Kelley Blue Book’s experts score sedans on a five-point scale, and the results span a wide range. The Chevrolet Malibu came last at 3.5, while the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry share the top mark of 4.8. Here are ten sedans from the mid-size, compact and sedan lists, with prices and mileage as the page shows them.
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1. Chevrolet Malibu: Last Place
Kelley Blue Book’s mid-size sedan list puts the 2025 Chevrolet Malibu at the bottom with a 3.5 expert score on KBB mid-size sedan list.
The page prices it at $26,995 and lists 31 mpg, a figure that matches or beats several better-rated cars in this gallery. The listing is for the 2025 model year, so the score reflects that year rather than any later update. The low rating is therefore not about a high sticker or poor fuel economy, since it simply trails every other car on that mid-size page.
2. Volkswagen Jetta: Compact Value
The Volkswagen Jetta lands at 3.9 on Kelley Blue Book’s compact car list, with a $25,270 price and 33 mpg on KBB compact car list.
That score sits well above the Malibu’s 3.5, though it is the lowest of the four compacts in this gallery. Its fuel economy equals the Nissan Sentra’s and trails only the Toyota Corolla’s 34 mpg. Shoppers weighing the Jetta will find its mileage competitive even if the expert score is the group’s weakest, and the gap to the Mazda3 is only 0.2.
3. Subaru Legacy: Mid-Size Middle
The 2025 Subaru Legacy earns a 4.0 on Kelley Blue Book’s mid-size list, priced at $27,980 with 30 mpg on KBB mid-size list.
That puts it comfortably ahead of the Malibu in the same category, by half a point. The model-year label matters, since the listing is for 2025 and the score applies to that year. Buyers should check what the current lineup offers, because the Legacy sits near the middle of the scores collected in this gallery rather than at either end.
4. Nissan Sentra: Cheapest Here
Kelley Blue Book scores the Nissan Sentra 4.0 on its compact list, at $23,845 and 33 mpg on KBB compact list.
That is the lowest price of any car in this gallery. A 4.0 is a solid showing but leaves room above it, as the Mazda3 and Corolla both score higher on the same compact list. The Sentra also matches the Jetta’s 33 mpg while costing about $1,400 less, which makes its rating more notable for the money involved, especially for budget-minded compact shoppers.
5. Mazda3: Fun Compact
The Mazda3 rates 4.1 on Kelley Blue Book’s compact car list, priced at $25,885 with 28 mpg on KBB compact car list.
Its fuel economy is the lowest among the compacts in this gallery, yet its expert score still beats the Jetta and the Sentra. The numbers suggest the experts weighted something other than mileage when they ranked it. At $25,885 it also costs more than the Jetta, Sentra and Corolla, so the higher rating comes with a modest price premium.
6. Toyota Crown: Priciest Sedan
The Toyota Crown scores 4.4 on Kelley Blue Book’s mid-size list at $42,535 and 30 mpg, the most expensive car on the page on KBB mid-size list.
That is roughly $15,000 above the Malibu’s listed price on the same list. A strong score comes with a premium here, and the Crown still ranks below the Accord and Camry at 4.8. Its mileage matches the Legacy’s 30 mpg, so the extra cost buys a better score rather than better fuel economy than its mid-size peers.
7. Toyota Corolla: Compact Champion
The Toyota Corolla gets 4.5 on Kelley Blue Book’s compact list, priced at $24,320 with 34 mpg on KBB compact list.
It is the best-rated compact in this gallery and also posts the highest fuel economy among the cars shown. A low price and efficient mileage together make it the value pick of the group. Only the Sentra costs less, and the Corolla’s score is a full 0.5 above that car’s 4.0, which is a meaningful gap on a five-point scale.
8. Honda Accord: Joint Winner
Kelley Blue Book’s sedan list gives the Honda Accord a 4.8, a score it shares with the Toyota Camry on KBB best sedans list.
That tie sits at the top of every rating in this gallery. It is also a full 1.3 points above the Chevrolet Malibu, which anchors the opposite end of the scale. The comparison with the other cars here rests on the expert score alone, and on that measure the Accord sits at the very top alongside the Camry.
9. Toyota Camry: Matching Score
The Toyota Camry also earns a 4.8 on Kelley Blue Book’s sedan list, matching the Honda Accord at the top on KBB sedan ratings page.
The shared score places the two even on the page’s rating, and both finish well clear of the rest of this gallery. For shoppers, the choice between them comes down to details the single number does not capture. The Camry’s result also stands 1.3 points above the Malibu, which means the spread between best and worst here is considerable.
10. Kia K5: Korean Contender
Kelley Blue Book’s mid-size list rates the Kia K5 at 4.5, priced at $28,735 with 29 mpg on KBB mid-size list.
That score equals the Corolla’s and beats the Legacy and the Malibu on the same list. It is also priced above the Legacy and Malibu, and its mileage trails most of the compact rivals in this gallery. The K5 therefore sits in the upper tier on score, though only the Crown among the mid-size cars here costs noticeably more.
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