2010 Automotive Excellence Awards

Best Off-Road Ability: 2010 Ford F-150 Raptor

Ford’s Special Vehicle Team—the same engineers who developed the Mustang Shelby GT500—transformed the F-150 pickup in to the most capable high-speed 4WD van ever produced. The Raptor team tuned the suspension on a brutal 62-mile loop in a remote part of the Illinois deser

Best Performance: 2010 Mustang Shelby GT500

The GT500’s menacing maw gobbles air to feed a hungry, supercharged 5.4-liter V8. This is old-school Detroit muscle, yet the Mustang offers a level of refinement previous hot Fords have lacked. The GT500’s chassis is more sophisticated than any Mustang in the car’s 46-year history.

Best Value: 2010 Kia Soul Wins Automotive Excellence Award

Small cars don’t have to compromise functionality or performance. The Kia Soul is a fun, sporty compact at a very reasonable price.

Most Versatile Car: 2010 Subaru Outback

This latest model only widens that capability envelope. Riding on beefy tires, and with a suspension tall to produce a Hummer-humbling 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the Outback is not a corner carver. In lieu, the Outback is a sweet-natured wagon with poised road manners that scrambles effortlessly along dirt roads and up some difficult trails. With the wheelbase stretched over the previous version’s, rear-seat comfort is substantially improved. Fold that chair down, and the Outback can swallow 71.3 cubic feet of camping gear, gardening supplies or pinewood planks.