Business

These Are the Best Cars to Buy If You're Sick of Paying for Gas

By Sebastian Cenizo Autoblog

Updated April 22, 2026 12:06 PM

At the beginning of the year, we discussed the best cars for the money in 2026, following that up with the best family cars on sale. The world has become a different, more challenging place since then, with gas prices soaring and placing extra pressure on Americans. To try to help ease the strain, U.S. News & World Report has compiled a list of 19 of the best hybrid and all-electric vehicles available right now, covering cars, SUVs, and trucks that will lengthen trips between gas stations or avoid them altogether with electric power. As usual, Hyundai and Kia lead the pack with three awards each, but let's see what else stands out in 2026.

Best Luxury Electric Car

In a segment populated by the Porsche Taycan, BMW i7, Audi A6 e-tron, and Mercedes-Benz EQE, among others, the 2026 Best Luxury Electric Car award goes to the Lucid Air. The slippery sedan offers phenomenal range of up to 512 miles, and combined with a whisper-quiet cabin and strong tech, it's a car that reigns supreme, even amongst newer rivals like the abovementioned Audi. Can the newly unveiled 2027 BMW i7 take the title next year? Perhaps, but it will have to make its argument in areas other than efficiency, as the Bimmer still doesn't offer as much range as the Air.

Best Compact Luxury Electric SUV

There aren't too many players fighting for the title of 2026's Best Compact Luxury Electric SUV; the Tesla Model Y, Audi Q4 e-tron, and Volvo EC40 have the market to themselves. Or, they would if it weren't for this year's winner, the Genesis GV60, which shares its platform with the outstanding Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 twins. Its 84 kWh battery and 800-volt architecture will deliver an EPA-estimated 306 miles of range-more than most people would need in a workweek.

Best Midsize Luxury Electric SUV

The 2026 Best Midsize Luxury Electric SUV award winner is not the departing BMW iX, nor is it the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV or Audi Q8 e-tron. It's America's own Cadillac Lyriq, a crossover that looks futuristic even four years on from its initial launch. This delivers up to 326 miles of all-electric range and up to 60.8 cubic feet of cargo volume with the rear seats folded. But some people need even more space from their luxury experience, and that's what the next award addresses.

Best Large Luxury Electric SUV

You could have a Rivian R1S or a Cadillac Vistiq, but the 2026 winner of the Best Large Luxury Electric SUV award goes to the Lucid Gravity, which packs the brilliance of the Air into a more capacious package. With space for up to seven, a range of 337 miles, and 560 horsepower, we say it's as close as one can get to perfection right now, seamlessly blending space, speed, and style. Lucid may only have two products on sale right now, but they're good enough for the automaker to be deemed a better luxury EV brand than Tesla and Porsche.

Best Subcompact Electric SUV

The redesigned 2026 Nissan Leaf is now the cheapest new EV in America at $29,990, and it’s no longer the compromise it used to be: Iit’s a sensible, affordable daily driver for buyers who want to go electric without stretching their budget. For first-time EV buyers, this is the obvious entry point. Nissan/Autoblog

If the above electric SUVs are too pricy or too bulky for your tastes, the Best Subcompact Electric SUV is worth considering, and for 2026, it's the Nissan Leaf. The Chevrolet Bolt EUV is also worth considering, but with the Hyundai Kona only available in base trim for 2026 and the Kia EV4 being indefinitely delayed, the 303-mile Leaf has few competitors this year.

Best Compact Electric SUV

After the GV60 took luxury honors here, it's no surprise that U.S. News & World Report has named the Hyundai Ioniq 5 as the 2026 Best Compact Electric SUV. Besides its Kia stablemate, other options in this category include the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Volkswagen ID.4. The Ioniq 5 is not only more spacious than its hatchback-like styling suggests, but it will achieve an EPA-estimated 318 miles before needing to be plugged in.

Best Midsize Electric SUV

Those seeking more space will want to consider the 2026 Best Midsize Electric SUV, the Hyundai Ioniq 9, which starts at around $60k. With funky looks, up to 335 miles of range, and as much as 86.9 cubic feet of volume with the second and third rows folded, it's tough to think of a more practical family SUV. But if you must look elsewhere, the Kia EV9, Rivian R1S, and Volvo EX90 are also worth considering. If those still aren't good enough, keep reading to see the best minivan option.

Best Electric Truck

While Rivian may have missed out on SUV awards, its R1T pickup has been named 2026's Best Electric Truck. There's not too much competition here, with the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, and GMC Sierra EV being the only similar options in this segment. Yes, the Tesla Cybertruck still exists, but do you really want to drive around in an unpainted wedge that might get confused by road markings or fallen leaves?

Best Compact Luxury Plug-In Hybrid SUV

Cole Attisha/Autoblog Cole Attisha/Autoblog

We now move on to the vehicles that theoretically blend the best of both worlds, so long as you remember to charge them: plug-in hybrids, and the Best Compact Luxury PHEV for 2026 is the Volvo XC60 Plug-In Hybrid, with an EPA rating of 63 MPGe. Alternatively, you might consider the BMW X3 30e, the Audi Q5, or the Mercedes GLC 350e.

Best Midsize Luxury Plug-In Hybrid SUV

The 2026 Best Midsize Luxury PHEV SUV award goes to the Lexus RX, which manages a remarkable 83 MPGe combined EPA rating. Its styling belies its size, and its interior is a leather-lined cocoon of comfort. Not a fan? Besides the Acura MDX, the only true alternatives are Germans like the BMW X5, the recently updated Mercedes-Benz GLE, and the Audi Q5.

Best Compact Plug-In Hybrid SUV

When it comes to bang for buck, it's tough to beat the South Koreans, and the 2026 Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid wins the 2026 award for the Best Compact PHEV SUV, beating out competition from the similar Hyundai Tucson PHEV and the powerful Toyota RAV4. The Sportage manages a combined EPA rating of 84 MPGe, and next year, it will have to compete with a new Nissan Rogue.

Best Midsize Plug-In Hybrid SUV

These days, many lists are incomplete without a Mazda, and the last of the gas vehicles with plugs on this list is the Best Midsize PHEV SUV, an award that goes to the Mazda CX-90 PHEV with an EPA rating of 56 MPGe on the combined cycle. Other popular choices include the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe. As PHEVs, every vehicle with a plug on this list can manage some all-electric range, but if such a setup is too complicated and heavy, mild-hybrids, up next, are a fine alternative.

Best Compact Hybrid Car

Another brand that always seems to be mentioned around awards is Honda, and the 200-hp Civic Hybrid takes the 2026 title for Best Compact Hybrid Car. This competes against the likes of the Toyota Corolla Hybrid and Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, and all are fine choices that get the basics right at an affordable price. The Civic Hybrid, for the record, starts at less than 30 grand for the sedan and a few hundred bucks more for the hatchback.

Best Midsize Hybrid Car

Another perennial award winner is Toyota, and its excellent 2026 Camry wins the Best Midsize Hybrid Car award, beating the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, and Nissan Altima. The Kia K5 might have been considered, but while a hybrid version is available in South Korea, it's not sold in the U.S. yet. That's planned for 2027.

Best Subcompact Hybrid SUV

The 2026 Best Subcompact Hybrid SUV award goes to the Kia Niro Hybrid. Alternatives in this class include the Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30, as well as the Chevrolet Trax, though the latter isn't available as a hybrid.

Best Compact Hybrid SUV

Hyundai returns to take the Best Compact Hybrid SUV award with the 2026 Tucson. Naturally, the Kia Sportage HEV is also worth mentioning in the same breath, and the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Subaru Forester are also strong choices.

Best Midsize Hybrid SUV

The only 2027 model on this wins the 2026 Best Midsize Hybrid SUV award, and it's the Kia Telluride Hybrid, the automaker's first U.S.-built hybrid. Again, the alternative from Hyundai is worth considering (the Palisade), but so is the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid. For the record, the regular Highlander is becoming an EV-only proposition for 2027.

Best Hybrid Minivan

With the Chrysler Pacifica's only available hybrid system involving a plug (it's the same story for the U.S.-spec Honda Odyssey), the 2026 Toyota Sienna easily takes the Best Hybrid Minivan title. Still, there is competition in this space in the form of the Kia Carnival.

Best Luxury Hybrid SUV

The final category is the Best Luxury Hybrid SUV, and it goes to an American, the 2026 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid. Rivals here include the Lexus RX 350h and BMW X5. Next year, more competition will come from within the U.S. with the next-gen Cadillac XT5.

So there you have it. All the best EVs, plug-in hybrids, and mild-hybrids for 2026, each with value propositions that have become all the more pertinent as gas prices torment drivers. With these vehicles, nobody is solving the world's problems, but each makes the cost of living slightly easier to manage.

This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 11:59 AM.