Drive Your Dream Blog

We write about so many cars every year that we sometimes forget when we are dealing with a clutch, where the turn signals are, how to adjust the outside mirrors, how to use the navigation system, or just how suddenly a particular car can lurch forward with a push of the gas pedal.

And yet, the variety is a wonderful constant.

It also prompts a wide range of e-mails from readers. Often, they want to know if a car is suited for New England driving. For example, will it climb a steep driveway in Brookline or a long road in ski country? Or, if it’s small and has all-wheel drive, does that make it easier to park in the South End in winter?

Others can’t tell where I come down on SUVs.

And many wish I would do more reviews of hot cars and efficient cars, or big cars and small cars, or hybrids. I try to do them all. This year, the range of cars I tested - from exotic to eclectic to solid to efficient - made it difficult to come up with a list of favorites. But here’s about a dozen good ones for the road:

‘08 Chevrolet Malibu

General Motors Corp. introduces a Malibu in reborn form - at its upper end, the Malibu now features a cockpit that is like an old Corvette’s. Four- and six-cylinders available, superb interior finish, and distinct outer lines. Prices range from $19,000 to $28,000.

‘08 Saab Aero Sport/SportCombi XWD

A classic for New England drivers, this Saab features an all-wheel-drive system that, combined with stability control, made it virtually impossible for me to toss it off a test track in Sweden. Simulated ice, wet corners, gravel, nasty potholes, sudden lane changes - they were all no problem. Expect to pay from the mid-20s to the high 30s.

‘08 Land Rover LR2 SE

Some call it a baby, I call it a baby bull. It has more off-road capability than most folks will ever dare attempt to use, and it’s reasonably priced - mid-30s to low-40s.

‘08 Porsche 911 GT2

Here’s where we get fanciful. I drove it on the Daytona International Raceway and watched the track before me vaporize - this is the first 911 to top 200 miles per hour. And as I said in the review, the $200,000 price amounts to only $1,000 per mile per hour.

‘08 Audi R8

This is the other fanciful beast on this year’s list, an all-wheel-drive, world-class sports car that is imaginatively designed. The looks are stupendous, and its power - from an under-glass mid-mount engine - reaches 420 horsepower. The R8 is as balanced a car as you will find. Priced from $110,000 to more than $130,000.

‘08 Volvo C30

A great move by Volvo in an attempt to capture a younger crowd. This nifty, swift hatchback (the hatch being a retro look from the 1970s), is available from the mid-20s to around $30,000.

‘08 Mazda CX-9

Roomy, fun, powerful, and sporting. And it’s not a minivan, not a sports sedan, not an SUV. It’s up to you to decide just what kind of car this is after you’ve driven it. It took me a while. Prices start in the mid-30s and top $40,000.

‘07 MazdaSpeed3

The wild child of the Mazda fleet, this is a serious street-legal burner right off the assembly line. Great lines, great handling, and very reasonably priced, starting below $25,000.

‘08 Infiniti G37S Coupe

Another great model in a growing line of coupes. The appearance is aggressive, and so is the handling. But the G37S isn’t too aggressive when it comes to taking your money - prices start at about $35,000.

‘07 Kia Rondo Ex

This car will comfortably seat five to seven, has a base price just over $17,000, and comes loaded with standard safety features that include electronic stability control, front, side, and curtain airbags. Not terribly powerful at 182 horsepower, but that’s still plenty for many folks.

Royal Ford can be reached at ford@globe.com.

I hope he has your car listed his list. What do you think? If you are looking for another option for 2008 try a Car Club. DFW Elite Car Club offers the Exciting or Exotic? Options for 2008. They host a garage full of every thing from Aston Martin to Rolls Royce.