(WWJ) -- Combine affordability, safety and road test ratings, and you have Consumer Reports 2026 list of “Top Ten Picks” for new vehicles.
“The top ten vehicles on this list are the best vehicles in their respective categories,” says Alex Knizek, associate director of auto test development at Consumer Reports.
The Honda Civic was the best small car. Ford’s Maverick was the best small pickup. The F-150, the best large pickup. Toyota’s Model Y again rated the best small car.
“A car is one of the most important purchases Americans make, but not one of the easiest. We have to juggle so many priorities, like safety, reliability, and fuel-efficiency – not to mention whether it’s affordable,” said Phil Radford, president and CEO of Consumer Reports. “Our Top Picks makes buying a car simpler for everyone, giving you confidence that you can get a high-quality vehicle that checks all your priorities, fits your budget, and meets your needs.”
Consumer Reports is also looking to make sure the vehicles on the list are attainable.
“We know people are spending a lot of money on new cars these days,” says Knizek. “Somewhere around fifty thousand dollars is the average transaction price for a new car. What I like about the list is yes there are vehicles on here that are somewhere around that in terms of their starting price, but there’s a lot of vehicles that come in much much lower than that.”
One interesting trend, which Knizek says was not intentional. Every gasoline powered vehicle on this list is available as a hybrid.
“You hop into basically any of the hybrids that are on this list, you’d be hard pressed to realize you are driving anything other than a hybrid.”
For the first time, Consumer Reports is also releasing a list of safest cars and trucks. It’s a combination of their testing, as well as real world testing.
“People shouldn’t have to pay extra for a safer car. That’s why for a vehicle to be eligible for the highest Safety Verdict score, all trims must be standard equipped with highway-speed AEB, blind spot warning, and rear cross traffic warning, three technologies proven to prevent crashes and injuries, “ says Emily Thomas, PhD, associate director for car safety at Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center.
Mazda finished first on the safety list, followed by Genesis, Acura, Lincoln and Hyundai. Mitsubishi, Jeep and Land Rover were at the bottom.
Knizek says the goal was to take a lot of information and put it in an easily digestible format.
“There is a lot of safety information, whether we are talking about features, or crash test performance or other things that really come together to make up the all the safety aspects of a vehicle.”