Earlier than Motor Authority Finest Automotive To Purchase 2025 is introduced on Jan. 6, let’s cruise via historical past to mirror on the award’s previous winners and marvel on the progress automobiles have made up to now dozen years.
Since Finest Automotive To Purchase testing started, the winners have ranged from coupes and wagons to convertibles and hatchbacks, and even an electrical pickup truck. Oddly, just one sedan has gained, although not for a scarcity of nominees.
Cylinder depend has ranged from 4 to eight, and there have been superchargers, turbochargers, and naturally aspirated engines, in addition to electrical autos. Our most up-to-date alternative was a sizzling hatch that marked the return of a former champion.
If there’s one widespread theme it is this: The entire winners have been, and nonetheless are, worthy of a spot within the Motor Authority storage.
Here is a glance again in time at our previous winners.
Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Chevy returned to the winner’s circle with the Corvette, once more. Marking the third time the nameplate’s taken prime honors, the Z06 was a knockout on this competitors. The Z06’s secret sauce is the engine: it sounds unique regardless of hailing from Bowling Inexperienced. It’s a screamer, each by way of the sounds it produces and the worth it supplies given its value, efficiency, and powertrain structure. The brand new 5.5-liter V-8 flat-plane crank LT6 V-8 produces 670 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels by way of an 8-speed dual-clutch automated transmission. It roars wildly all the best way to its 8,600-rpm redline. Prime pace checks in at 195 mph nevertheless it runs from 0-60 mph in simply 2.6 seconds. That’s faster than the outgoing C7 ZR1. The engine and transmission are extremely responsive and supply a world-class driving expertise that matches something from anyplace. What it lacks in cachet it greater than makes up for with sound, fury, and worth.
2023 Honda Civic Kind R
Honda did it once more. The Honda Civic Kind R arrived on U.S. soil for a second go round and immediately pulled off an upset by beating quicker, extra highly effective, extra luxurious, and dearer rivals in our testing. The second win for this sizzling hatch cemented its place in Motor Authority historical past subsequent to solely two different autos: the Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette. With a extra highly effective turbo-4, a extra grown up design, and the power to hold a stunning quantity of pace via corners, the Kind R required little dialogue amongst our editors to earn the award. The primary Kind R to hit these shores was nice, and the second was even higher. We might nonetheless drive this sizzling hatch each day, although we’d nonetheless welcome a wing delete, a $5,000 value discount from $45,890 (which is up about $2,000 from final 12 months), and heated entrance seats.
2022 Rivian R1T
The Rivian R1T is a clean-sheet rethink of what a car will be and do. It’s an EV that’s extremely properly achieved, but additionally marks a way of life alternative. It was the primary electrical winner, the primary pickup to win, and probably the most versatile autos we’ve ever pushed. No different car available on the market matches its breadth of functionality and efficiency. With as much as 4 motors delivering a mixed 835 hp and 908 lb-ft of torque the R1T can run 0-60 mph in simply 3.0 seconds, tow as much as 10,000 kilos, and has over 300 miles of vary, although not all of these issues will be carried out on the similar time. Initially it value $67,500 for that package deal, however with a major value improve that very same truck now prices $87,000, and sure neat choices have both disappeared or been placed on indefinite maintain because the startup automaker works via teething points. Nonetheless, even at $87,000 the R1T is a steal that may’t be matched by nearly something available on the market in a single package deal. That’s why the Rivian R1T was Motor Authority Finest Automotive To Purchase 2022, and nonetheless astonishes in the present day.
2020 Chevrolet Corvette convertible
The Chevrolet Corvette is an American icon that has been a front-engine, rear-drive, two-seat sports activities automobile since its arrival in 1953. That’s, till the eighth era Corvette arrived and flipped the script to turn out to be a mid-engine sports activities automobile. The change was meant to bridge the hole between the C7 Corvette and extra unique mid- and rear-engine rivals. It labored, because the Corvette has efficiency to tackle European supercars. Energy hits the pavement extra effectively than ever, with a 0-60 mph time of two.9 seconds from 495 hp. The inside supplies are higher than ever, too, Astonishingly, this was all achieved whereas protecting to a $60,000 beginning value. All of it put the Corvette within the winner’s circle and in Motor Authority’s historical past books.
2020 Porsche 911 – Finest Automotive To Purchase 2020
The Porsche 911 is sort of a positive wine: it will get higher with age. The timeless automobile continued its almost 60-year evolution with a low, large, rounded design that has turn out to be the blueprint for the proper sports activities automobile. The eighth-generation 911 bested the competitors for 2020 with poise and precision on a racetrack that put it in one other league. Our 911 4S tester owned the 2 miles of Atlanta Motorsports Park, and made us all really feel like higher drivers. At pace and thru corners, the automobile felt unflappable with unimaginable grip, staunch stability, agile strikes, and prepared energy. The 4S mannequin feels, and drives, quicker than its 443-hp determine suggests. At over $100,000, the proper sports activities automobile is not low-cost, however perfection hardly ever is.
2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
There is no query as to why the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 took the honors for 2019. Primarily based on the very good C7 Corvette, the ZR1 cranks every part to 11 with unimaginable energy—755 supercharged horsepower—and observe efficiency for anybody however an expert sizzling shoe. Most individuals will discover their expertise runs out far earlier than the C7 Corvette ZR1’s. It is also completely livable on the road (although possibly not on the elective Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires) with a cushty inside, cheap cargo house, and acceptable outward imaginative and prescient for a supercar. It is the Sizzling Wheels automobile from the poster, however in actual life, for lower than $150,000.
2018 Honda Civic Kind R
The legendary Honda Civic Kind R lastly landed within the U.S. to take the honors of Motor Authority Finest Automotive To Purchase 2018. It’d begin life as a Civic, however the sizzling hatch turbo-4 options Honda’s VTEC system and may shove occupants into their seats with 308 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The transmission? The one possibility is a 6-speed handbook, bless Honda’s hearts. The Civic’s bones are good, however the Kind R takes issues additional with a physique equipment, a observe suspension setup, and grippy seats that may hug McDonald’s-fed American our bodies. The Honda Civic Kind R is entertaining, livable, and a worth at round $35,000.
2016 BMW M2 Coupe
Whereas BMW was targeted (on the time) on electrical automobiles such because the i3 and big-selling crossover SUVs such because the X3 and X5, the M2 coupe is proof the German automaker hadn’t forgotten find out how to make a correct sports activities automobile. The M2 sings with its turbocharged inline-6 because it begs the motive force to push it tougher. Whereas a dual-clutch gearbox is an possibility, the terrific 6-speed handbook has quick, clean throws and its stubby, leather-wrapped shift lever snicks positively into gears. The dealing with is what sealed the M2’s destiny as Motor Authority Finest Automotive To Purchase 2017. Whether or not on the road or the observe, it did not depend on fancy adaptive dampers to regulate its experience. It related the dots apex to apex the old school approach, although the steering was a bit too heavy and numb regardless of being direct and predictable. Good brakes have been one other standout function regardless of days of beating on the observe and avenue. The i8 may need been BMW’s halo automobile for 2017, however the M2 was our type of halo automobile.
2016 Chevrolet Camaro
For 2016 the scene was basically proper out of Thunderdome. Two automobiles rolled in (the Chevrolet Camaro SS and Ford Mustang Shelby GT350) and solely the Camaro SS rolled out as Motor Authority’s Finest Automotive To Purchase 2016. With the C7 Corvette-sourced 455-hp LT1 V-8, the Camaro SS might be known as a sledgehammer amongst hammers with a 0 to 60 mph dash of about 4 seconds. The physique was smaller and the general automobile was greater than 200 kilos lighter than the fifth-gen Camaro, which made it the best-handling Camaro we might ever pushed (not precisely a excessive bar outdoors of the fifth-gen Z/28). Whereas the physique appeared much like the earlier automobile, the inside was extra trendy with all the most recent expertise. With out choices it had a value of about $37,000, however that might be inflated shortly.
2015 Alfa Romeo 4C
Typically in life, issues come all the way down to qualitative parts. For 2015 the Alfa Romeo 4C wasn’t the quickest, the quickest, or probably the most highly effective nominee, however its carbon fiber monocoque chassis, mid-engine design, and low curb weight made for a knockout combo punch. It is also attractive with a design worthy of a Ferrari badge for a fraction of the value. The handbook steering rack of the 4C made it a chore at parking zone speeds, however on the open highway it translated to a lightweight and energetic setup that gained weight and resistance as grip elevated. It was refreshing when in comparison with the over-simulated electrical steering setup in many of the different nominees. Fast, exact shifts, immediate throttle response, and a bare-bones inside merely added to the expertise. In brief, the Alfa Romeo 4C gained as a result of it was an unique automobile that did not carry an unique automobile’s price ticket.
2014 Porsche Cayman
2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG
2014 Porsche Cayman
Issues have been sophisticated in 2013. A lot in order that each the Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG and Porsche Cayman have been named Motor Authority Finest Automotive To Purchase 2014. It was an exceptionally shut race to the purpose the place each have been named winners because the crew could not come to an settlement no matter what number of hours have been spent arguing. The CLA45 AMG is a rock-star supergroup jamming for all its price with luxurious, fashion, efficiency, and dealing with all collectively in a stability. On the time the whole setup was larger than the sum of its elements. The all-wheel drive managed the firecracker of a 2.0-liter turbo-4 and its 355 hp. The worth of entry was an inexpensive $48,375. However because the CLA45 was a generalist at being terrific, the Porsche Cayman was surgical. It featured laser-like reflexes, a number of the finest electrical energy steering on the earth and a balanced chassis because of its mid-mounted 275-hp 2.7-liter flat-6 engine.
2013 Porsche Boxster
In 2012 Porsche took its second win in a row with the Boxster. The convertible summed up nearly all of what an expensive, enjoyable, and timeless sports activities automobile needs to be. The driving expertise was distilled to solar, wind, really feel, and sheer pace. The 265-hp 2.7-liter flat-6 was the place issues began, however the bigger 3.4-liter flat-6 with 315 hp is the place you actually wished to be. With its dual-clutch transmission, the extra highly effective Boxster S may dash from 0 to 60 mph in simply 4.7 seconds, which was almost supercar territory not lengthy earlier than this time. The Boxster was (and nonetheless is) a wonderful automobile to take a look at, inside and outside, and was surprisingly comfy for its measurement.
2012 Porsche 911
The seventh-generation Porsche 911 was merely one of the best in each class in nearly each approach. Porsche engineers refused to bow to the legal guidelines of physics with the (then) new 911. The sensible electro-mechanical energy steering system delivered solely a barely diminished steering really feel that was attribute of the legendary 911. The short-revving flat-6 was accessible with both 350 hp or 400 hp, and when paired with the lightning-fast dual-clutch transmission it delivered telepathic gear modifications from the wailing flat-6 engine. Immensely succesful as a sports activities automobile, however fully livable as a each day driver with a pleasant inside and extra inside room than the earlier 911, it took the win with ease.
2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon
Within the first 12 months of Motor Authority’s Finest Automotive To Purchase award the world was a unique place. There was an American luxurious wagon and coupe with a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 producing 556 hp to the rear wheels by way of a 6-speed automated (dangerous alternative) or a 6-speed handbook (good selection) transmission. Wanting again it appears as if it have been the “Twilight Zone.” That period’s over, lifeless and gone, however its reminiscence lives on. With a pointy design, good sufficient inside, and all the facility one may actually ask for, there wasn’t a query as to why the outrageous Cadillac CTS-V Wagon and Coupe gained our first award. There wasn’t a greater worth for anybody looking for a premium luxurious automobile with critical efficiency functionality.
