Laird Noller Topeka

In recognizing that automakers don't always live up to the image that they craft for themselves, the good people at AutoPacific have created the Ideal Vehicle Awards. The awards call into question what an ideal vehicle really is. AutoPacific asks recent car-buyers to measure how closely their new ride matches up to the brand image that has been set by the manufacturer in order to find out who is telling the truth about their?

If you're in the market for a new car, you might just want to consider the 2011 MAZDA3. A diamond in the rough, it costs under $18,000 and is featured on kkb.com's "10 Coolest Cars Under $18,000" list.

For those of you, not familiar with kkb.com, it essentially is Kelley Blue Book's online arm. The reason they assess cars based on how fun they are to drive and?

Every quarter the foremost vehicle pricing and information provider; NADAguides; releases a car-buyers market report. For Q2 2011, the organization bestowed only six cars in total with "Top Recommended Buys" designations. Among these winners is the Hyundai Azera four-door sedan.

Lesser-known of the Hyundai models, the Azera embodies the ultimate combination of comfort and convenience. It contains more interior room than three of its leading competitors, even the E-Class sedans and 750i. Since it first debuted, the Hyundai Azera has been praised by drivers and the critics as a quintessential combination of luxury and value and one of the industry…