NEW YORK -

As one model made the cut for the 21st consecutive year, Car and Driver unveiled its 10Best list for 2012, recognizing what the publication believes are the best vehicles costing below $80,000.

Consisting of seven foreign models and three domestic offerings, half of which cost less than $40,000, officials highlighted the BMW 3-Series/M3 Tuesday as being a selection for 21 years in a row.

The 30th annual Car and Driver 10Best with editors’ comments are:

—Audi A6/A7 3.0T Quattro: “For 2012, the A6 enjoys its seventh remake with all of its most lovable traits — right-now power, gratifying steering, unyielding structure — present and accounted for.”

—BMW 3-Series/M3: “After 21 consecutive years on the 10Best list, BMW continues to evolve the 3-series toward some platonic ideal of sportiness. You don’t notice the seats, the steering, the suspension, or the brakes because everything feels natural. Everything feels right.”

—Cadillac CTS-V: “The handling is forgiving, the ride is supple, and the high-speed stability makes it the unlikely king of the autobahn.”

—Ford Focus: “The Focus comes off the ropes with several unexpected combinations: a sensational ride-handling balance, an admirable power/mpg index, and fantastic materials and utility inside.”

—Ford Mustang GT/Boss 302: “Nothing can touch the Boss at $41,105. With its screaming 7500-rpm, 444-hp, 5.0-liter V-8, it’ll rip off 60 mph in four seconds flat, break the quarter-mile in 12.4 seconds at 117 mph, stop from 70 in 155 feet, and hold the road at 0.95 g.”

—Honda Accord: “The primary controls are so perfectly matched to each other that this not-exactly-sporty-looking sedan can traipse along the tightrope of your favorite back road with precision and utter predictability.”

—Honda Fit: “The Fit is not just a triumph over other small cars, it’s a triumph of engineering.”

—Mazda MX-5 Miata: “Racers love the MX-5’s balanced, endlessly forgiving chassis; little old ladies dig its spunky charm and Maytag reliability.”

—Porsche Boxster/Cayman: “Over the years, the sinews of Porsche’s entry-level twosome have grown stronger and more flexible; the output of their flat-six engines has climbed as high as 330 horsepower in the new Cayman R; and their styling has become less 911-derivative.”

—Volkswagen Golf/GTI: “To you, Golf, we’d like to give thanks for your unwillingness to associate affordable with boring, for sporty steering feel, for an odd number of cylinders that thrum, and for diesel engines that hum. And then there’s the GTI. You might be a Golf in a muscle T, but you pull it off.”

The publication mentioned the full package, including a look at the most promising technology of 2012, best concept models and favorite vehicles costing more than $80,000, are included in the January issue, which hit newsstands Tuesday.

“As in years past, the cars on this year’s list represent the best overall vehicles on the market today,” stated Eddie Alterman, Car and Driver editor in chief.

“Out of 68 contenders, these are the ones that consistently perform the best, are a good value and are engaging, fun-to-drive vehicles,” Alterman continued.

Editors recapped nominees consisted of all new models, 2011 10Best winners, units that were not available for the 2011 competition and those with significant updates.

They added all vehicles must fall under the base-price cap of $80,000 and be on sale in January.

A pair of automakers that placed at least one unit on this list shared their reaction to the news.

While not consecutively, Honda’s Accord has been on this list 26 times with the first honor coming back in 1983.

“The Car and Driver 10Best Cars awards document a proud history of great cars in America over the last 30 years,” noted John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co.

“Honda is honored to again have two of our vehicles included among the best of the best,” Mendel added.

And representing a member of the Big 3, Cadillac vice president of global marketing Don Butler pointed out General Motors’ luxury brand has had a model picked by Car and Driver five years in a row.

“Car and Driver’s 10Best list is among the top recognitions for a car to achieve,” Butler insisted.

“This really is a testament to those who design and develop our products to be among the world’s best,” he went on to say.

Full coverage of the 2012 Car and Driver 10Best awards can be found in the January issue and online at http://www.caranddriver.com/201210best.