It isn’t just about which cars are good. For many buyers, it’s about reaching the perfect blend of good, fuel efficient, and bang for your buck. The annual U.S. News & World Report Best Cars for the Money awards rates many of those factors, and more.
“When it comes to car buying, value is about more than a low price tag,” said Jamie Page Deaton, executive editor of U.S. News Best Cars. “Buying the least expensive car on the lot can mean buyers end up with high ownership costs and a vehicle that doesn’t necessarily fit their needs.
The Best Cars for the Money award winners have strong value propositions at the dealership and down the road. They are all also a pleasure to own, with the performance, comfort and features buyers appreciate.”
Within each class, the award winner has the best combination of quality and value. U.S. News & World Report measured quality using a car’s overall score in the U.S. News Best Car Rankings. The overall score is based on safety and reliability data, as well as the collective opinion of the automotive press on a given model’s performance and interior and how strongly each reviewer recommends the car. They measured value by looking at each model’s real-time transaction prices, provided by TrueCar, and five-year total cost of ownership data, calculated by Vincentric.>
Covering 11 categories, the awards highlight the cars, SUVs ,and minivans that give drivers the best combination of quality and value in their respective classes.
Here are the winners.
Best 2-Row SUV for the Money: 2021 Honda Passport
Best 3-Row SUV for the Money: 2021 Kia Sorento
Best Compact Car for the Money: 2021 Kia Forte
Best Compact SUV for the Money: 2021 Honda CR-V
Best Hybrid and Electric Car for the Money: 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Best Hybrid and Electric SUV for the Money: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Best Large Car for the Money: 2021 Toyota Avalon
Best Midsize Car for the Money: 2021 Toyota Camry
Best Minivan for the Money: 2021 Honda Odyssey
Best Subcompact Car for the Money: 2021 Hyundai Accent
Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor America
Best Subcompact SUV for the Money: 2021 Kia Soul