“Best.”

It’s a hard word to quantify. We think the best car is a well-rounded car for the every-day practical user, but at the end of the day our pick is essentially that: our pick. Everyone has their own idea of what matters in a car, so to avoid confusion, we’re picking our Best Car of 2015 based on five parameters that we have deemed most important:

Performance – Power-to-weight ratio, handling, and horsepower.

Efficiency – How economical the car is.

Safety – Safety rating and features.

Practicality – How much you can do with the vehicle.

Value – The features you get for the price you pay.

We understand that our requirements might not be the only important factors, but they’re important to us, and that’s all we’ve got.

The Pool

2015 has been awash with great cars. We went through all this year’s winners – the Tesla Model S, the Golf GTI, the Jetta, the Audi A3, the Mazda 3, and more – to find our top pick. After much deliberation, we narrowed down our choices to three great cars: The Volkswagen GTI, the Tesla Model S, and the Mazda 3. Below we will discuss and critique each one, starting with the Golf GTI.

The 2015 Golf GTI

Ever wondered what GTI stands for? Grand Touring Injection. And grand touring is exactly what you’ll be doing in this fantastic German creation. There’s a reason why so many auto-reviewers have already named it their car of the year; the GTI is a driver’s vehicle. Equipped with a peppy 210 horsepower turbocharged engine and sport tuned suspension, this car passes fluently on performance. But you won’t feel guilty for your spirited driving, since it gets an average fuel economy of 30 mpg.

The GTI is a relatively small vehicle, but it still manages to squeeze 52.7 cu. ft. of cargo space with the rear seats folded down. Its practicality extends further with its small design and tight steering. The GTI is small enough for the tightest city streets and powerful enough for the widest of open roads. You’ll feel safe inside the 2015 Golf GTI too, as it was named one of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) Top Safety Picks in 2015.

Overall, the GTI was awarded Best Car of the Year (not by us) at the Detroit Auto Show for a reason. It’s the kind of car people will still be buying 10 years down the road, and there are many reasons to make it your top pick. But it’s not ours.

The 2015 Tesla Model S P85D

If you haven’t heard, Tesla is the newest car company on the block. They’re out to change hearts and minds on what an electric vehicle looks, drives, and feels like. Tesla has high ambitions for their electric cars, and ultimately for the world’s future of energy production, storage, and consumption. Perhaps that explains why their cars are so great?

Performance wise, the Tesla is truly remarkable. The P85D propels itself from 0-60 in 3.1 seconds, and achieves 87 MPGe (In case you didn’t know, MPGe stands for miles per gallon (gasoline) equivalent). There are many mixed reviews on the handling – some say the P85D handles like a dream, while others claim it’s good, but not special. We can’t say for sure, but when you see the price tag you may understand why some are critical of its balance.

That fully covers performance and efficiency, but what about safety? Unsurprisingly, the Model S is one of the safest cars on the road. It received a 5-star crash test rating from the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). This is partially because of its extended front crumple zone, which reduces the force of impact on passengers.

The Tesla Model S is the only sedan that seats 7. It’s also the only one with front and rear trunk space. Total, the Model S offers 63.3 cu. ft. of storage – the most out of all our candidates.

All-in-all, the Tesla Model S is definitely one of the best cars of 2015 – especially when Automobile and Motor Trend both named it so. Alas, it has one downfall: The car starts at $75,000. After Federal Tax Credits you’ll gain 10% of that back (plus any incentives offered in your state) but even with the estimated 5-year gas savings you’re still spending a pretty penny. For the majority, this car just isn’t a realistic purchase and therefore it cannot be our pick for Best Car of 2015.

The 2015 Mazda 3

The Mazda 3 is one of the most underrated cars of 2015. It’s reliable, quick, easy on the eyes, and easier on the wallet. No other car of 2015 combines performance and efficiency at this price, but that’s not the only reason we like it so much.

Let’s start with performance. The Mazda 3 comes with two engine options: the 155 horsepower four cylinder and the 184 horsepower 2.5L. Usually, you’re forced to choose between horsepower and efficiency when choosing an engine, but here that’s not the case. The 155 horsepower engine offers a remarkable 41 mpg, but the 184 horsepower engine is only just behind at 40 mpg. We’re just as amazed as you. 184 horsepower and 40 mpg is not a combination we ever expected to see from a gasoline vehicle.

Car and Driver describes its handling as an “absolutely spectacular balance for an affordable front-drive car.” And they go on to say that “It doesn’t wear a luxury label or sport badge, but the Mazda 3 feels like it deserves both.”

We don’t think there’s any question on this Mazda’s efficiency or performance. Sure, it’s not as quick as the GTI or Model S, but it is every bit as safe. The 2015 Mazda 3 has received a 5-star rating from the NHTSA, and it was named one of IIHS’s Top Safety Picks for 2015. The Mazda 3 will get you there in one piece. Here’s the 2014 in a crash test:

But is this a practical car? Considering you can choose between a sedan or hatchback version of the Mazda 3, we say yes. Practicality boils down to what you think you’ll do with the car, and here you’ve got options. The hatchback version has folding seats in the back to expand your cargo space to 47.1 cu. ft. and the sedan’s trunk offers 12.4 cu. ft. of storage.

Finally, the icing on this zoom zoom cake: the value. Starting at $16,945, the Mazda 3 leaves even the most frugal car buyers intrigued. Even the fully tricked out S Grand Touring trim level starts at $25,045, which is more than $500 cheaper than where the GTI begins (about $50,000 less than the Tesla too).

But it’s not just the low price, it’s everything you can expect from the Mazda 3 for that price: The reliable engine, sporty handling, quick acceleration, and the incredible efficiency. The Mazda 3 is well rounded. In our eyes, it delivers the highest value of any car this year.

Therefore, our pick for Best Car of 2015, goes to the Mazda 3.

Zoom, Zoom.

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