Car of 2020! Which One Is the Best of Top 10?
When it comes to choosing the car of the year, we get lost in dozens of worthy cars. And for every situation you would use different cars ‒ Bentley or Maybach for business purposes, Audi or Chevrolet (Corvette, of course) for fast driving, Jeep or something like this for all-road activities… Anyway, the list can be continued forever, and that is not fair to highlight some 2020 cars and forget about others. Still, we NEED to try!
First of all, we need to define criteria to use while choosing the best 2020 car. The price, interior and exterior, electronic features and power are the main points in the list. So, let it be candidates with the optimal price and quality ratio. Also, we’ve explored world ratings of the best cars and found out what is the best from the expert point of view.
#1 2020 Hyundai Sonata
Wait, WHAT? WTF? Sonata, really? It could be an ideal car for your granny, but the best or a car of the year… How is that possible?
Everything is simple ‒ you might confuse it with old Sonatas, and the 2020 car model looks nice, steers nice, dries fast. If you don’t believe us, here is the proof:
Maybe it looks like an illegitimate son of premium Lexus and affordable Toyota, still, the design is fresh and has nothing to do with the previous Sonata.
Except for its original appearance, this car has gone through all the safety tests, and when it comes to driving, Hyundai tried to make it as neat as possible. That’s why we have a sedan on the 1st place, not an optimal SUV or a sporty coupe.
Extremely Useful Assistance
Speaking more about convenient driving and using the latest technology, here are driver-assist features this beauty offers:
- Adaptive cruise control (Stop and go control) ‒ you have to think only about your convenience, not about the figures on the dashboard, though it is never too much.
- Auto emergency braking in case of possible collision or danger for pedestrians.
- Lane-keeping doesn’t let a car drive away from the road.
- Lane centering ‒ almost the same, as it will keep the car in the center of the lane.
- Auto high beams let drivers see the road better at night without causing inconvenience to other drivers. The car thinks instead of the person!
- Driver attention warning ‒ Sonata detects one’s drowsiness before something happens.
- Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic detection ‒ the car is aware of what’s happening around it, so you are.
For beginners, all this is crucial, as if everyone had these “assistants”, there would be fewer collisions and tragedies on the roads.
And the list is not exhaustive for this car of the year! There are more options, for example, Lvl-2 self-driving “Highway driver assist” will be helpful on long trips. Also, 2020 Sonata offers “Remote smart parking assist” for its limited set of models, which can put your car to a garage or parking lot, without driver’s participation at all! What’s more, this limited set will be equipped with a blind-spot view monitor. Cameras will show a driver’s rare video views from the left and right, with warning lights and chirps. Unbelievable, that all this is included in a kind of mainstream car, not a premium Audi or BMW! So, what’s next about one of the best cars of 2020?
Premium Technology in a Mainstream Car
You can easily access the car using a phone of an NFC card, so you don’t even need keys. The future is already here! Technology is getting even to ordinary family sedans, no doubt it is present in the best cars of 2020. Moreover, you may use your phone as a key or get a separate card that costs $20 (pay attention to the price, not $200 but only $20!) to have a remote key, if you have trouble with the access.
Hyundai’s digital key already works with Android devices, still, Apple is somehow sleeping and iPhones are not allowed to work as digital keys. Well, “very user-friendly”, dear Apple, Steve Jobs wouldn’t praise you for that!
Inside, the 2020 Sonata has an 8-inch touchscreen with standard Android Audio and Apple CarPlay. For navigation, you should plug in your smartphone. Still, if you want to get some better options, Hyundai can equip the model with a 10.25-inch display and navigation.
Pretty Good Performance
Everyone is waiting for a hybrid 2020 Sonata that will use electric power for its rear wheels, so there will be something like an all-wheel-drive vehicle.
Nevertheless, the basic engine for this model will be an in-fine-four of 2.5 liters, with 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft torque. As for available options, there will be a turbo 1.6-liter inline-four (180 hp and 195 lb-ft), which makes it an even more desirable option due to the fuel economy and lighter weight.
What Is the Price of This Car of the Year?
The price is what all of us enjoy ‒ compared to premium Lexus’ and Mercedes’ full of the same electronic features and priced over $50K, this Hyundai Sonata in its maximal set costs less than $35K! And this is a completely new car from the manufacturer, with the official warranty and service.
So, you now know why we call it the best car in 2020. Every manufacturer can offer a nice car for $50K, and almost no one does that for $30K! Sound very good, and taking into consideration the updated look of the 2020 Sonata, it is a perfect option.
Still, stop calculating your budget for finding out whether you can get one for yourself, let’s look at other BEST 10 2020 cars now!
#2 BMW X5 ‒ Fast and Safe, but not Cheap
This is the most optimal model by BMW for everyone (almost car of the year!) ‒ families, young guys, serious men. This car is perfect in terms of high-end technology (it has the maximum safety tech, all possible assistants, entertaining options) and great exterior. Moreover, it handles so well that driving becomes real fun.
The 2020 X5 model line consists of the following options:
- Inline-six with 335 horsepower (5.2 seconds for 0-100).
- V8 with 456 horsepower (4.1 seconds for 0-100) ‒ a really fast option!
Still, the price of fun is high as well. You need to pay $60K for a rear-drive model, $83K for M50i base, and $134K for its M option. Of course, the latter is an all-motorsport option ‒ the most desirable ones.
If we take a six-cylinder X5, it will be equipped with a dual 12.3-inch display, LED headlights, parking sonar around the car, a full driving assistant. Optionally, you can add adaptive cruise control, a chip for satellite radio, and choose a custom color for your X5. After adding several options for further convenience, you can get a greatly-equipped 2020 BMW X5 for around $70-75K. Audis and Mercedes’ have the same prices, but you might agree that driving BMW is much more fun. It accelerates so rapidly that you can’t imagine any other car doing the same!
#3 Corvette Stingray 2020 with Its Middle Engine
Chevrolet Corvette has always been iconic, since the 80s. 2020 Corvette C8 is not an exception, with its 7-speed double-clutch transmission and engine placed in the middle of the car, which initiates the feeling of full control over the car. As for other pleasant features, C8 has a V8 with 491 horsepower, gasoline direct injection, variable valve timing and fuel management realized through cylinder deactivation. The Z51 package (for incredible speed lovers) goes 1-100 in only 2.9 seconds, which makes Corvette C8 one of the most desirable cars in 2020 and ever.
Do you want to learn about something unusual? Great! This Corvette has magnetorheological dampers (or MR) that can be soft or sporty. Also, it is quicker and more “user-friendly” than the previous C7 version. People say that it is incredibly easy to drive this car. And it costs $61K with freight and +$7500 for the hardtop convertible option.
By the way, we have already published an article about this wonderful sports car ‒ check it in the Lifestyle section. You can discover more details about Corvette C8. It is fairly one of the best cars in 2020! 😉
#4 Hyundai Palisade – Comfort Can Be Affordable
Hyundai offers a handful of interesting comfortable cars… Santa Fe, Sonata, new electric cars like Kona. Still, Palisade is a candidate for being a Car of the Year. Its class is the same as Mercedes’ GLE or BMW’s X5. The main difference is its cost ‒ only $20K!
For this money, it has a nice look, various driver assists systems, advanced safety features. The car is equipped with V6 that has 291 horsepower, 8-speed automatic transmission, it has three rows of seats, which all makes it a perfect choice for any family.
If you haven’t yet dealt with drive assist, you must know that it helps drivers keep the lane, therefore the car can drive itself on the highway, so you don’t have to keep the wheel tight all the time while traveling. Also, the car has blind-spot warning lights and rear-side cameras to make your driving and parking extremely safe and convenient.
Note, fully loaded Palisade will cost you less than $50K while the above-mentioned X5 (basic) only starts from this point!
#5 Jaguar I-Pace: Charming British
This car is often compared with Teslas ‒ Model S, X or 3. It has around 300 kilometers range, which is more than the standard ranges of cheaper competitors. Surely, it could have got more range, still, that won’t make this car faster and lighter.
However, we consider I-Pace’s appearance and the fact it’s all-electric as its most important advantages.
The basic price for this Jaguar starts from $70K, and that’s deservedly ‒ you won’t find electric SUV with such a high performance. Anyway, if you get it for yourself, you won’t be able to leave the parking lot without looking back at your car. No one will! It could be almost a car of the year among electric ones!
#6 Kia Telluride ‒ As Huge As Powerful
The funny thing is that you might think: “Oh, this one has already been on the list of the best cars of 2020”! No way, it is just an almost twin of Palisade we mentioned above. However, this model has 4 trim lines (Palisade has only three), and the entry price is a bit higher ‒ $33K.
Still, you won’t regret your choice, as its basic model is equipped with adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assistant, emergency braking system, trailer stability system, and parking sensors. Well, everything both newbies and experienced drivers need! The fully loaded model of this Kia will cost you around $47.5K. Not bad, comparing it to Ford Explorer for $65K! We are sure that among our readers will be many people who will enjoy Telluride’s rectangular forms ‒ it looks brutal, a car for real men!
#7 Luxury Lincoln Aviator
This Aviator can be called the resurrection for the Lincoln company. It has a V6 twin-turbo with 400 horsepower inside, which gives the car a chance to reach 1-100 km in only 5 seconds. Note, it weighs 2.5 tons! Great deal, right?
Aviator Grand Touring is equipped with electric 100-hp motor and batteries that add extra 29 kilometers.
As for interior and exterior, Lincoln has always been about ‘luxury comfort’ with their rich cockpits and extremely comfortable massaging seats. By the way, the peak of satisfaction can be reached while listening to music inside the car ‒ its built-in audio system is impressive.
However, the price of this satisfaction won’t be low. It starts from $53K for the basic option to $90K to a fully equipped car.
#8 Mazda CX-5 ‒ Simple Yet Very Good
In the US, this Mazda was a real hit, as it has surpassed half of the overall manufacturer’s sales! 151000 out of 300000 were sold last year. The first reason, in our opinion, is its comparably low price for the relatively good quality ‒ from $25K to only $38K!
The cheapest CX-5 Sport offers drivers 187 horsepower, cloth seats, blind-spot detection. The top version called Signature will also have adaptive cruise control, suede seat parts, lane-keeping assistant, and more beautiful interior with ‘wooden’ panels.
So, it is a universal choice for those who want to have a big family in one car and have fun when driving alone.
#9 Dodge Ram 1500: Redesigned Power
Ram 1500 is great for anyone who needs a working vehicle available to carry weighty loads. And the engine choice for this model is just impressive! For us, the most appealing is e-Torque ‒ a hybrid with V8 or V6 engines with an electric motor and a 48V battery. All this results in a 20-percent fuel economy. Also, the manufacturer offers eco diesel V6 that is as powerful as gasoline V8.
Regardless of the engine option of Ram 1500 you choose, note that there are more customizable parameters, for example, cab types, trim lines, bed length, and some heavy-duty versions of the car (2500HD, 3500HD). Moreover, drivers can choose between read-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive models.
As for the comfortability and convenience of driving, all the options are already included, which makes Dodge Ram 1500 a strong competitor for the well-known Ford F-150 and a bit less popular Chevrolet Silverado. Ram has lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot detection system. Nevertheless, not all versions have all these options, so ask managers before buying. 😉
#10 Subaru Forester ‒ Safe on Any Roads
Forester’s fifth-generation debuted in 2019 and it is not very different from its ancestors. Naturally, this is great when manufacturers care about the roots of their models. As for this Subaru, it is all-wheel-drive, reliable, rugged, has a fire hose, everything is the same!
As for safety, the car is equipped with EyeSight ‒ stereoscopic cameras, lane centering assist, adaptive cruise control, mitigation, and warning braking, as well as DriverFocus ‒ a tracking system which alerts the driver when they get distracted.
And the most enjoyable part ‒ Subaru Forester is equally good in and out of the city thanks to its high ground clearance. That makes it a great match for off-paved roads.
So, these are the best cars of the year 2020 ‒ and what is your favorite one?
