It's always fun to test drive a new car, but imagine test driving more than 200 vehicles for thousands of miles — that's what the testers over Consumer Reports did to help pick the best of the best.
In the end, only 10 vehicles made the cut for Consumer Reports' annual list of 10 top picks in cars, SUVs and trucks for 2023.
We're breaking down the list into different price categories. First up are the top vehicles under $25,000.
It's the popular Toyota Corolla, but the hybrid version. The fuel economy is amazing — 48 mpg overall — a figure that approaches the efficiency of a pricier Prius. The Corolla hybrid comes with all the bells and whistles when it comes to standard safety features. And what's new for 2023 is there's an all-wheel drive option.
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One other option under $25,000 is the Toyota Corolla Cross, a cross between a sedan and SUV.
If you can spend up to $35,000, you have four good options: the Ford Maverick Hybrid; the Subaru Forester, which is on the list for the 10th year in a row; the very popular Toyota Camry hybrid and the first all-electric car on the list, the Nissan Leaf.
An option in the $35,000 to $45,000 dollar price point is the Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid, making its first appearance on this top ten list. The SUV features a turbocharged four-cylinder engine which is going to give you quicker acceleration. And there's a plug-in hybrid option that adds 35 horsepower and has a 31-mile travel range in all-electric mode.
The other option in this price range is the Kia Telluride, which gives you three rows of space and a powerful V6.
Finally, if you’re looking to splurge on a ride over $45,000, Consumer Reports says Lexus NX 350h, a small SUV hybrid, and the Tesla Model 3 are the two best options in that price range.
Did you notice a trend on this list? Fuel efficiency is the name of the game. Five hybrids and two all-electric cars are in the top 10. And that's important anywhere, but especially here in South Florida where traffic is a huge issue. .
If you follow the top 10 list every year you may have noticed two vehicles usually listed are missing: the Lexus RX and Toyota Prius. Both models were redesigned for 2023 and are currently being tested by Consumer Reports.
