Hyundai dominates Edmunds 'Best Electric SUVs of 2026' awards

• Edmunds.com has released its list of the "Best Electric SUVs of 2026" despite a recent drop in EV sales.
• Hyundai models won in the small, midsize, and performance electric SUV categories.
• The BMW iX xDrive45 took the top spot for best midsize luxury electric SUV.

Electric car sales are down since the elimination of a $7,500 federal tax credit in 2025, but several plug-in models, dominated by the presence of Hyundai, have been named to Edmunds "Best Electric SUVs of 2026" list.

The site of the winners of its "best small electric SUV" category "you have to go eight deep" on the list "to find one that didn't net at least a score of 7 out of 10 (that's really good)."

"Demand for EVs may have fallen and federal tax credits may have disappeared, but people are still buying electric vehicles — specifically, electric SUVs. There is now a huge number of choices and many of them are very good," the website said. "Most of our top choices score around 8 out of 10, though, and this list is devoted to them."

The USA TODAY Cars Team took a look at the winners in each category and compiled some information for consumers about each model.

Here are the winners:

Best Small Electric SUV: Hyundai Ioniq 5

MSRP: $36,600

What Edmunds said: "The Ioniq 5 has great range and lots of clever features, and as you'll see elsewhere on this list, there's a high-performance N variant. The rugged-ish Ioniq 5 XRT is pretty solid too."

Best Midsize Electric SUV: Hyundai Ioniq 9

MSRP: $60,555

What Edmunds said: The website said of the Ioniq 9 "its combination of roomy three-row seating, abundant cargo space, a luxurious interior, great driving manners and rapid recharging can't be beat."

Best Small Luxury Electric SUV: Genesis Electrified GV70

MSRP: $65,875

What Edmunds said: The website said of the Genesis Electrified GV70 "admittedly, its range is lackluster, but the smooth, immediate acceleration of the Electrified GV70's dual-motor powertrain only enhances our top-rated small luxury SUV."

Best Midsize Luxury Electric SUV: BMW iX xDrive45

MSRP: $76,325

What Edmunds said: The website said of the BMW iX xDrive45 " its performance and range were upgraded for 2026, with the new xDrive45 model producing 402 horsepower and boasting an EPA-estimated range of 312 miles. It also lowered the iX's base price and, despite being a base model, it can still hit 60 mph in less than 5 seconds."

Best Large Luxury Electric SUV: Rivian R1S and Lucid Gravity

R1S MSRP: $78,885

What Edmunds said: The website said the Rivian R1S is "more like an electric Range Rover — a luxurious SUV capable of doing some serious off-roading. How serious, though, does depend on which version you get (more motors the better). It still has three rows and the sort of cargo space (plus a frunk) that you'd expect from a three-row SUV."

Gravity MSRP: $79,900

What Edmunds said: The website said "the newer Gravity is more of a family hauler, as it puts a greater emphasis on interior packaging and space. It's also far better to drive on-road."

Best Performance Electric SUV: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

MSRP: $67,475

What Edmunds said: The website said "never mind electric SUVs, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is one of the best performance SUVs, period. It's just as impressive on a twisty back road as it is rocketing away from a stop."