Are you in the market for a new vehicle?
Buying a new car isn’t easy. Knowing where to start, which vehicle suits your needs best and how to get the best bang for your buck can all prove difficult.
With the average price of a new vehicle approaching $50,000 and high interest rates on car loans, Americans are more focused on the true value of what they’re purchasing, John Vincent, senior editor of vehicle testing at U.S. News and World Report, said in a recent news release.
As a result, in late January, the popular consumer and rankings website unveiled the winners of its 2025 Best Cars for the Money awards. Featuring 13 categories focusing on different types of vehicles, the awards highlight which automobiles provide drivers with the best combination of quality and value, according to the website.
Honda and Hyundai took home the highest honors; both automakers won awards in four separate categories. The Honda Odyssey continued its winning streak in the Best Minivan for the Money category, while the Honda Civic, Honda Passport and Honda Accord all claimed awards, too.
The Hyundai Tucson and Hyundai Elantra Hybrid won in the Best Compact SUV for the Money and the Best Hybrid Car for the Money categories, respectively. Meanwhile, two other Hyundai vehicles celebrated first-time wins.
The Hyundai Kona Electric and the Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid achieved awards for the Best Electric SUV for the Money and the Best Plug-In Hybrid SUV for the Money, respectively, according to U.S. News and World Report.
Kia was yet another automaker to receive accolades; its vehicles won in the hybrid SUV, 3-row SUV and subcompact SUV categories. When it comes to pickups, the 2025 Toyota Tacoma and the 2025 Ram 1500 outshined their competitors.
To determine the rankings, U.S. News and World Report assessed quality based on the vehicle’s overall score in the U.S. News Best Car Rankings, which are “built on a combination of data points like safety and reliability ratings, as well as the collective opinion of the automotive press.”
Find the complete rankings below: