Cars: Best of the best, 2007

As we mentioned, the reason the Prius ranked as "Best loved" in Consumer Reports' owner satisfaction survey is that it is truly unique. If you want the car that gets the best fuel economy, there is only one.

To be fair, Prius owners loved the car even when it was only second best, back when the two-seat Honda Insight was still on the market. The Prius does have certain practical benefits - mid-space sedan space, for one - besides the excellent fuel economy.

The way that fuel economy is achieved also makes a difference. The Prius is a true, hard-core hybrid. it's not one of those performance-hybrid cars that cheat fuel economy for quicker zero-to-sixty times. This is a true fuel-sipper's fuel sipper.