It's all too easy to sit back, twist the key to yet another spanking-new car, and think everyone and their mother is doing the exact same thing. What? You mean you didn't drop 36 grand on the Explorer we just reviewed? Or $22,000 for a cute little Fiat convertible?

While our writers are pushing new metal all the time, we know these cars are always poor values when compared to lightly-used, one-owner vehicles off leases. But the great thing about this job is that I know exactly what I want to own in three to five years, when some of the hot models drop to more Walmart-level prices.

So WheelsTV in Acton decided to start honoring used cars. And after a non-debate over how incredibly boring the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord sedans are, the overall winner was the first-generation Ford Fusion.

The Fusion from 2006 to 2009 isn't too exciting, either, but jurors from the New England Motor Press Association agreed it offered a higher fun factor, especially with the V-6 engine. Reliability is just as good, if not better, than the Japanese competition, and Ford's lower resale values are hard to ignore.

My favorite used car — a BMW 328 coupe from 2007 onward — won the "sporty car" category. When I finally become an adult and own a car, I'll click on the used section of Boston.com and buy one of those (with all-wheel-drive and a stick). Here's the full list:

Green Car: 04-09 Toyota Prius -- Fuel-efficient, safe, sensible

Family Sedan: 06-09 Ford Fusion -- Practical, good value, handsome

SUV: 07-10 Toyota Highlander -- Versatile, capable, spacious

Small Car: 06-09 Honda Civic -- Reliable, attractive, frugal

Sporty Car: 05-09 BMW 3 Series -- Nimble, potent, iconic

Luxury Car: 09-10 Jaguar XF -- Stylish, unique, lavish

Light Truck: 07-10 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 -- Rugged, dependable, powerful