2022 Kia Niro EV

RYAN ZUMMALLEN: If you haven't been paying close attention to EVs in a while, well, hold on to your butts. Today, we'll highlight 10 that have received the highest scores in our exhaustive testing. These 10 EVs are broken up into three categories, sedans, SUVs, and trucks. Before we get going, make sure you subscribe to our channel and hit that Like button. And, if you're trying to sell your car, go to edmunds.com/sellmycar to get a cash offer right now. The Edmunds test team puts each vehicle through an intense evaluation, logging each car's performance, spaciousness, efficiency, and more. Then we score them in dozens of categories, add up all the points and ta-da, a top 10 ranking as of the making of this video. With that in mind, let's dive right in and see what we've got. Up first is the Tesla Model 3. The compact sedan with the big range and giant reputation. Basically, the Model 3 is a technological marvel. It has all the best parts of Tesla engineering wrapped in a small approachable package. Even better, you can use the supercharging network to juice up. And maybe best of all, you get periodic updates over the air just like a smartphone. Now you have more driving modes, games you can play or streaming platforms you can watch on the main screen today than you did yesterday. That also means you get the drawbacks of the Tesla experience. (SINGING) You must worship at the altar of the touchscreen. It's the only way to control nearly all functions. And there's no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Those are the apps that easily link your phone to your maps, phone calls and music that we really enjoy in other brands. It also means interior quality issues and EPA range estimates that we've never been able to fully match on our real world Edmunds EV range test. So it should say a lot about our opinion of the Model 3 that, despite those issues, it's still our Edmunds top rated EV for 2022. Let's get luxurious for a second, shall we? (IN HAUGHTY ACCENT) Yes, well, now we've come to the Mercedes EQS, a stately new sedan powered by electric propulsion for trips to the theater. Enough of that. The EQS is like an electric S-Class. And we know this because their length and wheelbases are almost identical. Like you'd expect from Mercedes, the EQS is ultra comfortable and very smooth on the road. Not quite as smooth but very close. What we really liked, the EQS is rated for 350 miles of range. But in our Edmunds EV range test, it easily exceeded 400 miles. That's under-promising and over-delivering on an astonishing level, folks. What happens when legacy luxury automakers get into the EV game? Impressive over-engineering that stretches our idea of what an EV can do. The Taycan is an exceptionally comfortable Cruiser and it outperforms its own estimated electric range, based on our testing. This is the electric performance car to get at the moment for its quick acceleration, but also attention to responsive handling and braking. As for downsides, the standard Taycan doesn't have much trunk space and it's low to the ground like a sports car, which isn't always easy to get in and out. Finally, this is a big one for lots of EV drivers, there is no one pedal driving down to a stop. But the Taycan is still a droolworthy EV, and we'll take as many of those as we can get. The Tesla Model S opened the door for lots of cars on this list. The Model S has not only kept pace with the new rivals sprouting up around it, but it's actually still leading the pack in many regards. For instance, Tesla claims an estimated 405 miles of range on the Model S long range. When it comes to estimates, handily beats everything on this list. It's just the EQS we tested went up to 422 miles. Then there's speed. Tesla replaced its popular Model S performance with the Model S Plaid. Maybe you heard of it? We did a video on it. It received some attention because it's mind-blowingly fast. SPEAKER 1: Oh my god. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Uses a goofy steering wheel? You didn't hear about this? Anyway. Our observed 0 to 60 mile per hour acceleration was 2.3 seconds, which is straight up bonkers, and the fastest vehicle Edmunds has ever tested. There's been controversy swirling around the Model S since its debut but, at the end of the day, it's an impressive machine indeed. SPEAKER 1: Whew. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Next up is the Kia Niro EV. We think the Niro EV is an excellent choice for shoppers because it hits specific target areas we know they're interested in, comfort, spaciousness, range, and, above all else, value. If electric vehicles are really going to take hold, they need to make financial sense to people. And the Niro does that, with an attractive starting price around $40,000, and lots of standard features. It's the Kia of EVs, which is not a bad thing at all. Electric Porsches and Benzes are fun, but it's the electric Kias and other affordable options that will really make EVs here to stay. If you want to try an EV but also want to stay anonymous, I've got the one for you, the Volkswagen ID.4. It's got a pretty nondescript shape and inoffensive styling. The ID.4 is actually pretty interesting under the surface. Wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. And the advanced driving aids are very well tuned. You can even option up to massaging seats. It also has an attractive price for an electric crossover at around 40k which, remember, is the same as the Kia Niro. That helps make it a near-perfect EV for families. Functional, spacious, and comfortable, it's clear that Volkswagen prioritized practicality. Total EPA estimated range can go as high as 260 miles. And we found that the ID.4 will far surpass that number if you need it to. Volkswagen appears to have made the 21st century people's car. Personally, I'm not all that interested in the debate about whether the Ford Mustang Mach-E should really be called a Mustang or not. The name just isn't that precious to me, unless we're talking about the Mach-E GT which, if you saw my video on it, only provides 5 seconds of full power and is a disgrace to nearly 60 years of Mustang pedigree. True, the GT is a lot of fun to drive, but it also starts around $60k. The standard Mach-E, however, starts under $45,000 before federal tax credits. And it's a really nice blend of performance, comfort, and style. There's also a large touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Plus, estimated range up to 300 miles. And the Mach-E has exceeded its ratings in our testing so far. Here's the big takeaway from our hands-on evaluation, the Mach-E is buttoned up and detail-oriented with not a lot of weak spots. We're back with more Tesla. The Tesla Model Y is a crossover SUV and, with it, you get all of Tesla's most promising attributes, giant screen, supercharger stations, autopilot driver assist features, roomy seating and cargo space, and lots of range, just to name a few. We've sampled all this and more because we own a long term Model Y Performance, but the Model Y we recommend specifically is not the Performance but the Long Range. In our eyes, this is a better buy for most folks because you get more range and more comfort at a lower price. To a lot of people, the Model Y is a no-brainer, and we're fans too. We're just not sold on the interior quality, the fealty to the touchscreen, or the fact that no Tesla has ever met or exceeded its estimated range in our testing. You'll be able to tell when EV demand is really serious when automakers start to bring out super niche variants to fill all the little cracks and crevices of the automotive market like, for instance, if there were to be a high performance luxury station wagon with air suspension. Wait, there is one. The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo, our 2022 Edmunds top rated luxury EV. So maybe SUV is stretching the definition a teensy bit here, but with the Cross Turismo's added utility and available off-road package over the standard Taycan, it certainly deserves some recognition for its capability. Now, it can be pricey. There's also no one pedal driving, and the Cross Turismo doesn't go as far as the regular Tayan on a single charge. But the starting price, around $95,000, is about that of a Tesla Model S. With pricing out the window, there's no question which one we'd take, the long boy. So far, we've seen a lot of amazing tech, and engineering, and luxury. But you know what we haven't seen yet? A bed. That ends now with the Rivian R1T. Our pick for the 2022 Edmunds top rated Editor's Choice Award, the first fully electric pickup truck to hit the streets. The R1T has loads of power, a comfortable and spacious interior, and smooth consistent braking. You can even one pedal drive it down to a stop due to strong regenerative brakes. You get more payload than a midsize truck and comparable towing to full size trucks. Then there's the clever storage tunnel which is just [CLAPPING] bravo. The R1T is expensive at around $70,000, and not all that efficient. It has an estimated range of 314 miles and, while our testing backed that up, the R1T used a lot of energy to do it. But there is currently nothing like this on the market, at least not until the Ford Lightning shows up and the Tesla Cybertruck shows up in-- [CRICKETS]. The R1T is versatile and it opens the door to a future with trucks that emit nothing. Now, wouldn't that be something? No matter what kind of electric vehicle you're on the hunt for, you can probably find at least one on this list that fits your needs. And sit tight because, in just the next few weeks, we'll have a closer look at the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Lucid Air luxury EV, and many more, as we only expect EVs to come in more sizes and styles and options. Thanks so much for watching. Don't forget to hit Like, if you like the video, and leave a comment to let us know which of these EVs is your pick. Finally, for all your car shopping needs, remember to visit edmunds.com.