Best-in-Class Cars for 2015
A look at Consumer Reports’ top performers for the year from small cars to minivans
As 2015 becomes history, Consumer Reports reflects back on the models that are the highest-scoring vehicles in their class, looking at road test scores. Reviewing these best-in-class results, it's clear that you don’t have to spend a ton to get a good performing, reliable car.
All the models on this list are recommended, which means they excelled in our testing, haven’t failed any crash tests, and have at least average reliability.
To present these best-in-class cars without fear or favor, we include both reasons to buy one and reasons not to. Click through the car names to read the complete road test and check Ratings for reliability and owner satisfaction, among other things.
Honda Honda
Subcompact: Honda Fit
Price range: $15,790-$21,065
Why buy one:
• Lots of space in a small footprint, including a relatively spacious rear seat
• Very versatile interior with unique seat folding configurations
• Excellent fuel economy
• Good handling
• Comes with lots of equipment
Why not buy one:
• Slow
• Noisy
• Hard riding
• Frustrating audio system on most trim levels
Runner-up: Chevrolet Sonic
Read the complete Honda Fit road test.
Compact: Subaru Impreza
Price range: $18,295-$23,595
Why buy one:
• Standard all-wheel drive; the only small sedan that offers it
• One of the cheapest and most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive cars you can buy
• Comfortable ride, especially for a small sedan
• Spacious rear seat
• Good visibility and simple controls make it easy to live with
• Excellent IIHS crash test results
• Available EyeSight active safety features
Why not buy one:
• So-so fuel economy compared to some other small sedans
• Lacks the quietness and solid feel of the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, and Volkswagen Golf
Runner-up: Kia Forte
Read the complete Subaru Impreza road test.
Midsized: Subaru Legacy
Price range: $21,745-$29,945
Why buy one:
• By far the most affordable all-wheel-drive midsized sedan
• Little or no price premium for all-wheel drive
• Comfortable ride with responsive handling
• Excellent driver visibility
• Easy controls
• Well-calibrated continuously variable transmission aids fuel economy without the usual racket
• Fully up-to-date infotainment system
• Scores "Good" in IIHS crash tests, helping earn it Top Safety Pick+ status
• Optional EyeSight options package includes comprehensive electronic safety features
Why not buy one:
• Bland styling that looks a lot like the previous generation
• Leisurely acceleration
• Clock and outside temperature displays are tiny and hard to pick out
Runner-up: Toyota Camry Hybrid
Read the complete Subaru Legacy road test.
FPI FPI
Large: Chevrolet Impala
Price range: $27,095-$40,810
Why buy one:
• Very roomy interior with a great rear seat and huge trunk
• Comfortable cruiser, with a plush ride and a very quiet cabin
• Surprisingly agile handling
• Intuitive controls
• Lots of car (with lots of features) for the money
• Readily available and attractively priced advanced electronic safety features
Why not buy one:
• Rear visibility is limited
Runner-up: Kia Cadenza
Read the complete Chevrolet Impala road test.
Fabian Kirchbauer Fabian Kirchbauer
Luxury Compact: BMW 328i
Price range: $33,150-$63,200
Why buy one:
• Fun to drive, thanks to engaging handling and responsive powertrains
• Fuel efficient with either the gasoline or diesel four-cylinder engines (the diesel model actually scores 2 points higher, but most will be satisfied with the gas engines)
• Rides well
• Very comfortable and well-finished cabin
• You can still get a manual transmission!
• Available as a wagon, which is rare in this segment
• Free maintenance for four years
Why not buy one:
• Gets rather pricey with common options
• Piecemeal options are expensive
• Rear seat not roomy enough for some families
• Controls and automatic shifter are complicated
• Some diesel clatter in the 328d
Runner-up: Buick Regal
Read the complete BMW 328i road test.
Honda Honda
Minivan: Honda Odyssey
Price range: $29,275-$44,750
Why buy one:
• Very flexible interior, with comfortable seating for eight and a large cargo area
• Best fuel economy of any minivan
• One of the most child-seat friendly vehicles available, easily fitting up to three car seats side-by-side in the second row
• Standard electronic safety equipment, including forward-collision and lane-departure warning systems, on higher-trim versions
• Handles better than other minivans and many SUVs
• Very comfortable ride and reasonable levels of noise
• Clever features, like a cooled beverage compartment
• Offers a unique built-in vacuum cleaner
Why not buy one:
• Confounding up-level radio controls
• No all-wheel drive
• Fit and finish is not particularly plush for the price
• Only way to get blind-spot monitoring is on the top Touring Elite trim
Runner-up: Toyota Sienna
Read the complete Honda Odyssey road test.
Shawn Michienzi Shawn Michienzi
Small SUV: Subaru Forester
Price range: $22,395-$33,795
Why buy one:
• Class-leading fuel economy
• Extremely practical package, with a roomy rear seat, simple controls, and spacious cargo area
• Unusually good view out, especially for a modern car
• Easy access
• Very capable all-wheel-drive system, with some limited off-road ability
• Well-equipped for the money
• Scores "Good" in IIHS crash tests, helping earn it Top Safety Pick+ status
• Optional EyeSight options package includes comprehensive electronic safety features
• Available manual transmission
• Contemporary touch-screen infotainment system
Why not buy one:
• Ride isn't as cushy as previous Foresters
• Cabin can get noisy
• Fairly basic and Spartan interior
• You can only buy a Forester with all-wheel drive, whether you want it or not
• No blind-spot monitor system available
Runner-up: Toyota RAV4
Read the complete Subaru Forester road test.
Midsized SUV: Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Price range: $29,990-$50,485
Why buy one:
• Accommodating interior and simple controls make it easy to live with
• Lots of features for the money, including a standard backup camera
• It's likely to be reliable
• Hybrid version provides excellent fuel economy
• Comprehensive and easy-to-use infotainment system
Why not buy one:
• Effective safety technologies such as blind-spot monitoring and forward-collision warning are only available with the top-of-the-line Limited trim
• Limited and Hybrid versions seat only seven
• Some interior trim looks a bit low-rent
• Not as quiet or plush-riding as the previous-generation model
Runner-up: Kia Sorento
Read the complete Toyota Highlander road test.
FPI studios FPI studios
Large SUV: Dodge Durango
Price range: $30,495-$44,145
Why buy one:
• It's comfortable, refined, and very quiet inside, with lots of luxury features
• Handles better than you'd expect for such a big SUV and feels surefooted when pushed
• Towing capacity is higher than most other SUVs, and it tows very well
• Chrysler's excellent Uconnect touch-screen control system is among the best
• Available V8 engine is unusual in this class
Why not buy one:
• Fuel economy won't win any prizes
• Maneuvers and parks like, well, a large SUV
• Rear visibility is so-so
Runner-up: Chevrolet Traverse/GMC Acadia
Read the complete Dodge Durango road test.
Compact Luxury SUV: BMW X3
Price range: $38,950-$46,800
Why buy one:
• Retains BMW's trademark agility despite being a SUV
• Combines strong acceleration and good fuel economy
• Free maintenance for four years
• Impeccable fit and finish
• Comfortable seats
• Good combination of size and utility
Why not buy one:
• Stiff run-flat tires compromise low-speed ride
• So-so rear visibility but a rear camera is optional
• Controls take some getting used to
• Gets expensive, especially once you start adding options
Runner-up: Audi Q5
Read the complete BMW X3 road test.
