Thursday, February 12, 2015

U.S. News announces the 2015 Best Cars for the Money

U.S. News announces 2015 Best Cars for the Money

US News
With new car transaction prices rising each month, it might be tempting to go for the car with the lowest price tag. That can end up costing you in the long run, however. A cheap car is no bargain if you don’t enjoy owning it. A low price tag also doesn’t always translate into low ownership costs, so you may end up paying more in the long run. The U.S. News Best Cars for the Money awards combine data from the U.S. News Best Cars rankings with data on transaction prices and long-term ownership costs to highlight cars that are not only good to their owners, but also good to their owners’ wallets. The awards cover 21 different categories, and the Best Car for the Money award winners show that great cars and great values often go hand-in-hand.

For the seventh year in a row, the Lexus RX 350 takes home the Best 2-Row Luxury SUV for the Money award. Auto journalists love how smooth, quiet and luxurious the RX is, and that same formula, plus low ownership costs in its class, keep the RX in the winner’s circle. Another repeat winner is the Mazda5, which has won Best Minivan for the Money a total of four times. Though it’s much smaller than most other minivans, reviewers like how sprightly the Mazda5 feels on the road. Its smaller size also means owners save on fuel and other ownership costs, though the Mazda5 still seats six.

Newly redesigned cars did well in this year’s awards, winning in nine categories. With the latest tech features, freshly updated cars have the infotainment and connectivity features consumers demand. Redesigned cars also take advantage of the latest in engine technology to save on fuel, lowering ownership costs. The newest models also tend to have the best residual values, which also helps make them great values. The Honda Fit is all-new for 2015 and won both the Best Subcompact Car for the Money and Best Hatchback for the Money awards. The Nissan Murano is newly redesigned and won best 2-Row Midsize SUV for the Money. The Chevrolet Colorado returned for 2015, and the all-new truck won Best Compact Truck for the Money. Volkswagen took home two awards with fresh models: The Volkswagen Golf is the Best Compact Car for the Money and the GTI is the Best Sports Car for the Money. The all-new Audi A3 snagged Best Upscale Small Car for the Money, and the redesigned Subaru Outback is the Best Wagon for the Money. The Acura TLX is the Best Upscale Midsize Car for the Money.

Though newly redesigned cars did well, there are also some older models among the winners, which shows that a tested and true design still appeals to automotive critics. The Honda CR-V is the Best Compact SUV for the Money, and the Ram 1500, the Best Full Size Truck for the Money, still has a ride that reviewers say is the smoothest in the class. The Acura RDX continues to impress with its satisfying driving dynamics and excellent ownership costs; it’s the Best Luxury Compact SUV for the Money. The Chevrolet Impala is the Best Large Car for the Money, and the Hyundai Sonata is the Best Midsize Car for the Money. The Toyota Camry Hybrid and Toyota Highlander Hybrid won each of the Hybrid categories. 

Though models from American brands were finalists in many classes, only three awards ended up going to domestics: the Chevrolet Colorado, Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Impala. Japanese automakers took home 13 awards. German brands won three and Korean automaker Hyundai won two.

See gallery: U.S. News 2015 Best Cars for the Money winners

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