  3. Toyota Camry

    1993

Price cap: $40,000
Fastest car tested: Lamborghini Diablo, 204 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Ford Taurus
  2. Honda Accord
  3. Toyota Camry

    1994

Institution of the 2.5x price cap, now at $43,000.
Fastest car tested: Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, 179 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Ford Taurus
  2. Honda Accord
  3. Ford Escort

    1995

Price cap: $46,000.
Fastest car tested: Lamborghini Diablo VT, 185 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Ford Taurus
  2. Honda Accord
  3. Toyota Camry

    1996

Price cap: $48,000
Fastest car tested: Ferrari F355, 179 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Ford Taurus
  2. Honda Accord
  3. Toyota Camry

    1997

Price cap: $54,000
Fastest car tested: Dodge Viper GTS, 177 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Toyota Camry
  2. Honda Accord
  3. Ford Taurus

    1998

Price cap: $55,000
Fastest car tested: Ferrari F50, 194 mph
Top-selling cars:
  1. Toyota Camry
  2. Honda Accord
  3. Ford Taurus

    1999

Price cap: $59,000
Top-selling cars:
  1. Toyota Camry
  2. Honda Accord
  3. Ford Taurus

    2000

Price cap: $61,000
Top-selling cars:
  1. Toyota Camry
  2. Honda Accord
  3. Ford Taurus

    2001

For 2001, Car and Driver created a separate "Five Best Trucks" award with a single winner in each of five categories.
Top-selling vehicles:
  1. Ford F-Series
  2. Chevrolet Silverado
  3. Ford Explorer

    10Best Cars

Price cap: $62,000

5Best Trucks

2002

Top-selling cars:
  1. Ford F-Series
  2. Chevrolet Silverado
  3. Toyota Camry

    10Best Cars

Price cap: $66,000

5Best Trucks

2003

10Best Cars

Price cap: $66,000

5Best Trucks

2004

10Best Cars

Price cap: $69,000

5Best Trucks

2005

10Best Cars

Price cap: $70,000
For 2005 and 2006, the magazine named one winner in each category.

5Best Trucks

2006

10Best Cars

Price cap: $70,000

5Best Trucks

2007

10Best Cars

Price cap: $71,000

5Best Trucks

2008

10Best Cars

Price cap: $72,000

2009

10Best Cars

Price cap: $71,000
Beginning with the 2009 list, Car and Driver considered the Porsche Boxster and Cayman to be the same car.

"Dishonorable Mention"

In conjunction with the 2009 10Best Cars list, Car and Driver issued a list of what it called "The 10 Most Embarrassing Award Winners in Automotive History", spotlighting cars previously honored by a major automotive magazine that, with the passage of time, it considered to be anything but award-worthy.

2010

10Best Cars

Price cap: $80,000

2011

10Best Cars

Price cap: $80,000
This year marks the first appearance of an electrically powered car, the Volt, as well as the first appearance of a Korean automaker, Hyundai, on C&D 10Best.

2012

10Best Cars

Price cap: $80,000

2013

10Best Cars

Price cap: $80,000

2014

10Best Cars

Price cap: $80,000

2015

10Best Cars

Price cap: $80,000

2016

10Best Cars

Price cap: $80,000

2017

10Best Cars

2018

10Best Cars

2019

10Best Cars

$90,000 base-price cap

2020

10Best Cars and Trucks

Beginning with the 2020 list, SUVs and trucks are no longer separate