The more you consider the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 sedan, the more there is to like. There’s the droopy tail, which reminds this author of a boldly designed Infiniti from the 1990s, or the way the four-door has a range of up to 342 miles. That’s exceptional for a car that starts at just under $40,000.
We can hear some of you from here: What about the new standard-trim Tesla Model 3 and its sub-$40,000 base price? It’s enticing, but we’re not sure the sacrifices are worth the lower price. Especially with how much we’ve liked our yearlong Ioniq 6 test car.
We’re specifically calling out the SEL trim because it offers another option besides an all-black interior. You do lose out on the 342-mile range, though, thanks to flashier and larger wheels.
One other note: The Ioniq 6 gets a refresh for 2026 and may see price cuts of more than $9,000 per trim just like the 2026 Ioniq 5 SUV is about to get once it reaches dealers. Clearly, Hyundai’s EV deals are substantial enough to help consumers forget about the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.
2025 Ioniq 6 deal: $7,500 on any trim, must take delivery by November 3.
Great Deals! The Electric Cars to Buy Now That the $7,500 Federal EV Tax Credit Is Gone, October Edition
No matter your new car budget, you can still get a deal on an EV.Zach GaleWriter
MotorTrend StaffPhotographerManufacturerPhotographerOct 13, 2025
If you missed the boat on the $7,500 federal tax credits because you weren’t ready to pull the trigger on an EV, all is not lost. Smart shoppers can still score huge deals on a new electric ride. You just have to know where to look.
Some automakers are aggressively courting car shoppers wondering if it’s a good time to buy an EV. What follows isn’t a list of the cheapest EVs but instead the best deals on cars you might actually want to own. With October’s incentives, these cars are better value than you think. Which one would you consider?
2025 Kia EV6—Deal: $9,000 Off
The 2025 Kia EV6 is fun to drive and quick to charge, and most models have a long range. And you should have heard about the way we gushed about the available dark green interior when we tested a 2025 model.
The EV6, which starts at around $44,000, earned a laudable second-place finish in a seven-SUV comparison. If you can appreciate the wagonlike styling, this Kia is a good choice.
2025 EV6 deal: $9,000 on any trim, must take delivery by November 3.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 SEL—Deal: $7,500 Off
The more you consider the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 sedan, the more there is to like. There’s the droopy tail, which reminds this author of a boldly designed Infiniti from the 1990s, or the way the four-door has a range of up to 342 miles. That’s exceptional for a car that starts at just under $40,000.
We can hear some of you from here: What about the new standard-trim Tesla Model 3 and its sub-$40,000 base price? It’s enticing, but we’re not sure the sacrifices are worth the lower price. Especially with how much we’ve liked our yearlong Ioniq 6 test car.
We’re specifically calling out the SEL trim because it offers another option besides an all-black interior. You do lose out on the 342-mile range, though, thanks to flashier and larger wheels.
One other note: The Ioniq 6 gets a refresh for 2026 and may see price cuts of more than $9,000 per trim just like the 2026 Ioniq 5 SUV is about to get once it reaches dealers. Clearly, Hyundai’s EV deals are substantial enough to help consumers forget about the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.
2025 Ioniq 6 deal: $7,500 on any trim, must take delivery by November 3.
2026 Lucid Air—0.99% for 72 Months + $7,500 Off
What can we say about this former Car of the Year winner except that it’s one of the most impressive cars ever made, perfect for those willing to overlook a handful of glaring faults. That’s how we felt after our experience driving one for a year, and the Air sedan remains a luxurious and entertaining EV with more range than any other electric car.
Lucid has already lowered the price of the Air over the years, and the base price is now in the low $70,000 range. Speaking of range, the Lucid offers between 420 and 512 miles of it.
Way more fun: A 1,234-hp Air Sapphire just set a MotorTrend record for the quickest 0–60-mph time we’ve ever tested.
2026 Air deal: 0.99% for 72 months + $7,500 off on Pure, Touring, and Grand Touring (but sadly, not Sapphire). Must take delivery by October 31.
2025 Rivian R1S—1.99% for 60 Months
That deal may not seem too good, but that leads us to our point: Especially with luxury, value shouldn’t come from the deal itself but also from your quality of life. How does a car or SUV make you feel? Well, the R1S is one of our favorite three-row luxury SUVs regardless of powertrain, despite some subpar quality survey results.
So no, 1.99 percent for 60 months isn’t a great deal, but it’s a decent deal on a really good SUV. Pricing starts just under $80,000, and there are four levels of power, ranging from respectable to bonkers.
A well-equipped and quick Dual Motor Performance model is about $100,000, though there’s plenty more power above that, thanks to Tri and Quad motor options.
2025 R1S deal: 1.99% for 60 months, must order by October 31 and take delivery by November 30.
2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E—0% for 72 Months + $2,000 to $3,000 Off
The 2025 Mustang Mach-E is proof that just because a car has been around a few years doesn’t mean it’s out of date. This Ford recently won a seven-SUV comparison and has lots going for it, starting with how fun it is to drive. Rear-seat comfort is pretty good for an EV, too—some electric cars have surprisingly high floors, which make for odd seating positions.
Depending on where you are, the deal here could include another $1,000, as it does near us in Los Angeles.
2025 Mustang Mach-E deal: 0% for 72 months with $2,000-$3,000 off depending on region. Take delivery by November 3 or January 5, depending on region.
2026 BMW iX—3.99% for 60 Months + $7,500 Off
We really like the BMW iX, even before its recent freshening. The 2026 iX seats five and feels special. That’s true before you even press the nicely detailed start button and look around the cabin. The iX feels like it was designed, not produced.
The five-seat luxury EV feels luxurious to drive, but a sporty flair still exists underneath all those layers of leather and technology. The upcoming iX3 will probably attract a number of would-be iX buyers, but for now we’re still fans of the larger electric BMW SUV.
2026 iX deal: 3.99% for 60 months with $7,500 off, take delivery by October 31.
2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV – 0% for 60 Months + $1,250 Off
What’s most remarkable about the 2025 Equinox is that it’s already a good value before considering any deals. Although it’s a shame you can’t apply a $7,500 federal EV tax credit to the price anymore, getting 0 percent for 60 months and $1,250 on every trim down to the $34,995 base model is still pretty good.
So too is the EPA-rated range, just over 300 miles on every trim whether you pick FWD or AWD. There are a couple caveats for this Chevy, which recently earned a fifth-place finish in a comparison of seven electric EVs. There’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and this is best suited for commuters fortunate enough to have home charging, because the fast-charging rate isn’t actually all that fast.
There are deals that specifically exclude the base trims, but we’d still stick with any model rolling on the standard wheels; the larger ones look great but also have a negative impact on ride quality.
Deal-seekers may want to keep an eye out for the new $30,000 2027 Bolt EV to roll onto dealer lots, as it pairs a range of around 250 miles with a much faster charging speed than before.
2025 Equinox EV deal: 0% for 60 months with $1,250 off, for non-GM owners and must take delivery by November 3.
Best electric car deals for October:
- 2025 Kia EV6—$9,000 off
- 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 SEL—$7,500 off
- 2026 Lucid Air—0.99% for 72 months with $7,500 off
- 2025 Rivian R1S—1.99% for 60 months
- 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E—0% for 72 months with $2,000 off
- 2026 BMW iX xDrive60—3.99% for 60 months with $7,500 off
- 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV—0% for 60 months with $1,250 off
