U.S. News & World Report is sharing the winners of its 2026 Best Cars for the Money awards. The awards - which expanded to include 20 categories this year- recognize vehicles that offer the strongest combination of quality, reliability, safety and long-term ownership value relative to their price.
U.S. News says this year’s new and expanded 20 categories highlight the growing demand for electrified and fuel-efficient vehicles which are increasing in availability. Since 2020, the market has expanded from a handful of affordable hybrid and plug-in hybrid SUVs to dozens of options across varying size and price segments. Also, two categories have been re-introduced to the awards lineup for 2026: Best Sports Car for the Money and Best Large SUV for the Money.
"Average new vehicle prices topped $50,000 in 2025 and consumers are clamoring for affordability," said Alex Kwanten, U.S. News Autos' managing editor. "The 2026 Best Cars for the Money awards reflect how value-conscious and choosy shoppers have become, and highlight the vehicles that are going to give them the most bang for the buck, winning both on quality and value."
2026 Best Cars for the Money — Winners by Category
- Best Compact Car for the Money: 2026 Kia K4
- Best Compact SUV for the Money: 2026 Hyundai Tucson
- Best Compact Hybrid Car for the Money: 2026 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid
- Best Compact Hybrid SUV for the Money: 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid'
- Best Compact Plug-In Hybrid SUV for the Money: 2026 Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid
- Best Compact EV SUV for the Money: 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV
- Best Subcompact SUV for the Money: 2026 Nissan Kicks
- Best Subcompact Hybrid SUV for the Money: 2026 Kia Niro
- Best Sports Car for the Money: 2026 Toyota GR86
- Best Midsize Car for the Money: 2026 Honda Accord
- Best Midsize 2-Row SUV for the Money: 2026 Nissan Murano
- Best Midsize 3-Row SUV for the Money: 2026 Kia Sorento
- Best Midsize EV SUV for the Money: 2026 Kia EV9
- Best Midsize Hybrid Car for the Money: 2026 Toyota Camry
- Best Midsize Hybrid SUV for the Money: 2026 Kia Sorento Hybrid
- Best Midsize Plug-In Hybrid SUV for the Money: 2026 Mazda CX-90 PHEV
- Best Large SUV for the Money: 2026 Ford Expedition
- Best Minivan for the Money: 2026 Honda Odyssey
- Best Midsize Pickup Truck for the Money: 2026 Toyota Tacoma
- Best Full-Size Pickup Truck for the Money: 2026 Ford F-150
About the Awards
Each award winner has the best combination of quality and value in its class. U.S. News assesses quality based on the vehicle's overall score in the U.S. News Best Car Rankings, which are built on a combination of data points like safety and reliability ratings, as well as U.S. News' in-house experience and the collective opinion of the automotive press. Value is measured by evaluating transaction price data and five-year projected ownership costs. Read more about the methodology here..
