10) Mini
Average Overall Ranking: 8.1
Mini sells two car models in the U.S. The 2018 Mini Cooper is available in distinctively styled two- and four-door hatchback models starting at $21,600. In our rankings of subcompact cars, it holds a spot just below the segment leaders. It pairs zippy turbocharged engines with nimble handling and an urban-friendly size.
The 2017 Mini Cooper Clubman is an extended version of the Mini Cooper featuring a high-quality cabin with ample room for five and plenty of cargo space, which is accessed through rear carriage doors. In our rankings of subcompact cars, it scores a position about halfway down the list. Clubman prices start at $24,100.
9) Hyundai
Average Overall Ranking: 8.17
Hyundai has a new car lineup that covers the spectrum from the $14,745 Hyundai Accent to the $34,100 Hyundai Azera. The Accent is available as either a sedan or hatchback with a position about halfway down our rankings of subcompact cars. The Azera holds a spot near the bottom of our large car rankings.
Two of the highest-ranked cars in the company’s lineup are the popular 2018 Hyundai Sonata, which earns a spot just below the segment leaders in our rankings of midsize cars, and the 2018 Hyundai Elantra, which we rank near the top of our competitive compact car rankings.
Hyundai also markets the new-for-2017 Hyundai Ioniq, which is available in all-electric and hybrid models; a plug-in hybrid version is arriving soon.
The lowest-ranked car in the company’s lineup is the aging 2017 Hyundai Veloster, a sporty-looking compact vehicle.
All of Hyundai’s new cars come with a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
7) Volkswagen (tie)
Average Overall Ranking: 8.2
The Volkswagen new car lineup includes iconic models such as the 2017 VW Beetle and the 2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI. The GTI was one of the original sporty hatchbacks available in America, and it's one of the top models in our rankings of compact cars.
Also in VW lineup are the standard 2017 Volkswagen Golf hatchback, the 2017 VW Jetta compact sedan, and the roomy 2017 Volkswagen Passat midsize sedan. The 2017 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen is a capable alternative to a compact SUV when outfitted with all-wheel drive in its Alltrack trim (pictured above).
Most 2018 Volkswagen models will come with the company’s new six-year/72,000-mile basic warranty, which is the longest standard warranty in the industry.
7) Dodge (tie)
Average Overall Ranking: 8.2
Included in the Dodge new car lineup for our Best Brand Awards are a large sports coupe, a large sedan, and a supercar that won’t be returning for the 2018 model year. Production has concluded for the 2017 Dodge Viper, ending a long run for the V10-powered luxury sports car.
However, it’s not the end for Dodge performance cars. Both the 2018 Dodge Challenger and 2018 Dodge Charger can be outfitted with engines that take their performance from mildly quick to outrageously fast. At the bottom of their lineups are V6 engines that produce around 300 horsepower and feature available all-wheel drive.
It’s at the top of the Charger and Challenger lineups where Dodge makes some noise – literally. The Charger Hellcat and Challenger Hellcat Widebody carry a 707-horsepower supercharged V8 for extreme performance. The Charger Hellcat can leap from zero to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 204 mph.
If that’s not enough, Dodge also makes the Challenger Demon, an 840-horsepower monster intended for the drag strip.
6) Subaru
Average Overall Ranking: 8.24
Depending on who you ask, Subaru’s most identifiable car is either the 2018 Subaru Outback wagon, which is an excellent alternative to an SUV, or the high-performance 2018 Subaru WRX. In our new car rankings, Subaru has a number of vehicles that perform well in their classes.
The Outback holds a spot near the top of our rankings of wagons, while the 2017 Subaru BRZ earns a place in the middle of our sports car rankings. Subaru also offers the Impreza compact sedan and hatchback, plus the 2018 Legacy midsize sedan.
All Subaru models except for the 2017 Subaru BRZ sports coupe come standard with all-wheel drive. The BRZ is only available with a performance-minded rear-wheel-drive setup.
5) Toyota
Average Overall Ranking: 8.42
Toyota has one of the most comprehensive arrays of new cars available in America. It’s led by the top-selling and top-ranked 2018 Toyota Camry. Redesigned for 2018, the Camry is available in gas-only and gasoline-electric Toyota Camry Hybrid midsize sedan models.
Other highly ranked vehicles in the company’s lineup include the 2018 Toyota Avalon and Avalon Hybrid, which hold the top spots in our rankings of large cars. The nimble 2017 Toyota 86 holds a position just below the class leaders in our rankings of sports cars.
Though the Prius wasn't the first hybrid sold in America, it is the car people think of when they hear the word "hybrid." The 2017 Toyota Prius earns EPA-estimated mileage of up to 58 mpg in the city and 53 mpg on the highway. It holds a spot in the top tier of our competitive compact car rankings and won our 2017 Best Hybrid Car for the Money award.
The 2018 Toyota Yaris iA is one of the higher-rated cars in our rankings of subcompact cars.
Toyota’s lineup includes several models with either perfect or nearly perfect predicted reliability scores, meaning their long-term cost of ownership will likely be lower than many rivals’. Toyota is also leading the industry by including advanced electronic safety and driver assistance features as standard equipment on most of their vehicles.
4) Chevrolet
Average Overall Ranking: 8.48
Perhaps no other company on this list has a new car lineup as diverse as Chevrolet’s. Its highly ranked cars include models ranging from the subcompact Sonic to the Chevy Camaro sports coupe. Both the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu and Chevy Impala sedans hold spots near the top of their classes.
In our rankings of subcompact cars, the affordable, agile, and well-equipped 2018 Chevrolet Sonic holds one of the top spots. In our rankings of midsize cars, the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Hybrid sedans score high ratings with their inclusion of advanced infotainment technology and spacious back seats.
The company also offers the highly rated 2018 Chevrolet Camaro in both coupe and convertible body styles with a plethora of performance options. If you're looking for an even sportier alternative, the 2018 Chevy Corvette holds a spot in the top half of our rankings of luxury sports cars.
Chevy also produces the 2018 Bolt EV, a 238-mile battery-electric hatchback that holds a spot in the top third of our rankings of compact cars. Most Bolt EV buyers will qualify for a $7,500 federal EV tax credit.
Nearly all Chevrolet cars either come standard with or have available support for Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G LTE data connection, an onboard Wi-Fi hot spot, and the Teen Driver system, which helps parents monitor the driving behavior of new drivers.
3) Kia
Average Overall Ranking: 8.5
The 2018 Kia Soul is the top-scoring vehicle in our rankings of compact cars, but it’s only one of several Kia products to excel in the segments in which the company competes. The all-new 2018 Kia Stinger has quickly risen to a top position in our rankings of luxury small cars.
Kia sells a wide variety of cars in the U.S., including the 2018 Kia Rio four-door sedan and hatchback, which holds a spot a couple of notches below the class leaders in our rankings of subcompact cars. Near the top of the company’s lineup is the 2017 Kia Cadenza, a sedan that earns a position near the top of our rankings of large cars.
The 2018 Kia Optima and 2018 Kia Forte score spots in the top third of our rankings of midsize cars and compact cars, respectively.
Kia, like its sister company Hyundai, provides a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, plus 10 years or 100,000 miles of powertrain coverage on all of the cars that it sells.
2) Honda
Average Overall Ranking: 8.625
Honda is known for decades of popular, reliable cars, including the venerable Accord and Civic sedans. However, there’s more to their car lineup, including our top-ranked subcompact and a growing portfolio of alternative-fuel vehicles. Honda cars consistently perform exceptionally well in our new car rankings.
The 2018 Honda Civic family has grown to include sedan, coupe, and hatchback body styles, plus Si and Type R (pictured above) performance variants. It is one of our top-ranked compact cars.
For 2018, the Honda Accord has been completely redesigned, and the new model holds a spot near the top of our rankings of midsize cars.
In our rankings of subcompact cars, the 2018 Honda Fit holds the top spot. It features a flexible interior that can be configured to carry different mixes of passengers and cargo.
Just rolling into the market is the 2018 Honda Clarity family of alternative fuel vehicles, including a plug-in hybrid, a battery-electric model, and a hydrogen-powered model. They join the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid in the brand's green car lineup.
Best Car Brand: Mazda
Average Overall Ranking: 8.633
Mazda has a reputation for building efficient vehicles with a performance edge that is unmatched by mainstream rivals. Of the six models they sell in the U.S., three are cars, including the popular 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
The Miata, which holds the top spot in our rankings of sports cars, is now available in two different body styles. There’s the traditional roadster and a new power-retractable hardtop targa version.
Nimble handling is not often recognized in the compact car market. However, the 2018 Mazda3 runs circles around the competition on its way to a rating that is just behind the segment leaders in our rankings of compact cars. That’s not all it has going for it, though. It is also one of the more efficient players in the segment, with fuel economy estimates of up to 28 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.
The 2017 Mazda6 is a very good sedan in a field of great competitors. It holds a spot that’s in the top half of our rankings of midsize cars with driving dynamics that are unmatched in the segment. Like its Mazda3 sibling, the Mazda6 also has impressive fuel economy estimates compared to many rivals.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
Learn more about the individual models from these top brands in our new car reviews, and see how they stack up against the competition in our rankings of new cars. Our comparison tool lets you see how one model compares directly against another.
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We Rank the Best Car Brands of 2018
Finding the perfect car can seem like finding a needle in a haystack, but your search can be easier if you focus on just a few brands. Dozens of manufacturers sell cars in America, but not all brands are created equal – some have multiple vehicles that excel in their classes.
Our Best Car Brand Awards recognize manufacturers with the best overall scores for their car models, not trucks, SUVs, or minivans. They are based on our new car rankings, which are drawn from the consensus of America’s automotive press and are an objective evaluation of each brand’s quality, performance, and value.
Be aware that our scores can change over time as we process and analyze new data, so be sure to look at the latest reviews for the most up-to-date scores.
Take a look at the following slides to see who tops this year’s list of top car brands, listed from tenth place to our No. 1 Best Car Brand winner.