2019 Chrysler 300
$29,220 | U.S. News Score: 8.4/10
The 2019 Chrysler 300 features potent engines and an expansive cabin. That cabin is filled with top-grade materials that make it reminiscent of a German luxury sedan. It also has ample trunk space and an intuitive 8.4-inch touch-screen infotainment interface with the latest smartphone app integration.
The Chrysler 300 isn’t perfect. You’ll find plenty of rivals that handle better. In addition, its predicted reliability rating is average and its crash test scores are merely acceptable. However, few vehicles in its class match its style or horsepower.
2019 Genesis G90
$68,350 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10
The 2019 Genesis G90 is one of the most well-rounded vehicles in our luxury large car rankings. It boasts strong acceleration, decent agility, and exemplary safety scores. The G90 provides a quality cabin with plenty of space and support in both rows. Moreover, it comes packed with up-to-date technology, as well as a long list of standard advanced driver assistance aids.
The Genesis G90 has a few minor flaws. Many rivals’ models return better gas mileage and it’s short on cargo space.
2019 BMW 7 Series
$83,650 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10
BMW’s 7 Series fares well in our super luxury car rankings due to its lavish cabin, outstanding ride comfort, nimble handling, and robust engine lineup. It features multiple active safety systems and a state-of-the-art infotainment interface that allows you to use gestures to change the volume and answer phone calls.
The 7 Series offers cushioned leather seats and lots of room for adults in the back. To top it off, this BMW has a spacious trunk, gets excellent fuel economy estimates, and earns a slightly above-average predicted reliability rating.
The 7 Series’ only notable drawback is the lack of Android Auto. Apple CarPlay comes standard, but it’s only free for the first year.
2019 Chevrolet Corvette
$55,495 | U.S. News Score: 8.8/10
The 2019 Chevrolet Corvette excels thanks to its incredible power and tremendous handling. Despite its athleticism, it offers a coddling ride in comparison to many competitors. The Corvette is available as a coupe or convertible and seats two people in comfortable, supportive seats. It also has a roomy trunk for a luxury sports car.
Inside, the Corvette is stylish and well-built. Its cabin is not as luxurious as some rivals’, and it’s a bit light on features, but its starting price is low for the class.
2019 BMW 2 Series
$35,300 | U.S. News Score: 8.8/10
The BMW 2 Series places near the top of our highly competitive luxury small car rankings. It’s attractive inside and out and boasts one of the highest performance scores on our site.
The 2 Series features potent powertrains, lithe handling, and a comfortable ride. It comes from a generation of vehicles that earn high marks for safety and predicted reliability.
The 2 Series’ cabin provides sophisticated styling, first-rate materials, and plenty of intuitive tech features. It seats four passengers in both coupe and convertible configurations, though its rear seats are cramped. Coupe variants offer a sizable trunk.
2019 Kia Stinger
$32,990 | U.S. News Score: 8.8/10
The 2019 Kia Stinger is U.S. News’ Best Luxury Small Car for the Money. It’s more affordable than most of the competition and still comes equipped with an impressive feature set, including leather seats, a user-friendly infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, and a handful of active safety systems. The Stinger offers eager engines, dynamic handling, and more cargo space than most rivals. It also has a handsome cabin with room for adults in both rows.
2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
$91,250 | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class combines the utmost in luxury with an exceptionally comfortable ride and gobs of power. It comes in coupe, sedan, and convertible body styles that all include spacious, ultra-supportive seats.
The S-Class’ cabin is arguably one the most opulent you’ll find on the market today, and it’s packed with appealing standard features, such as a panoramic sunroof, wireless device charging, navigation, a 12.3-inch screen, and a healthy list of advanced driver assistance technologies.
It comes as no surprise that it tops our super luxury car rankings, tied with the Audi A8 and Porsche Panamera.
2019 Genesis G70
$34,900 | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
The all-new 2019 Genesis G70 shines due to its energetic base engine, nimble handling, and stunning cabin. It’s loaded with user-friendly technology and the latest safety features, which makes it one of the best value propositions in the class. In addition, the Genesis offers driving dynamics that easily parallel those of the most athletic German luxury sedans, and its interior is on par as well.
While the G70 offers a long list of positives, it falls short in a few areas. Its rear seats are tight for adults, cargo space is minimal, and fuel economy doesn’t stand up to most classmates’.
2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata
$25,730 | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
If you’re searching for an affordable two-seat roadster with exhilarating performance, the Mazda Miata deserves consideration. For the 2019 model year, it gets a reasonable power boost. The Miata comes standard with a manual-folding soft top, though a power-retractable hardtop is available.
Regardless of configuration, it provides an attractive cabin with an easy-to-use infotainment interface and spacious, supportive seats. The Miata’s only real drawback is its tiny trunk.
2019 Ford Mustang
$25,845 | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
Ford’s 2019 Mustang is classy inside and out, fun to drive, and comes from a generation of vehicles that receive admirable marks for safety and decent predicted reliability. Even with its fuel-efficient, turbocharged four-cylinder base engine, the Mustang provides respectable acceleration. It also handles well and delivers a cushioned ride.
The Mustang comes in both Fastback (coupe) and convertible body styles. Fastback models offer a generous amount of cargo volume for a sports car.
The Mustang features a modern, upscale cabin with seating for four passengers, though the rear seats are pinched for adults and difficult to access.
2019 Genesis G80
$42,050 | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
Like its smaller sibling – the G70 – the 2019 Genesis G80 earns praise for its fantastic balance of luxury and value. It’s one of the least expensive vehicles in our luxury midsize car rankings, yet it’s teeming with standard tech and safety features. The G80 offers strong, polished engines; a first-rate, comfortable cabin; exceptional crash test ratings; and outstanding warranty coverage.
The G80 seats five passengers in cushioned leather seats and provides more front-seat space than most rivals. In addition, the G80 comes standard with an intuitive and responsive infotainment system with modern smartphone app integration. Its only notable downside is its below-average fuel economy.
2018 Mercedes-Benz GT
$112,400 | U.S. News Score: 9.0/10
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz GT tops our luxury sports car rankings. It stands out because of its potent V8 engines, superb handling, and lavish interior. The GT comes as a coupe or convertible and seats two people on premium leather sport seats. It features a usable trunk and comes equipped with a short list of standard niceties, like an 8.4-inch infotainment display, a touchpad controller, navigation, driver drowsiness monitoring, and automatic emergency braking.
The GT is far from cheap and lacks tech features found in many rivals. It will also cost you plenty to keep it fueled up due to its low fuel economy estimates.
2018 Tesla Model 3
$35,000 | U.S. News Score: 9.0/10
The all-electric 2018 Tesla Model 3 is the automaker’s most affordable offering to date, and it has gained incredible popularity since launch. Initially, it carried a higher sticker price but still outsold a multitude of gas-powered rivals in the United States. Now, Tesla is finally offering it in its base configuration with a $35,000 price tag.
The Model 3 is incredibly efficient and provides dynamic handling and instant, spirited acceleration. The least expensive Model 3 will travel 220 miles on a single charge, though the Long Range trim ($44,500) offers 325 miles of range.
The Tesla’s well-built cabin features roomy seating for adults in both rows and boasts above-average cargo capacity. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Model 3 earns five stars in every crash test category.
2019 BMW 5 Series
$53,400 | U.S. News Score: 9.2/10
BMW’s 2019 5 Series places at the apex of our competitive luxury midsize car rankings. Its desirable blend of performance and interior quality is arguably unparalleled. It provides a wealth of features, adept handling, and fuel-efficient, muscular powertrains.
The 5 Series offers more room for cargo than most competitors and accommodates five passengers in two sizable rows of seats. Standard features include a moonroof, a full set of advanced driver assistance technologies, and a 10.2-inch touch-screen interface with Apple CarPlay and navigation. Moreover, the 5 Series has a history of impeccable ratings for safety and predicted reliability.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
Did you find a rear-wheel-drive car that fits your priorities and budget? Visit our new car rankings to research further and compare these vehicles to the competition.
Once you’ve made a decision, use the U.S. News Best Price Program to find the dealership in your area with the lowest pre-negotiated prices. Shoppers who use the program save over $3,000 off MSRP.
In addition to savings off sticker price, securing the best interest rate on your new car loan can save you thousands. Use myAutoloan to compare rates from up to four lenders and get the best deal.
14 Best Rear-Wheel-Drive Cars for 2019
- 2019 Chrysler 300 | U.S. News Score: 8.4/10
- 2019 Genesis G90 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10
- 2019 BMW 7 Series | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10
- 2019 Chevrolet Corvette | U.S. News Score: 8.8/10
- 2019 BMW 2 Series | U.S. News Score: 8.8/10
- 2019 Kia Stinger | U.S. News Score: 8.8/10
- 2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
- 2019 Genesis G70 | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
- 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
- 2019 Ford Mustang | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
- 2019 Genesis G80 | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
- 2018 Mercedes-Benz GT | U.S. News Score: 9.0/10
- 2018 Tesla Model 3 | U.S. News Score: 9.0/10
- 2019 BMW 5 Series | U.S. News Score: 9.2/10
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These Highly Rated Cars Provide Sought-After Driving Dynamics
Rear-wheel-drive cars deliver a markedly different driving experience than those with front-wheel drive. Years ago, automakers only produced cars with rear-wheel drive because the technology is simpler and cheaper. Today, front-wheel drive has become much more common, and the list of vehicles with available all-wheel drive is growing. Still, most sports cars and several luxury cars come with rear-wheel drive as standard.
What are the advantages of rear-wheel drive? It’s less complicated than front-wheel drive, more durable, and less expensive to repair. While there are exceptions, having the power at the rear of the car allows for better balance, which leads to improved handling, acceleration, and braking, except on slick surfaces. This is precisely why almost all race cars feature rear-wheel drive. When you accelerate from a stop, the vehicle’s weight transfers to the back of the car and provides the rear wheels increased traction.
Since the rear wheels are responsible for moving the vehicle and the front wheels handle the steering, rear-wheel drive tends to improve cornering performance by putting less strain on front-wheel traction. Rear-wheel-drive cars are also good for towing, since the wheels providing the power are closer to the trailer. In addition, rear-wheel-drive vehicles can offer a larger steering radius, because there are less moving parts up front.
We’ve picked vehicles from a number of different classes and price points that earn high U.S. News overall scores. Continue reading to learn about the best rear-wheel-drive cars available today.
(Keep in mind that scores on our site change on a regular basis due to updated data and expert research. This means that the scores in this article may not match up with those in our rankings.)