Vehicles that Offer the Best Values for 2012
So how do you determine which cars have the best value? Luckily, Consumer Reports has done the research and has just released their picks for 2012.
They started with 200 vehicles, separated them into eleven categories, and picked the best values based on 5-year ownership costs, reliability ratings, and road tests.
The Honda Fit was ranked as the #1 best overall value. The small car category overall represented the best value by segment. Case in point: the Chevrolet Cruze came in last place within that group, but it still ranked better than average when compared to all other vehicles.
The following are the best and worst vehicles when it comes to value. If you're in the market for a new car, make sure to include the winners in your consideration and test-drive list.
| Best | Worst |
| Honda Fit | Jaguar XJL |
| Toyota Prius Four | Cadillac Escalade (base) |
| Volkswagen Golf TDI (manual) | Jaguar XF (base) |
| Scion xD | Mercedes-Benz S550 |
| Toyota Corolla | Mercedes-Benz GL450 |
| Scion xB | Porsche Cayenne (base, V6) |
| Toyota Matrix (base, 1.8L) | BMW 750Li |
| Mini Cooper (base, manual) | Mercedes-Benz GL350 BlueTec |
| Toyota RAV4 (base, 4-cyl.) | Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara |
| Mazda3 i Touring | Chevrolet Tahoe LTZ (5.3) |
Click Here to see the full list of rankings
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).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
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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