Buying a new vehicle is exhilarating and exciting, but it can also be exhausting and maddening. Searching the internet is increasingly the go-to move for new car buyers, but almost no paperwork is signed until at least one trip to a dealership is made.
New buyers like to know not just did they get the vehicle they want or need, but did they get a good deal.
Each year, U.S. News & World Report tries to make that quest a little easier by offering its Best Vehicle for the Money list. The 2020 group covers 11 categories and if you’re looking for the best deal, you might start on the Kia homepage.
(Edmunds analyst bucks trend, predicts 17.1M sales for 2020)
Kia captured the most awards of any brand for 2020, winning four in all. Toyota was a close second with three honors and Honda took two.
Ultimately the winners have the best combination of quality and value in their respective classes, so they’re all good cars that are also good long-term deals.
Here are the “Best” for 2020, according to the magazine:
- Honda Fit: Best Subcompact Car for the Money
- Kia Soul: Best Subcompact SUV for the Money
- Kia Forte: Best Compact Car for the Money
- Honda CR-V: Best Compact SUV for the Money
- Toyota Camry: Best Midsize Car for the Money
- Hyundai Santa Fe: Best 2-Row SUV for the Money
- Kia Sorento: Best 3-Row SUV for the Money
- Kia Sedona: Best Minivan for the Money
- Chevrolet Impala: Best Large Car for the Money
- Toyota Corolla Hybrid: Best Hybrid and Electric Car for the Money
- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid: Best Hybrid and Electric SUV for the Money
(Rising prices causing consumers to sit on new-car sidelines, NADA says)
As mentioned, Kia took four honors, but some winners are repeat claimants of those top awards. The Kia Soul and Sorento won their categories for the fourth year in a row, while the Sedona won for the second time and the Forte won Best Compact Car for the Money for the first time.
Toyota’s three awards, included two for hybrids: the Corolla Hybrid won Best Hybrid or Electric Car while the RAV4 Hybrid won Best Hybrid or Electric SUV. In addition, the Toyota Camry won Best Midsize Car for the Money for the third consecutive year and the seventh time since the awards began.
The Honda CR-V won the Best Compact SUV for the fourth consecutive time and seventh time overall. Honda notched another win with the Honda Fit, which won Best Subcompact Car for the Money for the sixth consecutive year and eighth time overall.
(Mercedes-Benz poised to take luxury sales crown again)
Chevrolet won one award, with the Impala winning Best Large Car for the fifth time. The Hyundai Santa Fe won Best 2-Row SUV for the Money; it’s the fourth time the Santa Fe has won a Best Car for the Money award.
Great, a US maker wins in a category no one wants.
Reminds me of something I heard over 20 years ago — Watch out for the Koreans. It’s beyond my compression why the Big Three is unable to match, much-less beat, the Asian manufacturers.