Jerry Garrett’s Top 10 Cars of 2010 By JERRY GARRETT

Jerry Garrett’s Top 10 Cars of 2010 By JERRY GARRETT

1. ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE The exquisitely executed Rapide is, like the sleek Jaguar XJ, a product of Ian Callum, designer extraordinaire. A sedan is a new offering for Aston, a tiny builder of British sports cars, as is the comparatively bulky looking Panamera for Porsche. But the Rapide’s perfect coupelike profile succeeds in ways its competitors don’t. The interior is luxuriously tasteful, not techno.

2. JAGUAR XJL Given the sleek new look, it’s hard to believe that the XJ rides on the underpinnings of its retro-style predecessor. But Mr. Callum has reincarnated Jaguar’s flagship sedan in a bold and clever way. Also, at $80,000 and up, the long-wheelbase XJL is more attractively priced than its main competition. The high-character interior, inspired by classic mahogany speedboats, evokes a bygone era of charismatic British luxury.

3. FORD HARLEY-DAVIDSON F-150 The Harley F-150 used to be a tepid marketing tie-in with the motorcycle company, but now it gets real appeal. The interior is as plush as a luxury sedan’s; authentic-looking touches like H-D gauge faces inspire smiles; and its eye-candy exterior provides high-wattage curb appeal that surpasses that of any other truck from any truck maker. If only the pickup’s bobtail bed could actually hold a Harley...

4. AUDI A8 This new flagship seems more tasteful, classic and elegant than its rivals. (I’m talking about you, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus.) Especially in black, the A8 comes across as black-tie formal wear, compared with the competition’s pinstripe suits. The interior pampers and pleases.

5. NISSAN LEAF This battery-electric car may not be ready for prime time, but it is nonetheless an impressive pioneer in gasoline-free transportation. More such vehicles are sure to come, and they will no doubt be improvements on the Leaf. For now, it is a welcome ambassador from an electric future.

6. SCION TC Jim Farley, the former boss at Scion (now with Ford), once said car buyers on a budget did not want to feel like losers in cheap cars. The entire Scion line — comprising just three vehicles, with another on the way — provides stylish, reliable, affordable and appealing transportation at economical prices. The new tC coupe, which improves significantly upon its predecessor, adds “sporty” to the mix. The Celica lives again.

7. JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE For a company that not long ago seemed down, if not out, the new Grand Cherokee signals a rejuvenation for a pioneer of the S.U.V. market — and perhaps for the entire Jeep line. The Grand Cherokee retains its best-in-class utility while showing big improvements in comfort, style and even fuel economy. It also costs thousands less than the new (and less off-road-capable) Ford Explorer.

8. FORD MUSTANG It appears that in 2010, for the first time since 1985, the Mustang has been outsold by its archrival, the Chevrolet Camaro — even though the Chevy comes in fewer versions. But there is something about the Mustang’s enduring appeal, and Ford’s careful nurturing and updating of it, that keeps it on my list for another year.

9. FORD FIESTA There once was a time, not long ago, when the best Ford products seemed to be sold overseas, not in the company’s home market. That is changing under the One Ford vision of the chief executive, Alan Mulally, and with vehicles like the versatile, well-executed Fiesta (and, more than likely, with the coming new Focus as well). The American-market Fiesta, arriving two years behind its European counterpart, is a world-class addition to the underserved subcompact market.

10. MERCURY MILAN HYBRID Mercury finally got a sedan it could be proud of — a hybrid, no less — just as its parent, Ford Motor, killed the brand. Oh, well, at least Mercury went out on a high note. Even though the midsize car was little more than a gussied-up Fusion Hybrid, owners gave it higher marks than any other hybrid sedan.

And the Losers Are ...

IMMOVABLE OBJECT AWARD Toyota Camry Hybrid. A leader in longevity on dealer lots, this Camry takes an average of more than 70 days to move one of these ho-hum hybrids.

INDUSTRY INCENTIVE AWARD When it comes to bribing consumers to buy a car, the departing Chevrolet Cobalt takes first place. Even as the industry leader in sales incentives — 24 percent off the already routinely ignored sticker price — Cobalt sales fell 53 percent through November 2010 from the period a year earlier (which was also a stinker of a sales year). Mercifully, the small Chevy has been euthanized.

PYRRHIC VICTORY AWARD Yes, Bentley has re-engineered its cars to run on some biofuels. But why? The Continental Supersports get an industry-worst 10 miles per gallon on E85 ethanol. (That’s combined m.p.g.; the city rating is just 8.) Running on gasoline, the car’s mileage is about a third better.

DOLLAR MENU AWARD In redesigning the Jetta, Volkswagen admirably cut the price — along with much of the character and features of the previous version. Someone in VW’s marketing department may have decided that since Americans eat junk food, they will snatch up the automotive equivalent of a value meal. More likely, the 2011 Jetta will leave them wanting more.

LATERAL MOVE AWARD Stefan Jacoby, formerly chief executive of Volkswagen of America, left to become chief of Volvo — just as Ford was selling Volvo to the Chinese. Why? Perhaps he saw the Americanized Jetta coming.