7) 2018 Chrysler 300
$28,995 | U.S. News Score: 8.3/10
Value: The 2018 Chrysler 300’s average cost at the dealer is actually on par for the class, but it has the highest five-year cost of ownership in the class due to high fuel, insurance, and maintenance costs.
Quality: The 2018 Chrysler 300 has two powerful available engines, plenty of passenger room, and a new lower base price for 2018. But it also has lower safety and reliability scores than many of its rivals, and its handling is marshmallow-like, even for a large sedan.
The base V6 engine’s fuel economy is typical for the class, at 19 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. Upgrading to the V8 lowers that estimate quite a bit, to 16 mpg city/25 mpg highway, and it requires midgrade gasoline.
The Uconnect infotainment system in the 300 works very well, with standard features like an 8.4-inch screen, satellite radio, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A rearview camera is standard, with high-tech safety features available for higher trim levels.
6) 2018 Dodge Charger
$28,995 | U.S. News Score: 8.1/10
Value: The Dodge Charger’s average cost at the dealer is on par for the class, and its total cost of ownership is low. Only its low U.S. News quality score keeps it from moving higher up this list.
Quality: If you’d like to put some muscle in your morning commute, the 2018 Dodge Charger will do just that. The base V6 engine has 292 horsepower, with three more powerful (and thirstier) V8s available.
The interior has lots of space, but it’s not as upscale as many other large sedans’. The wide pillars on either side of the rear window inhibit visibility, though the standard rearview camera and rear parking sensors help in some situations. More advanced safety tech, including blind spot monitoring, is optional.
The Uconnect infotainment system starts with a 7-inch screen, voice recognition, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. An 8.4-inch screen with built-in navigation is available.
5) 2018 Nissan Maxima
$33,270 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10
Value: The Nissan Maxima has the second-highest cost of ownership in the class because of high depreciation, fuel, and maintenance costs.
Quality: The 2018 Nissan Maxima delivers a dose of athleticism not usually seen in a large sedan. Its V6 engine is powerful, but it does require premium fuel.
The infotainment system has a long list of standard features, including navigation and satellite radio, plus Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It has an 8-inch touch screen that can also be controlled with a knob on the center console. The front seats are comfy, but the rear seats are a bit cramped, and the Maxima has a smaller trunk than most large cars.
In addition to the rearview camera you’d expect to find in this class, the Maxima comes with forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. Available safety tech includes adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and front and rear parking sensors.
4) 2018 Buick LaCrosse
$29,565 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10
Value: The Buick LaCrosse’s total cost of ownership is average for the class. It has low fuel and repair costs and was hurt mainly by high depreciation. The thing that really kept the luxurious LaCrosse from climber higher on this list is its average dealer transaction cost, which is the highest in the class.
Quality: The 2018 Buick LaCrosse is a good all-around cruiser. It has a comfortable ride, lots of passenger space, a quiet and upscale interior, and two available engines with plenty of passing power. The base eAssist powertrain, which pairs a four-cylinder engine with an electric motor in a mild hybrid configuration, is one of the most efficient systems in the class at 25 mpg city/35 mpg highway.
The LaCrosse has a small trunk for a large car, and the seating is low, so getting in and out can be a challenge. The infotainment system has an 8-inch touch screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but it’s located high in the console, making it hard to reach while driving.
A rearview camera and parking sensors are standard. Higher trims have more safety technology, such as blind spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and the Safety Alert Seat, which vibrates to alert the driver.
3) 2018 Kia Cadenza
$32,290 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10
Value: The high-scoring Kia Cadenza’s high depreciation kept it from the top spot in our Best Large Car for the Money rankings, though its repair costs are the lowest in the class.
Quality: The 2018 Kia Cadenza isn’t the most expensive car in the class, but it has one of the nicest interiors. The materials used are all of high quality, and there’s lots of legroom for everyone. The sloping rear roofline does limit headroom for those in the back seat. The front seats have several adjustments that can be made for personal comfort.
The Cadenza has one V6 engine available, and it lacks the acceleration of its rivals. Its fuel economy is in the middle of the pack, at 20 mpg city/28 mpg highway, and it does not require any particular grade of fuel.
The UVO infotainment system has a standard 7-inch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. An 8-inch screen is available, as is wireless charging. The system is easy to figure out, but it can be hard to reach while driving, and the screen can be slow to respond.
2) 2018 Chevrolet Impala
$27,895 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10
Value: The Chevrolet Impala has the lowest cost of ownership in the class thanks to competitive maintenance, depreciation, and fuel costs. It also costs the least, on average, at the dealer. The only reason the Impala didn’t win our Best Large Car for the Money award is that it has a lower quality score than the winner.
Quality: The 2018 Chevrolet Impala’s base four-cylinder engine gets good gas mileage, but it can feel underpowered. The available V6 engine is peppy, though its fuel economy does drop a few miles per gallon. The interior is nicely designed and durable, though it lacks the elegance of some rivals.
The trunk in the Impala is an impressive 19 cubic feet, more than most others in the class. A rearview camera is the only standard safety tech feature, though more advanced technology, like forward collision alert and adaptive cruise control, is available.
The standard MyLink infotainment system is one of the easiest systems to use. It has an 8-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, plus a Wi-Fi hot spot and 4G LTE connectivity.
1) 2018 Toyota Avalon
$33,500 | U.S. News Score: 9.0/10
Value: The Toyota Avalon has the second-lowest cost of ownership (thank class-leading depreciation and insurance costs for that) and the highest quality score, helping it overcome its rather high price to take the Best Large Car for the Money crown. This is the second time the Avalon has been awarded Best Car for the Money.
Quality: The 2018 Toyota Avalon comes with many of the most desirable features, and the luxury-level standard leather interior has loads of space, even for adults in the back seat. The V6 engine has quick acceleration and good fuel efficiency, at 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway. It handles like a comfortable cruiser on the highway, yet the steering remains precise, which is useful in urban areas.
The Avalon comes with a suite of safety technology, including pedestrian detection, automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Toyota’s Entune infotainment system with a 7-inch touch-screen and navigation requires some getting used to, but once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s easy to use.
Keep in mind, all the features mentioned so far are standard in the 2018 Avalon. You can add a moonroof, wireless charging, smartphone integration, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and more. However, the basic Avalon is itself enough to earn the title of Best Large Car for the Money.
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To see the other Best Cars for the Money, check out our Best Cars for the Money slideshow. Also, see how they stack up in our new car rankings. When you’ve decided which vehicle is right for you, use our Best Price Program to save the most money on your new car purchase.
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Here Are the Top Contenders for the U.S. News Best Large Car for the Money Award
Large sedan sales may be declining, but the segment is not yet dead. Drivers who spend hours on the highway or need room in the back for colleagues still appreciate the interior space, comfortable ride, and full trunk of a large sedan. These vehicles also appeal to families who need one car that can do the school drop-off in the morning and present a professional appearance all day. The contenders in this category are all road-trip ready, with up-to-date infotainment and safety technology.
Large sedans are the priciest non-luxury sedans you can buy, but they don’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. To help you get the most for your money, we created the U.S. News Best Large Car for the Money award. The award goes to the car offering the best combination of quality and value.
To determine quality, we used the overall score from the U.S. News large car rankings. We then used pricing data from TrueCar and five-year cost-of-ownership data from Vincentric to paint a better picture of the car’s overall value.
Read through the following slides to see how each large car ranked in our Best Large Car for the Money award calculations.
Keep in mind that the scores on our site are updated constantly as new expert reviews and data become available. Therefore, the scores mentioned in this slideshow may not match the scores in our reviews.