U.S. News issued their list of best cars for the money and some of their choices may surprise you.
U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings
and consumer advice, today unveiled the 2021 Best Cars for the Money awards. Covering 11 automotive
categories, the awards put a spotlight on cars, SUVs and minivans that represent the best combination of
long-term value and excellent ownership experience.
“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.”
Toyota won the most awards this year with four. Kia and Honda each earned three, and Hyundai earned
one. The Kia Forte, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Toyota Corolla Hybrid each won their award for the
second year in a row, while the Kia Soul and Sorento have now won for five consecutive years. The
Honda CR-V has also won for five consecutive years, and the Toyota Corolla has a four-year winning
streak. The Honda Passport and Hyundai Accent are both first-time winners.
Winners
2021 Honda Passport Best 2-Row SUV for the Money
2021 Kia Sorento Best 3-Row SUV for the Money
2021 Kia Forte Best Compact Car for the Money
2021 Honda CR-V Best Compact SUV for the Money
2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid Best Hybrid and Electric Car for the
Money
2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Best Hybrid and Electric SUV for the
Money
2021 Toyota Avalon Best Large Car for the Money
2021 Toyota Camry Best Midsize Car for the Money
2021 Honda Odyssey Best Minivan for the Money
2021 Hyundai Accent Best Subcompact Car for the Money
2021 Kia Soul Best Subcompact SUV for the Money
Methodology
Within each class, the award winner has the best combination of quality and value. We 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. We 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.
About U.S. News Best Cars
Since 2007, U.S. News Best Cars, the automotive channel of U.S. News & World Report, has published
rankings of the majority of new vehicles sold in America. Each year, U.S. News also publishes the Best
Cars awards, including Best Vehicle Brands, Best Cars for the Money and Best Cars for Families. U.S.
News Best Cars supports car shoppers throughout the entire car buying journey, offering advice
for researching cars, finding cars for sale near you and getting the best rate on car insurance. U.S. News
Best Cars had more than 73 million visitors over the past year, with the majority actively shopping for a
car. More than 70% of active shoppers reported that U.S. News influenced their car-purchasing decision,
saying that they trust our advice to be unbiased and that they would recommend our site to others.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better,
more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A digital news and information
company focused on Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars and News, USNews.com provides
consumer advice, rankings and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages
of life. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded
in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
