Car Shoppers Have Spoken: 2018 AutoWeb Buyer’s Choice Award Winners

Once again, the people have spoken, and 17 vehicles have been named winners of the 2018 AutoWeb Buyer's Choice Awards. Based on the 120 million consumers who visited AutoWeb's network of automotive websites, we awarded our annual top honor in 17 categories (with three overall winners) ranging from compact cars to large trucks. Honda dominated this year with seven wins, and Ford comes in right behind it with five.

Read on to find out who won Best Car of the Year, Best Truck of the Year, Best Utility Vehicle of the Year and the Buyer's Choice Awards in the following categories:

1. Best Compact
2. Best Convertible
3. Best Coupe
4. Best Hatchback
5. Best Sedan
6. Best Wagon
7. Best Sports Car
8. Best Alternative Fuel Vehicle
9. Best Luxury Car
10. Best Small Truck
11. Best Full-Size Truck
12. Best Heavy-Duty Truck
13. Best Van
14. Best Small SUV
15. Best Midsize SUV
16. Best Large SUV/Crossover
17. Best Luxury SUV

The 2018 Honda Civic took both the Best Compact Car Award and the Best Car of the Year, and it’s not hard to determine why. Aside from Honda's impeccable reputation for reliability, consumers have plenty more to love — a sophisticated interior, top-notch fuel economy ratings, smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the available Honda Sensing suite of safety features that ensure top safety ratings.

To read more about why the 2018 Honda Civic won the Best Car of the Year and Best Compact Car award, read the full article.

Sweeping both the Best Full-Size Truck and Best Truck of the Year awards for the second year in a row, the 2018 Ford F-150 is tough to beat. Blurring the lines between utility and luxury, the F-150 has the chops to handle the biggest tasks competently and comfortably.

To read more about why the 2018 Ford F-150 won the Best Truck of the Year and Best Full-Size Truck award, read the full article.

Despite its petite dimensions, the 2018 Honda CR-V picked up two huge awards this year: It's the Buyer's Choice pick for both the Best Utility Vehicle of the Year and the Best Small SUV. A crowd-pleaser from its modest beginnings, the 2018 CR-V easily stands out in the crowd of one of the biggest segments of the market by offering a refined driving experience and a roomy, sophisticated cabin, paired with an undying reputation for reliability.

To read more about why the 2018 Honda CR-V won the Best Utility Vehicle of the Year and Best Small SUV award, read the full article.

Now in its 25th year, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is essentially an icon. And for 2017, this slick two-seat roadster is arguably the best version of the convertible yet. Unsurprisingly, it nabbed this year's Buyer's Choice Best Convertible award for its good looks, its fun personality on the road and its affordability to both purchase and drive.

To read more about why the 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata won the Best Convertible award, read the full article.

The 2018 Ford Mustang is a blast to drive, whether you're running errands or running the track. That's why it should be no surprise that it won both the Buyer's Choice Award for Best Coupe and Best sports car. With its retro styling and both hardtop and convertible body styles, the Mustang straddles the line between muscle car and grocery-getter. There's a lot more to love about the Mustang than just its speed; its contemporary interior and strong value for the money make this coupe one great cruiser as well.

To read more about why the 2018 Ford Mustang won the Best Coupe award, read the full article here.
To read more about why it won the Best Sports Car award, read the full article here.

The Honda Fit has been a home run in the hatchback segment for quite some time, but now it becomes official as it's named this year's Buyer's Choice pick for the Best Hatchback award. Small but mighty, the Fit has enormous cargo capacity dimensions, great fuel economy, stylish looks and the revered reliability that comes with its Honda badge.

To read more about why the 2018 Honda Fit won the Best Hatchback award, read the full article.

Honda has been on a roll for 2018, and the brand sweeps another category as the new 2018 Accord is named as AutoWeb's Buyer's Choice Best Sedan. Managing to stay relevant in the crossover age, the new mid-size Accord is better than ever with all-new styling, lots of interior room, improved technology and the Honda Sensing safety feature suite that comes standard on every trim.

To read more about why the 2018 Honda Accord won the Best Sedan award, read the full article.

For the second year in a row, the capable Subaru Outback gets top honors as the AutoWeb Buyer's Choice Best Wagon award winner. This year, the Outback received lots of upgrades, making this workhorse not only practical but also a pleasure to drive. With a body style that can rival the cargo capacity of an SUV, but with the driving experience of a regular sedan, the Outback hits the sweet spot for those who demand utility from their vehicle but still value a drive experience that feels connected to the road.

To read more about why the 2018 Subaru Outback won the Best Wagon award, read the full article.

With the flurry of hybrid, electric and fuel cell vehicles hitting the market today, it's the 2018 Toyota Prius that snagged the Buyer's Choice Award for Best Alternative Fuel Vehicle. Since its debut, the Prius has been known for its fantastic fuel economy, its versatile hatchback body style and its affordable price point. Today, with major improvements to the car's handling, a more sophisticated interior and a suite of advanced safety features that come standard, the Prius has locked in its status as the best vehicle in its class.

To read more about why the 2018 Toyota Prius won the Best Alternative Fuel Vehicle award, read the full article.

Though the luxury car segment has long been benchmarked by BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the 2018 AutoWeb Buyer's Choice Award for Best Luxury Car goes to a Cadillac. The 2018 Cadillac CTS not only delivers on performance and handling but also offers a top-notch interior, advanced safety features and plenty of tech to keep everybody connected.

To read more about why the 2018 Cadillac CTS sedan won the Best Luxury Car award, read the full article.

The Toyota Tacoma has been a class favorite for years; it's compact but capable, practical but lots of fun and it's tough enough for work or hard play. Just as comfortable off-road as it is in the school's drop-off lane, the Tacoma has a wide range of appeal for just about any consumer, undoubtedly making it worthy of the Buyer's Choice Small Truck Award.

To read more about why the 2018 Toyota Tacoma won the Best Small Truck award, read the full article.

Buyers are just as serious about the 2018 Ford F-250 as this heavy-duty truck is about getting the job done. As a part of Ford's F-Series, the F-250 is one of the best selling trucks in America — and has been for the last 40 years. Countless statistics alone could prove that the F-250 deserves to be the Buyer's Choice pick for the Best Heavy-Duty Truck, but with five different trim levels and endless customization options, it's obvious why buyers want the F-250 in their fleets more than any other heavy-duty truck.

To read more about why the 2018 Ford F-250 won the Best Heavy-Duty Truck award, read the full article.

Honda upped the ante for all players in the minivan segment this year with the release of the all-new 2018 Honda Odyssey. Honda seemed to have covered everything a family could need in one vehicle: magic slide seats, a camera to keep an eye on little ones in the backseat, and a Wi-Fi hotspot that can provide connectivity for the whole crew of passengers. Add superb safety ratings and improved driving dynamics and you have the obvious winner of the Buyer's Choice Best Van award.

To read more about why the 2018 Honda Odyssey won the Best Van award, read the full article.

Today's SUV and crossover market is a very competitive one, but the 2018 Kia Sorento finds its way to the head of the pack for many reasons. With its stylish design, excellent warranty and tech-savvy features, the three-row Sorento is a wise and favorite choice for many buyers.

To read more about why the 2018 Kia Sorento won the Best Midsize SUV award, read the full article.

The 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe has been a big player in the large SUV space for a long time. It can seat up to eight people and tow along some of your favorite toys for the ride, but it also does so with some of the most modern comforts and conveniences available in a vehicle today. With a USB port for almost every passenger, Wi-Fi hotspot capability and wireless charging, all your tech needs are covered. Paired with a towing capacity of up to 8,600 pounds, this SUV shows it can both work and play.

To read more about why the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe won the Best Large SUV award, read the full article.

The 2018 Acura MDX combines everything it should as a luxury crossover competitor: impeccable fit and finish, exciting driving dynamics and up-to-the-minute technology. It has even outsold all of its competitors since debuting in 2001. Acura's loyal fan base and exceptional selling power make this a logical winner of the Buyer's Choice Best luxury suv award.

To read more about why the 2018 Acura MDX won the Best Luxury SUV award, read the full article.