This week's Car Talk puzzler

Nissan Maxima
Mazda Millenia
Kia Spectra

From two other forums:

Buick Rendezvous
Chevy Lumina

I think Mookee’s list is correct, based on the hints you listed in your first post. The Rendezvous is dead as of this year, and “rendezvous” is almost always used in its singular form in English. As for the Lumina, I don’t think that’s even a real word.

It’s the plural of lumen, so it could be one and it’d replace the Millenia in the context of the hints. The Millenia went away in 2002 and the Lumina in 2001. The thing going against the Millenia is that the name of the car is actually misspelled (should be Millennia).

Or maybe there are 4. I’d definitely nix Rendezvous, though.

Surely the singular of lumen is luman.

Citroën 2CV

Check your dictionary.

Bah! I’m positive that General Motors paid off corrupt dictionarians to include an entry for Lumina. Just wait a few years, and you’ll find definitions of “Aztek” and “Achieva”. And in Canadian dictionaries, “Asüna”.

According the Car Talk today, the official answer is:

Nissan Maxima
Kia Spectra
Acura Integra

No mention of Chevy Lumina, even though it’s 100% valid.