U.S. News Announces the Best Vehicle Brands and Best CPO Program Awards

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice and publisher of Best Cars for Families, Best Cars for the Money and Best Cars for Teens, today unveiled its 2020 Best Vehicle Brand awards and Best Certified Pre-Owned Program award. The Best Vehicle Brand awards, evaluating 35 brands, recognize industry-wide excellence for cars, SUVs, trucks and luxury vehicles. Drawing on data from the U.S. News Best Used Cars rankings and auto brands' CPO program parameters, the Best Certified Pre-Owned Program award highlights the CPO program that offers buyers the most benefits.

The 2020 Best Vehicle Brand Winners

Mazda: Best Car Brand
For the fifth consecutive year, Mazda won this car class on the strength of the Mazda3, Mazda6 and Mazda MX-5 Miata. All three models have top-notch performance that puts an emphasis on direct, sporty handling, as well as quality interiors that are more upscale than their price tags might suggest.

Kia: Best SUV Brand
Kia broke Honda's four-year winning streak with a range of SUVs that can meet the needs of any buyer. From the subcompact Niro to the three-row Telluride, Kia's line of practical, affordable SUVs and crossovers have new designs and the kind of features that impress car reviewers.

Ram: Best Truck Brand
Like Kia, Ram broke another brand's four-year streak for the Best Truck Brand award, beating out Ford for the first time. The Ram 1500 stands alone among trucks with its coil-over suspension that makes the Ram comfortable enough for commuting and capable enough for serious towing and hauling. The Ram's interior features a monster touch-screen infotainment system, and on upper trims, the kind of materials that buyers usually see in luxury SUVs.

Porsche: Best Luxury Brand
This is the fifth year Porsche has won the best Luxury Brand award, and though many consumers think Porsche only makes sports cars, the automaker offers a full lineup of impressive vehicles. In addition to pacesetting performance, all Porsche models indulge their occupants with opulent, driver-oriented interiors that score high marks with reviewers.

"Deciding where to start looking for a new car, truck or SUV can be one of the most overwhelming parts of buying a car," said Jamie Page Deaton, executive editor of U.S. News Best Cars. "The Best Vehicle Brands provides consumers with the greatest possible starting point, no matter what type of vehicle they're shopping for."

To determine the award winners, U.S. News Best Cars averaged the overall score of all the given brand's products in each award class. The brand with the highest overall average score was named the winner in the category. The overall scores come directly from the U.S. News Best Cars rankings, which are based on a combination of safety scores, reliability data and the consensus of the automotive press.

The 2020 Best Certified Pre-Owned Program Winner

For the fourth year, Lexus is the Best Certified Pre-Owned Program award winner, based on its lengthy warranty coverage, numerous program perks and the dependability record of its pre-owned vehicles.

"Lexus offers used car buyers an excellent CPO warranty, as well as a long list of CPO program benefits, like free maintenance visits and a free loaner car," said Jamie Page Deaton, executive editor of U.S. News Best Cars. "As an added bonus, Lexus' reliability record means that while their CPO warranty is long, and the program has a lot of perks, owners may never need to use either."

The Lexus CPO warranty includes coverage for up to two years with no mileage limit and no deductible. Lexus CPO buyers can also take advantage of free roadside assistance and a free loaner car, as well as four complimentary factory maintenance service visits in their first two years or 20,000 miles of ownership.

Since 2007, U.S. News Best Cars, the automotive channel of U.S. News & World Report, has published rankings of the majority of new vehicles sold in America. Each year, U.S. News also publishes the Best Cars awards, including Best Cars for the Money and Best Cars for Families. U.S. News Best Cars supports car shoppers throughout the entire car buying journey, offering advice for researching cars, finding cars for sale near you and getting the best rate on car insurance. U.S. News Best Cars had more than 73 million visitors over the past year, with the majority actively shopping for a car. Eighty percent of active shoppers reported that the U.S. News Best Cars site influenced their car purchasing decision.

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A digital news and information company focused on Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars and Civic, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report