Military members do like their trucks — in particular, the Ford F-150, which tops the list of the most popular vehicles insured by USAA members in 2014, according to a recently released list from USAA.

"Our men and women in the military are like the average consumer – at least in their top choice," said Steve Harrison, executive director of auto experience for USAA. The F-150 is also the top-selling vehicle for consumers nationwide, and has been for more than 30 years.

The military list was compiled with information from active-duty, retired and veteran USAA members who insured their vehicles through USAA — 2011 model year or later — as of Jan. 31. The data don't include family members.

Military members, veterans and retirees are generally safety-conscious. Toyota Camry and Honda Accord ranked at least in the top five for all the service branches; those cars have received the highest safety ratings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The 2015 Ford F-150 also received the highest safety rating from NHTSA. The 2015 models are made with an aluminum alloy body — similar to many military vehicles. They'll be up to 700 pounds lighter than before, resulting in better fuel efficiency.

Coast Guardsmen and Marines were more into trucks, according to the second most popular choices: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 for Marines; and Toyota Tacoma for Coast Guardsmen.

Marines do have a plethora of vehicles that are stereotypical "manly" vehicles, said Steve Harrison, executive director for auto experience at USAA. Yet "even Marines are not immune to buying safe, affordable, efficient vehicles," he said. He noted that the Toyota Camry is in third place for Marines, with the Honda Accord and Honda Civic in fourth and fifth place.

Despite the presence of trucks on the lists, there are cars that are notably fuel-efficient. And on the military lists, Harrison said, you don't see luxury vehicles like Lexus, BMW or Mercedes in the top 10.

Looking at the choices, he said, it also is clear service members, retirees and veterans buy vehicles using incentives offered, such as the one for the Chevrolet Silverado. "They're looking for opportunities to save money," he said. These incentives are offered through USAA as well as manufacturers.

USAA advises customers to keep transportation costs at between 10 percent and 15 percent of living expenses. "With the choices I see on this list, that seems pretty doable," Harrison said. Those expenses, besides financing, include gas, insurance and repairs. "While these vehicles are value vehicles, not luxury vehicles, members should still do their homework on how much they can afford," Harrison said. That should be done before you start looking for a vehicle, he said.

Shop around for the best interest rate and go into a dealership preapproved for a loan, which gives you better leverage for negotiating.

Do research on what your current car is worth. You might get a good deal on the new car, but it's not as good if you lose money on your trade-in. Know about add-in products so that you price things like extended warranties before going into the dealership, so that you don't make an emotional decision.

Looking at this list of popular cars might help you start the research for your next purchase.

The complete list of most popular vehicles can be found at http://usaa2.zag.com/top-ten-new.html?referrer_id=ZUSA00002065.

Top three vehicle picks, in order by service branch:

Army: Ford F-150, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord; Air Force: Ford F-150, Camry, Accord; Coast Guard: Ford F-150, Toyota Tacoma, Camry; Marine Corps: Ford F-150, Silverado 1500, Camry; Navy: Ford F-150, Accord, Camry.

Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book "A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families." She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.

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