For 2020, the all-new Kia Telluride takes home top honors as Best New Model for its impressive combination of innovation and value in one of the hottest segments in the marketplace.
Kelley Blue Book created the Best Buy Awards to help shoppers narrow down their new-car consideration list and purchase their next vehicle with confidence. These awards identify the best of all available 2020 models, with a special emphasis on value-per-dollar in both purchase and ownership experience.
“We understand how overwhelming it can be to shop for a new car, with so many considerations about hundreds of choices and many brand-new nameplates hitting the market every year,” said Karl Brauer, executive publisher for Kelley Blue Book.
“For more than 90 years, Kelley Blue Book has helped shoppers find the right vehicle at the right price. The Best Buy Awards were designed to help consumers shop confidently by doing the heavy lifting for them. Our experts provide clear, detailed guidance on which specific car, truck, minivan and SUV models shoppers should prioritize and consider for their next new-car purchase,” he said.
Starting with the more than 300 new models available for 2020, Kelley Blue Book’s annual Best Buy Awards are based on a year-long regimen of expert evaluation and testing of nearly every new vehicle available in America, with a specific focus on the best combination of quality, safety, comfort, driving dynamics, dependability, low ownership costs and affordability.
As part of their decision-making process, Kelley Blue Book’s experts also analyze a wide array of vehicle-related data, including vehicle pricing, 5-Year Cost to Own data (which includes depreciation, insurance, maintenance, financing, fuel, fees and taxes for new cars), consumer reviews and ratings, and vehicle sales information.
To be considered for Kelley Blue Book’s Best New Model award, the vehicle must be an all-new or significantly redesigned model offering a strong value proposition to consumers based on pricing, innovation and available standard technology and safety features.
2020 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award Winners
Best New Model: 2020 Kia Telluride
Simply put, the all-new Kia Telluride wowed us, boasting sophistication, practicality, comfort, and a host of standard safety features and technology, all in one of the leading segments on the market. Pair that with its substantial size, standout style, enjoyable driving experience and attractive starting price of just $31,690, and the Telluride’s impressive value story won our hearts as the Best New Model for 2020.
Compact Car: 2020 Honda Civic
As the perfect combination of sporty yet practical, the fun-to-drive Honda Civic continues to be the benchmark for the compact car segment. The Civic’s variety of choices in body styles, trims and engines, along with its top-notch interior and plentiful standard equipment, offers unrivaled value in its class.
Midsize Car: 2020 Honda Accord
The Honda Accord offers handsome styling inside and out, a comfortable ride and capable performance, making it the quintessential family car. Despite being three years out from its last major redesign, the Accord continues to deliver on high expectations and remains on top with its enjoyable driving dynamics, value proposition and timeless design.
Subcompact SUV: 2020 Hyundai Kona
With loads of style packed in its youthful appearance, impressive safety systems, and choice of gasoline or all-electric powertrains, the Hyundai Kona returns this year as the Best Buy in its category. The fuel-efficient Kona offers a terrific warranty, a long list of standard features and a variety of available upgrades to match your budget.
Compact SUV: 2020 Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V has a slightly revamped look for 2020 and continues to be a standout in its class with clean styling, a comfortable, roomy interior, and easy-to-drive demeanor. With a long list of features and a highly anticipated new Hybrid model coming soon, the CR-V epitomizes utility and dependability.
Midsize SUV – 2-Row: 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe
The smartly designed, roomy Hyundai Santa Fe is a well-appointed 2-row midsize SUV offering excellent value with a wide array of standard safety features and driver assist technology. With a spacious interior that pays attention to materials and build quality, the Santa Fe also has a top-notch warranty and impressive 5-Year Cost to Own and resale value numbers.
Midsize SUV – 3-Row: 2020 Kia Telluride
Not only is the all-new Telluride Kia’s largest, most sophisticated and most beautiful SUV to date, it’s the best among all players in its segment. The handsome and roomy Telluride includes a host of active safety features and amenities, along with a value proposition and warranty that propel it past the competition to the head of the pack.
Full-size SUV: 2020 Ford Expedition
The Ford Expedition is king of the full-size SUVs, a refined workhorse that artfully blends the ability to carry people in comfort with an appetite for true truck-like capability. With its rugged, chiseled looks and roomy, well-appointed interior, the Expedition also boasts a superb powertrain with notable fuel economy and tow ratings that exceed the competition.
Minivan: 2020 Honda Odyssey
The value-packed Honda Odyssey remains the best family hauler, comfortably seating up to eight passengers with terrific quality and utility, refined driving manners and impressive safety features. The Odyssey shines in all areas, excelling in comfort, convenience and connectivity, along with class-leading low ownership costs.
Pickup Truck – Midsize: 2020 Chevrolet Colorado
The Chevrolet Colorado features best-in-class towing and impressive payload capacity at a price that is easy on the wallet. With its highly customizable cabin/box configurations and a comfortable interior with several convenient amenities, the Colorado also offers three different engines and solid resale values in its class.
Pickup Truck – Full-size: 2020 Ford F-150
The best-selling vehicle in America remains the best bet among full-size pickups, and the Ford F-150 continues to impress. Filled to the brim with tech, convenience and safety features, the F-150 also offers six different engine choices, best-in-class payload capacity and impressive towing stats, all while being comfortable and roomy enough for families.
Electric Car: 2020 Hyundai Kona Electric
The Hyundai Kona Electric is the car that will make you believe in alternatives. With 258 miles of range (or more) on a full charge, several notable features, an impressive warranty and refreshing driving dynamics, the Kona Electric is an affordable everyman’s vehicle that is both easy to drive and easy to own. Bonus: Kona Electric still qualifies for a full $7,500 federal tax credit, along with any state and local incentives and rebates.
Plug-in Hybrid Car: 2020 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid
Launched new for the 2018 model-year and winning a Best Buy Award three years in a row now, the Honda Clarity is offered in three very distinct variants: pure-electric, fuel cell, and PHEV. Boasting solid driving dynamics and a roomy passenger cabin, the Clarity’s plug-in powertrain features impressive range and fuel economy for the segment coupled with Honda’s notable safety, reliability and resale values.
Subcompact Luxury SUV: 2020 Audi Q3
The Audi Q3 is a true luxury SUV with subcompact dimensions, featuring upscale design and notable standard equipment. With fun driving dynamics and a value-laden collection of luxury, safety, performance, and technology smarts even in the base models, the Q3 is the new recommendable king of extra-small luxury SUVs.
Compact Luxury SUV: 2020 Audi Q5
With its sporty chassis and luxurious, tech-filled cabin, the Audi Q5 is a back-to-back Best Buy winner in its class, even among stiffer competition this year. Audi’s best-selling model continues to impress with its proven powertrain, superb interior and abundant technology.
Midsize Luxury SUV: 2020 BMW X5
The BMW X5 is one of the pioneers among luxury SUVs, and its most recent redesign has considerably upped its game. The latest X5 builds on its legacy with powerful, refined powertrains, class-leading ride and handling, and dynamic capabilities, standing out from the highly competitive class to capture its first Best Buy Award.
Luxury Car: 2020 Lexus ES
Offered with two powertrains (gasoline-only and gasoline-electric hybrid) to satisfy all, the seventh-generation Lexus ES swept us off our feet for the second year in a row and is more luxurious than ever. The ES effortlessly features superb comfort for all passengers, along with innovative technology at an alluring value.
For full coverage of the 2020 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards, including full editorial comments about each model, pricing details, videos and more, visit www.kbb.com/bestbuyawards.
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