Best Car Brand: Mazda
The Best Car Brand winner is Mazda. Its lineup, which includes the Mazda3, Mazda6, and Mazda Miata, offers engaging driving dynamics, accommodating seats, attractive cabin designs, and user-friendly technology.
The Mazda3 is one of the sportiest compact cars on the market, but it also offers the civility and comfort required to make it an excellent daily commuting partner. Efficiency is also a strong suit, as the Mazda3 returns up to 38 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg in the city.
Inside, the Mazda3 has a more premium cabin than many other cars in its price range. The Mazda Connect infotainment system is simple to operate, with intuitive menus and a responsive touch screen. If space is a priority, opt for the hatchback model, which has enough room for a snowboard or bicycle if you fold down the rear seats.
Best Car Brand: Mazda
The Mazda6 offers everything the Mazda3 does, just in a slightly larger package. Its roomier rear seat makes the Mazda6 a viable option for a small family. Plus, it receives top-notch crash test ratings; that should give you some added peace of mind when you strap the car seat into the second row.
If sportiness is more important than interior space, the MX-5 Miata is the Mazda for you. It’s one of the most nimble cars on the market, and its zippy powertrain and light weight make it feel quick.
While it only seats two, the Miata is a practical choice in other ways. For one, its gas mileage of 26 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway is excellent for a sports car. Plus, it’s available with more advanced safety features than you’d expect for the segment, like blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and lane departure warning.
No matter which Mazda model you choose, be sure to check out the Mazda deals page to find all the best finance and lease offers currently available. Then use the U.S. News Best Price Program to find the Mazda dealer in your area with the best available price on the model you’re after.
Best SUV Brand: Honda
When it comes to today’s automotive shopper, most people are looking for an SUV. If you are one of those people, then look no further than our 2018 Best SUV Brand threepeat winner, Honda. With Honda, you have the option of the subcompact HR-V, compact CR-V, or 3-row Pilot. Whatever you need out of a modern crossover, Honda has it in spades.
Honda is no stranger to awards. The 2017 HR-V is one of only three vehicles to win both a 2017 Best Car for Families award and a 2017 Best Car for the Money award. The 2017 CR-V can make this claim as well, sweeping both the 2017 Best Compact SUV for the Money and 2017 Best Compact SUV for Families awards. The CR-V also picked up a new trophy this year: 2017 Best New SUV for Teens. The 3-row 2017 Pilot also has some hardware thanks to its 2017 Best 3-Row SUV for Families award. It was a finalist for our 2017 Best 3-Row SUV for the Money award as well.
Best SUV Brand: Honda
Honda’s SUVs are so dominant in our awards because they represent the best combination of quality and value in their respective classes, while also boasting top-notch safety and reliability ratings. The CR-V and HR-V lead their classes in cargo room, while the Pilot has one of the most powerful base engines in its class. On the inside, all three look and feel well-built and modern, though the Pilot is the most luxe of the three, borrowing more than a few pieces from luxury sibling Acura.
Overall, no matter which of Honda’s SUVs you park in your driveway, you will have chosen from the best brand for SUVs on the market. Check out our Honda deals for the best finance and lease deals available for all three SUVs. Don’t forget to use the U.S. News Best Price Program to find the Honda dealer in your area with the best available price for whichever SUV you have chosen.
Best Truck Brand: Ford
Are you looking to buy a new truck? Then you should begin and end your search at the Ford dealership. Ford is the winner of the 2018 Best Truck Brand award – for the third year in a row.
Ford’s dominance in this category is based on the top-ranked Ford F-150. The F-150 is not only Ford’s top-selling vehicle; it’s also the best-selling truck in America. The F-150 leads the class in towing and hauling capacities, while also using the least gas of its competitors. The F-150 underwent a refresh this year, getting more modern styling both inside and out.
Best Truck Brand: Ford
The F-150 starts at just $27,380, which is lower than the starting prices of many full-size pickup competitors. At the top end, you can expect to spend more than $60,000. However, at that price, you will not only get all the capabilities you need from the F-150; you’ll also get all the premium touches that you expect at that price point.
Ford has included all the goodies you want in a new truck these days, like a standard rearview camera with dynamic hitch assist. This system allows you to line up your hitch on the display screen inside the cabin. You can also zoom in on the hitch to make sure it’s exactly where you want it. Plus, you can use the rearview camera to monitor your trailer when using the trailer backup assist system. This system allows you to control the trailer via a small knob while the truck steers itself, meaning less hassle for you.
There are additional safety features available, like lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology, and blind spot monitoring. The blind spot system in the F-150 goes the extra step and takes your trailer into account, so you know if you have enough space to change lanes or merge safely. All in all, the F-150 is the best of the bunch, which is why Ford is the 2018 Best Truck Brand.
Head over to our Ford deals page for the best financing, leasing, and cash back deals available on an F-150. Then use the U.S. News Best Price Program to find the Ford dealer in your area with the best available price on a new F-150.
Best Luxury Brand: Porsche
You might think of Porsche as a pure sports car brand, but it actually makes some highly ranked SUVs as well, like the Cayenne and Macan. There’s also the Porsche Panamera, an incredible four-door coupe.
All Porsche products have the performance you’d expect from the brand, as well as luxurious, first-rate interiors. Plus, Porsche has one of the best reliability records in the industry.
In the Porsche Cayenne, buyers get one of the best combinations of pampering, utility, and performance available on the market. It has enough space to function as a family SUV and the performance dynamics to spice up your daily commute – all while spoiling you like a luxury vehicle should.
If space is less of a priority, the Porsche Macan offers the same performance and luxury credentials as the Cayenne, just in a smaller package. It also starts almost $13,000 below the Cayenne. It’s still a Porsche though, meaning it’s one of the more costly options in the luxury compact SUV segment.
Best Luxury Brand: Porsche
If it’s a true sports coupe you’re after, Porsche won’t disappoint. The Porsche Cayman and Boxster are very similar vehicles; the notable difference being that the Boxster is a convertible and the Cayman is a hardtop. They’re both midengine sports cars with first-class agility and poise on winding roads.
Inside, both have user-friendly technology and the posh cabin materials you’d expect of a luxury sports car. Unlike some other sports cars, driver and passenger should have no problem getting comfortable in the spacious and cosseting seats.
If you have more money to spend, sports car shoppers can’t do much better than the iconic Porsche 911. It’s one of the most thrilling cars to drive on the market, with a range of potent engine options and exceptional handling. The interior is up to Porsche standards as well, with comfy front seats, premium materials, and handsome styling.
Buyers who need to seat more than two should take a look at the Porsche Panamera. Not only can it fit four adults with room to spare; it can pamper them too. Options like massaging front seats, power-adjustable rear seats, and a power rear sunshade create a highly luxurious environment.
The Panamera’s performance is up to Porsche standards as well. Choose any one of four available engines (ranging from 330 to 550 horsepower), and you’ll be treated to spirited acceleration and authoritative passing power. To top it off, the Panamera offers an admirable balance of sportiness and ride comfort that’ll please both enthusiast drivers and the passengers being chauffeured.
Before you rush to the Porsche dealership, check out this month’s Porsche deals for all the best finance and lease offers. To find the lowest available price in your area, use the U.S. News Best Price Program.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
You can learn more about all of the vehicles from these award-winning brands, and most vehicles on the market, by using our new car rankings.
See our other award winners by checking out our Best Cars for the Money, Best Cars for Families, Best Cars for Teens, and Best CPO Programs.
When it comes time to buy, use our Best Price Program to find dealers with the best price near you. Shoppers who use our Best Price Program have saved an average of $3,279 off MSRP.
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The Best Car Brands
With cars, trucks, and SUVs being sold by over 35 brands in the U.S., choosing the right one can be a challenge. Sure, there are some brand loyalists who are committed to buying a Toyota or Subaru, for example, but most shoppers consider multiple brands before making a buying decision.
We’re here to help you navigate this daunting process. With car brands continually being introduced or discontinued in the U.S. market, it’s no wonder consumers can get confused about where to find the top-quality vehicles in each segment.
Our Best Vehicle Brand Awards cut through the jumble of new and old makes, plus all of the marketing jargon, to highlight the brands that excel in the areas that matter to you. The awards are an objective assessment of quality across all of a brand’s offerings. They are divided into four categories: Cars, SUVs, Trucks, and Luxury Vehicles. Brand ratings are based on the U.S. News Best Cars overall scores for each vehicle. U.S. News scores incorporate the consensus opinion of the automotive press, as well as safety and reliability data.
Keep reading to learn which brands you should be shopping for your next car.