The Best EVs You Can Buy In 2026, According To Consumer Reports

There may have been a time when it felt like the only decent electric vehicles on the market were Teslas, but thankfully, that's no longer the case. Heck, you could even buy an electric Subaru if you really wanted. But should you? EVs offer lower maintenance costs and reduced mechanical complexity, but they can also come with plenty of software bugs that range from merely annoying to absolutely infuriating. 

So, if you're in the market for a new car and want it to be electric, which options are your best bets? Depending on where you get your buying advice, you could get a wide variety of recommendations, but especially when reliability is a concern, it usually helps to check what our friends at Consumer Reports have to say based on the data it gathers from hundreds of thousands of survey respondents every year.

And, conveniently, Consumer Reports just released a list of the EVs they recommend the most. Let's take a look at which EVs made the cut. 

According to Consumer Reports, if you just want a good, old-fashioned sedan (with a futuristic drivetrain), your best bets are the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and the Tesla Model 3. And while they both have plenty of factors working in their favor, they do have their flaws, too. For example, even though the Hyundai is quick, fun to drive, comfortable, and quiet, it also has a relatively small trunk, and the styling is something you'll either love or hate. 

As for the Model 3, it has less controversial styling, drives well, and includes access to Tesla's Supercharger network, which could make roadtrips more convenient. On the other hand, you don't get access to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, the controls all suck (especially the turn signals), and whether you like it or not, you'll be announcing to the world that you're on Team Elon. You know, the "right arm-gesturing" billionaire whose AI chatbot helps creeps virtually undress little kids? Be better than that.

For those of you looking for something a little more luxurious, Consumer Reports has three recommendations, and they're all German. Two of them are also BMWs. On the smaller side, there's the BMW i4, which is a generally excellent EV that's an electric version of the 3 Series–based 4 Series Gran Coupe. The only real downside is the small second row, so if you regularly carry rear-seat passengers, you'll want to check out the larger BMW i5. The styling is rough, and Consumer Reports didn't love the controls in either of the BMWs, but as far as luxury EVs go, it's a tough one to beat. 

On the other hand, if you have a big enough budget not to be scared off by a six-figure price tag, you'll want to consider the Porsche Taycan. Early on, the Taycan didn't really have the range to take on Tesla, but thanks to more recent updates its range is much improved, with some models offering over 300 miles of range. But while it's far more fun to drive than your typical EV, the rear seats aren't exactly huge, so keep that in mind if you need to stash a few adult humans back there with any regularity.

While Consumer Reports says European automakers make the best electric luxury electric sedans, if you want a mainstream crossover, all of its recommendations are American. That includes the Tesla Model Y, but the Ford Mach-E and Chevrolet Equinox EV do give it some serious competition.

As long as you aren't too hung up on Ford calling it a Mustang, the Mach-E is about as good as two-row electric SUVs get. It looks good, it drives well, and it seriously impressed the Consumer Reports test team. If you don't care that much about handling, though, you might want to look at the Equinox EV and save a few bucks. It isn't perfect, especially if you want Apple CarPlay, but turns out, Chevrolet learned a few things building the Bolt. Plus, you can get the Equinox EV with GM's excellent Super Cruise driver-assistance system. 

As far as luxury crossovers go, Consumer Reports recommends two options: the BMW iX and the Lexus RZ. The Lexus is the more affordable of the two but has a lot in common with the decidedly non-luxury Toyota bZ. Still, it's comfortable, quiet and quick, and its shorter range would likely only be an issue if you plan to roadtrip your new Lexus. Styling is also fairly conventional, which can either be a good or a bad thing, depending on what you're looking for. 

If you have the money and can get past whatever's going on with the BMW iX's styling, you'll probably be even happier with your purchase than if you bought the RZ. It's was developed from the beginning to be a true luxury SUV, and impressed the CR team so much, it's their top-rated electric luxury SUV. Of course, not everyone will be able to tolerate the iX's design, especially when you remember the base version starts at $76,600.

If you're looking for an electric truck, there's only one that Consumer Reports recommends, and that's the Ford F-150 Lightning. That truck is also, sadly, getting the axe, but there's still time to pick one up before they disappear off new car lots forever. The brakes could definitely be better, and testers weren't fans of the infotainment system, but they also noted that it rides better than the gas version.

In addition to an improved ride, you also get a lot of the same features that lead so many buyers to pick up the regular F-150, including a spacious cabin. But without the gas engine, it's also much quieter, and instead of hiding an engine under the hood, there's a front trunk that's actually big enough to be useful. And while you probably aren't buying an electric pickup truck with long-distance towing in mind, the F-150 Lightning is still rated to tow up to 10,000 pounds.