To the true sports fan, no other annual event is like March Madness. The 64 best college basketball teams in the United States compete in venues countrywide in a single, head-to-head, lose-one-and-you-are-done elimination tournament to determine a national champion. It's intense, on and off the court. In 2012, the competition has been fierce, and there have been a number of serious upsets.

Unfortunately, domestic automakers have no such tournament to decide the best vehicle to come out of the Motor City. So in honor of the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight weekend, we've decided to pit our eight domestic favorites head-to-head and let you choose which is the best of the best from Chrysler, Ford and General Motors. These vehicles all deliver excellent value, satisfying driving dynamics and the utility their buyers need.

After you check out the candidates, go to the MSN Autos Poll at the bottom of any page to vote for your favorite.

Bing: Best American Automobiles

Luxury: Cadillac CTS

The Cadillac CTS is the worthy competitor in this class, the best among a clutch of unworthy rivals. We certainly like the Chrysler 300, but it straddles the line between standard and luxury. The CTS offers plenty of power, athletic moves and a roomy and high-quality interior. It stands out as an elegant yet sporty midsize car that is a credible rival for a cadre of European cars that are among the best in the world. The high-performance Cadillac CTS-V can go toe-to-toe with heavyweights such as the BMW M3 and Mercedes AMG. Too bad no other U.S. automaker competes as well with those cars. We're looking at you, Lincoln.

View Slideshow:  Car and Driver's 2012 '10Best' Cars

Passenger Car: Ford Fusion

It wasn't too long ago that no domestic midsize sedan was competitive with the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. Thanks to refinements made for the 2010 model year, the Ford Fusion is one of the better family sedans on the market. It offers a quality interior, pleasant road manners, a fuel-efficient 4-cylinder base engine and a powerful V6 option. The Fusion beats out the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu because the Malibu is offered only as a mild hybrid. The Malibu may surpass the current Fusion when two more engines are added this summer, but the next Fusion, due late this year, looks like a great leap forward.

Compare: Ford Fusion vs. Chevrolet Malibu vs. Chrysler 200

Sports Car: Chevrolet Corvette

Until the Viper returns later this year, this time as an SRT model instead of as a Dodge, the Corvette has no domestic sports-car competition. Still, no list of the best American cars is complete without the Corvette. It offers performance to meet or beat its European and Japanese rivals at prices that are often tens of thousand of dollars less. Even in base trim, the Corvette is an elite performer, but we prefer the beefier brakes, firmer suspension and larger tires you get with the Grand Sport, which starts at $56,000 for the coupe and $59,600 for the convertible.

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Pony Car/Sports Coupe: Ford Mustang

Until recently, the Mustang was sitting there, an easy target. Yet when Dodge and Chevrolet developed pony cars of their own, they couldn't match it. It weighs 300 pounds less than the Challenger and 200 pounds less than the Camaro, making it more agile through corners and more fun to drive overall. Its 5.0-liter V8 engine also revs more willingly than the other cars' V8s, so its power is more accessible. For 2013, Ford makes the Mustang even better by tuning the steering for sharper responses and giving the GT trim eight more horsepower. Our favorite Mustang is the Boss 302. It is practically track-ready, yet it still rides well enough to be used as a daily driver.

Watch Video:  2012 Ford Mustang

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Utility Vehicle: Dodge Durango

Domestic automakers are at the forefront of the midsize crossover segment. The Buick Enclave/ GMC Acadia/ Chevrolet Traverse kicked off the switch from trucklike SUVs to more carlike and efficient crossovers in 2006, and Ford and Dodge have since built even better models. We prefer the Dodge Durango among this closely matched group for its combination of on-road dynamics, classy cabin, fine engines and rugged good looks. We also prefer the 3.6-liter V6 engine because it offers plenty of power and improved fuel economy over the brawny but thirsty 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The addition of an 8-speed automatic transmission later this year should further improve the V6's power and efficiency.

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Pickup: Ford F-150 3.5 EcoBoost

American automakers consistently set the tone for the full-size pickup segment, and no manufacturer does it better than Ford. The F-Series pickup has been the best-selling full-size truck for 35 straight years, and with good reason. Its winning combination of refinement and capability was further enhanced for the 2011 model year, when Ford introduced four new engines. All are notable improvements in terms of power and fuel economy, but we are especially impressed with the turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. It delivers more usable power with greater efficiency than any rival's V8. Plus, Ford offers a model for every taste, from a basic work truck to high-end luxury haulers to the SVT Raptor extreme off-roader.

See: New Trucks With Over 10,000 Pounds Towing Capacity

Van: Dodge Grand Caravan

While the Dodge Grand Caravan has always offered the space and utility that families need, we wouldn't have been comfortable recommending it before last year. The vehicle was simply too sloppy on the road and offered outdated engines, and the interior just felt cheap. The update to the 2011 model reined in the ride, introduced a more powerful and efficient engine, and improved the design and materials of the interior. Now we rate it right up there with its Japanese rivals. We chose the Grand Caravan over its Chrysler sibling the Town & Country based on price. Both are essentially the same vehicle, but the Grand Caravan sells for less than $30,000, while the Chrysler starts at $30K, though it offers more equipment.

Compare: Dodge Grand Caravan vs. Chrysler Town & Country vs. Toyota Sienna

Hybrid: Chevrolet Volt

The Volt may not be selling well, but that's a function of its $40,000 sticker price, not the quality of the car. Chevrolet calls it an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) because it runs almost exclusively on electricity, but if it has a gasoline engine and one or more electric motors, it's a hybrid. The Volt impresses for how much it feels like a regular car. Power is about the same as a typical 4-cylinder engine, and the ride and handling are pleasant. You can fill it with gas and never use the electric range, or you can plug it in every night and rarely use gas. If prices of the Volt and other EREVs can come down, Americans will accept them in much greater numbers as the next "green" alternative.

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Vote for the best American car in the MSN Autos Poll, located under Related Content below.

Kirk Bell has served as the associate publisher for Consumer Guide Automotive and editor of Scale Auto Enthusiast magazine. A Midwest native, Bell brings 18 years of automotive journalism experience to MSN, and currently contributes to JDPower.com and Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com.

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