Cars Under $80,000 for 2024 & 2025

If you're considering the leap to electric vehicles (EVs) for your growing family, you can't do much better than the all-new Volvo EX90. It has all the capabilities any three-row SUV needs, wrapped in a modern and stylish body. It's further bolstered by Volvo's reputation for safety and some very sophisticated technology that is more future-proof than rivals'.

Verdict: If the price doesn't exclude you, we can wholeheartedly recommend the EX90. It has the practicality and performance we expect of any three-row SUV, with the range and quick-charge capabilities EV shoppers desire.

The high-performance member of the BMW 4 Series family, the 2025 M4 is available as a coupe or a convertible, with or without a manual transmission, and with rear-wheel drive (RWD) or xDrive all-wheel drive (AWD). For 2025, the M4 gets a light detail refresh, a slight power bump for Competition xDrive models, and a new operating system for the infotainment system. A limited-production M4 CS coupe is also available.

Verdict: Top up or down, driven in epic traffic or on epic roads, the M4 remains one of the best-driving BMWs money can buy. Comfortable when you want it, track-ready when you need it, and able to seat four people while carrying a decent amount of cargo, the M4 is a terrific all-around automobile.

Now in its third generation, the Range Rover Sport is a smaller alternative to the traditional Range Rover, and a more stylish alternative to the utilitarian Land Rover Defender and Discovery. Competitors include two-row midsize luxury SUVs like the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE Class, and Porsche Cayenne. This generation was introduced for the 2023 model year, so the 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport sees minimal changes.

Verdict: Blending traditional Land Rover looks and luxury with sportier on-road driving dynamics, the Range Rover Sport justifies its place in the automaker’s convoluted lineup, but not in the larger luxury SUV market.

Available in crew-cab pickup truck and five-passenger SUV body styles, the 2024 GMC Hummer EV is an impressive example of what’s possible with electric drive systems and modern technology. Specifically, the SUV we reviewed carries five people and up to 81.8 cubic feet of cargo, travels up to 314 miles on a battery charge, goes farther off-road than most vehicles can, and costs about the same as a loaded Cadillac Escalade.

Verdict: Similar to other purpose-built image vehicles, owning a Hummer EV requires inherent compromises. Knowing what those are and accepting them before driving one home is critical to your satisfaction with your decision. Regardless, there is no denying that the Hummer EV is an impressive showcase for electric vehicles.

For six generations, the BMW M3 sedan has long exemplified everyday-friendly high-performance, and for 2025, its current G80 generation possesses a handful of exterior and tech mid-cycle updates to keep the formula fresh. It’s what brand enthusiasts refer to as the LCI model, or, life-cycle impulse.

Since 2021, the M3 been offered in either standard or Competition trims, xDrive all-wheel drive (AWD) or rear-wheel drive (RWD), and with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. The Bavarian brand maintains its inline-six engine layout—a cornerstone of its history—and there’s no hybrid assistance to be found; just two mono-scroll turbochargers to help produce thrilling acceleration all over the rev band.

Verdict: There are few purpose-built-yet-all-purpose vehicles on the road that offer the same thrills as BMW’s most iconic four-door performance badge.

Porsche's second foray into EVs, the Macan Electric is a rousing success. With the company's trademark handling and power, it's a compact athlete that is sure to bring joy to your daily commute and excitement to your favorite roads.

Verdict: With few rivals, the Macan Electric an easily recommendable choice for performance-minded drivers looking for an electric car.

The 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron and its tapered-rail compatriot, the Q8 e-tron Sportback, prove an electric SUV doesn't need over-the-top style or rocket-like acceleration to impress. If anything, the Q8 e-tron duo are remarkably subtle in their approach to design and even driving dynamics. This could win over car shoppers who are intrigued by an EV, but who are not interested in making a four-wheeled fashion statement everywhere they go.

As the replacement for the Audi e-tron , which first appeared for the 2019 model year, the Q8 e-tron’s most important improvement over its predecessor is its additional driving range. Depending on the chosen bodystyle and trim, this varies from 285 to 300 miles per charge. That compares to the miserly 226 miles the e-tron previously offered.

We recently took the 2024 Q8 e-tron in Launch Edition trim for a test drive on tight, twisty, and often very foggy coastal highways in central California to see how Audi’s newest electric SUV stacks up against rivals like the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, BMW iX, Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X.

The Silverado EV rides on GM’s Ultium platform, just like the GMC Hummer EV, and while it may lack a bit of the novelty or the fun factor of the Hummer, the tradeoff is an all-around more refined vehicle. Chevy’s electric truck is currently available in three trims: the 3WT, 4WT, and RST First Edition. “WT” in Chevy nomenclature stands for “Work Truck” and denotes a base trim meant for fleets. Our testing was, naturally, focused on the more consumer-oriented option, which also happens to be the top trim.

Verdict: The range and capability impress, and the Silverado EV RST we experienced was certainly more polished than your average truck, but we’re not sure it was $95,000 worth of polish. We’ll be interested to see how this electric pickup truck’s lower and middle trims shape up. For now, we’ll say that we absolutely think it’s worth watching, and expanding the variety of options can only be good for consumers.

The Wagoneer S shares a platform with the 2024 Dodge Charger (also built by parent company Stellantis) and has a dual-motor electric drive system and 100-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery good for more than 300 miles of driving range. There is plenty of power, and Jeep says the Wagoneer S accelerates to 60 mph faster than a Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Five people fit inside, cargo space is reasonable, and there’s a small frunk under the hood. The lineup will expand in 2025 to include more affordable models.

Verdict: Overall, this is an impressive first electric Jeep, but there are a few reasons to pass over the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition. Price is one of them, although this is a fully equipped vehicle. The dissatisfying steering is another, and the multitude of display screens suffer from dust, fingerprints, reflections, and glare, which may turn off shoppers already a bit shocked by the sticker price.

Three years into its lifecycle, the electric Lucid Air sedan sees drastic price cuts and increases for 2024. A new trim, the Sapphire, is a quarter-million dollars and outperforms every series-production EV in acceleration, handling, and range. Lucid Motors has done a decade and a half's worth of development and hired some of the best mechanical and software engineers in the business. Unlike its rivals, the Air feels like a complete luxury sedan from top to bottom, and with the proper charging station at home, it could replace all need for a gas car.

Verdict: With speed, style, and superior range, the 2024 Lucid Air is a luxury sedan that doesn't need to make excuses as an electric car.

During several days of driving the new Polestar 3 electric luxury SUV in Southern California, it swiveled nearly as many heads as a Volkswagen ID. Buzz—which is saying something. People take notice of its crisply tailored design, enigmatic emblems, and swift but silent electric propulsion. But do they know what it is, and where to buy it? Production kicked off in August 2024 in South Carolina. But here in EV-happy Los Angeles, we’ve seen only one other one on the road.

Verdict: The 2025 Polestar 3 is an excellent electric SUV that remains a mystery to luxury EV customers. The only reference to the brand and model is a decal on the door, and because the stylish logo adorning the hood, hatch, and wheels is unknown, it’s the ultimate stealth vehicle. The Polestar 3 deserves recognition, not mystery.

The car we’re discussing in this review is the Lexus RC F, a sports car based on a luxury coupe. The Lexus RC is so-named as an acronym for “Radical Coupe.” And while it may not be so revolutionary nearly 10 years after its introduction, that doesn’t mean it isn’t compelling.

Verdict: The Lexus RC F is an oldie but a goodie. The Lexus RC F Track Edition, which we drove for this review, goes much further. It’s focused and purposeful, and for the buyer whose priorities align with its mission, it’s hard to fault.

A new model, the 2024 BMW i5 makes a big impression among electric luxury sedans, with stirring performance, plenty of range, and a very comfortable cabin. Among its few rivals, the i5 rises to the top yet is still less expensive than the competition, so you should definitely start your search here.

Verdict: Underwhelming infotainment system aside, the i5 delivers everything expected of a luxury electric sedan.

The 2025 BMW X5 is the automaker’s midsize luxury SUV, positioned between the X3 and X7, and alongside the coupe-like X6. That puts it in a well-populated segment alongside SUVs like the Acura MDX, Audi Q7, Genesis GV80, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, Lexus RX, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, Porsche Cayenne, and Volvo XC90. Following a substantial update for the 2024 model year, the X5 celebrates its 25th anniversary with a limited-edition model, but receives no other changes.

Verdict: The latest version of the X5 isn’t the best value, but it explains this SUV’s longevity.

The 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the first from Hyundai’s N performance sub-brand. It applies the same formula from gasoline models like the high-performance Elantra N to the Ioniq 5, upping power and adding stickier tires, a track-tuned suspension, and better aerodynamics to improve on-track performance.

Verdict: The Ioniq 5 N is a true track-capable performance car that just happens to be electric.

Our test vehicle for this review was the X5 xDrive50e, the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the X5 midsize SUV, but it’s just one of several X5 models you can buy. Those with 40i in their name feature a satisfying turbocharged six-cylinder engine (with electric assist in the plug-in hybrid), while the M60i features a turbocharged V8 engine. Maximum performance is available in the comically fun X5 M Competition. Drive any of them, though, and it’s easy to understand why the X5 is BMW’s best-selling model.

Verdict: Newer BMWs are losing what has always made this automaker’s cars and SUVs appealing to people who like to drive. Fortunately, the 2024 BMW X5 hasn’t succumbed to the trend. In xDrive50e specification, it remains a delight to drive while supplying about 40 miles of electric-only range before its gasoline-fueled turbo six turns on.

As Jeep's first all-electric vehicle, the Wagoneer S is plagued by several fundamental missteps that are not just annoying but cause for genuine concern. It misses the mark by a noticeable margin when compared with rivals, even those that are relatively new on the scene.

Verdict: While we're glad Jeep is moving into the EV space, this is one to avoid for now.

One year on from the latest-generation Lexus GX’s debut, the excitement is still there. The 2025 Lexus GX looks great, drives well, and handles itself incredibly well off-road. The latter is something for which that the GX has always been renowned, at least among those who’ve been inclined to find out.

Verdict: With great standard tech, safety equipment, looks, and overall versatility, the Lexus GX is worth the attention of any shopper who’s in the market for a luxury SUV.

Seeking a fast path to an , Acura and its parent company, American Honda, partnered with General Motors to use GM's acclaimed Ultium EV platform and component set. The results are the 2024 Acura ZDX and Honda Prologue, and the ZDX is an appealing entry in the two-row electric luxury SUV segment. Acura sources it from GM's Spring Hill, Tennessee, assembly plant, which also produces the Cadillac Lyriq.

Verdict: Acura-specific design and details distinguish the new 2024 ZDX as different from GM-branded electric SUVs. Still, those in the know will identify GM-sourced design and components as apparent as the infotainment system and as subtle as the new-car smell. Does that matter? Ultimately, the market will decide, but we like the ZDX.