Which Cars Make the Best Value List?

Apr 06, 2016

When looking for a car, are you looking for the best value and most bang for your buck? Then you’re in luck! Kelly Blue Book (KBB) recently released its annual report of best cars in their class for value. In their analysis, KBB looked at style and looks, features, how the vehicles handled a series of situational tests, purchase price and cost to own.

Owning a vehicle can be expensive. Even if you were to buy a car in cash, there would still be expenses you would have to pay on a regular basis, including insurance to protect yourself, gas to run the vehicle, ongoing maintenance and registration fees to the state. On top of that, depreciation costs have to be factored in – which causes your car to lose value the second it’s driven off the lot.

So which cars made KBB’s Best Buy Awards of 2016?

  • Best Overall Value: Honda Civic
  • Small/Compact Car: Honda Civic
  • Mid-size Car: Kia Optima
  • Full-size Car: Chevrolet Impala
  • Luxury Sedan: Mercedes C-Class
  • Sports Car: Chevrolet Corvette
  • Electric/Hybrid Vehicle: Chevrolet Volt
  • Small SUV: Honda CR-V
  • Mid-size SUV: Honda Pilot
  • Full-size SUV: Chevrolet Tahoe
  • Luxury SUV: Lexus RX
  • Truck: Ford F-150
  • Minivan: Honda Odyssey

Interestingly enough, more than half of these vehicles are rated by the IIHS as Top Safety Picks for the 2015 counterpart model (not all vehicles had ratings and 2016 model year ratings have not yet been released). If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, these models definitely deserve more than a cursory glance.