The 10 best cars right now, according to Consumer Reports
If you’re looking for a new car in 2025, Consumer Reports (CR) has you covered.
The nonprofit consumer organization just released its list of the 10 best new cars to buy in 2025, broken down by category.
To make the list, vehicles had to score highly on their road and safety tests. CR also factored in reliability and owner satisfaction and said cars had to include low-speed automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and highway-speed automatic emergency braking technology.
Continue reading to see which cars made the list.
Best small car: Nissan Sentra
CR declared the Nissan (NSANY) Sentra 2025's top small car, praising its price, comfort, fuel economy, and nimble handling. “The Sentra is proof that you can still find a good all-around new car for under $25,000,” CR said.
Best midsized car: Toyota Camry 2025
The redesigned 2025 Toyota (TM) Camry got high praise from CR, which called it “comfortable, practical, and user-friendly.” Toyota only sells the car as a hybrid and it gets an impressive 48 miles per gallon.
Best subcompact SUV: Subaru Crosstrek 2025
CR loved the Crosstrek, which “offers an excellent ride, good fuel economy, standard all-wheel drive, and a high ground clearance that makes it able to handle rougher roads.”
Best compact SUV: Subaru Forester 2025
CR said the redesigned 2025 Forester is “better than ever,” with a makeover that “added refinements throughout the cabin, without straying from the winning formula that has made the Forester a regular among CR’s Top Picks.” It praised the SUV’s comfort, fuel economy, cargo space, and visibility.
Best fuel-efficient SUV: Toyota RAV4 PHEV 2025
The plug-in hybrid RAV4 got rave reviews from CR, which commended its performance, ride quality, and efficiency.
Best midsized SUV: Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2025
CR called this SUV a “unicorn among midsized SUVS,” noting its fuel efficiency despite its size. It said the car has good handling and is quite comfortable.
Luxury compact SUV: Lexus NX 2025
The Lexus NX350h and NX450h+ have a “refined-but-firm ride, quick steering, and capable handling,” and CR praised the small SUVs’ fuel efficiency.
Best luxury midsized SUV: BMW X5 and X5 PHEV 2025
CR loved the X5, which it said is the pinnacle of “premium” and boasts a powerful but efficient engine. The SUV has an “exceptionally quiet and richly finished cabin with supportive seats suitable for daylong trips.”
Best electric vehicle: Tesla Model Y 2025
The Model Y was lauded for its long range and great performance, which “make it drive more like a sports car than an SUV.” CR did, however, criticize the Model Y’s distracting screen, which you need to use to change the audio and climate controls.
Best small pickup: Ford Maverick and Maverick Hybrid 2025
CR praised this small truck for being “fun” and “frugal.” It said the interior of the Maverick is comfortable and roomy, and the hybrid model gets incredible mileage for a pickup.