Kelley Blue Book Hands out 12
November 18 2019, Centennial Auto Group
It's nearly a monopoly. It's certainly not indicative of the sharing mentality your mother hoped to instill in you.
Kelley Blue Book, a vital resource in North America's automotive research field, particularly when it comes to establishing resale values, names 13 vehicles to its annual Best Buy list. Spread out across 12 categories, KBB picks one small car, one midsize car, one full-size car, one small SUV, one midsize SUV, one full-size SUV, one minivan, one pickup truck, one electric/hybrid car, one performance car, one luxury car, and one SUV. On top of that, there is one Overall Best Buy.
In 2018, 6 of the 12 category winners are Hondas. And as a cherry on top, the all-new, 10th-generation Honda Accord was named the Overall Best Buy.
- Small Car: Honda Civic
- Midsize Car: Honda Accord
- Small SUV: Honda CR-V
- Midsize SUV: Honda Pilot
- Minivan: Honda Odyssey
- Hybrid/Electric: Honda Clarity
This level of domination will become all the more apparent as once-competitive domestic automakers flee traditional car categories that are increasingly controlled by vehicles such as the Honda Civic. 12 percent of the new cars sold in Canada are now Civics, although it accounts for only than 1 percent of available car nameplates. Only four years ago, the Civic's car market share was at 8 percent.
The Civic has now won KBB's small car category in four consecutive years. KBB credited the Accord's "groundbreaking style and excellent tech" for nabbing top midsize honours. KBB says the CR-V, Canada's most popular SUV, has "enough premium amenities to pass for a luxury SUV." KBB calls the Pilot, "a midsize SUV that's virtually free from compromises." The Odyssey's praise couldn't be any higher: "the best family car in the world." The new Clarity is "impressively well-rounded."