2006 Motor Trend Car Of The Year

Here's a compelling snapshot from almost two weeks of testing and evaluating the largest Car of the Year field in Motor Trend history: The moment we lined up all 28 contenders, we realized Ford had delivered us one all-new car done three ways--Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr--but Hyundai had presented us with three completely different all-new cars--Accent, Sonata, and Azera. And what's more, the Koreans were better built. The world has changed.

It pays to check your preconceptions at the door at Car of the Year. Driving each and every new or significantly updated car launched over the past year back to back over the same stretches of road and track provides a unique opportunity to take the pulse of the global auto industry. This year, this much was clear: The Korean automakers are moving fast, taking over the territory their Japanese counterparts once owned, while the best of the Japanese are now muscling in on Europe's premium brands. And Detroit? When Detroit gets it right, it's a home run. But, sad to say, Detroit doesn't seem to get it right as often as it should these days. And the things it got wrong on some of its Car of the Year contenders this year was truly basic stuff.

Car of the Year 2006 gave us one of the highest-quality fields in years, with at least 10 of the 28 contenders in with a real shot at the title. But after all the driving and testing, all the discussion and argument, all the thinking and agonizing, there could be only one winner.