The CarGurus team of expert reviewers spends quality time with hundreds of brand new vehicles every year. For every Test Drive Review we publish, the reviewer assigns the vehicle a score from 1 to 10 in each of six categories: Look & Feel, Performance, Form & Function, Technology, Safety, and Cost Effectiveness. The model's overall score is an equally weighted average of the six sub-scores it earned.
It's important to note that CarGurus reviews each car, truck, crossover, minivan, and SUV based on how well-suited it is for its intended purpose and target audience. This means that even though a reviewer might spend one week with a sports car and the next with a family hauler, neither model will suffer from comparison outside its own segment.
Below, we've rounded up the elite: the highest-scoring vehicles out of everything we tested this year. These are the 11 best cars of 2022.
The Best Vehicles We Reviewed in 2022
- 2022 BMW M5
- 2022 Audi A3
- 2023 Hyundai Palisade
- 2021 Kia Stinger
- 2022 BMW 3 Series
- 2023 Genesis G90
- 2022 Hyundai Elantra
- 2022 Hyundai Elantra N
- 2022 Kia Sorento
- 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
- 2022 Toyota Sienna
2022 BMW M5: 9.0
A decisive first place goes to the 2022 BMW M5, which earned the highest overall score of 9.0. That puts it in the 99th percentile of every model we test drove in 2022! Bev Braga praised the all-new M5 CS's distinctive design and exhilarating performance while also noting that the entire M5 lineup is potently powerful. She also gave it high marks for comfort, tech, and even cost effectiveness. Only the safety score dipped below 9, and that was mostly due to sacrifices made in service of creating what Braga called "the purest track-ready sports sedan that can also easily double as a comfortable daily driver."
Read the full Expert Review of the 2022 BMW M5
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2022 Audi A3: 8.8
The fourth-generation Audi A3 debuted for the 2022 model year, and it did quite well with CarGurus reviewers. Not only did Jason Fogelson give the model high marks in all six categories, but it also appeared with Christina Branman, aka TikTok's Mobile Mama, in one of our most popular video reviews of the year! Fogelson liked the sedan's muscular looks, high-quality interior materials, and snazzy tech features. He gave the A3 an 8 for performance but otherwise assigned it 9s across the board, observing that its price was highly competitive among entry-level luxury compact sedans and that it had a strong array of standard safety features.
Read our full Expert Review of the 2022 Audi A3
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2023 Hyundai Palisade: 8.8
For the A3, it was a new generation; for the Palisade, it was a mid-cycle refresh that propelled the SUV to the top of the CarGurus charts. Natalie Harrington appreciated the bold new styling and impressive standard tech and safety offerings of the 2023 model, and she felt that the top-of-the-line Calligraphy trim was hard to beat at a price point that severely undercut its luxury-grade counterparts. She noted that the Palisade is not the most powerful option in its class, but it's better than most and certainly has all the capability most buyers will ever need. Plus, there's that famously generous Hyundai warranty to consider.
Read our full Expert Review of the 2023 Hyundai Palisade
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2021 Kia Stinger: 8.8
The sporty Stinger is something a little different from the value-oriented Korean automaker, and George Kennedy argues that that's all to the good for a model he suspects is a future classic. Though he would’ve preferred more of its advanced driver-assistance features to be standard, Kennedy scored the 2021 Stinger 10 out of 10 for cost effectiveness, calling it "a BMW 3 Series rival for thousands less" and “a fantastic corner carver." No doubt the excellent warranty and newly added standard features joined performance in garnering an extra point or two. Kennedy also singled out the Stinger's hatchback functionality, useful and unexpected on a four-door sedan.
Read our full Expert Review of the 2021 Kia Stinger
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2022 BMW 3 Series: 8.7
The BMW 3 Series may be the original sports sedan, but Chris Wardlaw wasn't going to let it rest on that laurel four years into its seventh generation. He acknowledged that the 2022 3 Series does have more affordable rivals, and that it has received only minor changes since 2019. But, Wardlaw also recognized that 3 Series buyers may prefer certain safety features to be optional, and he lauded the car's flawless transmission, athletic handling, and thrilling driving dynamics. Ultimately, he said, “the BMW 3 Series remains the standard against which other sports sedans are measured.” And for that, it certainly earned its place on this list.
Read our full Expert Review of the 2022 BMW 3 Series
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2023 Genesis G90: 8.7
Like the BMW M5, the Genesis G90 is priced for the 1% and nevertheless earned high marks for value. (Again, it's not about the cheapest way to get from point A to point B—it's about how the vehicle in question measures up to its own competition.) Emme Hall gave the 2023 G90 a 9 for cost effectiveness because it delivers a top-notch luxury experience for $10,000 to $20,000 less than comparable rivals. She admired the newly refreshed sedan’s elegant design, opulent interior, and generous array of standard comfort, convenience, and safety features. Hall concluded that this relative newcomer is ready to take on the old guard.
Read our full Expert Review of the 2023 Genesis G90
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2022 Hyundai Elantra: 8.7
Value comes in many guises, and the Hyundai Elantra’s version is one of the more traditional. But cost effectiveness alone isn’t sufficient to send any vehicle’s overall rating into the top 10 range. Jeff Youngs also awarded high scores for the recently redesigned sedan’s striking looks, and he felt that the abundance of standard tech features far outweighed the interior’s reliance on hard plastics. The less-than-roomy rear seating area and lower cargo volume numbers cost the Elantra a few points, as did the somewhat clunky dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT), but the load of standard driver-assistance kit and strong safety ratings made it one of the best cars of the year.
Read our full Expert Review of the 2022 Hyundai Elantra
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2022 Hyundai Elantra N: 8.7
Then there’s the Elantra’s all-new, enthusiast-oriented sibling. The Elantra N hit the market for the first time this year, and Bev Braga put it through its paces with both the six-speed manual and the wet eight-speed DCT. She found that the sport compact lived up to our expectations for a car out of Hyundai’s N Performance Division, with competition-besting acceleration, sport-tuned suspension, and a glee-inspiring overboost system. And it did all that with the same tech and safety offerings that earned the more sedate Elantra a spot on this list. Braga determined that the Elantra N offers the best of two worlds: It’s “a comfortable daily driver that doubles as a racetrack-capable hooligan.”
Read our full Expert Review of the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N
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2022 Kia Sorento: 8.7
Three-row crossovers are very popular, and the Kia Sorento is a popular choice. After redesigning the model for 2021, Kia further tweaked the Sorento for 2022 by sweetening the upper trims with new packages and standard features. Chris Wardlaw liked the styling, interior appointments, and the energetic performance of the optional turbocharged engine enough to make up for the limited tech offerings on the base trim and the cramped third row. Factoring in the standard advanced safety features and industry-leading warranty, Wardlaw predicted that if you buy a new 2022 Kia Sorento, “you’ll feel like you got the best deal of your lifetime, even if you had to pay sticker price.”
Read our full Expert Review of the 2022 Kia Sorento
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2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class: 8.7
Many consider the Mercedes-Benz S-Class to be the definitive executive sedan. Mercedes has always kept its now 50-year-old flagship stuffed with the best in current technological offerings, and the 2022 model year is no exception. Jason Fogelson extolled the high-fidelity audio experience of both the standard and optional Burmester sound systems, and he found nothing to criticize in the 12.8-inch organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen. He also praised the space, comfort, and luxury of the car’s cabin, the high-quality materials, and the sleek exterior design. Fogelson found the 2022 S-Class responsive and fun to drive in spite of its substantial weight and felt that it represented an attractive alternative to the luxury SUVs that might draw today’s executives.
Read our full Expert Review of the 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
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2022 Toyota Sienna: 8.7
If the massive popularity of three-row SUVs is any indication, family vehicles are a hot commodity. Yet minivans seem to be few and far between. Perhaps more shoppers should consider them, because the Toyota Sienna beat out more than 90% of the vehicles CarGurus tested this year. Jason Fogelson noted that its “macho” front end and assertive profile give the 2022 Sienna some SUV appeal to go with its van-appropriate interior space. The Sienna’s handling exceeded Fogelson’s expectations for the minivan body style, and he was also impressed with the fuel economy thanks to the hybrid-only powertrain. A slew of standard and advanced tech and safety features buttoned up the high overall score of 8.7.
Read our full Expert Review of the 2022 Toyota Sienna
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Honorable Mention
The top scorers of the year tended to be the most well-rounded vehicles we tested. But those that excelled in a key area deserve recognition, too. Here are all the vehicles that earned a rare 10 out of 10 points in each category.
Look & Feel
In addition to the 2022 BMW M5, the 2022 Kia EV6, 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, 2022 Kia Sorento, 2022 Mazda CX-30, 2022 Porsche Macan, and 2022 Ram 1500 also earned 10 points for Look & Feel in 2022.
Performance
Like the 2022 BMW 3 Series and 2022 BMW M5, the 2022 BMW M4, 2022 Dodge Charger, 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata, and 2022 Porsche Macan earned top scores in Performance in 2022.
Form & Function
An elite group of four earned 10 points for Form & Function in 2022: the 2022 Honda Passport, 2023 Land Rover Defender, 2022 Lincoln Navigator, and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
Technology
The 2023 BMW iX, 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V, 2023 Genesis G80, and 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe each earned 10 points for Technology in 2022.
Safety
The safest vehicles we reviewed in 2022 were the 2022 Cadillac XT6, 2022 Ford Explorer, 2021 Honda CR-V, 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe, 2022 Mazda CX-5, 2022 Mazda Mazda3, 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2023 Toyota Sequoia, and 2022 Volvo XC40.
Cost Effectiveness
In addition to the 2022 Hyundai Elantra, 2022 Hyundai Elantra N, and 2022 Kia Sorento, the most cost-effective vehicles CarGurus reviewed in 2022 were the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette, 2022 Hyundai Kona N, 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe, 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV, and the 2021 Kia Stinger.
