Consumer Reports has released its list of 10 Top Pick vehicles to buy for 2020, and there’s a big change this year.
(Toyota/Kia)
Instead of categorizing the vehicles by type, the organization has grouped them into four average price brackets to make the list more relevant to today’s shoppers, who it found are searching for vehicles based on what they cost ahead of what segment they’re in.
The nonprofit only included vehicles with high scores for reliability, owner satisfaction, test drive results and safety that also come standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, This feature can stop the vehicle on its own if the driver doesn’t react to a potential collision in time.
Nine of the models come from Japanese brands, while the Tesla Model 3 is the lone American car on the list.
Under $25G
(Toyota)
Toyota Corolla (range: $19,600 – $25,550): The Corolla sedan is all-new for 2020 and CR praised it for its ride quality, fuel efficiency and standard technology, which includes adaptive radar cruise control.
$25K – $35K:
(Subaru)
Subaru Forester (range: $24,495 – $34,595): CR likes the small SUVs practicality — which includes great visibility, large doors and hip-high seats that make it easy to enter — and high owner satisfaction.
Subaru Legacy (range: $22,745 – $35,895): The new for 2020 is one of CR’s top scorers in every category, has plenty of room, a “solid” feel, good ride and standard all-wheel-drive.
Toyota Prius/Prius Prime (range: $24,325 – $32,500): Toyota’s venerable hybrid marks its 17th time on the list thanks to a 52 mpg result in fuel economy testing, a 22.5-mile all-electric range for the plug-in Prime model and excellent expected reliability.
$35K – $45K:
(Kia)
Kia Telluride (range: $31,890 – $43,790): The mid-size three-row won over CR with the same blend of design, comfort, features, capability and value that earned it the title of 2020 North American Utility of The Year.
Honda Ridgeline (range: $33,900 – $43,520) Honda’s unibody pickup is the closest thing to a pickup “car” out there, and CR liked its mix of ride, handling and fuel economy, along with its unique in-bed trunk.
Toyota Avalon (range: $35,875 – $43,300): The most reliable large sedan also earned a nearly-perfect score for comfort and comes with either a “lush” V6 or a hybrid powertrain that gets 44 mpg combined.
$45K – $55K
(Lexus)
Lexus RX (range: $44,150 – $56,460): The RX is the best-selling luxury SUV for plenty of reasons, according to CR. Its “Goldilocks” size suits a large number of customers, it’s available in two- or three-row versions, its reliability is impeccable, it’s priced right and can be had with a V6 or hybrid powertrain.
Tesla Model 3 (range: $39,990 – $56,990): CR has issues with Tesla’s Autopilot driver-aid feature, which it says needs to do a better job of making sure the driver is paying attention when using it, but says the electric Model 3 is a “thrilling” sedan with a long range between charges.
Toyota Supra (range: $49,990 – $55,250): BMW deserves an assist for this one, because it co-developed the rebooted Supra with Toyota. The sports car’s combination of performance and efficiency made it a winner in its first year on the market.
