The Best Cars of 2017
*This post originally appeared on Dan Lussier.
Back in February Consumer Reports released their “10 Top Picks of 2017: Best Cars of the Year” list. In order to determine the best cars of the year, Consumer Reports looks at the safety, reliability, owner satisfaction, and how the car performs on the road. If you are looking for a new car, I encourage you to read the entire list here. Below are some of my favorite cars from the list.
Mazda MX-5 Miata
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a sleek sports car that provides a pleasing driving experience. Since the two-seater is built with aluminum, it’s not heavy, which helps it drive faster. The Mazda MX-5 Miata gets fine gas mileage for a sports car—26 MPG in the city. One of the best features of the car is the retractable roof. With a car that moves this fast, putting the top down on sunny days is a necessity. The car is only a two-seater, though, and doesn’t have much trunk space. As long as those two factors aren’t important to you, you’ll love this vehicle.
Kia Optima
When it comes to midsize sedans, the Kia Optima is one of the best picks in 2017. Compared to other midsize vehicles, the $22,200 price tag is a pretty good deal. One of the best features of the Kia Optima is its spaciousness. This year the midsize category is one of the most competitive groups. While the Kia Optima might not the fastest car on the market, it gets good marks for safety. It’s a great family vehicle, and, again, the price can’t be ignored. To learn more about the Kia Optima’s features, visit the vehicle’s official site.
Audi Q7
The Audi Q7 can seat seven passengers which makes it great for large families. Since it’s a luxury SUV you get all of the standard features of the class like a leather interior and good engine performance. While the Audi Q7 has less cargo space than other luxury SUVs on the market, you can collapse the third row of seats to get more space. $49,000 is a competitive price to pay when compared to other luxury SUVs. In January the LA Times reviewed the Audi Q7. The article is definitely worth reading if you are interested in this vehicle.
Honda Ridgeline
Compared to other compact pickups, the Honda Ridgeline’s price is hefty. However, this price includes a V6 engine—a feature that isn’t included in many competitors’ base models. The Ridgeline also includes a sleek interior. If you’re looking for the best off road experience, there are better models than the Honda Ridgeline on the market. Otherwise, the Honda Ridgeline is a good choice when it comes to pickups. The Toyota Tacoma is another popular truck model that’s out this year. Take a look at this article to see how the two trucks compare to one another.