Fun to drive in 2005

Price and mileage unavailable

If you want to be noticed on the road, look no further. The Magnum, a more practical and tougher-looking sibling of the Chrysler 300C, is a cross between an American muscle car and an SUV. With its long, low, wide body, it's more fuel efficient than most SUVs. The Magnum offers three engines - two powerful V6s and a thumping V8 - to drive the rear wheels. The "Hemi" V8 saves on gas with technology that allows the engine to run on four cylinders on the highway.

$21,870 21/28 m.p.g.

Here's a sports car that achieves Ferrari levels of performance at about a quarter of the price and without guzzling massive amounts of gasoline. Despite its meager 189-horsepower four-cylinder engine, the Elise flies down the road. Reason: Lotus pared down the car's weight to 1,900 pounds. The two-seater is indeed minimalist, with exposed aluminum floorboards and a removable folding top that doesn't stow in the car. The vehicle has a raucous roar and rowdy reflexes. But drivers experience steering that responds almost as an extension of their thought rather than their hands.

$40,780 23/27 m.p.g.

In the year of the hybrid, the new Accord entrant stands at the front of the line in terms of performance. The hybrid can only be found in Honda's top-of-the-line Accord EX V6. As a result, you get leather seats, sunroof, and all the comforts found in a luxury midsize sedan. The Hybrid has 255 horsepower, 15 more than its gas-engine equivalent. It also comes with an electric air conditioner to keep you cool when the engine shuts off at stoplights. Based on driving conditions, three cylinders will shut down to save even more gas. Like most hybrids, the main drawback is price. When it hits showrooms in December, the Accord Hybrid is expected to cost about $30,000, at least $3,000 more than a similar gasoline model.

price unavailable 30/37 m.p.g.

Finally, Ford builds a crossover "sportwagon" - don't call it a station wagon, the company says - for the masses. While its 203-horsepower V6 struggles to tug its weight, the Freestyle's continuously variable transmission makes the most of the available power and maximizes fuel economy. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available. With three rows of seats, the Freestyle seats seven - one more than the equally underpowered Chrysler Pacifica - but don't expect to have room left over for luggage.

$24,495 20/27 m.p.g.

Chrysler minivans may no longer be at the top of the heap, but they still lead the way in introducing new features. The latest innovation: All back seats fold flat and stow easily into wells in the floor. The second-row floor well also serves as storage space when the seats are up. The downside is Chrysler had to eliminate the all-wheel-drive option for the Town & Country to make room for the floor wells. Still, this Chrysler is plenty nice to drive, and rivals will find they may need to emulate the "Stow 'n' Go" seats.

$20,520 19/26 m.p.g.

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