Best cars, SUVs (and minivan) for your money – US News

The happy meeting place of quality and value is slightly different for each new-car shopper, but there are 14 vehicles with a particularly good chance of getting you there.

That’s according to U.S. News and World Report which has awarded the cars, SUVs and one minivan that encompass best value in their classes. These are the models that strike the balance between performance, features and high quality with budget-friendly prices most successfully.

Quality was measured by the company’s data-driven best-car rankings while value was assessed by combining new-car transaction prices with the running costs of ownership. Take a look through as you consider your next purchase.

 

 

2019 best cars for the money

SUVs and Minivan

Best 2-row SUV: Nissan Murano

Best 3-row SUV: Kia Sorento

Best compact SUV: Honda CR-V

Best luxury 2-row SUV: Lexus RX 350

Best luxury 3-row SUV: Infiniti QX60

Best luxury compact SUV: Acura RDX

Best minivan: Honda Odyssey

Best subcompact SUV: Hyundai Kona

Cars

Best compact car: Kia Soul

Best large car: Toyota Avalon Hybrid

Best luxury midsize car: Lexus ES

Best luxury small car: Kia Stinger

Best midsize car: Toyota Camry

Best subcompact car: Honda Fit

 

Top-performing brands and models

 Two automakers, Honda and Kia, stand out with three wins apiece and their winning vehicles are on a roll having all picked up awards in consecutive years. For Honda, the CR-V won “Best compact SUV for the money” for the third time in a row; the Odyssey was named best-value minivan for the second time in succession, and the Fit got the nod in the subcompact car category for the sixth straight year.

Kia’s Soul and Sorento, meanwhile, each claimed their respective best compact car and best three-row SUV titles for the third time running.

Overall, the awards were dominated by Japanese and Korean nameplates.

 

Written by: Rob Looker on March 14, 2019