Best Cars of 2023 - Rankings and Reviews - Forbes Wheels (2024)

How Do We Group Types of Cars?

Cars are grouped based on length in inches. The smallest car category used to be “mini,” which refers to size, not the Mini brand, and meant under 150 inches in length, but with the cancellation of the Chevrolet Spark, there are now no more vehicles on sale of this type.

Because hatchbacks tend to have much more interior volume, which leads the EPA to often classify them in larger groups, we differentiate the lengths of the main three categories, subcompact, compact and midsize.

We define subcompact sedans as being between 150.1 and 174 inches long, but subcompact hatchbacks as between 150.1 and 167 inches, which accounts for popularly-known models like the Kia Rio, the sedan version of which is lengthier than the compact Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Compact sedans, like the Mazda3, stretch 174.1 to 186 inches long, which encompasses both the Mazda’s sedan and hatchback configurations, while compact hatchbacks stretch from 167.1 to 181 inches, which makes the 2022 Toyota Prius a compact, though the EPA classifies it as midsize because of its large interior volume.

Midsize sedans, like the Subaru Legacy, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima, stretch from 186.1 to 196 inches, while the relatively rare midsize hatchback group stretches from 181.1 to 196 inches. The Volkswagen Arteon is one of very few such vehices.

The final category is large or full-size models, which measure more than 196 inches long. These trend towards luxury vehicles like the Genesis G90 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but there are still some mainstream full-size models like the Dodge Charger.

What is a Hybrid vs. a Plug-In vs. an Electric Car?

Hybrid and electric cars all use a battery and electric motors to power the vehicle, but a hybrid, like its name suggests, uses a mix of electricity and gasoline. A fully-electric vehicle (EV, also sometimes called a Battery Electric Vehicle or BEV) relies on electricity for power and is plugged in to refuel. Some classic, well-known electric cars are the Tesla Model 3, Chevy Bolt EV and Nissan Leaf.

The most common type of hybrid is a series-parallel hybrid that kicks on the electric motor in certain driving situations around town, but switches to gasoline or combined when more power is needed or at high speeds. These hybrids don’t need to be plugged in because they are recharged while driving. Hybrid sedans like the Toyota Prius or hybrid Lexus ES offer impressive fuel efficiency, up to 54 mpg combined on the newest Prius.

Offering a more middle ground between full electric and hybrid is plug-in hybrid cars, or PHEVs. It’s a hybrid with a bigger electric motor and a bigger battery that needs to, well, plug in to recharge, just like a regular EV. The car can drive on battery power alone, but for a shorter range, usually up to 40 miles or less. Many PHEVs are options on compact SUVs, but the Toyota Prius Prime is a good example of a sedan that can drive 25 miles on battery power alone.

What is a Luxury Car?

We define luxury cars models as vehicles that prioritize occupant comfort, ride quality, feature availability, performance, quality of upholstery and other materials, overall fit and finish and style above considerations like price.

Branding also matters, and automakers like Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Genesis, Porsche, Lexus and Cadillac are de jure luxury labels with a history of providing such machines. We also count newer upstarts like Lucid and Tesla among luxury brands.

Size is also a core tenet of luxury, and premium-brand vehicles tend to skew larger and pricier. Our list of best luxury cars for 2023 focuses on the largest and most traditional models, such as the Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7 Series and Audi A8, all of which start well over $55,000 and even reach into six-figure territory.

But there are small luxury models, like the Mercedes-Benz CLA and BMW X1, which offer premium materials and features along with their branding. Luxury cars can also be performance vehicles, as would be the case with the Porsche 911 or BMW X4 M.

Because there are still relatively few models to choose from, our list of the best electric luxury cars includes vehicles of different sizes such as the Porsche Taycan and Lucid Air.

How Do We Rank Vehicles?

The numbers in the green circles on our reviews are the summation of each vehicle’s overall review score. For 2023, our seven ratings categories are:

1. Performance
2. Fuel Economy
3. Safety
4. Infotainment
5. Comfort & Room
6. Cargo Space & Storage
7. Style & Design

Overall: 100 points

• Performance (15 points) The Performance score is a subjective assessment of a vehicle’s handling, braking, acceleration, ride quality and other qualitative performance measures such as horsepower, torque, zero-to-60 time and top speed. Towing capability for trucks and SUVs also is considered. Performance of the vehicles is compared against the identified competitive set. While driving, reviewers look for attributes relative to the expectations set by the manufacturer and by consumer expectations.
• Fuel Economy (15 points) The Fuel Economy score is based on the combined mpg estimate for the entire model lineup and how that figure measures against the identified competitive set. The mpg estimates are based on EPA data or the manufacturer if no EPA data is available. Hybrid and plug-in electric variants within a lineup that significantly lower their overall average will not be included in the comparison unless the competitive set also has hybrid or PHEV variants. Scoring for pure electric vehicles will be based on kilowatts consumed per 100 miles and the comparative mile per gallon equivalent, or MPGe.
• Safety (15 points) The Safety score is based on crash test results from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Vehicles not yet rated by either agency receive zero points. Also included in the safety rating are points awarded for certain advanced driver-assistance safety features offered as standard equipment on the base trim. There are nine safety features Forbes Wheels considers mandatory for the standard offering: forward emergency automatic braking, forward collision warning, automatic high beams, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic warning, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning or one its higher-level variants, lane keeping assistance or lane centering. Vehicles must have at least four of these in their standard offering to receive points. Vehicles that offer a Level 2 self-driving system, (a combination of adaptive cruise control and lane centering) are eligible for a bonus point.
• Infotainment (15 points) The Infotainment score is based on points awarded for certain features offered as standard equipment on the base trim. Forbes Wheels identifies certain features that are growing in popularity and therefore have been adopted by both premium and mainstream automakers. Some of these features include a minimum 7-inch touchscreen (or premium vehicles that use a rotary knob, touchpad or other mechanism to control a non-touchscreen display), wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a customizable, digital driver information display or instrument panel and at least 2 USB ports. Additional points are awarded for popular features that haven’t been widely adopted in mainstream vehicles such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and wireless charging capabilities.
• Comfort & Room (15 points) The Comfort & Room score is based on points awarded for the reviewer’s assessment of the vehicle’s comfort, ergonomics and overall interior feel as well as effective use of space. Points also are awarded for the measurement of rear-seat legroom and how it compares with the identified competitive set. Vehicles that offer a segment-best legroom in either rear seat or optional third row are eligible for a bonus point.
• Cargo Space & Storage (15 points) The Cargo Space & Storage score is based on points awarded for the reviewer’s assessment of the vehicle’s large and small cargo spaces (as well as small-item storage) and how well they serve their purpose and effective use of space. Reviewers also consider innovative storage solutions and flexible loading features. Points also are awarded for the cargo space measurements for rear cargo hold or trunk and how it compares with the identified competitive set. Vehicles that offer a segment-best cargo or trunk space are eligible for a bonus point.
• Styling (10 points) The Performance score is a subjective assessment of a vehicle’s overall styling and design, inside and out. Reviewers also consider the configuration of the interior and how well the design plays into the function. Build quality also is a consideration.