MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

KBB.com Lists 2019 Best Buy Award Winners

Kelley Blue Book announced the winners of the 2019 Best Buy Awards, a program designed to help new-car buyers narrow their selections in 14 categories.

November 15, 2018
KBB.com Lists 2019 Best Buy Award Winners

The Volvo XC40 was selected as Best New Model in Kelley Blue Book’s 2019 Best Buy Awards.

Credit:

Photo courtesy Volvo Car Corp.

2 min to read


IRVINE, Calif. — Following head-to-head testing and evaluation of 2019 model-year vehicles, the experts at Kelley Blue Book today have announced the winners of the 2019 Best Buy Awards. The program honors the top new model-year vehicles available in the U.S. market in 14 major categories, along with a brand-new category for 2019: Best New Model, with the Volvo XC40 taking home top honors.

To aid new-car buyers in their quest, Kelley Blue Book curated the Best Buy Awards to help shoppers narrow down their new-car consideration list and purchase their next vehicle with confidence. Analysts identified the best of all available 2019 models, with a special emphasis on value-per-dollar in both purchase and ownership experience.

“Shopping for a new car can be a daunting task, and with hundreds of options to choose from, it is hard to identify what vehicles earn top marks in pricing, ownership costs, expert evaluation, consumer opinion and more,” said Karl Brauer, executive publisher for Kelley Blue Book. “The Best Buy Awards were designed to help consumers shop with confidence by doing the heavy lifting for them and providing clear guidance on which specific car, truck, minivan and SUV models they should be prioritizing and considering for their next new-car purchase.”

Starting with the more than 300 new models available for 2019, Kelley Blue Book’s annual Best Buy Awards are based on a year-long regimen of expert vehicle evaluation and testing of nearly every new vehicle available in America, along with analysis of a broad array of vehicle-related data, including vehicle pricing, “5-Year Cost to Own” data (which includes depreciation, insurance, maintenance, financing, fuel, fees and taxes for new cars), consumer reviews and ratings and vehicle sales information.

To be considered for Kelley Blue Book’s newest award, Best New Model, the vehicle must be an all-new or redesigned vehicle and offer a strong value proposition to consumers based on pricing, innovation, and available standard technology and safety features.

This year’s winners are:

  • Best New Model: Volvo XC40

  • Compact Car: Honda Civic

  • Midsize Car: Honda Accord

  • Subcompact SUV: Hyundai Kona

  • Compact SUV: Honda CR-V

  • Midsize SUV: Honda Pilot

  • Full-Size SUV: Ford Expedition

  • Minivan: Honda Odyssey

  • Subcompact Luxury SUV: Volvo XC40

  • Compact Luxury SUV: Audi Q5

  • Midsize Luxury SUV: Audi Q7

  • Pickup Truck: Ford F-150

  • Performance Car: Hyundai Veloster N

  • Electric/Hybrid Car: Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid

  • Luxury Car: Lexus ES

For full coverage of this year’s awards, click here.

More Awards

Awardsby Hannah MitchellDecember 17, 2025

Autos Take Flying Safety Colors

Twelve brands are awarded for protective features while others fail to place.

Read More →
yellow background with awards trophy and confetti
Awardsby Lauren LawrenceDecember 10, 2025

Time Dealer of the Year Nominees Named

Forty-seven dealers are in the running this year.

Read More →
Awardsby Hannah MitchellDecember 4, 2025

Most Satisfying Cars Ranked

Annual list based on customer feedback shows contentment-reliability gap narrowing

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Blue Ford F-150 Lightning driving down the road in front of shops
Industryby Lauren LawrenceNovember 21, 2025

U.S. News Adds EVs to Best Vehicle Rankings

Honda wins fifth straight best car brand nod

Read More →
Awardsby Hannah MitchellOctober 28, 2025

Automakers Take Home Safety Awards

Tweaks to models put them over the top while others miss out due to substandard crash test results

Read More →
Awardsby Hannah MitchellOctober 8, 2025

The 250K-Mile Club

One brand holds sway when it comes to durability, while certain styles tend to last longer and hybrids gain staying power.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Industryby StaffSeptember 10, 2025

Spectrum Automotive Declares National Sector Observance

First National Automotive Industry Day will be marked on Oct. 1

Read More →
Awardsby Hannah MitchellJuly 31, 2025

Penn., Utah Auto Dealers Get AAA Nods

Annually bestowed awards recognize stores’ auto-repair excellence.

Read More →
A man in a blue suit and glasses stands indoors near a railing, smiling, with large windows and natural light in the background.
Awardsby StaffJuly 29, 2025

Automotive Amplifiers Contest Finalists Named

Reynolds chose five from among the contenders in the 2025 contest, each bringing forward innovative solutions to key dealership challenges. Winners will be named Aug. 19 in Dallas.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Awardsby Hannah MitchellJuly 24, 2025

Two Models Win Safety Awards

Three others fail to place after crash testing, headlight and crash-prevention evaluations of 2025 vehicles.

Read More →