While some brands have a car or two that earn awards, others have lineups full of award winners. They offer everything from family-friendly SUVs and crossovers to sedans to capable trucks perfect for getting work done. These brands have a history of reliability, comfort, and resale value that consistently put them at the top of awards lists. Here are the 10 most awarded brands from Kelley Blue Book for 2021.
1. Toyota
Toyota has a solid reputation for building reliable vehicles. It offers a range of family-friendly options including affordable sedans, crossovers, and SUVs that all have quality interiors and comfortable rides. There are plenty of hybrids in the mix plus trucks for getting you through the workday. It also has impressive resale values that helped it earn 41 awards in 2021, including four Best Buy Awards and 10 Best Resale Value Awards. Read more >>
2. Hyundai
Hyundai moves up a few spots to second place this year with a total of 22 awards. Its high-quality interiors combined with affordable pricing helped it earn numerous accolades. The Sonata and Elantra sedans received multiple awards, as did the Santa Fe SUV. There are even EVs and hybrids on the list with both the Kona Electric and Ioniq earning recognition. Read more >>
3. Ford
Ford has a strong lineup that includes the best-selling F-150, which is a 7-time Best Buy Award winner. It also received a 5-Year Cost to Own award. Plenty of new vehicles received awards, too, with the Mustang Mach-E named one of the 14 Best New and Redesigned SUVs for 2021. The Bronco also earned recognition as one of the 10 Most Fun SUVs of 2021, helping Ford earn 18 awards in total. Read more >>
4. Kia
Kia made the list with a total of 17 awards. The 3-row Telluride earned five of those awards, including a Best Buy Award, 12 Best Family Cars of 2021, and Best Resale Value Award. Kia’s lineup of affordable vehicles earned the Soul and Forte spots on the 10 Coolest Cars Under $20,000 for 2021 list, while the Soul and Seltos were both named one of the 10 Best Family Cars Under $25,000. Read more >>
5. Honda
Honda has a long history of producing reliable cars with great resale value, so it’s no surprise to see it on our list. It earned 15 awards this year in a variety of categories. The HR-V, Civic Hatchback, CR-V, Pilot, and Odyssey all earned recognition as Best Family Cars. And the Accord was a Best Buy Award winner in 2021, its sixth time being named Best Midsize Car. Read more >>
6. Subaru
Known for being a more rugged option that’s ideal for those who have active lifestyles, Subaru is strong on reliability and resale value. The Impreza, Crosstrek, Forester, and Outback all received a Best Resale Value award. The Forester, Outback, and 3-row Ascent received 5-Year Cost to Own awards. The upcoming Solterra electric SUV even made an appearance as one of the 10 Best SUVs Worth Waiting For and is due to go on sale in 2022. Read more >>
7. Jeep
Off-road fans will be happy to hear Jeep made our list with 11 awards this year. The Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator won three Best Resale Value Awards. The Wrangler went on to win a 5-Year Cost to Own Award and was named one of the 10 Most Fun SUVs of 2021. And the new 3-row Grand Cherokee L was found road-trip worthy with two awards. Read more >>
8. Lexus
Lexus is the only luxury brand that makes our list, coming in with 10 awards overall. Whether it’s a sedan or an SUV, expect a beautiful interior with a smooth, quiet ride and a responsive engine. Known for being reliable, Lexus earned three 5-Year Cost to Own Awards for the UX, NX, and RX, along with one for the brand overall. It also earned two Best Resale Value Awards for its IS and LS sedans, and the ES was a Best Buy winner. Read more >>
9. Mazda
Mazda is new to this year’s list, also with 10 awards overall. Although not technically a luxury brand, Mazda pushes luxury territory with quiet interiors adorned with rich materials. Its cars also put the focus on the driver, making them exceptionally fun to drive, which helped it win five awards simply for being some of the coolest cars you can buy. The MX-5 Miata unsurprisingly received four awards, the most of any of its vehicles. Read more >>
10. Nissan
Also new to our list this year is Nissan, which earned nine awards overall. The Nissan lineup features everything from sports cars to sedans to SUVs and trucks with good features and affordable pricing. The Sentra and Altima sedans both earned awards, along with both the Rogue and Rogue Sport. Looking toward the future, the upcoming Ariya electric vehicle was recognized for being one of the 10 Best SUVs Worth Waiting For and is slated to be out by fall of 2022. Read more >>
