Consumer Reports Most Popular New Cars and SUVs Should Come As No Surprise to New Car Shoppers Focused on Reliability and Cost

A recent Consumer Reports "Most Popular…" style ratings report by CR analysts provides their latest list ranked in car and SUV popularity starting with their top 10 most researched vehicles.

New Car Shopper Research Reveals What Models Car Buyers Have Their Eyes On

Combing through their website traffic, CR analysts found that some car and SUV models get the lion's share of views. This can only mean that these are the most popular sought-after vehicles on consumers' minds as they shop around and try to find which model is the smartest buy.

"Many of these are models that sit at the top of our vehicle rating charts because of their high Overall Score, which means they've scored well in our road tests, have good reliability, come with key active safety features, and performed well in crash tests," stated the CR newsletter.

Listed in order of popularity, with the most researched model at the top, CR analysts identified the more popular models with active safety systems:

1. Automatic emergency braking (AEB) in city traffic speeds
2. AEB at highway speeds
3. Blind spot warning (BSW)
4. Rear cross-traffic warning (RCTW)

Because CR is a subscription-based service (highly encouraged for car shoppers), here is a summary of their findings for your perusal, with a bonus of ten runners-up name-dropped for the 11th through 20th on CR's popularity scale.

Consumer Reports 10 Most Popular New Cars and SUVs List

1. 2025 Subaru Forester

Price Range: $29,995 - $43,295

CR MPG: Overall 29 / City 20 / Hwy 39 mpg

#1 of 32 Compact SUVs

Safety features: While pedestrian and cyclist detection are standard, BSW and RCTW are not available on the base trim and are optional on the Premium trim.

2. 2025 Toyota RAV4

Price Range: $29,250 - $40,605

CR MPG: Overall 27 / City 19 / Hwy 38 mpg

#11 of 32 Compact SUVs

Safety features: BSW and RCTW are standard on all except the base trim.

3. 2025 Subaru Outback

Price Range: $29,995 - $44,730

CR MPG: Overall 24 / City 16 / Hwy 32 mpg

#1 of 16 Midsized SUVs

Safety features: BSW and RCTW are not available on the base trim and are optional on the second-tier Premium trim.

4. 2025 Honda CR-V

Price Range: $30,100 - $50,000

CR MPG: Overall 26 / City 19 / Hwy 33 mpg

#8 of 32 Compact SUVs

Safety features: BSW and RCTW aren't available on the base LX, although they are standard on all other trims.

5. 2025 Subaru Crosstrek

Price Range: $26,650 - $33,360

CR MPG: Overall 29 / City 20 / Hwy 41 mpg

#1 of 15 Subcompact SUVs

Safety features: BSW and RCTW are not available on the base trim and are optional on the Premium trim.

6. 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

Price Range: $28,850 - $40,205

CR MPG: Overall 37 / City 32 / Hwy 41 mpg

#6 of 32 Compact SUVs

Safety features: BSW and RCTW are standard on all except the base trim.

7. 2025 Mazda CX-5

Price Range: $28,770 - $40,800

CR MPG: Overall 24 / City 17 / Hwy 33 mpg

#9 of 32 Compact SUVs

Safety features: AEB with pedestrian detection, highway-speed AEB, BSW, and RCTW are standard equipment.

8. 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid

Price Range: $34,650 - $41,100

CR MPG: Overall 35 / City 31 / Hwy 38 mpg

#3 of 32 Compact SUVs

Safety features: All CR-V Hybrids come with AEB with pedestrian detection, AEB highway, BSW, and RCTW.

9. 2025 Toyota Highlander

Price Range: $$9,820 - $53,975

CR MPG: Overall 22 / City 14 / Hwy 33 mpg

#7 of 32 Midsized SUVs 3-row

Safety features: AEB with pedestrian detection, highway-speed AEB, BSW, and RCTW are standard equipment.

10. 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Price Range: $39,520 - $53,675

CR MPG: Overall 35 / City 27 / Hwy 41 mpg

#2 of 23 Midsized SUVs 3-row

Safety features: AEB with pedestrian detection, highway-speed AEB, BSW, and RCTW are standard equipment.

The 11th Through 20th Most Popular Cars and SUVs

11. Honda Pilot

12. Toyota Camry

13. Nissan Rogue

14. Chevrolet Equinox

15. Ford F-150

16. BMW X5

17. Ford Explorer

18. Acura RDX

19. Subaru Ascent

20. Toyota 4Runner

If you are in the market for a used or slightly used new car, here are three recent articles from personal experiences that are helpful and informative:

1. "My 2016 Corolla Saved My Husband, 11-Month-Old Daughter, and Me"
2. 2025 Toyota Camry Complaints – "I Just Won My Lemon Lawsuit On My 2025 Toyota Camry, I Plan On Getting My Money and Getting a 2026 Camry Model"
3. People Seem To Think I Am The Worst Mother Ever For Allowing My Daughter To Buy A 2024 Toyota Corolla With 3,000 Miles On It

For an additional recent Consumer Reports recommendation, be sure to check out the "Best Used Cars: Consumer Reports' Top Picks for June 2025" in case you might be weighing the option of buying a used car over a new one.

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Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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