Most buyers know that the EV market is where you are going to find some of the best deals right now, but I don’t think a lot of people realize that they can score supercar-level performance in a practical body style at economy car-level prices.
This will probably date me a bit, but I remember watching a “Top Gear” episode where they reviewed the Porsche 996 Turbo, I was blown away that a car could achieve a 0-60 time in under four seconds. Granted it was still a six-figure car, but it could keep up with exotics that retailed for much more. I could not have imagined a day where a crossover could achieve the same level of performance and cost about as much as a loaded Civic.
Electric vehicles have brought power to the masses. Some may argue too much power but I have yet to find anyone who complains their car is too quick. Thanks to the instant power delivery of electric motors and massive depreciation drops, these three seriously quick crossovers can be scored for not a lot of cash.
Tesla Model Y Performance
One of the best selling EV crossovers and Autotrader lists around 200 examples under the $35,000 mark. With a claimed 0-60 time in 3.5 seconds, this popular but polarizing crossover was at one time the practically default choice for electric vehicle adopters.
For those who don’t want to buy a Tesla, for a variety of reasons, but still want something that will jam your backside into the seat when you hit the accelerator, there are two really great alternatives. The first is the Mustang Mach-E GT. With 480 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque, some folks may not like the fact that the “Mustang” moniker is used for a crossover, but the Mach-E GT will give the mighty GT500 a run for the money on the drag strip.
You can find Mach-E GTs like this in the low $30,000 range. Keep in mind a base Mustang GT V8 starts at over $40,000.
This car had an original MSRP of over $60,000, you are essentially getting it for half off!
If the Mach-E isn’t your style the top spec Kia EV6 GT models are starting to get into a more affordable range. While there are only a handful in that sub $35,000 zone, expect more to fall within the next year.
The Kia packs almost 600 hp and boasts a 0-60 time in about 3.4 seconds. The downside is that the rest of the car struggles to keep up with all that power, but if you aren’t taking it to the track, this is a performance bargain for the street. The Hyundai Ioniq5 N matches the GTs acceleration and fixes the handling flaws, those models are still going for serious money but I predict in a year or so we will see the N models in a similarly affordable price range.
Does anyone really need an EV that feels like you are being launched into space when you step on the throttle? Of course not, but if you are going to make the shift from gas to electric and don’t care about maximum range, you might as well have maximum fun.
Tom McParland is a contributing writer for Jalopnik and runs AutomatchConsulting.com. He takes the hassle out of buying or leasing a car. Got a car buying question? Send it to [email protected]