Choosing the right car for you – and your budget – isn’t easy. After all, there are seemingly endless options.
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The best cars are the ones that will last you for years beyond your initial purchase and whatever financing you have. They are generally reliable, efficient, and affordable for the short and long term. Some even have decent resale prices.
The worst cars, meanwhile, are the ones that are not only expensive, but tend to depreciate quickly, don’t handle well, have questionable fuel economy, and expensive repairs and maintenance. In short, they bike money.
To determine which vehicles offer the best — and worst — value for your money, GOBankingRates spoke with Geoff Cudd, consumer advocate and automotive professional at FindtheBestCarPrice.com. He’s driven hundreds of cars and, while he thinks the best and worst are American-made instead of just American, here’s what he thinks.
Cars With The Best Value
Honda Accord Kab
Honda Accord is a compact sedan with good performance and fuel economy. LX and EX trims have a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which offers an experience of 192 horsepower. The hybrid version has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and two electric motors with a total of 204 horsepower.
Although Honda is a Japanese brand, there are more than 12 million manufacturing facilities in the US. More than that, it’s a staple in the American automotive industry that makes Cudd’s list the best choice on the market today.
“Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to drive and review hundreds of cars, giving me a broad perspective on the automotive market,” Cudd said. “Among the best value cars (is) the Honda Accord.”
According to him, this vehicle has a combination of economic efficiency, reliability and comfort.
In terms of fuel efficiency alone, the 2022 Honda Accord gets 30 MPG in the city and 38 MPG on the highway for a combined 33 MPG. Newer models may have better efficiency, but if you’re looking for the best, the Honda Accord hybrid is the way to go. Gets 51 MPG in the city and 48 MPG on the highway.
Cudd also points out that, in his experience, the Honda Accord is a good value. Bought new, the MSRP is around $30,000, but older models have similar resale value. CarEdge reports that these vehicles depreciate slowly by an average of about 21% after five years.
For treatment, Cudd also chose the Accord because of its long-term capabilities. According to Repair Pal, this vehicle costs around $400 a year to repair – not bad considering the vehicle costs so little.
Read Next: 5 Cars That Have the Best Value After 5 Years
Toyota Camry Kab
Like Honda, Toyota is a multinational brand that started in Japan. That said, it’s widely recognized as one of the best American-made vehicles on the road. And the Camry, Cudd said, stands out above the rest.
“These vehicles are known for their reliability, cost-effective maintenance and strong resale value,” explained Cudd.
The new Toyota Camry also has a starting MSRP of $29,495, making it an affordable choice from the start. But it also has a lot to offer in terms of performance. The 2024 version has a base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 203 horsepower. It also has an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard front-wheel drive – although all-wheel drive is also available.
As for fuel economy, the Camry gets about 25 MPG in the city and 34 MPG on the highway for a combined total of 29 MPG. Hybrid models can nearly double that.
The Toyota Camry also has a standard depreciation rate of around 24% after five years. This brings the resale value to just over $26,000. And Repair Pal estimates it costs less than $400 a year in average annual repair costs.
Car With Bad Value
Jaguar XF Kab
It’s no secret that luxury cars are often among the worst in terms of value alone, but Cudd says the Jaguar XF is one of the worst he’s ever driven.
“A luxury vehicle like the Jaguar XF often proves to be a poor investment in terms of value for money,” he said. “These cars tend to depreciate quickly and require expensive maintenance and repairs that add up quickly.”
Unfortunately, this gives it a lower resale value.
Jaguar XF, and related brands, is a British car manufacturer, but also a multinational. You may not find as many of these vehicles on the road in America, but they are out there – and as sleek as they are, they may not be worth the price tag.
The 2024 Jaguar XF has a starting MSRP of $51,075, nearly double the price of Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys. It also only gets 23 MPG in the city and 30 MPG on the highway, which means you can expect a higher bill at the pump.
But maintenance and depreciation are the two main factors that make Cudd rank the Jaguar XF as one of the worst cars he’s ever driven. It has a standard depreciation rate of 50% after five years and a resale value of just under $30,000. It also costs an average of $1,066 for annual repairs.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Mercedes-Benz was originally made in Germany but is another multinational brand commonly found on American highways. As beautiful as this car is, and as significant as the performance it offers, it is not worth the high price tag – at least for Cudd.
Like the Jaguar XF, it says that the main turn-off for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is that it is far too expensive. It has a starting MSRP of $118,450 and an average cost of $1,076 in annual repairs. It also shrinks by 46% after an average of five years.
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class gets the same gas mileage as the Jaguar XF. For the six-cylinder version of the S500, expect around 21 MPG in the city and 30 MPG on the highway. The V-8 version of the S580, however, only offers 16 MPG in the city and 25 on the highway.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I’ve driven over 200 cars – Here are the 4 best and worst American-made cars for your money
