Best SUV: 2020 Kia Telluride
U.S. News Overall Score: 8.6/10 | Price: $31,690
Brand new for 2020, the Kia Telluride debuts at the top of our midsize SUV rankings with an overall score of 8.6 out of 10. In fact, no affordable SUV of any size has a higher overall score than the Telluride. This SUV was a finalist for our 2020 Best 3-Row SUV for the Money award, too.
The new Kia boasts plenty of space for passengers and gear, a long list of standard tech features, an attractive cabin design, and a poised ride. It’s an all-around standout in one of the most competitive and popular segments.
Best SUV: 2020 Kia Telluride
Performance Score: 7.3/10 | Interior Score: 8.1/10
If you’re looking to be the star of the carpool group, the Telluride is a smart choice. It seats up to eight in three rows, and kids will be plenty comfortable even in the third-row seats. There will be room for all the kids’ stuff too, as the Telluride has 21 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, and 46 cubic feet with the third-row seats folded down, both excellent figures for the class.
You’ll get plenty of accident-avoidance technology on the base Telluride, including lane keep assist, forward collision warning, brake assist, pedestrian detection, rear cross traffic alert, a driver attention monitor, and safe exit assist, which warns you if it's not safe to open your doors because of approaching cars or bikes.
On the road, the Telluride’s 291-horsepower V6 engine has more than adequate muscle for any normal driving situation. Kia’s biggest SUV takes turns with poise and it provides a smooth ride.
SUV buyers would be remiss to look past the Telluride. If you’re ready to buy, check out this month’s Kia deals for all the best finance and lease offers. To find the dealer offering the lowest price in your area, use the U.S. News & World Report Best Price Program.
Best Car: 2020 Toyota Camry
U.S. News Overall Score: 8.6/10 | Price: $24,425
Reliability, practicality, and value are probably what many car shoppers think of when considering the Toyota Camry. It still boasts those attributes in spades, but following a redesign in 2018, it now offers first-rate cabin design and technology, as well as more engaging driving dynamics. It’s been one of the most popular models in America for decades, and that probably isn’t changing anytime soon.
The Camry’s overall score of 8.6 out of 10 is the best among midsize cars, just ahead of the rival Honda Accord (8.5). Other competitors like the Kia Optima and Nissan Altima have an overall score of 8.0 out of 10, well behind the Camry and Accord.
In the 2019 awards season, the Camry was named the Best Midsize Car for the Money, a Best New Car for Teens, and a finalist for the Best Midsize Car for Families. It’s a frontrunner for more accolades in 2020, and it won our 2020 Best Midsize Car for the Money award.
Best Car: 2020 Toyota Camry
Performance Score: 8.5/10 | Interior Score: 7.4/10
Before its 2018 redesign, the Camry’s performance was far from exceptional. However, recent suspension and steering updates give the Toyota more poise and agility through turns. Under the hood, the Camry’s base engine has 25 more horsepower than the previous generation, and it’s plenty powerful for normal driving situations.
The Camry’s interior impresses with a handsome design and high-quality materials. Features like a pre-collision braking system with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control come standard, while blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and rear cross traffic braking are available. Android Auto is newly standard for the 2020 model year.
If you’re ready to buy a new midsize car, test driving the Camry is a great place to start. Take a look at this month’s Toyota deals for the best finance and lease offers. To find the dealer offering the lowest price in your area, use the U.S. News & World Report Best Price Program.
Best Luxury SUV: 2020 Lincoln Navigator
U.S. News Overall Score: 8.8/10 | Price: $73,200
Following a redesign for 2019, the Lincoln Navigator has vaulted from mid-pack to the top of the heap in the luxury SUV field. Its overall score of 8.8 out of 10 edges the smaller Mercedes-Benz GLE for the top mark among luxury family haulers. The Navigator ranked first in the luxury large SUV rankings for nearly all of 2019.
The big Lincoln boasts all the opulence you’d expect of a luxury SUV, along with a muscular V6 engine, a refined ride, and cavernous seating and cargo space. For 2020, Lincoln added more standard features to the Navigator and simplified the trim lineup. Safety tech like automatic braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert come standard.
Best Luxury SUV: 2020 Lincoln Navigator
Performance Score: 8.0/10 | Interior Score: 8.9/10
Under the hood, the Navigator comes with a turbocharged 450-horsepower V6 engine, which has more than enough strength for routine tasks. Unlike many other large SUVs, the Navigator doesn’t suffer from ponderous handling on curvy roads; it can take corners with confidence and provides a comfortable ride.
Inside, the Navigator sets itself apart from many competitors with adult-friendly third-row seats. Its cabin materials and aesthetics are posh and upscale, as you’d expect for the class. If you frequently haul a lot of gear, you can be confident the Navigator is up to the task; it offers over 100 cubic feet of space with the second and third rows folded down.
In terms of tech, Lincoln’s SYNC 3 infotainment system receives high praise for its usability, and desirable safety features like automatic braking, pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and Ford’s MyKey secondary driver controls come standard.
If you’re ready to buy a new luxury SUV, test driving the Navigator is a great place to start. To find the dealer offering the lowest price in your area, use the U.S. News & World Report Best Price Program.
Best Luxury Car: 2020 BMW 5 Series
U.S. News Overall Score: 8.9/10 | Price: $53,900
Since its redesign for the 2017 model year, the BMW 5 Series has ranked near the top of the luxury midsize car segment, and it begins the new decade in the top spot. Its overall score of 8.9 out of 10 is considerably higher than that of rivals like the Mercedes Benz E-Class (8.3), Genesis G80 (8.3), and Audi A6 (8.0).
During the 2019 awards season, the 5 Series was crowned the 2019 Best Luxury Midsize Car for Families thanks to its combination of space, family-friendly features, and excellent reviews from test drivers. Even though BMW isn’t making any major changes to the 5 Series lineup for 2020, the 5 Series will be a favorite to bring home more hardware this year. It continues to offer the ritzy cabin and sporty driving dynamics that buyers expect from the brand.
Best Luxury Car: 2020 BMW 5 Series
Performance Score: 8.5/10 | Interior Score: 7.9/10
Performance enthusiasts won’t be disappointed with the 5 Series, as there are six different engine options to choose from, and all of them pack plenty of punch. Even the base 248-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder offers authoritative acceleration. On the road, the 5 Series deftly balances sharp handling with a comfortable ride.
You expect top-flight materials and striking styling with a BMW, and that’s what you get with the 5 Series. Plus, adults will be comfortable in both rows of seats, and up front, BMW’s iDrive infotainment system is among the most user-friendly for luxury brands.
The 5 Series is a can’t-miss option in the luxury car market. If you’re ready to buy, check out this month’s BMW deals for all the best finance and lease offers. To find the dealer offering the lowest price in your area, use the U.S. News & World Report Best Price Program.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
If any of the top cars of 2020 piqued your interest, head over to our best deals page and our best lease deals page. There, we’ve compiled a list of all the best incentives manufacturers are currently offering.
If you’re already sure what vehicle you want, use the U.S. News Best Price Program to find the dealership offering the lowest price in your area. Shoppers who use the program save an average of more than $3,000 off their new car.
U.S. News’ Best Cars of 2020
- Best SUV: 2020 Kia Telluride
- Best Car: 2020 Toyota Camry
- Best Luxury SUV: 2020 Lincoln Navigator
- Best Luxury Car: 2020 BMW 5 Series
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Best Cars of the Year: Here Are the Top 2020 Vehicles in Our Rankings
If you’re looking to start the new decade with a new set of wheels, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve gone through our car and SUV rankings and found the best models for 2020.
In this slideshow, we’ve included the vehicles with the highest U.S. News overall scores across four broad segments: cars, luxury cars, SUVs, and luxury SUVs. Vehicles that have never been tested for reliability were disqualified. Pickup trucks, super luxury cars, and sports cars are also not included.
Our new car rankings are based on the consensus opinion of the automotive press, as well as third-party safety and reliability data. Five components make up a vehicle’s overall score: performance, interior, critic's rating, safety, and reliability. We combine these scores in a formula that varies by segment to reflect consumer expectations. The result is an overall score for each new car on a 0 to 10 scale. For more information on how we rank cars, visit our methodology page.
The scores on our site are regularly updated based on new data, so bear in mind that the U.S. News scores cited here may vary slightly from the scores on our rankings pages.