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The Best Cars for the Money
January 27, 2011
U.S. News & World Report has released its "Best Car for the Money" awards for 2011.
The rankings are based on the opinions of hundreds of automotive journalists coupled with the cost of ownership for each vehicle compared to the competition.
The results were surprising in that no one brand won the majority of awards - meaning there is long-term value across many different manufacturers.
You just have to know which models to choose and which to stay away from.
2011 Rankings for "Best Car for the Money"
| Category | Make/Model |
| Subcompact | Ford Fiesta |
| Compact | Honda Civic |
| Hatchbacks | Honda Fit |
| Midsize | Chevrolet Malibu |
| Family Sedans | Ford Taurus |
| Upscale Compact | Volkswagen GTI |
| Upscale Sedans | Buick Regal |
| Hybrid | Toyota Prius |
| Sports | Mazda MX-5 Miata |
| Compact Crossover | Mitsubishi Outlander Sport |
| Midsize Crossover | Chevrolet Traverse |
| Full Size SUVs | Chevrolet Tahoe |
| Luxury Compact Crossover | Infiniti EX35 |
| Luxury Midsize Crossover | Lexus RX 350 |
| Minivans | Kia Sedona |
| Wagons | Hyundai Elantra Touring |
| Compact Pickup Trucks | Suzuki Equator |
| Full Size Pickup Trucks | Chevrolet Silverado 1500 |
3 Steps Every Car Buyer Needs to Take to Save Maximum Money
The key to getting the best deal is to gather price or lease bids from as many local dealers as possible. Then shop that best price around until no one can beat it. Here are the steps:Step 1 Get Prices From My Trusted Network
Select the vehicle you're interested in to see if there are local dealers in my network who will provide you with their best upfront price. You will get direct access to an internet sales manager who you can further negotiate with online (no need to visit dealership).Select Vehicle to Get Local Pricing
Step 2 Get Prices From TrueCar / CarsDirect
TrueCar, and CarsDirect are my top 2 online price quote recommendations. These services show you pre-negotiated prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually pretty decent. But remember, you can still negotiate further.Step 3 Complete my Checklist
Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
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Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!
