Most Improved Car Models of 2024

• Mercedes and Mitsubishi both stepped up product quality.
• Ford Ranger jumps from worst to first.
• Corvette remains the best sports-car lineup and value.

It's a fact in any industry: Good products can go bad, and bad products either get better or go away. We're a sucker for a good underdog story as much as anyone, and the cars listed here are the biggest comebacks we've seen in the last five years of our ratings program. We're also looking at the cars that hold the top spots and how they maintain their dominance.

Edmunds has been rating cars for nearly two decades, allowing us to track the evolution of cars and trucks through successive generations. We've documented the changes and refinements that see them rise in ratings and, in some cases, the stagnation and indifference that lead to their fall.

We evaluate cars in more than a half-dozen categories, from performance to interior comfort and utility, before arriving at an average score out of 10 points. We typically put a car through our criteria after it's been significantly updated, or "redesigned" in industry terms. Sometimes we'll reevaluate a specific model if it's received new technology, more safety features or a new engine — basically any substantial changes that might change our opinion.

So, which cars have shown the most improvement in our ratings tests? Let's dig in. 

Comeback kids

The most dramatic example is the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. This quirky fastback-style variation on the regular GLE SUV took a hit in our initial rating for its reduced rear seat headroom, small cargo space, and diminished outward visibility. But the second-generation model made an impressive comeback, vaulting from its earlier 6.5 rating in 2019 to 8.1 in 2021 (there was no rating in 2020). The new-gen GLE Coupe added newer tech features and slightly more cargo space, as well as improved handling and fuel economy, which helped boost its standing. 

Another notable resurgence: the Ford Ranger. The classic midsize pickup disappeared from the American market in 2011 but continued sales in other global markets. With the revival of the midsize pickup segment around 2015, Ford hustled to get its Ranger back to American shores. When the "new" Ranger arrived a few years later, it failed to impress. Ford couldn't hide the truck's aging chassis, wobbly ride, and lack of off-road capability, especially against fresher Chevrolet, Nissan and Toyota rivals. 

We gave the Ranger a below-average rating of 6.8, which it carried until the debut of an all-new model in 2024. Today's Ranger couldn't be more different than its predecessor. Gone are the wobbly ride and off-road deficiencies, replaced instead with taut suspension tuning, a strong engine with muscular towing capacity, and a trail-ready Raptor trim. The Ranger scored 8 points or higher (out of 10) in all of our rating categories, earning an overall 8.2 rating — a 20% improvement in one generation. That's a remarkable comeback by any measure, and we consider the Ranger a great choice for a midsize pickup.  

Other surprising second acts include the 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle), which leapt from earlier ratings of 6.5 and 6.8 to a score of 8.0 in 2024, highlighting the resilience of a brand basically left for dead in the United States. 

The chart above illustrates the most improved cars in the last five years of our ratings program. The Toyota Tundra, Cadillac Escalade, and even Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid — one of the last minivans standing — are among those models that significantly improved. 

Holding the throne

It's one thing to close the gap between a poor rating and a great one. It's another to hold that rating over successive years. Topping our list, each in its own distinct category, are the Chevrolet Corvette, Ford F-150 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. 

The S-Class is always a contender for today's top luxury sedan, as Mercedes forever tinkers on the cutting-edge of comfort, infotainment, safety and self-driving technology. The S-Class' 8.5 rating is among our highest of any car and edges out its nearest competitor, the BMW 7 Series (8.2). 

The Ford F-150 isn't much of a surprise either. It's one of the top-selling vehicles in the U.S. annually (the entire Ford F-Series lineup typically takes the top spot each year) and routinely outperforms its top rivals, the Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500, in our ratings. (The Ram doesn't go quietly, however; note that it currently ties the F-150 in overall rating at 8.1, even though the Ford holds the edge over a five-year period.)

Though the current-generation Silverado hasn't impressed us much (rated at 7.5), another Chevy dominates our sports-car ratings. The Corvette, currently rated at 8.5, has topped our ratings since the current generation's debut in 2020. For power, handling, style, and sheer bang for the performance buck, nothing beats it. 

Edmunds says

Edmunds tests, rates and updates our opinion of dozens of cars every year. And when you're shopping for a new or even a used car, it helps to know how a model has progressed over the last few years. A model with big leaps in improvement signals an automaker that takes the competition seriously, making the buyer the biggest winner.