SANTA MONICA, Calif. -

It turns out that America’s wealthiest drivers don’t necessarily drive luxury vehicles, according to a new report by TrueCar.com.

Instead, half of those who can afford high-end models instead opt for mainstream models from Toyota, Volkswagen and Honda, per the results of TrueCar.com’s Top 10 Vehicles in America’s Wealthiest ZIP Codes study, released on Tuesday.

Among the ZIP codes studied was downtown Chicago, where the study showed that of the top five vehicles purchased, none were from luxury brands.

In Manhattan, representing the area with the wealthiest ZIP code, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class was the most popular vehicle purchase.

Overall, the report named the Mercedes-Benz S-Class as the most expensive model purchased by residents in the country’s top 10 wealthiest ZIP codes.

TrueCar examined the car-buying preferences of these residents within ZIP codes identified by the Internal Revenue Service as the nation’s 10 wealthiest, to determine which vehicles are most popular.

Among the top 10, the report showed half are non-luxury vehicles, and all are priced less than $50,000, with the exception of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW X5.

“Luxury brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus are the top choice for the well-off, but with wealth often comes freedom of choice,” said Kristen Andersson, senior analyst at TrueCar.com.

“The data demonstrates that wealthy consumers of today make value a top priority, as half the vehicles purchased are from mainstream brands including Honda, Toyota and Volkswagen that offer the best in vehicle amenities and comfort that near those of some luxury models. For affluent buyers who live in places where environmental concerns reign supreme, the Toyota Prius is the ultimate status symbol in eco-luxury,” Andersson said.

The Toyota Prius, which ranked fifth overall, was the most popular vehicle purchased in Ross and Century City, Calif., while SUVs were popular in Greenwich, Conn., with four out of the top five.

Two minivans made the top five list of vehicles purchased by residents of Medina, Wash., namely the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey.

The overall ranking of the most popular cars sold in America’s 10 wealthiest ZIP codes is as follows:

1. Mercedes-Benz E-Class, luxury car segment, MSRP $51,365
2. BMW 328, luxury car, MSRP $35,795
3. Mercedes-Benz C-Class, luxury car, MSRP $36,095
4. Lexus RX, luxury SUV, MSRP $39,950
5. Toyota Prius, small car, MSRP $30,565
6. Volkswagen Jetta, small car, MSRP $26,085
7. Honda CR-V, midsize SUV, MSRP $29,575
8. Honda Accord, midsize car, MSRP $23,070
9. Toyota Camry, midsize car, MSRP $25,535
10. BMW X5, luxury SUV, MSRP $58,595.