When you go shopping for a new car, you naturally want to know which ones are the best. There are many ways to determine this, but at J.D. Power, we listen to the Voice of the Consumer. That way, our list of the best cars of 2021 is based on what people like you have to say about their new vehicles after they’ve owned them for at least 90 days.
All the Best Cars of 2021 for Overall Quality
According to the J.D. Power 2021 Initial Quality Study results, ten car and minivan models receive awards based on what the people who actually own them think of their overall quality. You will find them listed below in alphabetical order by make and model.
2021 BMW 2 Series
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The highest-quality small premium car is the BMW 2 Series. In 2021, the 2 Series came in 2-door coupe and 2-door convertible body styles with rear-wheel (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). A 4-door Gran Coupe (actually a sedan) is also available, based on an entirely different front-drive platform with available AWD. For the 2022 model year, the 2-door coupe gets a complete redesign, the 2-door convertible is shelved, and the Gran Coupe continues without much change. The performance-tuned M2 Coupe is on hiatus until further notice.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Luxury Cars in Quality
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Coupes and Convertibles in Quality
2021 Cadillac CT5
Photo: Ron Sessions
The highest-quality midsize premium car is the Cadillac CT5. This 4-door sedan offers a choice between turbocharged 4-cylinder and twin-turbocharged V6 engines, each powering the car’s rear wheels unless you choose the optional AWD system. The lineup includes Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, and V-Series trims. For the 2022 model year, a high-powered CT5-V Blackwing equipped with a supercharged V8 and a manual or automatic transmission offers serious performance.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Luxury Cars in Quality
2021 Chevrolet Corvette
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The highest-quality premium sporty car is the Chevrolet Corvette. In its second year following a radical redesign and switch to a mid-engine powertrain configuration, the Corvette changed little, continuing in coupe and convertible body styles in Stingray specification. Its 6.2-liter V8 whips up as much as 490 horsepower and accelerates the Corvette to 60 mph in less than three seconds, according to Chevrolet.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Coupes and Convertibles in Quality
2021 Genesis G80
The highest-quality upper midsize premium car is the Genesis G80. Completely redesigned for 2021, the G80 adopts the company’s latest styling themes, resulting in a distinctive design both inside and out. You’ll choose between a turbocharged 4-cylinder and a twin-turbocharged V6, each powering either the rear wheels or all four through an available AWD system. Option packages add plenty of opulence and technology.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Luxury Cars in Quality
2021 Hyundai Accent
The highest-quality small car is the Hyundai Accent. Available only in a 4-door sedan body style and in SE, SEL, or Limited trim, the Accent uses a 120-hp 4-cylinder engine. A standard continuously variable transmission (CVT) powers the car’s front wheels, and it gets 36 mpg in combined driving. Further savings come in the form of complimentary scheduled maintenance for the first three years of ownership, plus one of the longest warranty plans for any new car.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Small Cars in Quality
2021 Kia Forte
The highest-quality compact car is the Kia Forte. This 4-door sedan is available in a wide range of trim levels, from the affordable and efficient Forte FE to the zippy and sporty Forte GT. Most Fortes have a 147-hp 4-cylinder and a CVT, but the GT equips the car with a turbocharged 4-cylinder cranking out 201 horses. A manual transmission is offered exclusively on the cheapest Forte FE and the sportiest Forte GT. For 2022, Kia gives the Forte a styling refresh and new tech.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Small Cars in Quality
2021 Kia Sedona
The highest-quality minivan is the Kia Sedona. The 2021 model year represents the final run for the Sedona, which came in LX, EX, and SX trim levels, each featuring a 3.3-liter V6 making 276 hp. Among minivans, the Sedona had style, with subtle crossover SUV design cues inside and out. For 2022, Kia replaces the Sedona with the artistically rendered Carnival. It’s still a minivan, but Kia markets it as a multi-purpose vehicle.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Family Cars in Quality
2021 Lexus RC
The highest-quality compact premium car is the Lexus RC. A 2-door coupe built on a platform mash-up of Lexus GS and IS sedan components, the RC offers a choice between a turbocharged 4-cylinder, a V6, and a V8 engine. Rear-wheel drive is standard, with a couple of AWD variants available for people who live where it snows. Two new special editions made news for the 2021 model year.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Coupes and Convertibles in Quality
2021 Nissan Altima
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The highest-quality midsize car is the Nissan Altima. Available in several trim levels ranging from basic to plush, the Altima primarily uses a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and a CVT to power the front or all four wheels. Exclusive to the sporty SR trim, a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine (VC-Turbo) boasts more than just 236 hp. It has variable-compression technology unlike anything you’ll find in a competitor, which Nissan says can optimize both performance and efficiency.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Family Cars in Quality
2021 Nissan Maxima
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The highest-quality large car is the Nissan Maxima. In 2021, Nissan celebrated the nameplate’s 40th anniversary with a special-edition model based on the top Platinum trim. More affordable versions of the car include standard SV and sporty SR trim. They all have a 300-hp V6 engine, a CVT, and front-wheel drive (FWD), and the Maxima emphasizes performance and style over practicality and efficiency.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Family Cars in Quality
All the Best Cars of 2021 for Overall Appeal
In the J.D. Power 2021 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study, ten car and minivan models receive an award for their overall appeal, based on what the people who actually own them think of them. They are listed below in alphabetical order by make and model.
2021 BMW 4 Series
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The most appealing compact premium car is the BMW 4 Series. BMW redesigned the 4 Series for 2021, adding a controversially large grille that appears to satisfy owners of the car. Available in 2-door coupe and 2-door convertible body styles, the 4 Series lineup offers turbocharged 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines with an automatic transmission and RWD or AWD. The performance-tuned M4 also returns, and the lineup grows in 2022 with the return of the Gran Coupe 5-door sportback model.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Coupes and Convertibles in Appeal
2021 Cadillac CT5
The most appealing midsize premium car is the Cadillac CT5. Not only do CT5 owners find the car to be high in quality (see above), they’re also quite satisfied with the performance, design, interior layout, and overall appeal of the car. If you’ve ever driven one, you can understand the car’s rankings in the 2021 J.D. Power studies. And for 2022, the Cadillac CT5 gets better.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Luxury Cars in Appeal
2021 Chevrolet Corvette
The most appealing premium sporty car is the Chevrolet Corvette. Though some fans of America’s sports car weren’t happy with the switch to a mid-engine layout, Corvette owners appear to be satisfied with the fundamental change in the car’s engineering philosophy. The unexpectedly low price might contribute to this, as well as the Cadillac-quality interior materials in the 3LT trim level. In any case, it is easy to like the latest Corvette.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Coupes and Convertibles in Appeal
2021 Genesis G80
The most appealing upper midsize premium car is the Genesis G80. Not only did Genesis get the quality part of the G80’s redesign right, the people who bought the car rate its performance, design, layout, and overall appeal higher than any other model in the segment. If you’re shopping for this type of luxury sedan, you owe it to yourself to consider the value-laden Genesis G80.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Luxury Cars in Appeal
2021 Kia K5
The most appealing midsize car is the Kia K5. Redesigned for 2021, the K5 is the renamed replacement for the previous Optima sedan. It has dramatic new styling coupled with the latest infotainment and driving-assistance technologies. Turbocharged 4-cylinder engines making up to 290 hp power the K5, which comes in five different trim levels. They’re all FWD except for a couple of AWD variants.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Family Cars in Appeal
2021 Nissan Maxima
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The most appealing large car is the Nissan Maxima. People who own this self-proclaimed 4-Door Sports Car (4DSC) really like them in terms of quality and overall appeal. Plus, the standard 3.5-liter V6 engine is a descendant of the vaunted VQ-series V6 engines that Nissan once installed in many of its vehicles. The Maxima makes its owners happy with robust power, athletic handling, and expressive design.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Family Cars in Appeal
2021 Nissan Sentra
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The most appealing compact car is the Nissan Sentra. Offered in S, SV, and SR trim, every Sentra has a 149-hp 4-cylinder engine and a CVT. It might be a simple car, but the Sentra’s simplicity appeals to the people who buy one. Nissan redesigned the Sentra for 2020, adding significant style and bringing desirable infotainment and driving-assistance technologies to the small sedan. It remains basically the same for 2021.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Small Cars in Appeal
2021 Nissan Versa
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The most appealing small car is the Nissan Versa. Like the Sentra, the Versa was redesigned for the 2020 model year. And, like the Sentra, the effect was dramatic. With a newfound sense of style, the Versa remains a basic form of transportation but offers roomy seating for four adults and a remarkably big trunk. A 122-hp 4-cylinder engine powers the front wheels through a manual transmission or a CVT, and the Versa returns up to 35 mpg in combined driving.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Small Cars in Appeal
2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA
Photo: Ron Sessions
The most appealing small premium car is the Mercedes-Benz CLA. Mercedes calls it a coupe, but the CLA is actually a 4-door sedan based on the same platform as the A-Class sedan and GLA crossover. It features a more rakish and upscale look than its siblings and features a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine developing between 221 and 382 hp, depending on the model. You choose between CLA 250, AMG CLA 35, and AMG CLA 45 model series, each with 4Matic AWD except for the base car, which is a front-driver.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Luxury Cars in Appeal
2021 Toyota Sienna
Photo: Ron Sessions
The most appealing minivan is the Toyota Sienna. Redesigned for 2021, the Sienna comes only with a hybrid powertrain and FWD or AWD. It uses the same gas-electric drivetrain that Toyota uses in the Highlander Hybrid, and it makes 245 hp while getting an incredible EPA-rated 36 mpg in combined driving. Like other minivans, the Sienna seats up to eight passengers and carries as much cargo as a Chevy Suburban. You can choose from five trim levels, including the sporty XSE and the luxurious Platinum.
Learn more about the top-rated 2021 Family Cars in Appeal
More Stories
Investigation launched into complaints of Tesla steering wheels coming off mid-drive | Tesla
Wheels Car of the Year 2023: Finalists revealed!
Why Were so Many Built?