For the best new vehicles on sale, the envelope please …
Every year, Edmunds’ experts put their heads together to determine the best new vehicles on sale. The annual Edmunds Top Rated Awards are given to the cars, trucks and SUVS that rank at the top of their class according to Edmunds’ vehicle testing program. That means each winner has been tested at the Edmunds test track and thoroughly evaluated over many miles of real-world use.
Edmunds came up with six winners for best car,
SUV, truck and the electric versions of each:
Top-rated car: Toyota Prius
Edmunds: For the redesigned Prius hybrid, dorky is out and cool is in. Toyota took its once-stodgy hybrid hatchback and gave it sleek lines and tight bodywork. The Prius also gains a big jump in performance without losing any efficiency. The Prius delivers up to an Epa-estimated 57 mpg in combined city/ highway driving. That’s right up there with the most fuel-efficient cars you can buy, and Edmunds has verified the EPA’S estimate in its own real-world testing.
■ Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price: $29,045
Top-rated electric car: BMW i5
Edmunds: Essentially, the new BMW i5 is an electric version of the company’s latest 5 Series midsize luxury sedan. There’s little downside to this switch to electric power. The i5 boasts a comfortable interior, a very smooth ride and all of BMW’S latest technology and driver assistance features. The i5 range is topped
by the mighty 593-horsepower M60, but you don’t have to pay top dollar here.
■ Starting MSRP: $67,795
Top-rated SUV: Kia Sportage Hybrid
Edmunds: The Kia Sportage Hybrid wins for the second year in a row. This small crossover SUV doesn’t ask you to change the way you live compared to the regular Sportage, and most of the time you’d never know it was a hybrid. It accelerates quickly for zippy around-town driving and gets impressive fuel economy of up to an estimated 43 mpg in combined driving.
■ Starting MSRP: $29,965
Top-rated electric SUV: Kia EV9
Edmunds: Slightly bigger than Kia’s popular Telluride SUV, the all-new EV9 is a standout family EV that costs tens of thousands of dollars less than three-row electrics from Mercedes, Rivian and Tesla. It offers room for adults in all three rows, plenty of standard upscale features and pleasing power and range. Edmunds tested a dual-motor EV9 and found it beat its EPA estimate by traveling 306 miles on a single charge. A smooth ride and plenty of power are additional qualities that make the EV9 a standout.
■ Starting MSRP: $56,395
Top-rated truck: Chevrolet Colorado
Edmunds: The Chevrolet Colorado’s recent cleansheet redesign brings this pickup to the forefront of midsize trucks. The Colorado comes as a four-door crew cab fitted with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. With the more powerful 310-horsepower version of that engine, the Colorado can tow a stout 7,700 pounds when properly equipped. Just as impressive, the Colorado is comfortable to drive and comes with modern digital displays and many advanced driving aids.
■ Starting MSRP: $31,095
Top-rated electric truck: Ford F-150 Lightning
Edmunds: Last year’s electric truck winner repeats for 2024. The best thing about the Ford F-150 Lightning is that it does truck stuff without being over the top or quirky. It looks a lot like a regular F-150 and drives like one, too. Opting for the truck’s optional large battery pack gets you a robust 580 horsepower as well as plenty of range. Edmunds has gone an impressive 345 miles on a full charge on its real-world range test.
■ Starting MSRP: $52,090