WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. News & World Report has unveiled its annual Best Vehicle Brand awards. The awards recognize fleetwide excellence for cars, SUVs, trucks and luxury vehicles. By highlighting the best brand in the four major segments of the automotive marketplace, the awards are designed to help consumers narrow their search for a new car.

U.S. News’ 2018 Best Vehicle Brand winners are:

Mazda: Best Car Brand

Mazda won the car class on the strength of the Mazda3, Mazda6 and Mazda MX-5 Miata. All three models have top-notch performance that puts an emphasis on direct, sporty handling, as well as quality interiors that are more upscale than their price tags might suggest, according to U.S. News’ editors.

Honda: Best SUV Brand

Honda’s current crop of SUVs puts the brand well ahead of the pack, U.S. News said, with the Honda HR-V, CR-V and Pilot all providing consumers with the comfort, utility and reliability that SUV and crossover buyers are looking for.

Ford: Best Truck Brand

In a close race, the Ford F-150 nabbed the Best Truck Brand award for Ford, with the F-150’s capability, safety and high-tech features putting it over the top.

Porsche: Best Luxury Brand

Though many consumers think Porsche only makes sports cars, the automaker offers a full lineup of impressive vehicles, including two SUVs, hybrids and the four-door Panamera fastback. In addition to pacesetting performance, all Porsche models indulge their occupants with opulent, driver-oriented interiors that score high marks with reviewers. It’s also one of the most reliable brands on the market.

“Deciding where to start looking for a new car, truck or SUV can be one of the most overwhelming parts of buying a car,” said Jamie Page Deaton, managing editor of Best Cars for U.S. News. “The Best Vehicle Brands provides consumers with the greatest possible starting point, no matter what type of vehicle they’re shopping for.”

To determine the award winners, U.S. News averaged the overall score of all the given brand’s products in each award class. The brand with the highest overall average score was named the winner in the category. The overall scores come directly from the U.S. News Best Cars rankings, which are based on a combination of the consensus of the automotive press, safety scores and reliability data.