Best Midsize Car for the Money in 2023 Isn’t Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is one of the top models in the midsize sedan segment for value — with a high-quality design and many features at an affordable price. However, according to U.S. News & World Report, the best midsize car for the money in 2023 isn’t the 2023 Toyota Camry. It’s the 2023 Kia K5.
2023 Kia K5 is the best midsize car for the money, according to US News
The Toyota Camry has a long history of being a great budget-friendly choice for midsize sedan shoppers. However, this year, U.S. News picked another model. The news site named the 2023 Kia K5 the best midsize car for the money in 2023.
This award is based on two elements: value and quality. For the value factor, U.S. News looked at the price and five-year cost of ownership for the K5, Camry, and other models in the midsize car segment. And for quality, the media site utilized the overall score in its best car rankings.
Kia K5: Low price and affordable to own
Like other Kia models, the 2023 Kia K5 sedan is very affordable. Its starting price is only $25,290 MSRP, compared to $26,220 MSRP for the 2023 Toyota Camry. In times of high inflation and rising prices on new vehicles, the K5 remains a budget-friendly pick.
On top of the low price, the U.S. News best midsize car for the money is affordable to own. According to the media site, the K5 has the lowest five-year cost of ownership in the segment. This low ownership cost is due to multiple reasons. For one, the K5 is very reliable. J.D. Power gives it a “great” reliability rating of 85/100, which edges out the Camry (84/100). This high-level dependability translates to lower repair costs.
Also, the K5 has very generous warranty coverage. It’s backed by a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. In comparison, the Camry and most other midsize cars have the industry standard of a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Another thing that adds to the affordability of the K5 is its high fuel economy, resulting in savings at the gas pump. It gets an estimated gas mileage of up to 27 city/37 highway mpg. While it’s not as high as the Camry (28 city/39 highway mpg) and Camry Hybrid (51 city/53 highway mpg), it’s better than most cars.
Quality elements of the 2023 K5
The other factor in the 2023 Kia K5 earning the U.S. News best midsize car for the money in 2023 award is quality. One might think that a low price means low quality. However, for the Kia sedan, this isn’t the case.
U.S. News states that the K5 has many qualities that automotive shoppers look for in a “daily driver.” This includes a good ride quality and comfortable seats. Also, it comes standard with many safety and driving assistance technologies. Plus, the infotainment system is user-friendly and practical.
On top of that, the K5 sedan delivers good performance — especially with the available turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine in the GT trim. It churns out 290 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque — resulting in a 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds.
The best car for the money in 2023 isn’t the 2023 Toyota Camry, according to U.S. News. It’s the 2023 Kia K5 — with its low price, reliability, generous warranty coverage, high fuel economy, quality design, and many standard features.
