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Best Car Batteries for the Money Rated by Consumer Reports Update

"The average price in our latest car battery ratings is $170, with one model costing more than $350. Taking the time to research the best car battery for the money can pay off," a recent Consumer Reports newsletter states.
Avoid Paying Too Much for Your Car's Battery with These Recommendations from Consumer Reports

According to a recent update from Consumer Reports, there is a broad range of prices when buying a new battery for your car. In fact, among those recently tested by CR analysts, the average price was $170, with the highest reaching more than $350.

Related article: Consumer Reports Reveals the 7 Best Car Batteries of 2025 That They've Lab-Tested and Reviewed. "We've got some less expensive batteries in our ratings that score very well."

The best value may be in choosing a strong performer that can be had for much less than the cost of the top battery," says Paolo Fu, who oversees the testing of car batteries at Consumer Reports.

Other Considerations to Think About

Choosing the best price and performance is only part of your decision-making equation. You also have to decide whether you can (or want to) DIY or whether it makes more sense to let a qualified mechanic or trained technician do the battery replacement for you.

Depending on your car's make, model, and year, it could involve more than opening the hood and loosening the battery terminal bolts before lifting the old battery. Many models have their batteries installed in hard-to-access areas that require some removal of parts before installation that may be dangerous to handle―especially with Hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius, as demonstrated by a top Toyota mechanic.

Furthermore, with a battery replacement, your vehicle may require reprogramming systems dependent on a constant power source at all times. To find out whether this applies to your car, you must consult your vehicle owner's manual.

At the very least, you need to know your vehicle's correct battery type and terminal style. Again, you will need to consult your vehicle owner's manual or, if you prefer, visit an auto parts store, where you will often find in-store guides in the battery department.

Before you buy a new car battery, know the correct group number for your vehicle, which varies depending on make, model, year, and engine size. Batteries are defined by physical size, type, and placement of the terminals, as well as mounting style ―Consumer Reports "Best Car Batteries for the Money" March 25, 2025.

If you are the original owner of your vehicle, you could check the labeling on the original battery. However, used car owners need to be aware that often sellers install a cheaper, lower-amp battery before selling a car, and therefore, it might not be the correct one rated for their car.

AGM or Leaded Battery?

"Compared with traditional, lead-acid (aka "flooded") batteries, absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries tend to dominate our ratings...AGMs are built to stand up to repeated draining and recharging cycles better than flooded batteries, which often cost significantly less," states the newsletter.

However, that does not mean you should always bypass the lead-acid battery type.

If you live in an area with extreme temperatures and are looking for a maintenance-free battery, consider getting an AGM," says Fu. "High heat can affect the life of AGM batteries, much like flooded batteries, but they tend to perform better overall in our tests.

CR Recommended Batteries

To help consumers match their battery group type with their vehicle, CR analysts categorized the batteries by group type with a potential listing of makes within each group type in conjunction with the batteries they recommend as the "Best Car Batteries for the Money" rating.

A summary of the listing is provided below:

Car Battery Groups

Size 24 and 24F: NAPA Legend Premium 8424F (Price: $130) Fits many Acura, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Nissan, and Toyota vehicles.

Size 35: EverStart MAXX-35N (North) (Price: $90) Fits most Japanese nameplates, including many recent Honda vehicles, most Subaru vehicles, and most Mazda, Nissan, and Toyota vehicles.

Size 47 (H5): Interstate Mega-Tron II MT47H5 (Price: $135) Fits many Buick, Chevrolet, Fiat, and Volkswagen models.

Size 48 (H6): Exide Marathon Max AGM MXH6L348 [FPAGML348] (Price: $180) Fits many vehicles from Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Volkswagen, and Volvo.

Size 49 (H8): ACDelco 49 AGM (Price: $184.99) Fits many vehicles from Audi, BMW, Hyundai, and Mercedes-Benz.

Size 51R: Duracell 51R (Price: $105) Fits many vehicles from Honda and Nissan.

Size 65: ACDelco Professional Gold 65PG (Price: $125) Fits large cars, trucks, and sport-utility vehicles from Ford and Mercury.

For additional battery-related articles, here is an informative one for DIY types titled "Car Battery Maintenance, Testing, and Replacement with This Ultimate Guide."

COMING UP NEXT: Full Self Driving In My New 2026 Tesla Model Y Launch Series (Juniper) Is Impressive! Is True FSD Just Around the Corner with Version 14.0.0?

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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Comments

Timothy Boyer    April 2, 2025 - 11:35PM

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Hi,

Well...I did some searching online, and I can see why someone might have a difficult time finding the EXACT battery shown on Consumer Reports. 

If you go by the labels on the batteries, you will see some slight and some not-so-slight variations, which can be confusing.

This label differences may be due to at least two reasons:

  • Updated Designs – Manufacturers periodically update their product casings, labels, or terminal configurations, and the images used by Consumer Reports may not reflect the latest design. Like many magazines, articles are often published months after they are researched and written.
  • Generic vs. Retail-Specific Photos – Consumer Reports might use stock images or older photos from when they originally tested the battery, while Walmart, Costco, Batteries Plus, etc., will display the most current version they are selling.

Your best bet is to follow the brand specs of the recommended battery that interests you and price shop from there looking for the better deal on the battery that shares those same specs. The odds are good it is the same battery with just a newer label on it. 

You could also print an image off of Consumer Reports and take it to places like NAPA, Auto Zone, Walmart, Firestone, etc., and ask for that battery and they should be able to tell you which one is the same battery or what should be its equivalent---as long as it is an equivalent within the same brand. Avoid "equivalent" batteries under a different brand name because it could be anything (good or bad) with a seller's preferred label slapped on.

After searching the different batteries CR reported, my suspicion is that their prices are on the low side of what you will find. Perhaps the retailer gives them a deal to get readers to notice them? Your guess is as good as mine. 

In any case, the best practice is to start shopping around before your battery dies. Invest in a battery tester with a built-in load and make it a habit to test the battery every few months. You will see a decline in charge and cranking amp numbers as a battery ages, giving you time to plan ahead and price shop.

Good luck and thanks for asking.