If you're buying a used car, Car Pro Show host Jerry Reynolds always recommends buying a factory certified pre-owned vehicle from a dealer. These vehicles go through a rigorous quality check that varies by manufacturer. As Jerry explains in his article, today, every automaker has a certified program, and some are better than others.
When it comes to which CPO programs represent the best values for used car shoppers, we turn to the 12th annual Vincentric Best Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Value in America Awards. They identify the CPO models offering the best value in each segment.
“The Vincentric Best CPO Value in America Awards are designed to take the guess-work out of shopping for a certified pre-owned vehicle,” said Vincentric President, David Wurster. “Many consumers choose the route of a CPO vehicle to save money on the initial purchase price while still having the peace of mind of a manufacturer warranty. However, they may not know which models can continue to save them money into the future. Our awards can be used as a guideline to help consumers have confidence that their next vehicle purchase will deliver strong value, low ownership costs, or both.”
Two brands stand out with the most CPO Value award titles: Ford and Nissan.
Ford
Ford took home 8 titles in the 2025 awards, the most of any automaker. Ford earned two brand-level awards, including Best CPO Value Truck Brand for the fifth time, and Best CPO Value Van Brand for an outstanding ninth consecutive year. Ford also earned eight model-level awards across multiple categories.
"Vehicle cost of ownership is important to our customers,” said Jim Baumbick, vice president, Ford Product Development Operations and Quality. “Earning Vincentric’s CPO Value Awards for our trucks, vans, and SUVs is a testament to our engineers and their dedication to designing durable, cost-effective vehicles that help minimize operating costs to help hold their value over time.”
A complete list of Ford winning categories is below:
- Ford – Best CPO Value in America: Truck Brand category (fifth time, second consecutive)
- Ford – Best CPO Value in America: Van Brand category (ninth consecutive)
- Ford Maverick Hybrid – Best CPO Value: Small/Mid-Size Pickup segment (second consecutive)
- Ford F-150® Lightning – Best CPO Value: Full-Size 1/2-Ton Pickup segment (ninth time for F-150)
- Ford Super Duty F-250 – Best CPO Value: Full-Size 3/4-Ton Pickup segment (second time)
- Ford Super Duty F-350 – Best CPO Value : Full-Size 1-Ton Pickup segment (third time)
- Ford E-TransitTM 350 – Best CPO Value: Large Cargo Van segment (seventh time for Transit)
- Ford Expedition – Best CPO Value: Large SUV segment (fifth time, third consecutive)
Nissan
Nissan Ariya. Photo: Nissan.
Nissan earned six awards, the second highest of any automaker. It earned its second victory for Best CPO Value Passenger Car Brand, plus the Best CPO Value SUV Brand award. It also earned four model-level awards:
Model-level awards include:
- Nissan Versa – Subcompact Car segment (third win)
- Nissan Z – Sports Car segment (first win)
- Nissan Kicks – Subcompact SUV segment (second win)
- Nissan Ariya – Compact SUV segment (first win)
In addition, Nissan says the LEAF and Nissan TITAN were recognized for having the lowest total cost of ownership in their respective classes.
"Earning recognition across multiple segments underscores Nissan's commitment to delivering affordability and quality throughout the vehicle lifecycle," said Judy Wheeler, vice president, Nissan Sales & Regional Operations, Nissan U.S. "Customers are at the heart of all we do, and CPO value is yet another way our strong product lineup is delivering what they're looking for."
Other Winners
The BMW Z4 propelled the brand to its brand-level award by earning its fourth consecutive victory in the Luxury Convertible segment. Additionally, the BMW i7 won for Luxury Large Sedan. For Cadillac, the Lyriq was the brand’s frontrunner this year in the Luxury Mid-Size SUV segment.
Other brands with multiple award-winning models were Subaru and Volvo. The Acura, Audi, Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Jeep, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Polestar, and Toyota brands all finished with one winning vehicle.
Additional noteworthy model-level winners were the Toyota Avalon with its outstanding eleventh consecutive win for Large Sedan; the Subaru Outback with an impressive eighth victory in a row for Mid-Size SUV; the Lexus RC Series with its sixth overall and fourth consecutive win for Luxury Coupe; and the Subaru Legacy and Volvo V60, which each earned awards for the fifth time.
About the Awards
To determine the 2025 Vincentric Best CPO Value in America™ Award winners, Vincentric conducted a statistical analysis to reveal which vehicles had lower than expected ownership costs given their market segment and price. Vincentric analyzed over 18,000 vehicle configurations using eight cost factors: depreciation, fees & taxes, financing, fuel, insurance, maintenance, opportunity cost, and repairs. The costs were measured after incorporating the specific CPO warranty offered by the manufacturer while also applying mileage requirements necessary to be authorized as an OEM CPO vehicle. Each CPO vehicle was evaluated in all 50 states plus Washington DC, with the assumption that each would be driven 15,000 miles annually over five years.
Photo Copyright: Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock.com.