You can pick a Car of the Year, but that vehicle isn’t going to work for everyone. A family on a budget, say, might not be interested in a luxury car.

So for its inaugural Confidence Awards, CarGurus selected the best vehicle in four specific categories that the company said “reflect the needs of today’s shoppers,” based on a combination of marketplace data, hands-on testing and editorial reviews of hundreds of vehicles each year.

“Car shoppers face more decisions than ever, from new models, technology and powertrain options to a bigger emphasis on value and reliability,” CarGurus head of consumer insights David Undercoffler said. “The Confidence Awards help cut through that complexity to spotlight the vehicles that truly deliver — whether it’s for growing families, first-time EV buyers or drivers looking for premium features without the premium price.”

The categories — Best Truck for Families, Best Family Upgrade, Best Electric Vehicle Experience and Best Smart Luxury Model — represent the top new car models that combine strong value, modern design and thoughtful engineering, CarGurus said. Winners were selected from a field spanning a range of segments, powertrains and price points, using evaluations in six key attributes: look and feel, performance, form and function, tech level, safety and overall value.

Best Truck for Families: The RAM 1500 edged out the Ford F-150 in what CarGurus called the most competitive of the four categories, with more than 30 eligible trucks. The Ram 1500 posted the highest scores in safety, form and function, providing a vehicle that “reconciles two realities: You need something that can tow the camper and haul the mulch, but you also need something that doesn’t make the daily school run miserable.” Configuration options include 10 trim levels, two cab sizes and multiple bed lengths to suit families of all sizes.

Best Family Upgrade: Toyota’s Grand Highlander stood out for its ability to meet the evolving needs of growing families, CarGurus said, with a genuinely usable third row, expansive cargo capacity and three distinct powertrain options. It earned top marks by delivering versatility for everyday driving — “doing everything well rather than doing one thing brilliantly.”

Best Smart Luxury: The Genesis G70 offers luxury without compromise in a category that weighted tech level and look and feel heavily. With striking design, performance and high-quality materials, CarGurus said, the G70 is vehicle that “looks, drives and feels like it costs far more than it does.”

Best EV Experience: Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 ran away with the most decisive win in any category, winning in cost-effectiveness and technology. CarGurus said the Ioniq 5 simplifies the transition from gas to electric driving with intuitive features, flexible charging capabilities and a spacious, user-friendly design that meets drivers where they are. It makes EV ownership easy, CarGurus said, noting, “It doesn’t ask you to change your life to drive it.”

The full awards report, including analysis and runner-up selections, is available here.