Creating Cars.com's Lifestyle Awards
To choose the New Car of the Year, our expert reviewers drove and tested all the newly introduced and redesigned models for 2009. From that pool of about 60 cars, they chose their favorites based on features, driving quality, mileage and overall value.
In addition, to be selected as one of Cars.com's top lifestyle cars (whether Family, Work, Play or Eco-Friendly), a car needed not only to earn our Best Bet designation (where applicable), but also to be included as a Best Car in one of our lifestyle categories (Small Families, Sun Lovers, etc.). From that list of recommendations, we asked our reviewers to vote to find the very best car for each lifestyle.
For example, in choosing Cars.com's Family Car of the Year, our reviewers compared the winners in the Small Families, Large Families and First-Time Drivers categories. Each weighed in and argued about what constituted the Family Car of the Year. They discussed and disagreed about what "family" means, how it applies to consumers and which cars most deserved the accolades. After several lengthy discussions, they decided on their winners, which were announced Feb. 3, 2009.
Choosing our new Lifestyle Awards was a long and arduous process.
First, our reviewers drive new cars each week, getting a true, lived-in feel for each car. They get to know its quirks, where it excels, where it falls short. They get to play with the features and options, and they find out which small joys turn into genius discoveries, which small annoyances turn into disastrous choices.
From these weeklong drives, and from manufacturer driving events held across the country, our expert reviewers choose Cars.com's Best Bets, our picks of each model year's best offerings. The criteria for becoming a Best Bet include:
- Meeting minimum safety standards. Cars must have ratings of Acceptable or higher in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety frontal-offset and side-impact crash tests. (Rear test is not included.) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tests are consulted only for vehicle classes not tested by IIHS, mainly full-size SUVs.
- Be known as a reliable car. For cars that are carryovers, they must have demonstrated over time that they are a reliable car (usually defined by groups and publications that track dependability, like Consumer Reports and J.D. Power), with no major design flaws or debilitating mechanical problems. A reliability rating of average or higher is a prerequisite. For newly introduced models, the car's manufacturer must have a good track record, especially with introductions.
- Beyond those more quantifiable issues, the reviewers also look at a car's comfort, amenities and features. Is the car up to date with the latest technology? Does it have the latest features that consumers are demanding?
- Strong ride and handling. Our reviewers check to see how well each car handles the road and what kind of driving experience it offers. They note how well the car hugs the road, how well it does in gas mileage (a big issue these days), how much acceleration it provides. Can it scoot when you need it to? Can it scoot without costing you an arm and a leg?
For new models, where crash-test results are not yet available, we do designate some cars as conditional Best Bets until those ratings become available. We also have something of a sliding scale for special categories, namely sports/sporty cars. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is that they're often convertibles and/or low-volume models, which don't get crash-tested and/or don't always sell enough copies for valid reliability data.
Lifestyle Search Recommendations
When consumers go shopping for a car, some know exactly what they want, and they can research that car on Cars.com. Then there are those who aren't sure what they want, but know they want an SUV, or a pickup, or a passenger car, and they can peruse the Cars.com Buying Guides to find what they want.
Then there are consumers who aren't sure what they want and don't want to be limited to choosing from only SUVs or only passenger cars. The Lifestyle Search was developed for them.
For each category (Small Families, Sun Lovers, etc.), we gave our reviewers a list of body styles to consider. For example, for Small Families we asked our reviewers to consider sedans, minivans, station wagons, SUVs and hatchbacks.
We used Best Bet choices from each of those segments to create a pool of candidates, then our reviewers tapped into knowledge drawn from their time with the cars to decide which vehicle best met the criteria and intent of the category. For Small Families, safety was a paramount concern, along with seating, etc. This led to several arguments, but, in the end, consensus was reached.
In choosing the Best Deal for each category, the reviewers looked at which cars offered the best bang for the buck. They were charged with determining which car could offer consumers a strong choice at a cost appreciably less than the category's most expensive cars.
In addition to Best Car and Best Deal, the reviewers rounded out their choices with eight more recommendations for each category. Each is already a Best Bet in its segment.
Small Families
Legions of suburbanites — including some on our staff — need a quality family car. Small families often look at sedans, hatchbacks, station wagons, SUVs and minivans, so our shortlist — compiled from a pool that included our 2008 Best Bets and all the newer cars we've driven since — included dozens of contenders. Our experts looked at safety features, gas mileage, interior comfort and driving refinement to pick the winners.
Large Families
Large families need a car that can comfortably carry six or more people and their stuff. We considered station wagons, SUVs and minivans. We looked at safety features, driving refinement, cargo versatility, number of seats and cabin comfort.
First-Time Drivers
First-time drivers need safe, reliable transportation that won't break the bank. We considered coupes, sedans, convertibles, hatchbacks, SUVs and regular-cab pickup trucks that cost less than $20,000. Top criteria included overall value and safety features, but our experts also considered gas mileage, exterior styling and interior comfort.
Sun Lovers
Whether golfing, hitting the beach or just taking a road trip, sun lovers are always looking to get a tan while behind the wheel. We considered anything with a removable top, be it convertibles or even soft-top SUVs. We looked at open-air appeal and playful road manners, as well as interior and exterior styling.
Off Roaders
Getting to your favorite campground often requires some trailblazing — and for many drivers, that's half the fun. We looked at SUVs and pickups that will take owners off the beaten path and then some. Then came the subjective considerations, such as dirt-crawling prowess, a pliable suspension and a comfortable interior.
The Towing Crowd
Serious towing requires a powerful drivetrain, a durable chassis and a trailer hitch. We checked out SUVs, stations wagons, vans and pickups that might have the grunt for this sort of thing. We gathered dozens of contenders from our 2008 Best Bets and any new cars we've driven since. Considerations like towing and cargo capacity narrowed the list a great deal.
Weekend Athletes
Getting to the game with all your gear requires a car that's functional but comfortable. Our picks included sedans, coupes, SUVs, convertibles, hatchbacks, station wagons, minivans and pickups. Considering cargo versatility, drivability and interior refinement helped us pick winners from dozens of contenders, gathered from our 2008 Best Bets and anything new we've driven since.
Driving Fun
We looked over our lists of lifestyles and smacked our collective head: We didn't have a category for people like us, people who just drive for the fun of it! We tried not to dwell on ultra-expensive, exotic type cars, but rather on more everyday drivers that provide a sense of fun and control. We chose our winners from dozens of contenders.
Commuters
Lower on the corporate ladder are the workaday stiffs, ourselves included. Commuter cars include coupes, sedans, hatchbacks, station wagons, minivans, pickups and SUVs — anything that gets you to the office with a reasonable dose of style and comfort. We pared things down by looking at safety features, gas mileage, reliability and driving comfort.
Hard Workers
Construction workers, electricians, plumbers and other on-the-go sorts need reliable transportation that can double as a staging area for the job. Our picks include SUVs, pickups, minivans and full-size vans. We looked at cargo capacity, reliability and overall durability.
The Boss
Whoever has the spot in the corner office (or cubicle) needs to look the part, especially when pulling into the company parking lot. We looked at sedans, SUVs and coupes, with preference toward those from luxury nameplates. From a list of our 2008 Best Bets and anything we've driven more recently, we reviewed dozens of cars. Considerations included luxury features, driving refinement, styling and prestige.
Environmentally Sensitive
Someone — besides Al Gore — has to save the world. Earth-friendly cars include gas/electric hybrids, diesel cars and even a few fuel-sipping gas-only cars. Our list included cars from our 2008 Best Bets and models we've driven since, and from there we considered gas mileage and drivability.
