Their names are – overwhelmingly – Honda, Hyundai and Kia.
Every year, US News & World Report releases a survey recommending the best cars for the money awards in the most popular automotive categories including SUV, EV, hybrid and Minivan.
Each Best Car for the Money award winner is the category leader for quality and value, including safety. Value is measured by evaluating purchase or lease price and projected five-year ownership costs.
Unlike the 2024 awards, when not one US brand won – not one won – this year just one model gets on the list, a Ram truck, although these days the brand is owned by Italy’s Stellantis.
Full Disclosure –
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter was a contributing writer
to US News & World Report for several years.
Here’s the link to some of my articles.
Honda continues to shine, earning four awards across multiple categories. The Honda Odyssey extends its Best Minivan for the Money winning streak to five years.
The Honda Civic, Honda Passport and Honda Accord – each a previous winner in their respective categories for multiple years – showcase Honda’s solid commitment to low ownership costs, top safety ratings and great fuel economy.
Hyundai matched Honda’s excellence this year with four honors, including the Hyundai Tucson holding its title as Best Compact SUV for the Money and low ownership costs, top safety ratings and great fuel economy.
Hyundai matched Honda’s excellence this year with four honors, including the Hyundai Tucson holding its title as Best Compact SUV for the Money and the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid securing its fourth win as the Best Hybrid Car for the Money.
The Hyundai Kona Electric and the Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid celebrate their first-time wins as Best Electric SUV for the Money and Best Plug-In Hybrid SUV for the Money, respectively, thanks in part to pleasant driving dynamics, cutting-edge features and an affordable price.
Kia earned three awards, all for SUVs, with the Kia Soul taking Best Subcompact SUV for the Money, the Kia Sportage Hybrid taking home Best Hybrid SUV for the Money and the Kia Telluride earning its second straight (and third ever) Best 3-Row SUV for the Money win.
Two categories returned to the award lineup for 2025: the Best Midsize Pickup Truck for the Money and Best Full-Size Pickup Truck for the Money.
With strong off-road options, refined powertrains and ultra-low ownership costs, the 2025 Toyota Tacoma prevails as the Best Midsize Pickup Truck for the Money.
The 2025 Ram 1500 claims the title for Best Full-Size Pickup Truck for the Money, partly due to its luxurious cabin, capable performance and impressive fuel economy.
Here are all the category winners –
2025 Honda Civic – Best Compact Car for the Money
2025 Hyundai Tucson – Best Compact SUV for the Money
2025 Hyundai Kona Electric – Best Electric SUV for the Money
2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid – Best Hybrid Car for the Money
2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid – Best Hybrid SUV for the Money
2025 Honda Accord – Best Midsize Car for the Money
2025 Honda Odyssey – Best Minivan for the Money
2025 Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid – Best Plug-In Hybrid SUV for the Money
2025 Honda Passport – Best 2-Row SUV for the Money
2025 Kia Telluride – Best 3-Row SUV for the Money
2025 Kia Soul – Best Subcompact SUV for the Money
2025 Toyota Tacoma – Best Midsize Pickup Truck for the Money
2025 Ram 1500 – Best Full-Size Pickup Truck for the Money
Award Methodology –
Each award winner has the best combination of quality and value in its class. U.S. News assesses 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. Value is measured by evaluating transaction price data and five-year projected ownership costs.
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