I bought my new 2006 base model for $18,700 at my local dealer in March 2007. I love it. People who trash the base model just don't get it. Why would anyone pay an extra $5,000 for:
1. electric drivers seat (manual seat adjusts fore and aft , up and down and seat angle).
2. electric butt warmers (how gross is that).
3. leather versus cloth seats (who likes to be cold on winter (maybe why they need electric butt warmers) and hot in summer on leather.
4. Who drives these cars for the radios? Although the Limited radio sound a little better IT STILL WILL NOT PLAY MP3s, and thus has to be replaced anyway.
5. Base model exhaust tips are brushed stainless in lieu of polished stainless (oh wow).
6. The big plastic engine cover is black on the base and painted silver on the limited (oh wow).
7. The base has a usable and reliable pouch in the console where the Limited has a clunky, easily broken, undersized cupholder (whew).
8. All mechanicals are identical.
9. Take the $5,000 savings and use it to pay for insurance, tires and maintenance for the next five years.
p.s. - My base, 6 speed, got 24 mpg in mixed driving on first 2 tanks. I changed to regular 87 octane for second tank, got identical mileage with no pinging.