The stylish budget EV that gas guzzlers find hard to recommend

Here in the United States, electric vehicles (EVs) are not exactly at parity in price with their pure internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. Thus, the definition of “budget” EV still means a vehicle that costs more than an ICE car, but is still at the affordable level by EV standards.

So with all that in mind, here’s a stylish budget EV that gas guzzlers find hard to recommend. Again, if stylishness is your concern, design is very subjective. However, in our eyes, the extensive mid-cycle facelift implemented for this vehicle certainly helped things to such an extent that it ultimately becomes an easier EV to recommend.

But first, your ICE choice

Based on latest available data kelly blue bookThe average price of a new car transaction in March 2026 was $49,275. Although the vehicle is not cheap, costing around $35,000, it is still well below the average price American customers pay for a new car. So, what are your gas-powered options at this price point?

Various crossover options

Mazda

The EV chosen for today’s article competes in the compact crossover SUV segment, and hence the ICE vehicles we will list also belong to this segment. Since compact crossover SUVs are some of the most popular vehicles these days, it’s not surprising that you have a ton of options. However, for pure ICE versions, a lot of these vehicles start at or slightly below $30,000, such as the Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5, and Subaru Forester.

However, these vehicles are not the most efficient out there. In fact, for the new CX-5, its combined city and highway efficiency of 26 mpg is 28 mpg less than the most efficient version of the previous model. Even more surprising is that the most efficient variant of the Subaru Forester beats the CX-5 by 29 mpg combined, even though both models offer all-wheel drive (AWD) as standard. The Tucson, meanwhile, is on par with the CX-5 at 26 MPG with AWD, while the front-wheel-drive (FWD) version has a combined 28 MPG.

Efficient Sedan and Hybrid Options

Honda

But if a sedan within that price bracket is your concern, your choice will mostly be a hybrid. Pure ICE sedans are some of the cheapest cars in America today, with models like the Honda Civic capable of achieving 36 mpg combined. However, hybrid options are even more efficient, with some sedans even achieving combined figures of over 50 mpg. If we now include hybrid crossovers into the mix, there are models that achieve over 40 mpg in their combined ratings, which is good for a vehicle of their size class.

EVs definitely win in terms of efficiency – even if that doesn’t mean they have more overall driving range. That’s because the combined efficiency of the model for today’s article is an impressive 131 MPGe. MPGE measures the efficiency of alternative fuel vehicles versus their gas counterparts. There is minimal energy loss from the grid to your EV compared to a gas car, which is only 20 to 35 percent energy efficient. What you probably think of as EVs being inefficient due to their short range is actually about ICE cars with far greater energy density. EVs require larger batteries to achieve the same range as an ICE car with a physically smaller fuel tank.

Toyota Keeping You bZ

toyota

With that in mind, the affordable and stylish EV I would recommend is the newly updated one, as it makes the gas guzzlers hard to justify. 2026 toyota bz. Previously called bZ4X, the rebranding of bZ is due to Toyota abandoning its bZ naming strategy in favor of more familiar names.

314 miles range

base trim engine

Electricity

base trim transmission

1-speed automatic

base trim drivetrain

Front-wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

168 hp

base trim battery type

Lithium Ion (Li-ion)

Make

toyota

Sample

bZ

One major improvement of the 2026 Toyota bZ is its range. Previously, your only choice for an EV at this price range with over 300 miles of range would be the Chevrolet Equinox EV, but with the removal of the $7,500 federal tax credit and the tariff situation, the pricing situation for EVs has changed drastically. Today, EV prices across different brands have leveled off regardless of their manufacturing origin, but in the case of the BZ, it is one of the few EVs priced under $40,000 that still offers over 300 miles of range.

Notably, the bZ in XLE FWD Plus form is capable of a range of 314 miles, which is also the version of the bZ with the highest range. Credit this variant’s smaller 18-inch wheels, while its single-motor FWD drivetrain delivers an impressive combined efficiency of 131 MPGe. Tesla is one of the best EV brands in terms of efficiency, and so the bZ XLE FWD Plus’s nearly matching the $39,990 Model Y Standard’s 138 MPGe is really impressive. Then again, with 295 horsepower in the Model Y Standard versus 221 horsepower in the bZ XLE FWD Plus, Tesla still has the power relative to its efficiency edge.

Impressive range, low operating costs

toyota

For US buyers to start considering an EV as a primary car it would need to have a range of at least 300 miles. You might also be surprised that there are a lot of pure ICE crossover SUVs not too far apart, depending on the version. Still, as gas stations are far more common than EV charging stations, long range is not much of a selling point in ICE cars. Still, a Tucson FWD goes 400 miles, while AWD goes 372 miles. The new CX-5 with standard AWD has a range of 398 miles, while the Forester with standard AWD has the highest driving range of the three at 481 miles.

But range is one thing and fuel cost is another. Especially with high gas prices right now, gulf coast news Report that an EV is, on average, still cheaper to run than ICE cars. EV home charging is the cheapest at just five cents per mile, while public EV charging is 10 to 12 cents per mile. Gas, on the other hand, is about 12 to 15 cents per mile. You also have to remember that, feature-wise, the bZ is already very similar to its mid-spec counterpart. Plus, there’s also a $4,500 lease cash offer or $3,000 off if you’re a former owner of certain EV models, which will put it at price parity with similarly equipped ICE crossover SUVs.

What does the bZ XLE FWD Plus offer

Chris Chin | topspeed

Chris Chin | topspeed

The 2026 Toyota bZ has been extensively updated with more range and power, but the aesthetic updates help make this electric crossover SUV something you’ll eventually consider because of its design.

hammerhead smoothness

Chris Chin | topspeed

Toyota’s current hammerhead front fascia is one of my favorite design cues in the automotive industry at the moment. As for the new bZ, the C-shaped LED daytime running lights that are visually connected by a black trim piece give it a very distinctive front-end design. Depending on your color choice, bZ also gets rid of large expanses of glossy black cladding. We highly recommend opting for monotone colors, as this is where you’ll fully appreciate the clean look of the new bZ. The XLE variant gets 18-inch wheels, which, in my opinion, already fit the design well, but the higher trims get 20-inch wheels, which, as expected, reduces its range.

Chris Chin | topspeed

The interior also sees an extensive redesign, as it gets a new but similarly styled dash to accommodate the larger 14-inch Toyota Audio multimedia infotainment system. The seven-inch digital gauge cluster has been repositioned for better visibility, while the In fact, this vehicle already offers similar equipment to mid-spec ICE crossover SUVs.

easy drive

Chris Chin | topspeed

Our team has driven the 2026 Toyota bZ, and you’ll be pleased with its easy driving dynamics. In terms of quietness, the EV is hard to beat, as our team reckons it’s as easy to drive as the Crown Signia. The steering is also light but precise, while the body control is admirable – i.e. the perfect balance between handling and comfort. The cabin is a bit more premium than the RAV4’s more robust interior, which once again helps the perception of refinement.

Due to the location of the batteries, the new bZ steers safely even in corners. Although our team drove dual-motor AWD, the XLE FWD Plus is good enough at about seven seconds (claimed by Toyota). Finally, the bZ also natively supports the NACS charging standard, which should mean seamless access to both Tesla and third-party charging stations.

Sources: Toyota, Gulf Coast News, KBB, The EPA