Best Electric Car Recommendations From Consumer Reports

Are you looking for reliable electric vehicles that demonstrate not just impressive range, but everyday practicality that will meet your driving needs? Then look no further as automotive experts from Consumer Reports have just released their latest list of their recommended electric cars and why you should choose them over all other EVs.

Related article: EVs Will Create New Job Opportunities with Gas-Only Trucks

Not All EVs are Equal―But Here are the Best

According to CR analysts, “...we present the best electric cars we’ve tested, ranked in order of their Overall Score, factoring in road-test performance, predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety. Be aware that Overall Scores change over time as new information becomes available, such as reliability data we collect through our exclusive surveys. The cars’ model pages always reflect our latest ratings.”

Please note that in order to receive the latest day-to-day updates on any of the EV models listed, it does require CR membership. However, from following the CR website over the years, I have noticed that the potential savings make it negligible in comparison when looking for the latest information to aid your car buying research and therefore highly recommend becoming a member and receiving the best of their services available.

That said, to help those who do not have a membership just yet, here is a summary of their recommended electric car models that includes one of the biggest key selling points for your consideration: CR’s range comments.

13 Best Electric Cars Recommended by Consumer Reports

1. Hyundai Ioniq 6 2024

Price Range:  $37,500 - $53,650

CR MPGE:  Overall 103 / City 111 / Hwy 94 mpge

#1 of 13 Electric cars

CR Range comments: Has an EPA-estimated driving range that spans 240 to 361 miles, depending on the trim line and tire size. It offers a choice of a 53- or 77.4-kilowatt-hour battery. Each version is offered with either rear- or all-wheel drive by virtue of dual motors. As with the Ioniq 5, the 6 is capable of rapid DC fast charging in public places.

2. Kia Niro Electric 2024

Price Range:  $39,600 - $44,600

CR MPGE:  Overall 113 / City 126 / Hwy 101 mpge

#2 of 13 Electric cars

CR Range comments: Has an ample EPA-estimated 253-mile range. Of note, it’s only available with front-wheel drive. The 11-kW onboard charger allows for quicker home charging, but its meager 85-kW max acceptance rate means public DC fast charging will be relatively slow.

3. BMW i4 2024

Price Range:  $52,200 - $69,700

CR MPGE:  Overall 96 / City 94 / Hwy 98 mpge

#1 of 12 Electric luxury cars

CR Range comments: New for 2024, the 396-hp all-wheel-drive xDrive40 has the longest EPA-estimated driving range in the lineup, at 307 miles. The 536-hp all-wheel-drive M50 we tested delivers thrilling, effortless acceleration along with power but has a lower range of 269 miles. We were able to gain 65 miles of range in 15 minutes at public DC fast charging venues, thanks to the i4’s competitive 195-kW max acceptance rate.

4. Porsche Taycan 2024

Price Range:  $90,900 - $197,500

CR MPGE:  Overall 69 / City 68 / Hwy 71 mpge

#2 of 12 Electric luxury cars

CR Range comments: The 4S Plus version’s EPA-rated range is 235 miles. Charging time on a 240-volt connector takes a long 11 hours for the larger 93-kWh battery, but it can charge at an impressive rate of 270 kW at a public DC fast charger.

5. Kia EV6 2024

Price Range:  $42,600 - $61,600

CR MPGE:  Overall 105 / City 116 / Hwy 94 mpge

#1 of 14 Electric SUVs

CR Range comments: The EV6 is Kia’s first car designed from the outset to be fully electric. EPA-estimated driving ranges are 310 miles for the rear-drive, long-range-battery model and 282 miles for the all-wheel-drive version.

6. Nissan Ariya 2024

Price Range:  $39,590 - $54,190

CR MPGE:  Overall 87 / City 89 / Hwy 84 mpge

#3 of 14 Electric SUVs

CR Range comments: The Nissan Ariya is quick, quiet, and roomy, and has a decent driving range. But its EV tech is weak, with a 7.2-kilowatt onboard charger that adds only about 20 miles of range per hour at home. DC fast charging is below average as well. It offers a 63-kilowatt-hour battery or a longer-range 87-kWh battery, with either front- or all-wheel drive. We got a decent 253 miles of range in our highway range test with the larger battery.

7. Ford Mustang Mach-E 2024

Price Range:  $39,995 - $53,995

CR MPGE:  Overall 90 / City 96 / Hwy 84 mpge

#2 of 14 Electric SUVs

CR Range comments: The extended-range battery version with all-wheel drive was able to drive 299 miles in our highway range test. On a 240-volt home charger, it takes about 10 hours to fill the 91-kilowatt-hour battery from empty.

8. Kia EV9 2024

Price Range:  $54,900 - $73,900

CR MPGE:  Overall 83 / City 91 / Hwy 75 mpge

#1 of 8 Electric SUVs 3-row

CR Range comments: The single-motor version makes 215 hp with rear-wheel drive, while the dual-motor AWD version makes 379 hp. The long-range RWD version has an EPA-estimated range of 304 miles, while the AWD version is rated at 280. 

9. BMW iX 2024

Price Range:  $87,100 - $111,500

CR MPGE:  Overall 86 / City 86 / Hwy 87 mpge

#1 of 21 Electric luxury cars

CR Range comments: It employs two motors to give it all-wheel-drive capability. The EPA-estimated driving range is a commendable 324 miles. The iX’s maximum acceptance rate of 195 kilowatts in public DC fast charging locations is competitive. Home charging from empty on 240 volts takes 11 hours, which is not surprising, given the large 111-kilowatt-hour battery.

10. Genesis GV60 2024

Price Range:  $52,000 - $69,950

CR MPGE:  Overall 95 / City 103 / Hwy 86 mpge

#2 of 21 Electric luxury SUVs

CR Range comments: It has an Environmental Protection Agency-rated 248-mile range from its 77.4-kilowatt-hour battery and comes standard with all-wheel drive.

11. Lexus RZ 2024

Price Range:  $54,000 - $64,430

CR MPGE:  Overall 107 / City 115 / Hwy 98 mpge

#3 of 21 Electric luxury SUVs

CR Range comments: With its 71.4-kWh battery and standard 18-inch tires, the RZ 450e only managed a mere 202 miles in our testing…Plus, its 6.6-kW onboard charger is skimpy and results in home charging that’s on the slower side. 

12. Tesla Model Y 2024

Price Range:  $42,990 - $51,490

CR MPGE:  Overall 121 / City 127 / Hwy 114 mpge

#4 of 21 Electric luxury SUVs

CR Range comments: The AWD Long Range version has an EPA-estimated 330-mile driving range. Charging from almost empty takes 10 hours on a 240-volt connector, but it’s quicker with Tesla’s wall charger.

13. Audi Q8 E-Tron 2024

Price Range:  $74,400 - $92,600

CR MPGE:  Overall 81 / City 80 / Hwy 83 mpge

#6 of 21 Electric luxury SUVs

CR Range comments: A larger battery that gives it an EPA-estimated 285-mile range, a 65-mile increase over the original model. Horsepower has increased from 355 to 402. A three-motor SQ8 version brings 496hp and an EPA-estimated range of up to 253 miles. The DC fast charger acceptance rate is now 170 kilowatts. 

For additional articles related to owning an electric car, here are a few for your consideration:

• EV Owner Reveals 5 Hidden EV Expenses of Owning an EV
• The Most Common Maintenance Issues of Electric Vehicles
• Why Today’s Tesla Cybertruck is a Failure

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on  “Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair” website, the Zen Mechanic blog and on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites  and Facebook for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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