All-electric vehicles have made great strides toward mainstream acceptance in recent years, but only one currently checks all the necessary boxes to make EV ownership both pragmatic and pleasurable: the Tesla Model Y. Not only has Cars.com named the SUV our Best Electric Vehicle of 2022 in the inaugural year for the award, we put our money where our merits are and purchased one for our fleet of long-term test cars back in November.
In Cars.com’s most popular news article of the past week, we reveal how the Model Y charged past award contenders, including fellow electric SUVs the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin. Mass acceptance of the ever-increasing number of EVs hitting the market isn’t as simple as driving range and affordability. Livability is the X factor that makes the Model Y the consumer-friendly choice thanks to its interior comfort, 3,500-pound max towing capacity, 326-mile maximum range and a sporty, exciting driving experience. Additionally, the Model Y addresses perhaps the biggest hurdle EVs face on the mainstream market thanks to Tesla’s Supercharger system and household compatibility: charging convenience.
For the full details on the 2022 Tesla Model Y’s victory in Cars.com’s Best of 2022 awards, follow the link below to the No. 1 news story of the week.
In other awards news, the Ford Maverick pickup truck didn’t take the top spot on our weekly countdown of most popular articles, so we suppose it’ll have to settle for having been named the Best of 2022 vehicle overall … Best Pickup Truck of 2022 … and latest member of the Cars.com long-term test fleet. So spare this top-gun Maverick your sad trombone and save it for the next “Top Gun: Maverick” release-date delay. To get a good lock on the Best of the Year award, the Maverick did a flyby on the Ford Bronco, Genesis GV70, Honda Civic, Hyundai Santa Cruz and Volkswagen ID.4. And for Best Pickup Truck, the Maverick left the 2022 Toyota Tundra and Santa Cruz (again) in its exhaust plume. The Maverick earned its wings with such attributes as a legitimately efficient hybrid powertrain and versatile bed and backseat storage, but perhaps its biggest selling point is that below-the-hard-deck starting price of around $20,000 — roughly half the average price of a new car.
“With the size and price of mid- and full-size trucks regularly increasing, simply being an affordable compact pickup truck was enough for the 2022 Ford Maverick to be a contender for Cars.com’s Best of the Year award for 2022,” awards judges concluded. “But with mind-blowing value, real capability and innovative accessorizing, the Maverick goes well beyond simply filling an unoccupied slot.”
For the full context on the Maverick’s victory in the Best of 2022 awards, follow the links below to Nos. 3 and 5, and for the details of Cars.com’s Maverick purchase for $31,000 (including a destination charge), check out this week’s No. 2 news story.
Beyond that, we’ve got headlines on the Cadillac Escalade, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Venue, Mercedes-AMG GLE53, Toyota Sequoia and much more — so don’t stop reading till the digits double. Here are the top 10 new stories Cars.com readers couldn’t get enough of in the past week:
1. Best Electric Vehicle of 2022
2. How We Bought a 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid Without an Order
3. Best Pickup Truck of 2022
4. When Will Used-Car Prices Drop? 3 Things Car Shoppers Should Know
5. Best of the Year 2022
6. Best Luxury Car of 2022
7. Best Family Car of 2022
8. Best Value Car of 2022
9. 2022 Mercedes-AMG GLE53 Review: Adventures in Unnecessary Sportiness
10. Up Close With the 2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone
Keyword: 10 Biggest News Stories of the Week: Tesla Model Y Bests Ford Maverick