Shoppers demand value on their cars. New purchase on cars should provide more values to their owner’s lives; otherwise, people will hang on their older cars longer. Now it’s time for automakers to give their buyers more bang for their buck. Bang-for-your-buck, however, doesn’t mean price war in tight competition. It will be a war in value they offer to buyers.

The 2011 U.S. News Best Car for the Money will present award winners to cars giving buyers sophisticated value. The awards calculate both data from the U.S. News Automotive presenting automobile rankings and TrueCar.com analyzing total cost of ownership within five last years. The results exhibit cars, which satisfy both car reviewers and owners by showing great car specifications and offering lower than average price. The winners will feature both great values and great cars.

The Winners
If you trace back the winners list, you’ll get some shocks. Nowadays, no single manufacturer is able to dominate the market in providing excellent long-term value cars. Kia, Hyundai and Mitsubishi are bringing serious challenge to more established well-known brands like Honda and Toyota. Meanwhile, carmakers that hold true reputation for quality in certain area are proven to succeed in new segment.

Ford can be a fine example. Ford used to win Best Car for the Money awards for categories of large cars, trucks and SUVs. Today Ford Fiesta is awarded the Best Subcompact Car for the Money. General Motor exhibits the same trend. Chevrolet is awarded the Best Midsize Car with the Chevrolet Malibu in addition to other awards of best full size truck and SUV categories. The Buick Regal defeats BMW and Lexus in best upscale sedan category highlighting their combination of value and performance.

The Honda Civic came out as the winner of the Best Compact Car for the Money, and the Honda Fit took home awards for the Best Hatchback for the Money. Less popular brands in U.S. such as Mitsubishi and Suzuko also won in some categories. The Mitsubishi won the Best Compact Crossover for the Money beating out the Honda C-RV. The Suzuki Equator came first for the Best Pickup for the Money. Hyundai and Kia were also recorded in the winners list. The Kia Sedona was awarded for Best Minivan for the Money and the Hyundai Electra got the Best Wagon for the Money award.

In nowadays tight competition, automakers are struggling by providing more values to their cars, in which the consumers may take great benefits. However, that value may fade away over time. Fuel price, insurance, maintenance and depreciation cost will be a ghost to buyers. This award of the Best Car for the Money pronounces cars that may not be hot sales in the market, but they’re proven to offer excellent long-term values. And that does matter in consumer’s mind.

Do you want to make a purchase on luxury car this year? Having analyzed all 2011 vehicles sold in the U.S. market, Forbes analysts suggest getting a truck. Toyota Highlander and the Lexus RX450h may be your fine choice regarding to value defeating sedans which price are usually higher than $40,000. The 2011 Chevrolet Volt topping the list may be an exception. Promoting its fuel-saving hybrid technology and federal tax discount, the Volt is priced at $40,280 placing the model as the most affordable expensive car of the year. The average lower price tagged is benefited from the government credit.

Behind the Numbers
To be included in luxury car list, the vehicle should be lineup in price of higher than $40,000. The costs components are total costs of fuel in five-year, and other costs of maintenance, insurance, and depreciation and taxes.

Data considers an annual rate for fuel which includes a 3.5% inflation rate. Depreciation is the biggest figure in determining how much a vehicle costs the owner. Luxury cars show more depreciation values than the others. The post-sale price after five years should be considered also by the buyer, since there is a strong connection between MSRP and total ownership cost.

The list is exactly dominated by vehicles cost under $41,000. Overall cost, however, is not only determined by single initial price, but sales taxes and fuel costs also contribute to the total.

Trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid came in fourth and GMC Sierra Hybrid got in sixth. High demand for such vehicles directly affects post-sale price and depreciation rate.

However, you’ll find more than just a truck with heated leather seats and DVD screens installed as the interior feature. In addition, chrome-heavy trims proposed a comfortable atmosphere in most pickups. You may not be aware if you’re riding in a truck at all.

Market nowadays is simply ignored other Jeep but all-new 2011 Grand Cherokee due to less dramatic upgrade. Jeep Compass did not gain proper impression and had image of serious off-road credentials.

Now, some issues seem to be addressed very well. You may experience different sensation driving the 2.4-liter four-cylinder equipped with the Freedom Drive II Off-Road group.

The automaker has performed a huge improvement for the new 201 Compass. The car now resembles much as Cherokee’s little brother with the quad-reflector headlights featured in both vehicles. The company presents a more serious and refined look by displaying new hood, front fenders and fascia, as well as seven-slot Jeep grille.

The drive sensation is different as well. The 2011 Jeep Compass impressed me much on the icy and snowy roads. The car installs sound-absorption materials to kick away loud noise as found in previous version. The Jeep engine utilizes 172-hp four-cylinder in which its rpm is likely unrelated to the speed. Thanks to Compass suspension, that provides better control of ride.

Improvements go on to interior aspects. The Jeep Compass gives high-quality materials to have a substantial feel. The car features side-curtain airbags and cruise control, windows and power mirror controls.

The Jeep Compass is compatible to the Freedom Drive II Off-Road Package, sold at $1,600 that enables a full-time control over 4WD system promoting 19:1 low-range gearing. The package is appreciated to earn Jeep’s Trail Rated badge. The package is suggested for modest off-road conditions including steep grades, and frequent wheel lift and rock or log climbing. In addition, the feature of CVT2L is helping to smooth throttle response required at serious moment. And when you need more gas but your wheels start to spin, automatic brake is automatically initiated to send power to the wheels for obtaining better traction. Thus, the system keeps the Compass moving down a rough path.

You’ll get more macho-looking Jeep Patriot which in some aspects resembles the Compass. Jeep is confident to sell the Compass at a more balanced rate.

A “white-space vehicle exploring the crossover between car and minivan,” is Derrick Kuzak’s statement, to describe 2012 Ford C-Max. It is a shorter name version of Europe’s Grand C-Max. (In Europe Ford trades a C-Max and a Grand C-Max. Continent’s C-Max appears in smaller dimension and has only two seat rows.) You may choose whatever description of this upcoming C-Max, but this people-carrier is on its way for 2012.

We enjoyed our experiences driving three-row Grand C-Max in Europe, a mini-minivan equipped with some smart packaging. But, they didn’t install the American power trains in our cars. They, perhaps, had not yet adapted details of U.S. engine lineup to the cars.

Two Fours and 5+2
The 2.5-liter four-cylinder base engine generates 168 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. The 1.6-liter EcoBoost four is another engine option, which is turbocharged and direct-injected. Compared to the 2.5, it produces the same horsepower using regular gases; meanwhile, it provides 180 hp fueled on premium. The use of either fuel will produce 173 ft-lbs torque. Ford guarantees more efficient fuel for the EcoBoost four which is more expensive and sometimes powerful, to justify its higher charge. (The all-new Explorer utilizes a similar scheme.) A six-speed automatic transmission is the single option, regardless to the installed powerplant.

Ford C-Max presents the same interior as Europe’s Grand Max with “5+2” seating. We can fold the second row’s middle seat and keep it inside its right to have an aisle for access to the third row. Buyers have an option to eliminate the two small seats in the third row for 5+0 seating. Some features will appear on this model such as Sync and MyFord Touch, a rearview camera, active park assistance, and Curve Control-an evolutionary control for stability first appeared on the new Explorer.

Hands-free Feature!
The Americanized C-Max introduces one unique party feature called a hands-free liftgate release. Similar to the latest European VW Passat with its hop-on-one-leg trunk, the C-Max’s system utilizes sensors attached on the rear bumper detecting things, which wave past and pop the hatch. The idea is a system that holds your cargo within C-Max when your hands are busy and full of things, and a leg wave is easier to open the door than mishandling for your keys. Very likely, this technology is soon to be adopted in all full-size-minivans.

C-Max is intended for “growing, busy North American families,” stated Ford. It describes the Ford’s C-segment platform. C-Max for U.S. spec will make its appearance debut at January’s 2011 Detroit Auto Show, and going on sale.

Hyundai is proud of their tagline “Fluidic Sculpture” as the way of determining style in their cars. Looking at the 2011 Hyundai Elantra compact sedan, we’ll be forced to forgive them for pronouncing the phrase. The new look of Elantra as the fifth-generation provides you way to do so. The car is lineup in this reinvigorated class which indeed looks like anything at all. The Chevy Cruze, by comparison, does no rising and falling whatsoever.

Elantra goes on to the market for $22,830. In recent Hyundai fashion, some features will be installed on standard equipment. The Limited version will include stability control, automatic headlights, Bluetooth connectivity and iPod interface, a power sunroof, remote keyless entry, leather seats with heated system. You may find additional navigation system equipped with a high-res seven inch screen in the Premium package (a $2000 option) along with a rearview camera, as well as a premium audio system.

Competitive Power and Size
With a 106.3-inch wheelbase, the Elantra resembles the current Honda Civic. The car applies 1.8-liter four-cylinder to generate 148 hp. The EPA says this DOHC engine produces 29 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. These figures defeat everything in class except the designed fuel-efficiency engine of the Cruze and the 2012 Ford Focus. Compared to Cruze LTZ, Our Elantra may accelerate to 60 mph just in 8.6 seconds (0.3 second quicker) and go to standstill from 70 mph in 172 feet (9 feet shorter).

The new Elantra is not flawless, off course. The car is still producing unnecessarily stiff and noisy when driving at high speed. You may hear the engine scream loud, “Hey, I’m still an economy car!” It’s good to have a luxury-car promoting the dramatic bodywork, but still pronouncing to be an economy car. The competition will be tough, including two American-brand entries, highlighting more features of NVH control and handling system. But the Elantra gets the look for sure.