Top Electric Cars Under $40,000

Thanks to a new, more powerful rear-drive motor, increased driving range to nearly 300 miles, a next-generation infotainment system with substantial user-experience improvements, and a handful of comfort and convenience upgrades, the 2024 Volkswagen ID.4 is a better than before. However, it no longer includes complimentary DC fast charging for three years. Instead, you get up to 500 kWh of free charging, after which you’ll pay to play.

Verdict: While the downgrade in free charging is a bummer, the updated 2024 Volkswagen ID.4 is not. With the technology better sorted, improved comfort, an impressive sound system, and more power, performance, and range, VeeDub’s electric SUV need not make apologies.

By 2023, it should be clear that electric vehicles are here to stay. Companies that got started early on EVs have a head start, and when considering the current era of electric mobility, no major automaker got out of the starting blocks faster than Nissan. The 2010 Nissan Leaf invited the masses to experience quiet, efficient motoring—but in the decade-plus since its debut, it has been caught by more impressive competition.

The all-new 2023 Nissan Ariya aims to retake market share in the space. With front- and all-wheel-drive powertrain options, slick design, immersive technology, and a competitive price tag, the Ariya looks capable of putting Nissan back into the EV conversation. We tested a single-motor Ariya in the fall of 2022 and have since evaluated the dual-motor e-4ORCE model for this updated review.

The 2023 Kia Niro enters its second generation with fresh styling and numerous mechanical and tech updates, but it still offers a choice of three powertrains, with the Niro Hybrid, Niro EV, and Niro PHEV plug-in hybrid all returning for 2023. That means a change in focus for the all-electric Niro EV, which is the subject of this review.

The first-generation Niro EV was Kia’s first mass-market not based on an existing gasoline model (the Soul EV paved the way for it). But the redesigned 2023 Kia Niro EV now shares the lineup with the Kia EV6. That model takes aim at more premium EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Nissan Ariya, leaving the Niro EV to compete with entry-level models, such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV, Volkswagen ID.4, and Nissan’s Leaf.

Available in all 50 states, the 2023 Niro EV launches in whimsically named Wind and Wave trim levels. We spent some time in the higher-level Wave version for this review.

Redesigned this year, the 2025 Countryman grows in size but remains a small crossover SUV. Expressively styled, infused with parent company BMW’s engineering and technology, and packed with cheeky Mini quirks, the Countryman is available in Cooper S All4, John Cooper Works All4, and electric SE All4 model series, each equipped with standard All4 all-wheel drive (AWD). It can comfortably hold rear-seat passengers, carries a competitive amount of cargo, and remains fun to drive.

Verdict: With prices starting at just over $40,000, the Mini Countryman sells in entry-level luxury territory. However, anyone expecting plush refinement will want to shop elsewhere because the Countryman is decidedly rough around the edges. We begrudgingly accept its quirks in exchange for its personality, but many people likely won’t.

The Solterra arrived for the 2023 model year as the first all-electric Subaru for the United States, and now it’s getting some significant updates. The 2026 Subaru Solterra has a new look, NACS fast charging, and more available horsepower. Rivals include other small electric crossovers like the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Volkswagen ID.4, plus the Solterra’s Toyota bZ twin (formerly the bZ4X).

Verdict: Numerous improvements make the 2026 Subaru Solterra a better EV, but not the best one.

Summary: In terms of buzz, Ford's sporty all-electric crossover has come a long way since it first sparked outrage for appropriating the famous Mustang name. It seems most have accepted or resigned themselves to an electric Mustang, and the conversation these days seems to be all about how much owners love it-and how much Ford continues to improve it. It got Ford's BlueCruise hands-free driving highway driving technology for 2023. For 2024, Ford raises the bar with a new Rally trim while also giving the rest of the lineup some key upgrades.

Verdict: Thanks to Ford's continued attention, the Mustang Mach-E is a better value proposition than ever. Best of all, the automaker has plans to look after owners of 2023 and older models as well.

Toyota is not known for . Aside from the RAV4 EV models built to satisfy California regulations, Japan’s largest automakers quest to reduce emissions has mostly focused on hybrids like the Prius. So the 2023 Toyota bZ4X is a major shift for the firm.

The bZ4X is Toyota’s first electric car for the United States market aimed at volume sales—and it won’t be the last. The “bZ” prefix stands for “Beyond Zero,” the name Toyota is using for a family of planned electric models. For now, the bZ4X enters a crowded market of small electric crossover SUVs, already populated with a long list of entries like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Nissan Ariya, and Volkswagen ID.4, among others.

When it comes to configurations, Toyota keeps things simple. Buyers can choose between XLE and Limited trim levels, and single-motor front-wheel drive (FWD) or dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrains. This bZ4X review is based on our experience with an AWD Limited model.

New for 2025, the EX30 is a big risk for Volvo, but one that could prove very rewarding for EV shoppers.

The EX30 is Volvo’s new entry-level model, positioned below the XC40 in the automaker’s lineup. Volvo’s previous attempts to move down-market in the U.S. have produced mixed results, and the Swedish automaker is compounding the risk by making its cheapest model an . But it’s also reshaping the current EV landscape.

That’s because Volvo plans to offer the EX30 with over 250 miles of range for less than $40,000, a combination that brings to mind the now-defunct Chevrolet Bolt EV, not something from the more prestigious Volvo brand. It also means the EX30 will undercut mass-market EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia Niro EV, Tesla Model Y, and Volkswagen ID.4 while aiming to deliver the same experience as traditional Volvo models.

The EX30 is scheduled to reach U.S. showrooms during the summer of 2024 in Single Motor Extended Range and Twin Motor Performance configurations, with Core (Single Motor only), Plus and Ultra trim levels. We drove single-motor and dual-motor versions, both in top Ultra spec.

While the Chevrolet Equinox EV may not have the performance or pizzazz of some other electric vehicles, it concentrates on what really matters: price and range. With more than 300 miles on a single charge and a bottom line that competes against non-electric SUVs, it brings EV ownership within reach for many shoppers who were previously left out.

Verdict: The Equinox EV’s combination of an affordable price and generous range makes it a standout value among electric vehicles.

While Ford outsells all other brands with its full-size pickup trucks, it's dead last in the midsize class. The Ranger, once the king of small trucks, sold terribly after Ford relaunched it for the 2019 model year. The smaller Maverick outsold the Ranger by three to one in 2023. For 2024, the new Ranger brings more of everything—power, tech, refinement, space, and most importantly, choice. Is it too late for Ford to catch up? We tested a Ranger XLT to find out.

Verdict: With new V6 engines and a Raptor trim, the 2024 Ford Ranger offers greater choice and capability to finally match the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma.

If you’re shopping for an electric vehicle, you might think all battery-powered options are priced out of reach. Heck, it’s tough to find a gas-powered vehicle that won’t break the bank, let alone one that is powered by the latest and greatest technology.

That is where the 2025 Hyundai Kona EV comes in. This second-generation subcompact crossover got a redesign for the previous model year and now comes with more features and value than before, all wrapped up in a sleek little package. Sure, there are others that might perform better, but if you’re cost-conscious and are willing to settle for slightly slower acceleration, you’ll be rewarded with a competent and comfortable electric car.

Verdict: The 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric goes big on value with fresh styling, myriad features, and an excellent starting price.

The sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 now comes with more choice, including three distinct design themes, three powertrain and drivetrain options, and seven trim levels. It has a hybrid drivetrain as standard, offering a claimed 44 mpg combined, along with more standard features, a quicker operating system, and improvements across the board to bolster its bestselling position.

Verdict: The good gets better, but the RAV4's lineup is confusing enough to need a Venn diagram.

The 2026 Nissan Leaf represents the latest redesign of Nissan’s pioneering EV since the 2017 model year. This third-generation Leaf boasts more range, up-to-date tech and charging hardware, and new styling that looks more crossover than hatchback. But where the original Leaf was pioneering, the new Leaf returns to a mature segment populated by competent rivals from Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen.

Verdict: The new Leaf picks up where the old one left off with low pricing, and it only occasionally reminds you of that.

Electric vehicles are the future. Even racing and off-road enthusiast have accepted this reality with the knowledge that EVs can be fun and engaging. We’ll lose the smell and the sounds, but one of the key purposes of racing is to improve the breed, so why not welcome the transition to electric propulsion?

The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV could not be further from an enthusiast vehicle, but it’s just as important—if not more so—to the auto industry. Introduced for the 2017 model year and updated for 2022, the Bolt EV is the tip of GM’s EV spear. More EVs are coming, but it all starts here.

For 2020, the Bolt EV's range was increased to 259 miles. That carries over to 2022, and the Bolt EV gets standard DC fast charging as well, making it a more realistic option for more car shoppers. But is it enough to get you to make the leap to EV?

The Mini Cooper is redesigned for 2025 with a host of alterations throughout. It’s a little bigger inside and out, while sporting all-new infotainment tech and quirky interior design to help maintain the badge’s fun personality. It still weighs less than 3,000 pounds, too, and when combined with a potent turbocharged four-cylinder in the Cooper S, that makes for some truly hilarious fun-to-drive attitude.

Verdict: Although substantially larger than the original BMW Mini that reached America’s shores in 2002, and no longer offering a manual transmission as standard, the new Mini Cooper continues to be a stylish and fun-to-drive way of getting around, and will even return solid overall fuel economy in the process.