Compare the best electric SUV cars
High quality electric SUVs from rated and reviewed dealers
Best electric SUVs in the UK of 2023
If you’re looking to make the switch to electric for your next new car and also want the benefits of an SUV, you’re spoiled for choice.
There are a couple of reasons why there are so many electric SUVs to choose from. First, SUVs are undeniably popular, with the high riding position giving a great view out and the high seating position they bring making ingress and egress easy. With SUVs in such demand, it makes sense for manufacturers to design and build new cars they are confident will find a market.
On top of this, electric cars lend themselves well to the SUV format because EV battery packs are typically packaged in the floor of the car. This means you need to have the passenger compartment above the battery pack, which in turn means the relatively tall SUV shape is a sensible one for electric cars.
With so many EV SUVs to choose from though, you might find yourself a little stuck. Well, here are the 10 best all electric SUVs to help you out, as chosen by our team of expert car reviewers.
1. Kia EV6
Kia EV6 review
Battery range up to 328 miles
There is so much going for the Kia EV6 that it's difficult to know where to start. For one thing, it looks mega, with a sleek, futuristic design and a lean, purposeful stance. In fact, while it's classed as an SUV it really doesn't look much like one.
As well as looking fantastic, the EV6 is also great to drive, with engaging handling and a lovely, cockpit-style interior. It can also cover an impressive number of miles on a single charge – up to 328 officially, depending on which model you choose.
And while few people would describe a car that starts at around £45,000 as affordable, when you look at what you get for your money, and how much comparable rival cars are, the EV6 makes an awful lot of sense.
The interior is smart and modern thanks largely to the dual 12.3-inch screens that dominate the dashboard. It’s spacious enough for family life and has plenty of high-quality materials too.
Want a bit more performance? There’s a 585hp dual-motor version with supercar-baiting acceleration that can drift like a MkII Escort…
2. Audi Q4 e-tron
Audi Q4 e-tron review
Battery range up to 329 miles
With an electric range of up to 321 miles (or 328 miles if you get the slightly more slippery Q4 e-tron Sportback), the Audi Q4 e-tron offers a similar range to the EV6, but has a more conventional appearance and a little more comfort over rough roads. We would give the nod to the Kia due to its neater handling, but it's understandable if you're more drawn to the Audi badge and aren't as fussed about outright dynamism on a winding country road.
Still, do be careful when specifying your Q4 e-tron, as standard equipment isn't what we would call generous, with front parking sensors and a reversing camera not included in the entry-level Sport model, for example.
The interior feels solidly put together and has an expensive ambiance, but it’s not particularly interesting to look at. That said, it’s generally pretty spacious, with roomy rear seats and a 520-litre boot making it just as easy to justify for practical reasons and not just badge appeal.
3. BMW iX
BMW iX review
Battery range up to 446 miles
We'll get the obvious thing out of the way first: the BMW iX has an absolutely massive front 'grille' and to some eyes also looks a little odd from the side, which may not be to your tastes. (We put ‘grille’ in quotation marks as it's actually solid, being a design cue with no need to be there.)
But if you can manage not to judge a book by its cover or like the way the iX looks, inside you will find one of the nicest car interiors in the business, with supremely posh materials and impeccable build quality, together with more technology than you could shake a stick at. The huge dual curved screens are a particular highlight, while the quirky hexagonal steering wheel might take a bit of getting used to, but gives the iX a bit more character.
Oh, and then there's the matter of range: the iX can travel up to 380 miles between charges, making it an extremely easy SUV to recommend for those with deep enough pockets. It also has a comfortable ride and loads of space. Less worried about range and more concerned with power? The iX M60 has 619hp and can go from 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds.
4. Hyundai Ioniq 5
Hyundai Ioniq 5 review
Battery range up to 315 miles
The Ioniq 5 is one of the most eye-catching cars on sale today, with angular line after angular line, interesting head and rear light designs, and a sense of being if not back from the future, then at least designed for it.
Interestingly, the Ioniq 5 is also a much larger car than its looks may at first indicate. Sure, it might look like a hatchback, but it actually has the dimensions of an SUV, with this translating into more than enough space for most families.
The futuristic design continues inside with a stylish, minimalist theme. There are some cheap buttons and switches to be found, but two large high-res screens and generally high-quality materials make this a pleasant place to eat up miles. Add in a comfy ride, lots of equipment and a range of around 300 miles, and the Ioniq 5 is easy to recommend. And even easier now that there’s a 641hp high-performance N version on the way.
5. Smart #1
Smart #1 review
Battery range up to 273 miles
Smart was actually the first car company in the UK to switch to fully electric motoring with the Fortwo, its tiny, quirky two-seat city car. So it's no surprise that it is expanding its range with this small electric SUV, dubiously called #1. Yes, that's pronounced 'hashtag one'. Silly name aside this is actually a brilliant little city car, with cute looks and a stylish interior. It's really spacious inside, too, even for those in the back. The downside is that the boot is really small, but it's a rare complaint for what is a decent family car overall. On the road it's really comfortable and relaxing to drive, and there's also a go-faster Brabus version for those who want a bit more punch from the electric motors.
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6. Skoda Enyaq
Skoda Enyaq review
Battery range up to 348 miles
The Skoda Enyaq isn’t massively exciting to drive but it's certainly comfortable, and that's no bad thing. It also has a seriously spacious interior, while the cabin design and materials feel like a step up compared with the Volkswagen ID.3, with which it shares much of its construction.
It’s a smart-looking thing, too, with a design that doesn’t shout “look at me, I’m a futuristic electric car” from the rooftops like some alternatives do. Instead, you get sharp lines, slim headlights and a subtle rear spoiler.
Being a Skoda means value is important, too. The Enyaq is reasonably priced for an electric SUV and just about the only compromise to make for this value relates to badge snobbery. With a range of up to 345 miles for the slippery Coupe version it can go a long way between charges, too.
7. Tesla Model Y
Tesla Model Y review
Battery range up to 331 miles
Big fan of the Tesla Model 3 but want a bit more space? Then the Model Y is for you. It has the same tech-laden, minimalist interior - only with a lot more room. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there’s a good chunk more headroom for those in the rear seats, while a standard panoramic roof gives the cabin a light and airy feel.
Top-of-the-range Performance models are rapid, going from 0-60mph in just 3.5 seconds. Even the Long Range models are pretty quick, though, completing the same sprint in under five seconds. The ride is a bit firm but it’s fun in corners, while a range of up to 315 miles is hard to sniff at.
The Model Y is offered as a seven-seater as well as a five-seater in North America, and while the seven-seat model will make its way over to the UK eventually, once it does bear in mind that the rearmost two seats are really only for use by children, with anyone much over five feet tall likely to find their head brushing against the rear window.
8. Ford Mustang Mach-e
Ford Mustang Mach-E review
Battery range up to 379 miles
The Ford Mustang Mach-e takes the Mustang name and repurposes it for the electric age, taking the iconic muscle car's performance as a base, and adding a practical, well-made interior alongside a range of up to 372 miles - a decent number by any EV buyer's measure.
A large portrait-orientation touchscreen dominates the cabin, with easy to navigate menus and clear graphics making it a breeze to use. It’s spacious inside, with lots of cubby holes up front and decent headroom in the rear, even with that sloping roof, while an additional storage area under the bonnet helps improve the mediocre boot space of 402 litres.
The suspension can be a little firm over bumps, but the Mach-e makes up for this by being one of the most entertaining electric SUVs to drive.
9. Volvo XC40 Recharge
Volvo XC40 Recharge review
Battery range up to 311 miles
Volvo’s XC40 has just done something that no other car has done since, we think, the 1970s Triumph Toledo. It has switched from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive. That’s because an electric car with a single motor is more efficient if it’s pushed from the rear, rather than pulled from the front.
It's given the XC40 a useful range boost. With the largest 82kWh battery pack, it can now go for up to 330 miles on one charge, while the smaller 69kWh battery can give you up to 285 miles of range. There’s still a 408hp twin-motor four-wheel drive version, which can sprint to 62mph in just 4.8 secs, but that one gets a bit more range now too, thanks to better battery cooling — up to 314 miles.
The XC40 remains well-made, nice to drive, and — of course, it’s a Volvo — hugely safe but the cabins do look a bit on the cheap side for a car costing this much. The Google-based infotainment system is super-fast and easy to use, though.
10. Nissan Ariya
Nissan Ariya review
Battery range up to 330 miles
As one of the key firms that pioneered the modern electric car, it's pleasing to report that the Ariya is another game changer for Nissan, ushering in a new level of build quality and styling after the worthy second-generation Leaf.
The stylish, futuristic exterior look continues inside, with clean lines across the dashboard and a pair of large displays. There’s also a clever movable storage tray that slides back and forth for a little extra practicality. Though the annoying touch-sensitive buttons on the centre console tarnish the otherwise excellent ergonomics.
Prices reflect the push upmarket, with Nissan asking at least £46,000 for an Ariya but, for your money, you get a spacious, well-equipped electric SUV - though it's probably worth paying the £4,000 or so Nissan asks for the bigger battery pack (this upgrade also gets you more equipment including a sunroof and 10-speaker stereo), as this increases the official range from 250 to 329 miles.
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