The Biggest Winners of 2024

Don’t be swayed by flashy ads; automotive excellence quietly exists all over the market. Another year of maintaining MotorTrend’s Ultimate Car Rankings, which helps consumers make smarter buying decisions, makes this very clear. From sports cars to efficient commuters and luxury SUVs, we ranked them all in 2024, and a few cars shined brighter than others. 

A quick note about our rankings system: What makes it special is the way we combine subjective evaluations (such as ride quality, engine refinement, and technology) with objective data (including test numbers, mpgs, and safety scores).  

Here are the biggest rankings winners for 2024. 

View SUV, sedan, and electric car rankings here. 

BMW 

BMW ends 2024 as the luxury brand with the most number-one-ranked vehicles. What makes the honor more special is the wide variety of products rising to the top. The BMW 2 Series wins its segment, forming an excellent foundation for the 2024 Performance Vehicle of the Year, the M2.  

The X1 and X4 luxury SUVs both perform well in their respective segments, and the iX continues to lead the midsize electric luxury SUV segment—for now. The Cadillac Lyriq is a much different take on the same two-row lux EV segment, and at a lower price. 

Toyota 

Toyota’s hybrid-fueled resurgence in rankings continued in 2024. As the current RAV4 prepares to bow out for a redesigned model, the hybrid and plug-in models continue to be the best SUVs in their respective segments. We can’t say the same about the standard gas model, but it’s worth noting that the updated Kia Sportage is second in the gas, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid small SUV segments. 

The Highlander Hybrid’s reign in the hybrid three-row SUV segment continues, propelled by its good efficiency, excellent value, and proven safety record. That leaves the new-for-2025 Camry, which isn’t one of the biggest midsize sedans around but is one of the best. 

Midsize Sedan Buyers 

The Camry is far from the only good midsize sedan available today. Focus on the hybrid models, and the Honda Accord is a great option. There’s also the Hyundai Sonata, which placed second in a comparison this year, as well as the Nissan Altima and the boldest midsizer of them all, the updated Kia K5. 

Honda Odyssey? 

How exactly does an eight-year-old minivan end up atop our minivan rankings? Getting things right the first time. Among similarly priced gas minivans, the newly updated (but not fully redesigned) Odyssey remains ultra-competitive with the Kia Carnival, Toyota Sienna, and Chrysler Pacifica. A Pacifica plug-in recently won a comparison, but the standard model can’t pull off first place ahead of the Honda as a result of lesser value and safety scores. 

Hyundai Kona Gas, Not Electric 

MotorTrend’s rankings always keep in mind the priorities of the average buyer, and that’s especially true with how we focus on the entire lineup—not just one trim at the very top. That’s why the impressive Kona Electric didn’t perform as well as the gas Kona in rankings; the base-model EV sacrifices too much in its pursuit of delivering a low base price. 

That’s not the case for the gas-powered Kona, which is a comparison-winning player in a segment of nearly 20 ranked competitors and should be good even when you don’t select every option. 

Ford Ranger 

It’s not easy to overtake a recent Truck of the Year winner, but that’s exactly what the Ford Ranger has done. The new Ranger ekes out a narrow win over the Chevrolet Colorado thanks to its focus on utility. Although the Ford isn’t the midsize truck we’d most want to live with on a regular basis, it offers a few clever design touches and is, as we wrote in the comparison it won, “the more useful tool.” 

Rankings Winners for 2024 

• BMW 
• Toyota 
• Midsize Sedan Buyers 
• Honda Odyssey 
• Hyundai Kona 
• Ford Ranger 

See 2023’s winners here.