Consumer Reports Top 10 of 2022 Is a Who’s Who of Safe, Sane, Affordable Vehicles – Roadshow

Sure, the Nissan Sentra may not be the spiciest thing on four wheels, but that doesn’t mean it’s not packed with virtue.

Nissan

Consumer Reports announced its top 10 car, truck and SUV picks for 2022 on Thursday and the results are, predictably, a selection of safe, good value vehicles. The the independent product tester’s picks range in price from under $25,000 up to $55,000 and include internal combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles. CR’s selections are based on its own rankings, with special consideration given to vehicles that offer more standard safety tech.

According to CR, the best cheap, small car you can buy in 2022 is the Nissan Sentra. The current-generation Sentra is a lot nicer now than it has been in the past, with a decent engine, and the inclusion of Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 driver-assistance suite across all trim levels is great. For similar reasons, the Nissan Rogue Sport also gets a pick in the sub-$25,000 category.

In the $25,000 to $35,000 category, the big winners are the Subaru Forester, the Toyota Prius and Prius Prime and the Honda Accord. CR calls out the Subaru’s good ride and competent handling as well as its fuel economy. The Prius gets points for its stellar fuel economy and cruising range, while the Accord is referred to as “the definitive family sedan.” Again, ample advanced standard safety equipment is the throughline here.

Moving up to the $35,000 to $45,000 range, Consumer Reports’ picks include the awesome RAV4 Prime, the almost unassailably good Kia Telluride and the underappreciated Honda Ridgeline. The RAV4 Prime is chosen for its excellent performance, increased comfort and efficiency over the regular nonhybrid RAV4 models. The Telluride gets called out for simply “doing everything well” and setting the standard for midsize three-row SUVs. CR shows love to the Ridgeline for its incredible versatility, something we heartily agree with.

Finally, in the top price bracket of $45,000 to $55,000, we get our first luxury brand and our first SUV. The former comes in the form of the so-consistently-competent-that-it’s-boring Lexus RX. It defined the midsize luxury SUV segment when it debuted in the 90s, and it’s still holding its own now. The final selection for 2022 is the Ford Mustang Mach-E, which we also love here at Roadshow. CR mentions its engaging driving characteristics and its sporty styling as being high points, as well as its many available power levels and drivetrain configurations.

Toyota’s RAV4 Prime SUV has earned a spot on this year’s CR list.

Emme Hall/Roadshow

With the exception of the Mach-E, none of Consumer Reports’ picks are what you’d call exciting, but that’s not what CR is about. It’s about finding the kinds of vehicles that people actually buy and determining which is likely to treat that customer the best once the papers have been signed and it’s in the garage. This list exemplifies that, and it’s one we look forward to every year, along with Consumer Reports’ Brand Report Card, which also skews heavily towards mass-market and, in particular, Asian brands.