The Best Cars on the Market Today

Buying a car is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make. It’ll spend a lot of time outside your home and you want it to be reliable, easy to drive, spacious, practical and capable of keeping your loved ones safe in the event of an accident.

The best cars are those that offer everything you want and then some. These vehicles will be fun to drive, comfortable, efficient and reliable while also being affordable and delivering years of driving enjoyment.

Our list of the best cars includes hatchbacks, SUVs, sedans and luxury cars. We’ve included both new and used models to give you an idea of what each category has to offer.

Hatchbacks — especially those under five meters long — are popular for their practicality and space, as well as their affordability. If you’re in the market for a compact car, the Volkswagen Jetta, Honda Civic and Kia Optima are some of the best on the market.

SUVs — including the Mazda CX-5, Toyota Highlander and Nissan Pathfinder — are good choices if you need more cargo room and off-road capability. The Jeep Renegade is also a strong choice for those looking for a midsize SUV that offers the functionality of a truck while retaining a smooth, comfortable ride.

Hybrids — which combine a traditional internal combustion engine with an electric motor to improve fuel economy — are also showing up more often on the road. The Ford Maverick, Toyota Prius Prime, Lexus NX Hybrid and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid all earn high predicted reliability scores.

Plug-in hybrids — which use a gasoline-electric hybrid system to improve efficiency — also get high predicted reliability ratings. The Ford Escape, Nissan Leaf, and Honda Accord receive high fuel-economy scores from Consumer Reports.

Sportscars — which typically have high horsepower, high-revving engines and sporty handling — aren’t the most common vehicle type on the market, but those who do decide to go with a sports car deserve one that can keep up with them in every way possible. The Porsche 911 is a perfect example of this, with its track-ready handling and eager engine under the hood.

Electric cars — which have simple powertrains but use rechargeable batteries instead of traditional gas tanks — are seeing more popularity thanks to their low emissions and cost-effective running costs. They aren’t without their faults, though. Complexity of infotainment systems can be a problem, and Tesla’s build quality isn’t always stellar.

Top-rated luxury cars — including the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Audi A8 — are a popular option for those who want to treat themselves to an elegant ride that’s also environmentally friendly. They’re also an excellent choice for those looking to upgrade their existing vehicles with luxury features.

Crossovers — especially those under six meters in length — are an increasingly popular choice for drivers who want both car-like handling and the versatility of an SUV. The Subaru Outback, for example, packs the same performance and capabilities of a sport-ute without the fuel-economy pain.