Car companies are offering all kinds of deals these days, but when you add up the cost of ownership over five years some are no deal at all.
Consumer Reports magazine crunched the numbers for many of the market's most popular cars and found out some vehicles that look more expensive to buy are actually cheaper to own.
At the magazine's auto test track, every car goes through some 50 different tests, including handling, braking, fuel economy and comfort. Each earns a total score between 0 and 100.
Along with testing well, you want a car that doesn't cost a lot over time. So in its annual auto issue, Consumer Reports has come up with the best new-car values.
The top cars on the list aren't necessarily the cheapest, but will provide the best bang for the buck over five years.
"They've also got proven reliability and have done well in our tests," says David Champion.
At the top of the list is the touring version of the Toyota Prius.
"The Toyota Prius holds its value extremely well," he says. "It also gets great gas mileage and excellent reliability."
Right behind the Prius is the Mini Cooper, followed by the Volkswagen Rabbit hatchback. Rounding out the top five best deals is the Honda Civic EX and the smaller Honda Fit.
To come up with its list, Consumer Reports takes the cost of owning a vehicle for five years and divides it by the road test score.
When the math was done, other good value cars proved themselves, including the Hyundai Santa Fe midsized SUV and the Toyota Rav4.
Consumer Reports found that the absolute worst value vehicle is the Hummer H2.
Other excellent vehicles which are on the top 10 list but do not make the top value list are the Toyota Sienna minivan and the Toyota highlander in the mid-sized SUV category.
The Chevy Avalanche is the top pickup choice, as well as the only North American name brand on the top ten list.
The Honda accord is the top family sedan, a vehicle that's been at or near the top for years.
The Hyundai Elantra SE was chosen in the small vehicle category and the Infiniti G37 is at the top of the upscale sedan category.
The Miata MX5 is the fun-to-drive top pick and the Lexus lS 460 as the best vehicle period if you've got the money.
If you're looking for the best value with minivans, based on the cost of ownership the magazine says the Honda Odyssey tops the list.
You can get more information about how other models compare through Consumer Reports
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
