AAA has awarded the 2024 BMW iX xDrive50 as the overall winner and top vehicle in the midsize SUV category for the 2025 AAA Car Guide.
This year, all category winners are 2024 or 2025 models and are either electric, plug-in hybrid electric or hybrid vehicles. Furthermore, the researchers added new scoring criteria and brought back the minivan category, awarding the top spot to the 2024 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV Pinnacle.
“Minivans are a favored choice for families and offer space for storage,” said Megan McKernan, the Automotive Research Center manager at AAA Automobile Club of Southern California. “This year’s AAA Car Guide includes a wide variety of categories to help car buyers in their purchasing decisions.”
Key Winners
The AAA Car Guide winners feature multiple advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) such as automatic emergency braking (AEB), reverse automatic emergency braking (RAEB), and lane-keeping assistance (LKA).
The 2024 BMW iX xDrive50 was selected as the top vehicle in the midsize SUV category and was crowned the overall 2025 AAA Car Guide winner. Noted in this year’s guide, the iX repeats its win from the 2023 edition of the AAA Car Guide. SUVs are often popular amongst consumers because of their versatility, safety, and comfort. Researchers noted that the iX has impressive range, a comfortable ride, responsive steering and handling, and abundant power and low-end torque.
The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV Pinnacle won the top spot in the minivan category. This minivan is the only one of its kind with both gasoline-powered and plug-in hybrid options. It’s perfect for families looking for style, comfort, and storage capacity. Researchers noted that the Pacifica has a fuel-efficient PHEV drivetrain, a useful all-electric range of 32 miles, a spacious cabin with lots of storage, and an attractive interior finish.
Scoring Ranked by Category:
| Category | Vehicle |
| Overall | BMW iX xDrive50 |
| Small Car | Honda Civic Hybrid Sport Touring |
| Midsize Car | BMW i5 M60 |
| Large Car | BMW i7 M70 |
| Pickup | Ford F-150 Hybrid XLT |
| Minivan | Chrysler Pacifica PHEV Pinnacle |
| Small SUV | Genesis GV60 Performance |
| Midsize SUV | BMW iX xDrive50 |
| Large SUV | Kia EV9 GT-Line |
“Our goal with the AAA Car Guide is to help consumers navigate the evolving automotive marketplace by evaluating the latest vehicles with detailed evaluation from AAA researchers,” said McKernan.
[source: AAA]
