CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -

In addition to announcing a partnership with SpinCar, CarGurus revealed its fifth annual Best Used Car Awards on Tuesday, recognizing later-model vehicles across 10 segments.

The awards are based on a CarGurus analysis of metrics that included long-term projected value retention, driver satisfaction, user reviews, expert evaluation along with popularity and availability of the respective model.

Beyond the 10 category honorees, the Editor’s Choice award went to the 2017-2021 Mazda CX-5.

“CarGurus’ Best Used Car Awards have become an industry mainstay for the last five years, and the extra layer of guidance and trust they provide is even more important this year, as car shoppers consider purchasing a used vehicle due to the current new-vehicle inventory shortage,” CarGurus deputy editor Matt Smith said in a news release.

“Each of this year’s winners and finalists earned their accolades through our data-driven analysis that looked into several factors such as availability, value retention and reviews from both industry experts and consumers,” Smith said. “This especially holds true for the 2021 Editor’s Choice winner — the second-generation Mazda CX-5, a vehicle that earned strong scores across the board in our assessment.”

The following are the winners and finalists, listed in order, by vehicle category:

Small Crossover/SUV
1. 2017-2021 Mazda CX-5
2. 2017-2021 Kia Sportage
3. 2017-2021 Honda CR-V

Medium Crossover/SUV
1. 2011-2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2. 2016-2020 Kia Sorento
3. 2013-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport

Large Crossover/SUV
1. 2011-2019 Ford Explorer
2. 2015-2020 Chevrolet Tahoe
3. 2017-2021 GMC Acadia

Luxury Crossover/SUV
1. 2016-2021 Volvo XC90
2. 2016-2020 Lexus RX
3. 2016-2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Sedan/Hatchback
1. 2017-2020 Hyundai Elantra
2. 2016-2020 Kia Optima
3. 2016-2021 Honda Civic

Luxury Sedan
1. 2014 – 2020 Lexus I
2. 2011-2018 Volvo S60
3. 2015-2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Midsize Pickup Truck
1. 2016-2021 Toyota Tacoma
2. 2015-2021 Chevrolet Colorado
3. 2017-2021 Honda Ridgeline

Full-Size Pickup Truck
1. 2015-2020 Ford F-150
2. 2011-2018 RAM 1500
3. 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Minivan
1. 2017-2021 Chrysler Pacifica
2. 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey
3. 2011-2020 Toyota Sienna

Sports Car
1. 2015-2021 Ford Mustang
2. 2014-2019 Chevrolet Corvette
3. 2016-2018 Ford Focus RS

CarGurus teams up with SpinCar

In other news from the company, digital automotive merchandising software provider SpinCar is adding its interactive 360° WalkArounds to CarGurus.com through its partnership with the company.

This will give dealers the ability to offer virtual vehicle tours on the CarGurus marketplace, providing an enhanced experience and greater transparency.

The 360° WalkArounds videos that dealers create through the SpinCar platform are now added to CarGurus listings.

“SpinCar’s advanced merchandising capabilities provide us with the opportunity to create additional value for our audience of car shoppers searching for the perfect vehicle and for dealers who rely on CarGurus to help them sell more cars,” CarGurus vice president of product management Andrew Grochal said in a news release.

“We share a commitment to making car shopping better, and we’ve seen firsthand the positive impact that this technology has on lead conversion. We look forward to continuing our work with SpinCar to bring innovative experiences that empower consumers and bring even greater levels of transparency to the car buying process,” Grochal said.

Added SpinCar co-founder and chief executive officer Devin Daly: “CarGurus has established itself as a go-to resource for consumers and dealers by applying technology and data in innovative ways to the car shopping experience.

“Now, more than ever, shopping for a car has become an online activity and effective digital merchandising is critical for dealer success,” Daly said. “We look forward to helping dealers succeed in this new environment by partnering with CarGurus to bring even more engaging digital experiences to the largest audience of in-market vehicle shoppers in the country.”