Business
Affordable Excellence: Cars.com Announces 2026 Best Value New Cars
Car-shopping marketplace Cars.com® (NYSE: CARS) today announced its 2026 Best Value New Cars awards across eight key vehicle segments, factoring in price, standard safety and tech features, fuel economy and one-year fuel costs.
About this update from Cars.com Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Best Value New Car awards highlight affordable vehicles for cost-conscious shoppers as gas prices soar and average new-car prices are up $709 YOY","length":150,"tagName":"p","attribs":{}},{"type":"text","content":"CHICAGO, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Car-shopping marketplace Cars.com® (NYSE: CARS) today announced its 2026 Best Value New Cars awards across eight key vehicle segments, factoring in price, standard safety and tech features, fuel economy and one-year fuel costs.","length":276,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"image","alt":"Cars.com logo (PRNewsfoto/Cars.com)","displaySize":"","headline":null,"caption":"Cars.com logo (PRNewsfoto/Cars.com)","className":"","disableSlideshowImg":false,"size":{"original":{"width":400,"height":157,"url":"https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/9cd7894b9e69b99e03877cb08e9ad596"},"resized":{"url":"https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YeDihGpTo0eSRXgTY_RhSw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTI3Nw--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/9cd7894b9e69b99e03877cb08e9ad596","width":400,"height":157}},"href":"https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1013611/cars_com_Logo.html","hrefExternal":true,"rel":"nofollow"},{"type":"text","content":"According to a recent Cars.com survey, three-quarters of in-market car shoppers indicate they are spending less money, focusing on necessities and ensuring they get the most value from every penny spent on major purchases.¹ As costs for fuel, electricity, insurance, auto service and repair parts and more continue to rise, total car ownership, not just the purchase price, is increasingly top of mind.","length":402,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":""Between tariffs, fuel economy, interest rates and insurance premiums, car shoppers have a lot to think about when evaluating a new vehicle. The Best Value New Cars are a great place for the price-conscious consumer to start," said Jennifer Newman, Cars.com editor-in-chief. "These vehicles represent the top picks from Cars.com editors with the must-have features shoppers want at the right price."","length":419,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"The Best Value New Cars highlights vehicles that pack in the most value for the price tag, especially during a time when the average new-car price is hovering at $49,714.² New-car prices are up $709 or 1.4% year over year, reflecting a broader u...