Shopping for a new vehicle in 2023? You can't go wrong the classic Honda Civic, according to the car experts at Edmunds, a company specializing in automotive research and reviews.
The vehicle earned the honor of being the top-rated car in Edmunds Top Rated Awards 2023. In a summary of the rankings, Edmunds says that the Civic "is one of the most well-rounded cars on sale today":
"The Honda Civic wins out with its pleasing mix of talents. It has a clean look and quality feel, plenty of interior room and nearly all of the modern tech people desire today."
This year's winners were chosen after an extensive testing and ranking process that included "nearly every car, truck or SUV you can buy," according to Edmunds. The highest-ranking vehicles earned the best overall test ratings based on:
AAPL
STZ
TSLA
AMZN
The six vehicles recognized as the best of their type for 2023 are:
Edmunds notes that the company took a "fresh approach" to ranking vehicles in 2023 by changing up categories from previous years. Instead of organizing cars by price, Edmunds used powertrain - electric and internal combustion - to categorize vehicles.
This change reflect the growing relevance of electric vehicles, Edmunds says. The company reports that EVs made up 5.17% of all new vehicle purchases last year, a large increase from 2.5% in 2021.
Of course, our advice to anyone shopping for a brand-new car has been consistent: Rethink your plans.
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You will almost always do better buying a slightly used, new-to-you vehicle instead of a shiny new model. As we note in "11 Things You Should Never Buy New":
"The value of a new car drops like a rock as soon as you drive it off the lot. Rather than finding yourself upside-down on your car loan five minutes after signing the paperwork, look for a quality used car that has already taken the huge depreciation hit."
For tips on finding the right used car, check out "5 Steps You Must Take Before Buying a Used Car."
If you just cannot imagine life without that new-car smell, at least check out Edmunds' "Best Car Deals and Incentives" tool. It makes it easier to find out whether dealers in your area are offering any incentives or rebates for the particular vehicle you are considering buying new.
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