Best electric SUVs to buy 2024
The electric SUV market is growing rapidly, so we’re here to help you pick the best ones to buy
Only a few years ago, the electric SUV market contained relatively slim pickings for buyers. Today, the best electric SUVs really have to go above and beyond to stand out in a rapidly growing crowd of contenders. Things change fast but practicality, running costs and price are probably still the biggest considerations in a sector where many electric SUV buyers will be looking for a spacious family car with costs they can afford.
To help you decide on the best electric SUV model to buy, our expert road testers have tested every electric SUV that you can buy in the UK and whittled the list down to the top 10. All of these cars are much kinder to the environment than combustion-powered SUVs, but they offer far more reasonable running costs, too. Prices are on the way down and there’s also some significant Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax savings on offer for company car users.
The best electric SUVs to buy
Read on to find the best electric SUVs to buy right now, listed in reverse order.
10. MINI Countryman
- Prices from £42,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 286 miles
Some people will be horrified at the sight of a MINI on a best SUVs list, but please hear us out. The latest MINI Countryman is the brand’s largest car to date, and this means drivers who are charmed by the distinctive character of MINI models but require something practical can genuinely enjoy the best of both worlds. There’s room for five passengers, along with a 450-litre boot.
Petrol power is available but the fully-electric MINI Countryman will return up to 286 miles of range on the WLTP combined cycle and has the advantage of lower running costs. Take a seat behind the wheel and you’ll find eight ‘Experiences’ to choose from, which change the car’s settings to deliver different experiences behind the wheel, so you can customise the Countryman to your heart’s content. The usual sense of driving fun is a bit lacking compared to its smaller MINI siblings but for a compact electric SUV it’s very enjoyable on the road.
9. BMW iX
- Prices from £71,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 382 miles
Although its appearance is rather controversial, the BMW iX is a deeply impressive electric SUV. It’s supremely comfortable yet great to drive, the interior is class-leading and plenty of the brand’s most innovative technology is fitted as standard.
The iX’s interior has a futuristic feel to its design; there are plenty of soft-touch materials throughout and two 14.5-inch curved screens make up most of the dashboard. These screens feature BMW’s Live Cockpit Professional media setup and the latest version of iDrive, so you won’t go wanting for gadgetry. When on the move, the bulky iX does a stellar job of hiding its weight, and it even tackles corners with a surprising level of agility.
8. Nissan Ariya
- Prices from £40,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 330 miles
Our 2022 Car of the Year remains a solid choice among an ever-increasing sea of rivals. Not only is the Nissan Ariya rather stylish to look at, but the level of quality and refinement on offer isn’t too dissimilar to that of a much pricier model.
Inside the well-appointed cabin there is a sense of luxury that is somewhat unusual for a Nissan, with wood trim and soft-touch materials throughout. One downside is that the twin displays are quite low-resolution when compared to a number of rivals but they are responsive and simple to understand.
The Ariya should prove easy to live with, too, with even the base model claiming over 220 miles of battery range. All versions offer plenty of passenger and luggage space along with a number of clever storage solutions. It rides comfortably, too, and is even surprisingly nimble when you head into a corner.
7. Renault Scenic
- Prices from £37,500
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 379 miles
- Best for families
The Renault Scenic has shed its MPV skin in favour of a more contemporary SUV shape, but its family car fundamentals have remained firmly in place. This Renault outshines a number of rivals, including the Volkswagen ID.4, with 545-litres of boot space. Its flat floor means that taller adults can sit comfortably in the back, too.
When it comes to equipment, the Scenic’s interior is essentially a larger version of the one found in the Megane E-Tech, so there’s a decent amount included as standard. Entry-level kit includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED lights, twin interior screens, heated front seats and a rear-view camera. There’s also the choice of two batteries: a 60kWh unit, which offers up to 260 miles per charge or an 87kWh pack that boosts this figure up to 379 miles.
6. Tesla Model Y
- Prices from £45,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 331 miles
The Tesla Model Y pretty much offers the same plethora of technology, sizable batteries and eye-watering performance as the smaller Model 3, only here they’re all wrapped up in a more practical SUV body. This has proven such a successful package that the Model Y was officially the UK’s best-selling electric car in 2023.
Even the entry-level model is good for up to 283 miles of range on the WLTP combined cycle, and it will also sprint from 0-60mph in just 6.6 seconds. If you’re a bit of a speed demon, the range-topping Performance version will reduce this time to a supercar-like 3.5 seconds — certainly not bad for a family car.
5. Skoda Enyaq
- Prices from £39,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 348 miles
In typical Skoda fashion, the Enyaq does an excellent job of combining ease-of-use, practicality and build quality all within a reasonably-priced package.
Even in base 60 guise, the Enyaq offers up to 247 miles of range on the WLTP combined cycle, and it can be rapid-charged from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 35 minutes. Move up to the 85 and its larger battery pack will boost this range up to 340 miles. Inside every variant of the Enyaq you will find plenty of room for up to five passengers and their luggage, making this a top choice of family car. There’s a generous helping of standard equipment, too, including a Virtual Cockpit digital instrument display.
4. Kia EV6
- Prices from £45,500
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 328 miles
- Best driving experience
With a battery range of more than 300 miles and a 350kW rapid charging capability, the Kia EV6 is a great choice for those looking for a long-distance EV. The EV6 is the sportier member of the family of cars that are built on the e-GMP platform, and it offers plenty of punchy performance as a result. In fact, the 577bhp EV6 GT is the fastest Kia on sale.
Performance doesn’t come at the cost of practicality, though, as the EV6 offers a number of clever touches to make life easier for passengers. One of these is the Vehicle-to-Load function; this allows the car to be used as a power-outlet via a built-in three-pin socket - perfect for charging devices while away on holiday.
We found the EV6 to be predictably firmer than its Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Genesis GV60 siblings during testing, but it certainly isn’t uncomfortable. The ride can be a bit fidgety on more urban streets, but when it hits the open roads the Kia becomes a highly capable cruiser.
3. Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Prices from £43,500
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 315 miles
As the pioneer of Hyundai’s bold new EV lineup, the Ioniq 5 still stands out by a country mile compared to almost anything else on the road — even other Hyundais. Its blocky bodystyle, 8-bit lighting and abundance of technology make it feel like something out of a sci-fi film, but it’s far from being a gimmicky car.
There are two batteries available, a 58kWh and 77.4kWh unit, and these claim up to 238 and 315 miles of range respectively. The Ioniq 5’s tall stature makes for plenty of room inside for passengers and cargo, too, so it performs well as a family car. There’s plenty of excellent technology features and soft-touch materials which make things feel impressively upmarket for a car at this price point. If you’re a real performance fan, there’s also the option of the mad Ioniq 5 N.
2. Volvo EX30
- Prices from £34,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 295.8 miles
- Best value for money
The Volvo EX30 has a lot going for it: it’s good to drive, chock-full of safety features and can even return up to 295.8 miles of battery range. This is already a winning combination, but a starting price of under £35,000 is the biggest ace up this Swedish SUV’s sleeve.
While some other similarly-sized EVs are available for this sort of money, the Volvo feels like a truly premium offering. The materials look and feel top-notch, and there’s plenty of power on offer from every variant, too. If there’s just one cause for criticism, though, it’s the overreliance on the central touchscreen. Almost every function is operated via the infotainment system, and this can quickly become very frustrating.
1. Hyundai Kona Electric
- Prices from £35,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 319 miles
Hyundai took customer and road tester feedback to heart when designing the latest Kona, and it really shows. The original car was undoubtedly a decent one, but the Korean brand has made great efforts to not carry its few flaws over to the second-generation model. As a result, there’s now more space inside the latest Kona, and an abundance of slick new tech makes it much more modern and premium in feel. We like this small SUV so much that we crowned it our 2023 Car of the Year.
While there’s also the option of combustion and hybrid power, the fully-electric Hyundai Kona is our pick of the bunch. Not only is it the most economical to run,the near-silent powertrain means it’s brilliantly refined, too.
Underneath, the latest Kona Electric is based on the same K3 platform as the Kia Niro EV, and it’s available with the choice of two batteries. The smaller 48kWh unit claims up to 234 miles of range, which isn’t class-leading but should prove enough for most drivers. If you cover long distances on a regular basis, the larger 65kWh battery boosts the Kona’s range to 319 miles. Whichever version you choose, the standard-fit heat pump will help the Hyundai to achieve similar numbers in the real world.
The best electric SUVs to buy now
- Hyundai Kona Electric
- Volvo EX30
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Kia EV6
- Skoda Enyaq
- Tesla Model Y
- Renault Scenic
- Nissan Ariya
- BMW iX
- MINI Countryman
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