When you start comparing electric vehicles, you’re hit with a wall of EV ratings, star scores, crash tests, reliability charts, owner surveys, battery health reports. Some models win safety awards and owner-satisfaction trophies while also showing up near the bottom of reliability rankings. It’s confusing, especially if you’re trying to choose the right EV or evaluate a used one.
Quick definition
When we talk about EV ratings, we mean the independent scores and rankings that evaluate an electric vehicle’s safety, reliability, battery health, and owner satisfaction, not just a single “best EV” list.
What are EV ratings and why they matter
EV ratings are independent evaluations that try to quantify how safe, reliable, efficient, and satisfying a particular electric vehicle is. In 2025, they come from several places: government crash tests, insurance-industry safety tests, big owner surveys, and (for used EVs) battery diagnostics.
- They compress a huge amount of technical data into a simple score or badge.
- They let you compare models across brands on common metrics like safety or satisfaction.
- They often reveal patterns, like brands with great owner satisfaction but so-so reliability or vice versa.
The catch is that no single EV rating tells the whole story. Safety stars don’t tell you whether owners are happy. Owner surveys don’t tell you whether a battery has been fast-charged every day of its life. To use EV ratings well, you need to understand what each one measures, and what it doesn’t.
The main types of EV ratings you’ll see
Four core EV rating systems
Most of what you see falls into one of these buckets
Safety
Crash-test and active safety scores from NHTSA and IIHS. Think stars and "Top Safety Pick" badges.
Reliability
Brand and model reliability from large owner panels, plus recall history and repair data.
Satisfaction
How much owners actually like living with the car, J.D. Power EVX, APEAL, and similar studies.
Battery health
State-of-health diagnostics and range degradation, crucial for used EVs, but often missing from generic ratings.
Think of these as four lenses on the same vehicle. A strong EV choice usually has at least solid safety, acceptable reliability, happy owners, and a healthy battery for its age and mileage.
EV ratings in context: what the numbers say
Safety ratings: how NHTSA and IIHS score EVs
In the U.S., EV safety ratings are dominated by two players: NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and IIHS (the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). They test EVs alongside gas vehicles, but some EV-specific traits, like heavy battery packs and instant torque, show up in the results.
NHTSA vs. IIHS: how EV safety is rated
You’ll usually see both badges when you research a new EV.
| Program | Score format | What it focuses on | What to look for |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHTSA 5-Star | 1–5 stars (overall + sub-scores) | Frontal, side, and rollover crash performance | Aim for 5-star overall; compare frontal and side scores between EVs. |
| IIHS Crashworthiness | Good/Acceptable/Marginal/Poor | Front, side, roof strength, head restraints | Look for "Good" in all major crashworthiness tests. |
| IIHS Crash Avoidance | Superior/Advanced/Basic/None | Automatic emergency braking, lane systems, headlights | Prefer "Superior" or "Advanced" front-crash prevention and "Good" headlights. |
| IIHS Awards | Top Safety Pick / + | Overall package of crashworthiness and crash avoidance | A "Top Safety Pick+" EV checks nearly every safety box. |
Use both sets of ratings, they measure overlapping but different things.
Heavier EVs can be safer for you, but not others
EVs are typically heavier than comparable gas cars because of their battery packs. That extra mass can protect occupants in many crashes, but it may increase risks for smaller vehicles and pedestrians. High safety ratings don’t make basic caution optional.
When you’re comparing EV safety ratings, prioritize structural crashworthiness and active safety tech over gimmicks. A flashy driver-assist system is not a substitute for strong crash performance and reliable automatic emergency braking.
Reliability ratings: surveys, recalls, and over-the-air fixes
EV reliability ratings mainly come from large owner surveys and repair data. The best-known sources track hundreds of thousands of vehicles across all brands each year, then publish brand and model scores for problems per vehicle, broken down by system (battery, electronics, in-car tech, etc.).
How EV reliability is measured
- Owner surveys: Owners report problems over the last 12 months, everything from squeaks to battery failures.
- Repair and warranty data: Aggregated shop visits and warranty claims show patterns across models.
- Recalls and service campaigns: Safety defects and widespread issues show up as recalls or technical service bulletins.
- Software vs. hardware: EVs blur the line, some issues are fixed with over-the-air updates, others require hardware replacement.
Why EV reliability ratings can look harsh
- New tech means more teething problems than mature gas platforms.
- Software-heavy vehicles rack up "issues" for minor bugs or interface quirks.
- Some brands with low reliability scores still crush owner satisfaction because the driving experience is compelling.
- Over-the-air updates can fix a problem but still count as a reported issue in surveys.
Don’t confuse satisfaction with reliability
Several EV brands sit near the bottom of reliability rankings while enjoying top-tier owner satisfaction, drivers love how they drive even if they visit the service bay more often. Use both metrics together.
When you look up EV reliability ratings, zoom out from a single model-year snapshot. A car that’s shaky at launch can become solid after a year of fixes, and a refresh can introduce new issues. For used EVs, reliability history plus battery health is far more informative than a single score on a chart.
Owner satisfaction & J.D. Power EVX scores
Owner-satisfaction ratings try to answer a simple question: “Would you buy this EV again?” The most visible example in 2025 is J.D. Power’s U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study, which combines ten factors, from battery range and charging to design and quality, into a 1,000‑point score.
- In the 2025 EVX study, premium BEVs averaged 756/1,000; mass‑market BEVs averaged 725.
- Top-scoring models include the BMW iX and i4 on the premium side, and Hyundai IONIQ 6, Kia EV6, and Chevrolet Equinox EV among mass‑market models.
- Satisfaction is heavily influenced by charging experience, range confidence, and total cost of ownership, not just performance specs.
How to use satisfaction ratings
Use owner-satisfaction scores to understand day‑to‑day livability: charging convenience, comfort, tech usability, and how well the car fits real owners’ lifestyles. A car that scores well here usually feels easy to live with even if it has a few quirks.
If you’re torn between two EVs with similar specs and safety ratings, lean toward the one with better long‑term satisfaction scores. That’s usually a sign that the overall experience, charging, comfort, software, and support, actually works for people like you.
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Battery health scores: the missing piece for used EVs
Most mainstream EV ratings completely ignore battery health, even though the pack is the single most expensive component in the car. Two identical EVs can have wildly different real‑world range depending on how they’ve been charged, stored, and driven.
- A battery health score (often called State of Health, or SoH) estimates remaining capacity versus new, e.g., 92% of original.
- Driving habits, fast‑charging frequency, extreme temperatures, and high mileage all affect degradation.
- Manufacturer warranties (often 8 years / 100,000 miles) protect against catastrophic failures, but not normal degradation that makes a 300‑mile EV effectively a 220‑mile EV.
Where Recharged fits in
Every vehicle on Recharged comes with a Recharged Score Report that includes verified battery health diagnostics, pricing analysis, and condition insights. That gives you a concrete, vehicle‑specific battery rating that generic “EV reliability” charts simply don’t provide.
When you’re cross‑shopping used EVs, treat battery health as a first‑class rating, right alongside safety and reliability. A slightly less reliable model with an excellent battery and strong safety scores can be a better bet than a “reliable” model with a tired pack.
How to compare EV ratings in practice
Step‑by‑step: evaluating EV ratings for any model
1. Start with safety
Check NHTSA and IIHS ratings. Eliminate models with weak crashworthiness or poor crash‑avoidance tech before you worry about anything else.
2. Review reliability history
Look at multi‑year reliability trends and recall history, not just a single model year. Watch for chronic issues with batteries, electronics, or charging systems.
3. Check owner satisfaction
Use EV‑specific studies to see how happy owners are with charging, comfort, software, and dealer/service support. This captures quality‑of‑life factors that spec sheets miss.
4. Evaluate battery health (for used EVs)
For a used EV, ask for a <strong>battery health report</strong> or diagnostic scan. At Recharged, this is built into the Recharged Score, so you aren’t guessing about real‑world range.
5. Factor in your use case
A city commuter may prioritize reliability and low running costs; a road‑trip family may weight charging speed, network access, and highway safety more heavily.
6. Synthesize, don’t average
There’s no universal “EV rating” that magically averages all this. Decide which categories matter most to you and rank cars accordingly.
Examples: EV ratings on popular 2025 models
To make this concrete, here’s how ratings line up for some high‑profile EVs in the current market. These are patterns, not exhaustive scorecards, you should always confirm the latest data for the exact model year you’re considering.
How ratings stack up on key EVs
Patterns you’ll see when you dig into the data
Hyundai IONIQ 6
- Safety: Strong crash-test performance and driver-assistance tech.
- Satisfaction: Top mass-market score in J.D. Power’s 2025 EVX study, reflecting happy owners.
- Reliability: Generally solid early reliability and Hyundai’s long warranty.
Good example of a car that scores well across most rating systems.
Tesla Model 3 / Y
- Safety: Excellent crash ratings and strong active safety, though performance varies by year and region.
- Satisfaction: Owners tend to be very satisfied with charging and driving experience.
- Reliability: Mixed, strong powertrain durability but more issues with trim and in-car tech versus some rivals.
Shows how high satisfaction can coexist with middling reliability scores.
Rivian R1T / R1S
- Safety: Competitive crash and safety tech as testing expands.
- Satisfaction: Very high owner delight and emotional attachment.
- Reliability: Still maturing; early owners reported more issues than average, and there have been multiple recalls and software fixes.
Illustrates the tradeoff between bleeding-edge features and first-generation complexity.
Compare trims and years, not just nameplates
“Model X scores well” doesn’t mean every trim and year is equal. A 2021 car may predate a safety upgrade, and a 2025 refresh might change reliability. Always drill down to your specific year and configuration.
The limits of EV ratings (and what they miss)
For all their value, EV ratings have blind spots. They’re snapshots built on imperfect data, and they can lag behind running changes to software or hardware. If you treat them as absolute truth, you’ll miss good cars and overrate mediocre ones.
- Lag time: Owner surveys and crash tests often trail real‑world fixes or new problems by a year or more.
- Software pace: EVs change quickly via over‑the‑air updates, but ratings may not capture those upgrades or regressions.
- Usage patterns: Ratings rarely account for your specific use case, cold climates, towing, or heavy DC fast charging.
- Battery nuance: Two cars with identical ratings can have very different battery histories, especially in the used market.
- Dealer and service variation: Satisfaction with service can vary dramatically by region, even for the same brand.
Red flag: treating ratings like gospel
A 5‑star crash rating or a glowing satisfaction score doesn’t mean an EV is automatically the right fit for you, or that a lower‑scored car is a bad choice. Ratings are tools, not verdicts.
Using EV ratings when shopping for a used EV
Used EVs are where EV ratings can either save you thousands, or mislead you. Traditional ratings were built for new‑car shoppers, not for a 4‑year‑old EV that’s lived its life on DC fast chargers. You need to layer vehicle‑level diagnostics on top of brand‑level ratings.
Checklist for applying EV ratings to used cars
- Verify safety for your exact year: Some older EVs lack the crash-avoidance tech that newer ones use to earn awards.
- Check multi-year reliability: Look for patterns, did issues get resolved with later model years or updates?
- Look up recalls and service campaigns: Make sure previous owners addressed known issues.
- Demand a battery health report: This is the single most important “rating” for a used EV.
- Drive it in your real use case: Highway range, charging behavior, and ride quality matter more than brochure specs.
How Recharged changes the equation
At Recharged, every used EV comes with a Recharged Score Report that pulls together:
- Verified battery state of health and real-world range indicators.
- Fair market pricing analysis based on mileage, options, and condition.
- Diagnostic scans that surface fault codes and latent issues.
- Expert EV-specialist support to help interpret the ratings and tradeoffs.
Instead of guessing from generic EV ratings, you’re looking at a specific vehicle’s story.
EV ratings FAQ
Frequently asked questions about EV ratings
Bottom line: how to actually use EV ratings
EV ratings are incredibly useful, as long as you treat them as tools, not verdicts. Safety scores tell you how a car protects you when things go wrong. Reliability ratings hint at how often things go wrong. Owner-satisfaction studies reveal how the car fits into real lives. Battery health scores tell you whether a used EV still delivers the range you’re paying for.
Put them together, and you can sort today’s crowded EV market into a short list that actually fits your needs and risk tolerance. Whether you’re eyeing a new model or browsing used EVs online, combine independent EV ratings with vehicle‑specific data, like the Recharged Score, and you’ll make a decision that’s grounded in more than hype, headlines, or a single star rating.
