2023 CarBuzz Awards Finalists: People's Car

Oct. 31, 2023 9:20 AM ET bySebastian Cenizo 2023 CarBuzz Awards /7 Comments

If you're in the market for a brilliant all-rounder that won't drain your wallet, these are your best options.

Every year, the CarBuzz Awards People's Car category celebrates the automobiles that impress us for less money than it costs to buy the average new car in America. Unfortunately, despite some reductions, the average new car in the USstill costs over 48 grand, and while that's a slight improvement from December 2022's record highs of nearly $50k, it's not exactly cheap either.

Nevertheless, we were in a similar boat last year. For our 2022 People's Car Award,the nomineesincluded the Ford F-150 Lightning, the BMW X1, the Toyota Crown, the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, and the Kia EV6. The latter's corporate cousin, the Ioniq 5,took top honors.

This year, our nominees include the Chevrolet Colorado, the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, the Subaru Crosstrek, the Honda Accord, the Kia Seltos, and the Chevy Trax. But these are not our finalists. In no particular order, meet your contenders for 2023 People's Car of the Year.

2023-2024 Hyundai Hyundai Ioniq 6 Forward View

Toyota Prius/Prius Prime

Only narrowly missing out on being eligible for last year's award due to its late launch, the sexy new Prius (we didn't think we'd ever describe a Prius like that) makes the cut for 2023.

Despite a small increase recently, the Toyota Priusremains excellent value, with even the most expensive variant of thePrius Primefailing to break the $40k barrier. But price alone does not a champion of the people make. Toyota now knows this, and the new Prius gets our consideration for its sexy styling,impressive all-electric range(在插件Prime form), ergonomic and uncluttered cabin, and - perhaps most surprisingly - its performance. With nearly 200 ponies on tap, the Prius is now a car that canembarrass rear-driven sports carsin a drag race.

Great efficiency, great styling, great performance, and a great price. What more could you want?

Hyundai Ioniq 6

Next on our list is theHyundai Ioniq 6. Sure, it's perhaps not as immediately attractive as the Prius, but its styling is unique, and Hyundai owns it. The electric vehicle offers up to 320 hp or 316 miles of range (trim-dependent), but we were most impressed with the cabin design and its airy feel. Everything is well-considered, and the materials are durable, making us want to spend more time in the car. However, it bears mentioning that only the two most basic trims qualify for our pricing criterion.

Sure, the Ioniq 6 is a little pricier and a little quirkier, but it's also one of the best EVs on the market - never mind in this price bracket - and is a genuine rival to the Tesla Model 3 on price, performance, and range. And given how much money an EV can save a household over the course of a car's lifetime, it deserves its place as a contender.

2023-2024 Hyundai Hyundai Ioniq 6 Frontal Aspect

2023-2024 Hyundai Hyundai Ioniq 6 Rear Angle View

2023-2024 Hyundai Hyundai Ioniq 6 Steering Wheel Design

Buick Envista

别克Envista微型车交叉,first debuted in China, and while some will be turned off by the meek 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that only just manages 136 hp, it offers plenty in other areas, and it does so for a base MSRP of just $23,495. Some might say it's little more than a rebadged Chevy Trax, but the styling is far more upmarket and attractive. It's no different in the cabin, where you get 19 inches of screen real estate even on the base model. This biggest-in-class display pairs well with cost-saving materials that feel anything but cheap.

It's not a world-beater in every respect, but it makes cheap mobility feel special, and that's worth every penny of its paltry asking price.

Is it enough to be a winner? All will be revealed soon.