Kelley Blue Book is sharing the results of its 2025 Brand Watch study. The analysis looks at which brands and models were the top consideration of car shoppers in 2025 using data from roughly 12,000 in-market new-car shoppers on KBB.com annually. The study tracks 14 factors important to shoppers, including technology, driving comfort, durability, reputation and value for money. KBB's revamped study will now be released twice annually.
Non-Luxury
Toyota remained the most considered non-luxury brand in 2025, despite a slight year-over-year dip. Chevrolet, Subaru and RAM all gained momentum during the past year. Pickup trucks again dominated shopper attention, led by the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado – both recording year-over-year consideration growth.
The Nissan brand saw a drop in consideration last year, which KBB says is no surprise given its recent struggles and slightly outdated lineup that needs a refresh. Subaru consideration gained modest momentum, which analysts credit to the refreshed Crosstrek as well as Subaru's solid brand reputation, which allowed it to overtake Nissan.
Top 10 Non-Luxury Brands in 2025
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Toyota
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Chevrolet
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Ford
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Honda
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GMC
- Hyundai
- Subaru
- Nissan
- Kia
- Jeep
Top 10 Non-Luxury Models in 2025
The Ford F-150 secured first place thanks to a mid-2023 facelift which the study credits to renewed consumer interest, marketing initiatives and increased inventory availability. The Chevy Silverado 1500 took second.
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Ford F-150 - Up 3%
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Chevy Silverado 1500 - Up 1%
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Honda CRV-V - Down 7%
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Toyota RAV4- Up 8%
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Honda Accord - Down 1%
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Toyota Camry - Down 10%
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Ford F-250/F-350/F-450 Up 8%
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Toyota Tacoma- Down 10%
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Chevy Tahoe - Up 10%
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Ford Explorer - Up 13%
The Honda Civic and GMC Sierra 1500 dropped out of the Top 10 most considered non-luxury models, while the Chevy Tahoe and Ford Explorer made it into the Top 10. KBB says the Civic lost favor as shoppers shifted to crossovers and its 2022 launch buzz cooled. Meanwhile, analysts say the GMC Sierra 1500 was squeezed out amid softening overall pickup truck demand.
Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Toyota Tacoma all remained in the Top 10 but recorded year-over-year consideration declines.
Luxury
Lexus held the top spot as the most considered luxury brand in 2025, while Cadillac, Genesis, Lincoln, Infiniti and Lucid all posted year-over-year increases. Four models in the Top 10 recorded yearly consideration growth: the Acura MDX, Lexus RX, Tesla Model Y and BMW X5.
Top 10 Luxury Brands in 2025
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Lexus
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BMW
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Cadillac
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Mercedes-Benz
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Acura
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Audi
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Buick
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Genesis
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Tesla
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Lincoln
Top 10 Luxury Models in 2025
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Cadillac Escalade - Down 6%
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Acura MDX Up 6%
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Lexus RX - Up 2%
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Buick Enclave - Down 12%
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Tesla Model Y - Down 7%
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BMW X5 - Up 6%
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Buick Encore - Down 4%
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BMW 5 Series- Down 6%
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Cadillac CT5 - Down 10%
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Acura RDX - Down 5%
The #1 Cadillac Escalade is still the most considered luxury model overall – despite declining year over year. The Buick Enclave, Buick Encore, BMW 5 Series, Cadillac CT5 and Acura RDX also saw declines.
The BMW 3 Series - once a staple among luxury sedans - lost its spot on the list, while the Acura RDX climbed into that ranking. KBB says the 3 Series lost ground as buyers increasingly chose SUVs over cars. In fact, KBB says industry data showed that interest in luxury SUVs reached an all-time high in 2025. Analysts say the RDX benefited from this shift thanks to its strong reputation for reliability and competitive pricing boosted its popularity alongside the growing demand for luxury crossovers. Note, Acura will reportedly pause production of the current RDX this spring with plans to launch a next-gen hybrid model in a couple of years.
In term of brands, the study show that while Tesla’s consideration remained stable, Genesis now outranks it. KBB says while Tesla’s aging lineup remains a best-seller, it's showing signs of saturation as competition intensified. (As we recently reported here recently, Tesla is ending production of its Model Y and Model X.) KBB says Some shoppers flagged Tesla’s quality and image issues.
Electrified
KBB reports that electrified vehicle consideration rose in 2025 – a category n that includes EVs, hybrids and fuel cell vehicles - despite fewer government-backed EV incentives. Among electrified brands, Tesla is now No. 4, pushing Hyundai down to No. 5. KBB says aggressive price cuts and the broad appeal of the newly refreshed Model Y helped Tesla maintain strong EV consideration, even as sales for the brand declined.
Top 5 Electrified Brands in 2025
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Toyota
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Honda
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Ford
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Tesla
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Hyundai
Top 10 Electrified Models in 2025
Toyota continued to lead the electrified segment with six models in the Top 10. Three models posted year-over-year consideration growth: the Tesla Model Y, Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid – up 169% – and the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid.
- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
- Honda CR-V Hybrid
- Toyota Camry
- Tesla Model Y
- Toyota Sienna Hybrid
- Honda Accord Hybrid
- Toyota Highlander Hybrid
- Toyota Prius
- Toyota Grand Highlander
- Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and Grand Highlander Hybrid gained traction and are now in the Top 10 most considered electrified models. KBB says the Tucson Hybrid, in particular, saw a notable rise in consideration thanks to its high fuel efficiency, affordable price, and crossover practicality, attracting shoppers who weren’t ready for a full EV but wanted to save on gas. Toyota’s three-row Grand Highlander Hybrid introduced in 2024 quickly gained significant interest by 2025. Analysts say it hit the mark with buyers by combining Toyota’s reliable hybrid technology with ample space for families, resulting in a surge in demand.
All other Top 10 electrified models saw declines, including the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Honda CR-V Hybrid, Toyota Sienna Hybrid, Honda Accord Hybrid, Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Toyota Prius.
KBB says Tesla Model 3's decline may indicate EV sedan fatigue with many consumers choosing the Model Y or competing EV sedans such as the Hyundai Ioniq 6. The popular Ford Maverick Hybrid also experienced a decline in consumer consideration.
