The overall brand winner of our Total Cost of Ownership honors is a relative newcomer to the U.S., Kia. The quiet little Korean carmaker has been progressing steadily in quality and sales, and is now seen as a strong bargain when it comes to ownership as well. Such stylish and fun-to-drive Kia offerings as the Optima, Sorento and Soul specialize in delivering the practical blessings of excellent fuel economy and inspired resale value.

Anybody who thinks that the rich don't care about value has clearly never met the rich. Not wasting money is how they got there. Audi is a luxury brand that appreciates its audience and respects its audience's cash. From the most practical, fuel-friendly diesel to the most mouthwatering coupes and sedans, every Audi holds its cost-to-own value tight throughout the entire life cycle.

Completely redesigned for 2012, the space-efficient Nissan Versa sedan complements a trio of trim levels with a new and far more fuel-efficient engine. The Versa garnered total cost supremacy honors in the Subcompact Car segment by combining the lowest fair purchase price and a superior residual value figure to narrowly edge out its closest rival, the Toyota Yaris, by a mere $38.

A mid- lifecycle upgrade program that brought new and more efficient engine/transmission combinations helped the Kia Soul take top honors in the Compact Car realm. Its lowest-in-category fair purchase price matched with outstanding fuel and insurance cost figures combined to give it nearly a $1,300 advantage over the Hyundai Elantra.

Stylish and spirited, Hyundai's best-selling model added a new level of in-car connectivity for 2012 with the automaker's sophisticated Blue Link system en route to earning its prime rating in the Mid Size Car category. Although not the cheapest to buy, the Sonata's significant advantages in the areas of insurance and fuel costs moved it ahead of the Kia Optima, which shares the same basic platform architecture.

With its buyer appeal reinforced by a new and more-efficient V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission combo, Chevrolet's aging but still eminently capable and comfortable Impala captured top honors in the Full Size Car segment. The Impala's lowest comparative fair purchase price and depreciation numbers matched with above-average fuel economy gave it a slim edge over the Ford Taurus.

America's - and the world's - most popular two-seater added standard stability control for 2012, but that extra measure of confidence was just icing on the cake as the MX-5 Miata easily blew away all challengers in the Sports Car category. This supremely engaging droptop dominated every individual assessment criterion, and ended besting its closest class rival, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, by nearly $4,200 in total ownership costs over a five-year period.

Emerging victorious in the Entry Level Luxury Car category, Volvo's C30 hatchback richened its Swedish-modern character for 2012 with new Premier Plus and Platinum trim grades plus standard Bluetooth connectivity and a security alarm. In addition to having the lowest fair purchase price in its segment, the C30 enjoys exceptional advantages in maintenance costs and long-term depreciation over its closest rival, the Buick Regal.

This elegantly styled two-door version of the Audi A4 offers both coupe and convertible body styles in addition to a wide range of powertrain choices and front or Quattro all-wheel drive. Although not the cheapest to purchase, the Audi A5 earned its laurels in the Luxury Car category on the strength of its outstanding resale value and best-in-segment insurance costs, which combine to give it nearly a $5,000 total advantage over the Volvo S80.

The ultimate strong, silent type, this impressively elegant alternative to traditional German sedans complements its huge roster of standards with a silky V8 engine, eight-speed automatic transmission and the choice of rear or all-wheel drive. The Lexus LS 460 used its lowest Fair Purchase Price and lowest depreciation plus significant advantages on insurance and repair costs to dominate the High End Luxury Car field, holding nearly a $15,000 five-year total cost advantage over the BMW 7 Series.

A powerful V8 engine, sport-tuned suspension and an aggressive sense of style coupled with four-door practicality endow the Lexus IS F with its own distinctive brand of enthusiast appeal. Matching lowest fair purchase price with outstanding resale value and significant savings in fuel costs, the Lexus IS F handily outpaced the Chevrolet Corvette to claim top honors in the High Performance Car segment.

Boldly styled, the Nissan Juke appropriately reinforces its youthful yet practical personality with sporty handling and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. While holding a slight edge in fair purchase price, the real keys to the Juke's conquest of the Compact Crossover class involve a significant advantage in long-term fuel cost as well as being slightly cheaper to insure than its closest rival, the Hyundai Tucson.

With generous room for five, multiple trim/powertrain configurations and an impressive roster of standard/optional equipment, the Hyundai Santa Fe can be personalized to suit the needs of a wide range of owners. This mid- size people mover outpaced the Kia Sorento to claim top honors in the Crossover class based on its combination of lowest fair purchase price and lowest long-term depreciation coupled with lower maintenance and insurance costs.