The Drive Awards 2024: Announcing the Best Cars, Trucks, and SUVs of the Year

The annual list recognizes the best cars of 2024 across six categories

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Drive is proud to announce the 2024 winners of its annual awards program. The Drive Awards honor the most exciting and innovative cars that debuted or were significantly updated in the past year. Now in its third year, the awards span six categories: Trucks, EVs, SUVs, Cars Under $40K, Performance Cars, and Cars for Dogs.

Led by Editor-in-Chief Kyle Cheromcha, Executive Editor Andrew Collins, and Reviews Editor Chris Tsui, the entire editorial team deliberates over review scores, key features, industry impact, and overall quality to determine which manufacturers and vehicles will be crowned winners. To be eligible, vehicles had to be new or, at the very least, meaningfully updated and driven by somebody on The Drive's staff or roster of contributors sometime in 2024.

"The Drive's annual awards are meant to honor the best, most exciting new vehicles the auto industry has to offer," said Tsui. "Our team prides ourselves on test driving as many cars as possible, helping our audience get the most out of their purchases, and knowing the categories and features that mean the most to them. Nominees were chosen from the 160+ cars the team collectively drove over the past year, filtered by our standardized review scores as well as a staff-wide vote and debate. The 2024 Drive Awards feature something for every type of new car buyer with the ever-crucial criteria of value in mind, and we couldn't be more proud to celebrate all the winners."

Category winners:

• The Best Truck of 2024 is the Ford Ranger Raptor
• The Best EV of 2024 is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
• The Best SUV of 2024 is the Lexus GX
• The Best Car Under $40K of 2024 is the Honda Civic Hybrid
• The Best Performance Car of 2024 is the Audi RS3
• The Top Dog Car of 2024 is the Genesis GV80

The Drive Awards also named an overall Best Car winner as well as a special "Drive of the Year" distinction that highlights a uniquely exceptional vehicle that's either a low-production or classic model the team tested this calendar year. For the first time ever, these awards were given to the same manufacturer, with Honda claiming Best Car for its innovative Civic Hybrid and the Drive of the Year for the Honda S2000 CR.

More information can be found on thedrive.com. 

ABOUT THE DRIVE
The Drive is the destination for both enthusiasts and casual car owners. Founded in 2012 as a pioneering YouTube channel, /DRIVE, which amassed nearly 2 million followers before its daily digital news operation launched in 2015. Across YouTube, its site, and social channels, The Drive offers a mix of breaking news, unique car stories, and deep original reporting on the automotive industry, motorsports, and car culture. Its comprehensive car review program evaluates new vehicles across seven key areas including driving experience, cabin functionality, onboard tech, efficiency, and overall value for the intended buyer.

SOURCE The Drive