Car and Driver Magazine’s editors know of what they write. Each January, the magazine publishes its top-10 car list. The criteria for the selection involves a unique set of rules beyond performance, value and reliability:

* The car must be new or significantly redesigned from a previous year;

* Its price can’t exceed more than 2.5-times the average price of a new in the year of the list ($71,000 for 2009);

* If a car doesn’t make the list on its first year of eligibility, it must undergo a redesign for future eligibility;

* Once a car makes the list, it’s on the list again the following year and can remain on the list indefinitely unless there’s a drastic reason why it should be removed — a major change in the vehicle or the spectacularly warranted debut of a new car on the list.

There aren’t many changes year-to-year, but here’s the last three years of Car and Driver’s lists:

2009

BMW 3-series / M3, Cadillac CTS / CTS-V, Chevrolet Corvette, Honda Accord, Honda Fit, Infiniti G37, Jaguar XF, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Porsche Boxster and Cayman, Volkswagen GTI

2008

BMW 3-series, Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord, Honda Fit, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Mazdaspeed 3, Porsche Boxster and Cayman, Volkswagen GTI

2007

BMW 3-series, Chevrolet Corvette, Chrysler 300, Honda Accord, Honda Fit, Infiniti G35 Sedan, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Mazdaspeed 3, Porsche Boxster and Cayman, Volkswagen GTI