Methodology

How We Score Cars

Every grade on Carummah comes from a transparent 100-point system across six dimensions. No black boxes, no paid placements, just the math, the data sources, and the reasoning.

Methodology last updated: July 2026

No manufacturer influence

The 100-Point System

Each vehicle earns up to 100 points across six weighted dimensions. The weights reflect what matters most to real buyers: Value and Verdict carry the most weight (25 and 20 points), because price and honest strengths-vs-weaknesses are the two things every shopper needs to know. Efficiency and Safety follow (20 and 15), reflecting daily ownership cost and crash protection. Powertrain and Market Fit round out the score (10 each), rewarding electrification and how well the vehicle serves its target buyer.

Value

pts

Efficiency

pts

Safety

pts

Verdict

pts

Powertrain

pts

Market Fit

pts

Value

/ 25 pts

Price relative to what you actually get. Cheaper isn't always better, but paying $60K for a $35K car's capability hurts.

Under $25,000 (incl. destination)25 / 25

$25,000 – $32,00022 / 25

$32,000 – $40,00018 / 25

$40,000 – $55,00014 / 25

$55,000 – $75,00010 / 25

$75,000+7 / 25

Source: Manufacturer MSRP + destination fee

Efficiency

/ 20 pts

Fuel economy for gas vehicles, range for EVs. Parsed from EPA combined MPG or manufacturer range claims.

Gas: 40+ combined MPG20 / 20

Gas: 33–39 MPG16 / 20

Gas: 28–32 MPG12 / 20

Gas: 22–27 MPG8 / 20

Gas: under 22 MPG4 / 20

EV: 350+ mi range20 / 20

EV: 300–349 mi range18 / 20

EV: 250–299 mi range15 / 20

EV: 200–249 mi range12 / 20

EV: under 200 mi range8 / 20

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, manufacturer specifications

Safety

/ 15 pts

Independent crash-test awards from IIHS and NHTSA. We count verified awards, not marketing claims.

2+ awards (e.g. IIHS Top Safety Pick + NHTSA 5-Star)15 / 15

1 award11 / 15

0 awards (not necessarily unsafe, just not verified)6 / 15

Source: IIHS.org, NHTSA.gov

Verdict

/ 20 pts

The editorial honesty ratio: how many real strengths vs. real compromises our review identified. A car with 4 strengths and 1 weakness scores higher than one with 2 and 2.

≥80% strengths (e.g. 4 strengths, 1 weakness)20 / 20

≥67% strengths (e.g. 2 strengths, 1 weakness)17 / 20

≥57% strengths (e.g. 4 strengths, 3 weaknesses)14 / 20

≥50% (even split)11 / 20

≥40% strengths8 / 20

Under 40% (more weaknesses than strengths)5 / 20

Source: Carummah editorial review process

Powertrain

/ 10 pts

Rewards electrification and choice. An EV earns full marks; a hybrid earns most. Gas-only engines earn partial credit for offering multiple options.

Full EV10 / 10

Hybrid or PHEV available8 / 10

3+ engine options6 / 10

2 engine options4 / 10

Single engine option2 / 10

Source: Manufacturer powertrain specifications

Market Fit

/ 10 pts

How well the vehicle serves its intended buyer. Points are awarded based on intent tags, whether it genuinely fits common use cases.

Best-seller (broad appeal)+4

Best MPG in class+3

Family-friendly+2

Hybrid option+2

Commuter-friendly+1

First-car suitable+1

Capped at10 / 10

Source: Carummah intent classification

The Grade Scale

Total points map to a letter grade. We don't grade on a curve, a B+ means the same thing whether it's a $20K compact or a $50K truck. The grade tells you how well the vehicle delivers on its own promise, not how it compares to a different class.

Exceptional pick

88+ points

A-

Strong choice

80–87 points

B+

Very good, minor gaps

72–79 points

Solid, do your homework

64–71 points

B-

Good for the right buyer

56–63 points

C+

Know the trade-offs

48–55 points

Niche appeal only

Below 48 points

Our Scoring Principles

No pay-for-scores

We don't accept advertising, sponsorships, or affiliate fees from manufacturers or dealerships, and no brand can pay to improve its grade. If we ever add advertising or affiliate links elsewhere on the site, they will be labelled and kept out of the scoring.

Our conflict, stated up front

Carummah is written by Anas Aldasouqi, who sells cars for a living at Capital Honda in Okemos, Michigan. Five of the six dimensions below are computed from published third-party data, so he cannot move them. The sixth, Verdict, is editorial and therefore the one a reader should weigh with that fact in mind. Honda models get the same fixed format as every other brand, but you should judge that for yourself rather than take our word for it.

Weaknesses are always listed

Every review includes at least one real compromise. If we can't find a weakness, we haven't done enough research. No car is perfect.

Scores are relative, not absolute

A B+ doesn't mean 'good car.' It means 'very good for its price and class, with minor gaps.' A $80,000 luxury SUV and a $22,000 compact can both earn a B+, they're judged against different expectations.

Data has a shelf life

Pricing, fuel costs, and safety ratings change. Each model page shows its last-updated date. If data is more than 12 months old, treat it as directional, not definitive.

Data Sources

We use publicly available, independently verifiable data. Where possible, we link directly to the source so you can check our work.

MSRP & Destination Fees

Manufacturer press sites and official pricing pages

Fuel Economy (MPG)

EPA fueleconomy.gov, combined city/highway ratings

Safety Awards

IIHS Top Safety Pick / Top Safety Pick+ and NHTSA 5-Star ratings

State Fuel Prices

AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report and EIA state-level averages

Dealer Doc Fees

CarEdge state-by-state documentation fee averages

Depreciation Rates

Historical brand-level resale value data from KBB and iSeeCars

Insurance Estimates

National averages by vehicle body type from NerdWallet and ValuePenguin

Maintenance Costs

RepairPal annual repair cost averages by brand and body type

See it in action

Every model page shows its full score breakdown. Pick a car and trace the grade back to the numbers.

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