Great Cars for Every Type of Driver

(Image credit: Thinkstock)

published 12 November 2014

As part of Kiplinger's annual best list, which rounds up the year's best financial products and services, we selected the top vehicle for eight types of drivers.

There's something here for everyone -- from penny-pinchers to soccer moms to those in search of affordable luxury. Take a look.

Disclaimer

All car data comes from Kelley Blue Book and is for 2015 car models unless noted otherwise.

Mazda3

Best for...: Wallet watchers

Sticker price: $17,740
Invoice price: $17,269
KBB Fair Purchase Price: $17,074
Resale value: 3-year: 60%; 5-year: 43%
MPG: 29 (city); 41 (hwy)

The Mazda3 has upscale features and looks, plus affordable five-year ownership costs that won’t dent your budget.

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Honda Accord

Best for...: Long hauls

Sticker price: $22,895
Invoice price: $21,027
KBB Fair Purchase Price: $22,173
Resale value: 3-year: 55%; 5-year: 41%
MPG: 24 (city); 34 (hwy)

Honda has a well-deserved rep for reliability and high resale values, which helped the Accord snag a Kiplinger’s Best in Class award four of the past six years.

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Subaru Forester

Best for...: Drivers who want to go anywhere

Sticker price: $23,045
Invoice price: $21,845
KBB Fair Purchase Price: $21,908
Resale value: 3-year: 66%; 5-year: 50%
MPG: 22 (city); 29 (hwy)

With capable (and standard) all-wheel drive, Subaru's Forester will take you on or off road. It has plenty of cargo space and a suite of optional safety features.

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Ford Explorer

Best for...: Soccer moms (and dads)

Sticker price: $31,595
Invoice price: $29,830
KBB Fair Purchase Price: $30,247
Resale value: 3-year: 55%; 5-year: 39%
MPG: 17 (city); 24 (hwy)

The Ford Explorer seats up to seven, has 21 cubic feet of space behind the third row and keeps fuel costs low with an optional EcoBoost engine that gets 28 miles per gallon on the highway.

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BMW 3 Series

Best for...: Affordable luxury

Sticker price: $33,900
Invoice price: $31,445
KBB Fair Purchase Price: N/A
Resale value: N/A
MPG: 24 (city); 36 (hwy)

The archetype of sports sedans, BMW's 3 series maintains its reputation generation after generation with plenty of power, a composed ride and agile handling.

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Tesla Model S

Best for...: Drivers who can spend big

Sticker price: $71,070
Invoice price: N/A
KBB Fair Purchase Price: N/A
Resale value: N/A
MPG: 94 (city); 97 (hwy) mpg equivalent

European luxury sedans have nothing on Tesla's Model S. Starting at $71,070, the American-made auto matches their power and sleek looks and features an electric powertrain that delivers the equivalent of 95 mpg and can go 208 miles between charges.

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2010 Lexus RX 350

Best for...: Affordable (used) luxury

Price when new: $38,500
KBB Used Car Fair Purchase Price: $26,295
Certified used price: $28,795
Private party price: $23,644
MPG: 18 (city); 25 (hwy)

The RX 350 combines elegant packaging with a silky smooth ride. It has 10 standard air bags, and you’ll find models with a collision-warning system.

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2011 Kia Soul

Best for...: Your kid

Price when new: $16,495
KBB Used Car Fair Purchase Price: $11,800
Certified used price: $12,400
Private party price: $9,827
MPG: 24 (city); 30 (hwy)

With its plethora of amenities and go-kart handling, the Soul+ offers a lot of bang for the buck. Funky looks combine with copious amounts of space.

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Anderson has been with Kiplinger since January 2004, when she joined the staff as a reporter. Since then, she's covered the gamut of personal finance issues—from mortgages and credit to spending wisely—and she heads up Kiplinger's annual automotive rankings. She holds a BA in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was the 2012 president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and serves on its board of directors. In 2014, she was selected for the North American Car and Truck Of the Year jury. The awards, presented at the Detroit Auto Show, have come to be regarded as the most prestigious of their kind in the U.S. because they involve no commercial tie-ins. The jury is composed of nationally recognized journalists from across the U.S. and Canada, who are selected on the basis of audience reach, experience, expertise, product knowledge, and reputation in the automotive community.