Following a year of expert testing of nearly every new and redesigned vehicle available in the United States, Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive brand, announced the winners of the 2026 Best Buy Awards.
Models ranging from the Nissan LEAF to the Ford F-150 topped the list of the Best Buy Awards, a comprehensive recognition program that spotlights the standout cars, trucks and SUVs Kelley Blue Book recommends to new-car shoppers across a variety of segments.
Now in its 12th year, the program continues to adapt to the dynamic automotive landscape with evolving categories that reflect advances in technology, safety and efficiency, providing buyers with expert advice on the best car for their needs.
At-a-Glance: 2026 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award Winners
- Best New Model: 2026 Nissan LEAF
- Best Subcompact SUV: 2026 Hyundai Kona
- Best Compact SUV: 2026 Toyota RAV4
- Best Midsize SUV: 2026 Hyundai Palisade
- Best Full-Size SUV: 2026 Ford Expedition
- Best 3-Row Electric Vehicle: 2026 Kia EV9
- Best Electric Vehicle Under $35,000: 2026 Nissan Leaf
- Best Electric Vehicle: 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Best Compact Car: 2026 Honda Civic
- Best Midsize Car: 2026 Toyota Camry
- Best Minivan: 2026 Toyota Sienna
- Best Compact Truck: 2026 Ford Maverick
- Best Midsize Truck: 2026 Toyota Tacoma
- Best Full-Size Truck: 2026 Ford F-150
"We keep the everyday driver at the forefront of our minds while testing new and redesigned cars each year, ultimately choosing the models we recommend as unsurpassed in their category for the Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards," said Brian Moody, executive editor at Kelley Blue Book. "With several hundred new-vehicle models available in 2026, the multitude of options can be overwhelming for many new-car shoppers. Our goal is to alleviate some of that stress and help people choose the right car that best suits their individual needs, empowering them with information to make confident purchase decisions. Our team does the heavy lifting by carefully testing, evaluating and comparing new cars, and the Best Buy Award winners represent the true standouts in the most popular vehicle categories."
