Accord versus Camry. Corolla versus Civic. F-150 versus Silverado.

 

All of those are standard comparisons among car buyers. Even if you don't end up buying one of those class leaders, they're difficult to forget about while you're shopping.

 

But is that because these cars are the best? Not necessarily. Many off-brand competitors will match or exceed them, and you can often use those cars' lack of name recognition to get a great deal.

 

Here are ten of the best cars that aren't on as many shopping lists as they should be:

 

What it is: SUV

What it costs: $26,995

What overshadows it: Chevrolet Tahoe, Toyota 4Runner

Why it’s overlooked: The new-for-2009 Borrego has little name recognition, and goes on sale at a time SUVs are having trouble getting noticed for anything positive. 

Why you shouldn’t skip it: If you like your SUVs built like trucks instead of cars, the Borrego is the best vehicle for you. It offers the interior space, refinement, and fuel economy of a car-based “crossover” competitor, yet still tows up to 7,500 lbs.

 

What it is: luxury crossover SUV

What it costs: $38,880

What overshadows it: Acura MDX, BMW X5

Why it's overlooked: For starters, the Cadillac brand doesn't have the same appeal to many buyers of pricey SUVs. And those who do get past the badge are often likely to gravitate to the more stylish (but pricier and less fuel-efficient) Escalade.

Why you shouldn’t skip it: The SRX is widely acclaimed for its driving dynamics, its blend of ride and handling. It also offers comfortable seating for five, plus two more in a pinch. In most ways it rivals the Acura MDX, an accepted class leader, and comes with better deals. 

 

What it is: crossover SUV

What it costs: $21,599

What overshadows it: Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander

Why it’s overlooked: The entire Suzuki brand is off the radar of even most car people. 

Why you shouldn’t skip it: The XL7 is priced like a compact SUV but has the interior space of a midsize one. It’s a fine choice either for Pilot shoppers looking to save money or CR-V buyers looking for some extra room. 

 

What it is: crossover SUV

What it costs: $25,365

What overshadows it: Dodge Journey, Toyota Highlander

Why it’s overlooked: It’s been on the market for five years already.

Why you shouldn’t skip it: Though not a new design, it’s gotten recent under-the-skin upgrades that keep it very comfortable and refined. It also offers more luxury amenities than most like-priced competitors. Chrysler has responded to slow sales by offering hefty discounts in this car’s last year, and it’s a better all-around car than the new-for-2009 Dodge Journey the automaker just introduced.

 

What it is: minivan

What it costs: $23,995

What overshadows it: Dodge Grand Caravan, Honda Odyssey

Why it’s overlooked: Fewer and fewer people are looking at any minivan anymore, and most are sticking to the few familiar names.

Why you shouldn’t skip it: The Entourage, and the near-identical Kia Sedona, earned top marks in every crash test, an accomplishment only one other minivan can boast, and nearly matches the class-leading Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna for less money than either they or the less-refined Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan.

 

What it is: large family sedan

What it costs: $23,635

What overshadows it: Chevrolet Impala, Toyota Camry

Why it’s overlooked: Neither the Taurus name nor its humdrum styling get anyone’s attention.

Why you shouldn’t skip it: The Taurus – a renamed version of the 2007 Ford Five Hundred – offers the most space and the best crash test scores of any family sedan. 

 

What it is: economy car

What it costs: $12,990

What overshadows it: Honda Fit, Toyota Corolla

Why it’s overlooked: The Versa debuted at the same time as the Honda Fit, a sportier subcompact that quickly became a darling of auto reviewers, who were subsequently unimpressed by the more sedate Nissan that would have fared better in another context.

Why you shouldn’t skip it: The Versa rivals the best economy cars in comfort, space, safety, and refinement, and costs less than most of them. The hatchback offers additional practicality for the same price as the sedan version.

 

What it is: crossover SUV

What it costs: $27,030

What overshadows it: Ford Flex, GMC Acadia, Honda Pilot

Why it’s overlooked: The Taurus X has seen minimal marketing effort since it was renamed from “Freestyle” last year, and Ford is now hyping the more eye-catching Flex.

 

What it is: large family sedan

What it costs: $24,970

What overshadows it: Hyundai Genesis, Toyota Camry

Why it’s overlooked: The Azera is sized like Toyota’s Avalon but priced like its Camry, making it easy to miss from people shopping in both classes.

Why you shouldn’t skip it: With its spacious, nicely detailed interior and smooth and quiet ride, the Azera offers a greater feeling of luxury than most cars in its price range, while offering more family-friendly space than most low-end luxury cars. It offers most of the same strong points as Hyundai’s newer and more popular, but pricier, Genesis. 

 

What it is: station wagon

What it costs: $17,395

Why it’s overlooked: The Rondo doesn’t fit easily into typical market classifications, making it easy to miss in traditional cross-shopping. 

Why you shouldn’t skip it: The Rondo offers the interior space of some midsize SUVs (including an available third-row seat) at the size and price of an economy car. It’s an extremely practical and inexpensive alternative to a midsize sedan. 

 

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