Each year, consumers purchase millions of new cars, trucks, SUVs, a­nd minivans, most costing in excess of $25,000. Some people buy on impulse, spurred by incentives or high style. Other shoppers are more methodical in approach, carefully weighing the pros and cons of each vehicle long before visiting a dealership.

Regardless of shopping method, budgets are tighter than ever this year and consumers need to make wise choices when selecting their next vehicle. With more than 250 new cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs on the market, many people don't know where to begin when shopping for a new car. That's where we come in. Consumer Guide's editors offer Best Buy and Recommended picks in 18 distinct vehicle classes to simplify the selection process for today's buyers. Our Best Buy and Recommended picks focus on overall vehicle value and take into account performance, economy, reliability, ease of use, comfort, and price.

Consumer Guide Picks Only the Best of the Best

At Consumer Guide Automotive, our editors evaluate every vehicle so consumers can be confident in their purchase. In an effort to stay current with the latest automotive trends and help consumers select the right vehicle, the editors at CG test drive more than 150 new vehicles each year. We select the top overall vehicles in each class as Best Buys. This is our highest ranking.

Vehicle Class Buying Guides For more on the vehicles available in each class, check out Consumer Guide's vehicle class buying guides. They'll give you a concentrated dose of car shopping advice specific to whichever vehicle class you're shopping for. Click here.

Models labeled Recommended also merit serious consideration, but fall short of the class leaders in value and sometimes appeal to a slightly narrower audience. Neither the Best Buy nor the Recommended badge is based solely on objective ratings. Rather, they reflect overall value for the money compared to their direct competition.

How We Evaluate Vehicles at Consumer Guide

Consumer Guide has a staff of 10 full-time automotive editors. Combined, these editors have nearly 150 years of experience in testing automobiles. This team evaluates each new vehicle as the typical owner would--shopping, commuting, taking long highway trips, and during stop-and-go city driving.

Tho­ugh we do measure 0-60 mph times, braking distances, and interior noise levels on many vehicles, ­we downplay a vehicle's performance in favor of evaluating its ability to meet everyday needs--merging onto expressways or riding comfortably over potholes, for example. Similarly, we rate how easy it is to get in and out of vehicles, how difficult it is to adjust the controls while driving, or how many grocery bags and suitcases it holds. Each car is put through its paces by at least four test-drive editors. Each driver fills out an evaluation form, commenting on specific areas of performance and comfort, noting the type of driving they did and the fuel economy figures they got. The editor writing the final evaluation uses these reports, as well as his own experience, to create a comprehensive review of the vehicle.

Read on for a complete list of the 2011 winners.