How we choose our Automotive Best Buys

The 42 cars, pickups, minivans, sport-utility vehicles and hybrids that we selected as 2012 Best Buys out of 244 models are those that we believe simply deliver the most value for the money in their respective classes. The concept of “value,” as we see it, is based on a vehicle’s purchase price and ownership costs relative to subjective factors, such as comfort, performance and utility. By this measure, the least expensive cars are not necessarily Best Buys, nor are the best performers automatically given the nod.

How do we sort through all of these models to arrive at our automotive Best Buys? We get behind the wheel and drive them. Our auto editors evaluate vehicles on an ongoing basis, both under real-world conditions in their own test-drives and at manufacturers’ new-model introductions.

We consider each car, pickup, minivan, SUV and hybrid vehicle based on a checklist of various design and performance characteristics.

Design factors include:

• styling
• interior ergonomics
• seating, accessories and amenities
• cargo space
• fit and finish.

Performance characteristics that we consider are:

• starting and acceleration
• shifting/transmission
• steering and handling
• braking
• ride quality
• fuel economy.

Each vehicle is driven under a range of circumstances and conditions, and we try to drive these vehicles in the manner for which they are built, according to the standards of an ordinary buyer. Although many buyers now cross-shop various types of vehicles, particularly SUVs, minivans and sedans, we believe that it’s important that we compare each vehicle with others in its general size and price class. We compare models and choose Best Buys in each of 12 categories: relatively inexpensive (1) Subcompact Cars and (2) Compact Cars; (3) Family Cars—midsize and full-size sedans; (4) Luxury Cars—comfortable, well-equipped sedans, though not necessarily the most expensive cars available; (5) Sporty Cars—coupes and sedans that are true “driver’s cars,” though usually at the expense of a rougher ride; (6) Small Pickups and (7) Full-Size Pickups—utilitarian vehicles that often rival luxury cars in terms of available creature comforts; (8) Minivans; (9) Compact SUVs and (10) Midsize SUVs—more rugged alternatives to traditional family transportation; (11) Full-Size/Luxury SUVs—large, posh and, generally, off-road-ready SUVs that typically serve as burly luxury wagons; and (12) Hybrids—gas/electric passenger cars and SUVs.

What’s more, in determining our top picks each year, we consider a range of additional variables: warranties, repair histories (as available), dealer reputation, estimated repair/maintenance costs, annual operating expenses, insurance-industry ratings, crash-test results, corporate service and manufacturing
reputations, and estimated resale values.

In the process, we draw on information from sources, such as National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Naturally, we give the most weight to our own evaluations, but it is the combination of all these analyses—in-house testing, purchase and ownership costs, and the findings of independent sources—that finally leads to our short list of Best Buys.

Unlike other Best Buys that we present throughout the year, we don’t rate autos according to [P], [M] and [E] (for Premium, Midrange and Economy) designations. This rating system doesn’t apply as well with automobiles as it does with other products. Subcompact cars and compact cars tend to be economy-rated, family cars are midrange and luxury cars are premium products (though we limit picks to models that are priced to provide genuine value). Pickups and minivans usually are priced equivalently. Sporty cars have a wider variance in price than do most segments, and we include both budget-priced and somewhat costlier models among our selections here (though, again, we eschewed top-end models to focus only on those that deliver the most for the money).