2021 Kelley Blue Book^® Best Buy Awards

The 2021 Kia Seltos has become the new benchmark in the subcompact SUV segment. The Seltos is full of surprises, starting with its stylish, refined interior. Not only is the Seltos available with class-above convenience and connectivity features like a 10.25-inch touch screen with navigation and Bose premium audio, but there is plenty of rear-seat legroom, even for tall passengers. The Seltos has best-in-class cargo space with a two-level cargo floor, and its advanced safety features and all-wheel drive with lock mode make it safe in all seasons. That you can get all of this at a value price makes this SUV even more appealing.

In a tough segment, the all-new Elantra has come out on top. How? Hyundai has brought the refinement and quality of its larger siblings (the Sonata and the Palisade SUV come to mind) into the realm of the compact sedan. In addition to a stout chassis and attractive styling, the new Elantra boasts excellent driving manners and a thoroughly modern interior. On top of that, its safety suite is excellent, and we like that the Elantra represents a full lineup of cars that includes a super-efficient hybrid and the sporty Elantra N-Line.

The Honda Accord continues to stand out for its roomy cabin, particularly the rear seat, large trunk, and advanced powertrains, including a hybrid that delivers up to 48 mpg. The Accord is the complete package, from its affordable price through to its traditionally high resale value.

The all-new 2021 Kia Seltos is this year’s winner, thanks to its impressive roster of modern tech, a choice of two excellent engines, and striking good looks. It also has plenty of space – boasting best-in-class cargo area and excellent rear-seat legroom. And all but the base Seltos come standard with active safety features that include forward-collision warning, lane-keep assist, and a driver attention monitor.

No matter which RAV4 you choose, they have something in common: Easy manners and great practicality. The RAV4 is a pleasant partner in both the city and beyond. Non hybrid models use a well-matched 8-speed automatic transmission that feels more natural than the CVTs of competitors. The standard RAV4’s power is well-matched for its purposes of shuffling individuals or small families.

We particularly like the RAV4 hybrid. Aside from its sheer efficiency, the electric motor works silently behind the scenes yet provides a noticeable boost in power.

The Hyundai Santa Fe was all new just two years ago and already an excellent choice among 2-row/5-passenger midsize SUVs, proved by its Best Buy Award win last year. But for 2021, Hyundai has made it even better with significant revisions. The updates touch everything from what powers the Santa Fe to its design aesthetics, safety features and technology. In short, the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe is not just the best it’s ever been, but the best in its class.

The 2021 Kia Telluride is our Best Buy not just because of all the bells and whistles available here, but that many of these features come with such an affordable price tag. The base price for the Telluride is below the average transaction price of all new vehicles, which is pretty remarkable when you consider the size of the Telluride and the class in which it competes.

The 2021 Ford Expedition continues with a proven formula based on a rugged ladder frame with independent rear suspension. As such, the big aluminum-bodied Ford shines as a comfortable truck-based family hauler that’s at home in the daily grind or when doing work like towing a tent trailer to a campsite. What’s more, it’s jam-packed with minivan style conveniences (like 15 cupholders and USB ports for all three rows), plus a standard Co-Pilot360 safety suite.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna assumes the crown this year on the strength of its new design, standard hybrid powertrain that racks up some impressive mileage, available all-wheel drive, and the comfort and flexibility of its interior. Beyond the mechanical changes, Toyota also boasts a good track record when it comes to quality, reliability and solid resale value at the end of your ownership experience.

The tough, rugged Toyota Tacoma is built to last. Even as newer models have arrived on the scene, the Tacoma remains a favorite, thanks to its reliability, excellent resale value, and wide range of models designed to suit the needs of just about every midsize truck buyer.

The Ford F-150 has been a Best Buy Award winner six years in a row, staying in this top spot because it continues to advance the full-size truck segment. New for 2021, the F-150 has best-in-class towing and payload capacity. It offers the most power you can get in a full-size truck. It’s available as a hybrid, with 430 horsepower and more than 700 miles of range. There are even more work solutions available for 2021, including Pro Power Onboard, a feature that allows your truck to act like a generator you can use to power work equipment. That can also come in handy in emergencies when the power goes out.

Hyundai’s secret is that it managed to make it simple to forget that you were driving an electric car. The Hyundai Kona Electric is certainly a spirited little ute with instant-on acceleration that allows you to light up the front tires almost at will. The rest of the time, while commuting, shopping, heading into the big city at the end of the day to see a drive-in movie, or just cruising along the coast for a few hours, you’ll find yourself completely satisfied.

With the combination of the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and tri-motor setup checking in with a total of 302 horsepower, the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime sprints a very impressive zero-to-60-mph time of just 5.7 seconds. When you pair that truth with the little SUV’s fuel economy of 40 mpg in city driving and 40 mpg on the highway, you’ve got an AWD “performance” SUV that can also take you towards 600 miles with a full charge and a full tank of gas.

At a time when this segment is hotter than ever, Mercedes committed itself to doing great things at the entry level, replacing the old GLA with a model that’s shorter, but roomier, and packed style and substance. The new 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA strikes a modern look that is more SUV than ever, while still lathering lots of Mercedes-Benz elegance and ability.

The 2021 Audi Q5 has the goods to satisfy a wide variety of buyers. Whether you desire innovative technology, great safety systems, engaging driving manners or all-around practicality – all awash in the premium experience expected in an Audi – the Q5 delivers.

The GV80 is the first SUV from Genesis, and it’s a big hit. This 2- or 3-row SUV exudes elegance inside and out, and its outstanding chassis blends excellent daily ride comfort with great composure on winding roads. Available with a turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine or a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6, the rear- or all-wheel-drive GV80 also has a robust infotainment system (with a 14.5-inch touchscreen) and a thorough standard safety suite that includes automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. All that, plus a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

The 2021 Lexus ES continues to offer a blend of elegant styling, a high-quality interior, refined road manners, and pricing that makes it a value in a segment where the competition is only getting stiffer. There are plenty of choices among luxury 4-door models, even as the mass market midsize sedan competitive set continues to shrink. Lexus manages to stay ahead by continually improving its products and finding new niches to serve.