Model Awards Bestowed
The BMW iX midsize SUV won AAA’s highest overall award after also being named tops in 2023.
Consumers in the market for a new car particularly like Honda’s lineup, according to Kelly Blue Book’s latest brand research.
The Japanese automaker grabbed five of KBB’s annual Consumer Choice Awards in a commanding performance in the nonluxury segment, as well as winning the top vehicle award across segments.
In addition to being named best overall, it won the most trusted, best value, best performance and best in-vehicle experience awards among nonluxury brands.
KBB, a Cox Automotive division that valuates vehicles and provides automotive research, surveyed more than 12,000 consumers in the market for new vehicles in the next 12 months.
The only other nonluxury brand-level award went to Dodge for best car styling. Toyota took back the award for best truck brand after Ram’s win last year.
In the luxury segment, Porsche was named best overall brand for the first time in a decade, along with the most refined and best performance awards. Lexus won the most trusted brand nod, Acura the best value award, and BMW the best styling designation.
Lexus also claimed the best overall electric-hybrid brand crown.
Meanwhile, AAA announced winners of its AAA Car Guide, which is designed to help consumers parse available models to choose the best options for them.
Based on its testing of 2024 and 2025 model-year vehicles across 15 criteria, including fuel efficiency, braking, handling and advanced driver-assistance systems, it scored in nine categories, choosing all electrified vehicles this year, whether purely electric, plug-in hybrid or hybrid.
The top overall winner is the 2024 BMW iX xDrive50, which also received the top award in the midsize SUV category. The iX also won the top honor in 2023, and AAA chose it again based on its “impressive range, a comfortable ride, responsive steering and handling, and abundant power and low-end torque.”
AAA brought back the minivan category to the guide this year, naming the 2024 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV Pinnacle the best of the bunch.
The other brand guide winners are:
- Small car: Honda Civic Hybrid Sport Touring
- Midsize car: the electric BMW i5 M60
- Large car: the electric BMW i7 M70
- Pickup: Ford F-150 Hybrid XLT
- Small SUV: the electric Genesis GV60 Performance
- Large SUV: the electric Kia EV9 GT-Line