The best car for the money is the one that not only tops the charts with the auto reviewers but also pleases the consumer through lower ownership costs. To have the best of both worlds, a vehicle you can rely on for performance and safety as well as is cheaper to drive and maintain creates a win-win situation.

As with most industries, the automotive world is ever-changing and the following examples are proof of this fact. As long as technology creates changes, the consumer is going to see on-going changes as well.

As an example of this, according to US News, where Ford used to predominate in the larger SUV and truck categories, the best car for the money in the small compact division is the Ford Fiesta. And, now the GMC Silverado 1500 corners the market for best truck for the money today.

Following you will see the complete list of US News Best Cars for the Money List:

Right behind the GMC Silverado 1500 comes the Suzuki Equator for the best compact pickup truck. The Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma are close runner-ups in this same category.

The Lexus RX 350 takes the cake for the best luxury midsize crossover. Cousins in this category would be the Acura MDX and the Audi Q5.

Infinity EX will give you complete value if you are in the market for the best luxury compact crossover. Volvo XC60 takes a close second in this category of best cars for the money.

Best full size SUV for the money is the Chevrolet Tahoe, according to US News. This SUV offers the feel of a full sized truck but seats 9 passengers comfortably and has plenty of cargo to carry all the necessary essentials.

The Tahoe’s sister SUV, the Chevrolet Traverse wraps up the category for best mid-sized crossover.

The best car for the money in the best compact crossover is the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. Although Mitsubishi is a less popular vehicle here in U.S., this crossover proudly wears this crown.

The Hyundai Elantra Touring ranks best in its class. This wagon will prove to be the best vehicle for the money, according to MS News.

And now, in the minivan corner, we have Kia Sedona. Kia is happy to take away the honors for best minivan from well-known brands such as Toyota and Honda.

If it is value as well as a sporty car you would like, the Mazda MX5 Miata will run circles around its competition when it comes to the best sports car for the money.

The best hybrid car for the money is hands down the Toyota Prius. With the latest ingenuity as well as safety features, this hybrid is first in its field.

Now, if you are looking for a little more luxury added to your long-term value, you will want to check out the sedan proudly named the Buick Regal.

And, if luxury is your preference, but you would like a little smaller vehicle, the Volkswagen GTI steals the award for best upscale compact car for the money.

The best family sedan would go to the Ford Taurus. The Taurus offers the most value for the cost of the vehicle as well as high performance.

Next, the best mid-size for the money is the Chevrolet Malibu.

The Honda Fit takes home the blue ribbon for the best Hatchback in its class. The best compact car for the money is the ever-popular Honda Civic.

And for the smallest car that offers the best value for the money is the… Ford Fiesta.

This list of the best car for the money was compiled from the information gathered by US News. If you are looking for long-term value providing less money to run and less money to maintain, this list will give you a great head-start.