Best used electric SUVs for less than £20,000 – bargain EVs reviewed and rated
If you buy used, you don’t need to spend a fortune to put an electric SUV on your driveway. We’ve made a list of the 10 best examples you can buy now for less than £20,000...
Electric SUVs were once hugely expensive things, but they’re becoming a bit of a used car bargain. You see, there are a lot of them to choose from on the forecourts, with examples available from almost every car brand.
This means there’s an electric SUV for almost every need, whether you're after something small or large, practical or luxurious, and all of them come with confidence-inspiring ranges.
Here, we’ve taken into account such factors as pricing, practicality and range, as well as charge speeds, reliability and comfort, to decide our rankings. If any of the cars on this list tempt you, you can find out more about them in our used car reviews, or you could even take a look at our used car classifieds, where you could even put one of them on your driveway.
Strengths
- Extremely spacious interior
- Well equipped in all trim levels
- Plush and comfortable ride, even on rough roads
- Very well priced as a used buy
Weaknesses
- So-so performance by electric car standards
- Some rivals are more adept in the handling department
- Infotainment isn’t as responsive as some rival systems
Used prices for the Skoda Enyaq are jaw-dropping, because they start from just £13,000. This makes it one of the cheapest used electric SUVs money can buy.
And yet, the Enyaq is one of the best used cars you can buy – full stop. It has a sturdy, high-quality interior that equals the Audi Q4 e-tron for plushness, with enough room for five people to sit comfortably. The boot is one of the largest in the class, too.
On the road, the Enyaq is more comfortable to travel in than the Tesla Model Y, with its suspension soaking up bumps very effectively. It’s great for long journeys, which is helped by the Enyaq’s competitive official range figures of 256 miles for the 60 version and 333 miles for the 80. For the best value, we reckon it’s the former you should go for.
"When I opened the Enyaq’s boot, I couldn’t believe how much space there was inside. We managed to fit nine carry-on suitcases below the parcel shelf, which is a huge number." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer
We found 2021 Skoda Enyaq 60 Nav Loft, 55,161 miles, £14,295
Read our used Skoda Enyaq review
Search for a used Skoda Enyaq for sale
Strengths
- Great to drive
- Intuitive infotainment system
- Good reliability record
Weaknesses
- A fair few alternatives are faster
- An Audi E-tron or Mercedes EQC will cost you less to buy
- The Tesla Model Y can go further on a single charge
A game of ‘spot the difference’ between the BMW iX3 and the regular BMW X3 might be a challenge, but that’s partly why the iX3 is so appealing. It takes some of the strongest elements from the X3, including its high-quality interior and user-friendly infotainment system, but wraps them in an electric SUV package.
Like the regular car, it’s very good to drive, with the electric motors making it very quiet to travel in. It’s more fun down a twisty road than a Jaguar I-Pace, but without compromising on ride quality. It’s far more comfortable than the Tesla Model Y on a bumpy road. All of these factors, along with the iX3’s good reliability record, make it a very tempting choice. If it were a touch cheaper, it might have made the top spot.
"I was impressed by how much kit the iX3 gets as standard. All cars have three-zone climate control, a powered tailgate, a panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery and a heated steering wheel. The list is endless." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor
We found 2022 BMW iX3 Premier Edition Pro, 77,277 miles, £19,944
Read our used BMW iX3 review
Search for a used BMW iX3 for sale
Strengths
- Smart, high-quality interior with a modern design
- Very well equipped for the price
- Sharp handling for an electric SUV
Weaknesses
- Small boot, especially when compared with some of its rivals
- Ride is on the firm side, especially on urban roads
- Infotainment system can frustrate in everyday use
Our favourite version of the Smart #1, the Pro+, essentially gives you a half-price discount if you buy used. Indeed, you can pick up a 2024 car with very low mileage for less than £20,000. It’s a serious bargain.
But the #1 is a thoroughly good electric SUV. While it’s not as practical as the Skoda Enyaq, it’s still very spacious inside, beating the Jeep Avenger Electric for rear seat space. It’s also very stylish in there. Only a small boot lets the side down.
Performance is very strong, with all versions (other than the hot Brabus) offering a 0-62mph sprint of just 6.7sec, making it faster than a Hyundai Kona Electric. An official range of 273 miles with the Pro+ is competitive with rivals, too.
"I really like the #1’s interior. It’s very smart, if you pardon the pun, with lots of leather, soft-touch plastic and metal-effect finishes." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer
We found 2024 Smart #1 Pro+, 5662 miles, £19,981
Read our used Smart #1 review
Search for a used Smart #1 for sale
Strengths
- Impressive range
- Fast-charging capability
- Spacious inside
- Long warranty
Weaknesses
- Firm ride
- Shallow boot
- Headroom not great
- Reliability mixed
Our 2022 Car of the Year, the Kia EV6 makes a great used buy just a few years later. Our favourite version, the single motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) car, can do 328 miles officially between charges. That’s more than equivalent versions of its sister car, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which it also happens to beat for reliability.
With a maximum charging rate of 258kW, it has one of the quickest charging speeds in the business, but only if you can find a charger that’s quick enough.
Along with those factors, the EV6 is enjoyable to drive. While the ride is on the firm side, it handles more sweetly than a Hyundai Kona Electric. Performance is good, too.
"For me, a key draw to the EV6 is Kia’s seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty. If you buy a two-year-old example with reasonable mileage, you’ll still have plenty of cover left." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor
We found 2022 Kia EV6 RWD GT-Line, 61,169 miles, £18,899
Read our used Kia EV6 review
Search for a used Kia EV6 for sale
Strengths
- Comfortable ride
- Classy and spacious interior
- Good value used
- Reliability looking good
Weaknesses
- So-so performance
- Visibility can be a problem
- Cheaper versions have a short range
- The similar Enyaq is cheaper
The Audi Q4 e-tron and Skoda Enyaq are close relatives, but the Q4 is the more premium alternative. As you’d expect, it’s very comfortable, with a supple ride and quiet driving manners on the motorway. Interior quality is decent, too, although it’s not as plush inside as the BMW iX3.
Despite the premium badge, used prices are competitive. Numbers start from around £18,000, which gets you a 40 car in S line trim. It has a competitive official range of 322 miles, which is similar to that of the Kia EV6.
"If you like buttons in a car like I do, you’ll get on well with the Q4 e-tron’s interior. It has a row of physical buttons for the climate controls, which are superior to the fiddly touch-sensitive sliders in the Enyaq and VW ID 4." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer
We found 2021 Audi Q4 e-tron 40 S line, 67,890 miles, £18,946
Read our used Audi Q4 e-tron review
Search for a used Audi Q4 e-tron for sale
Strengths
- Terrific range for family use
- Spacious interior with plenty of storage options
- Well equipped with modern features
- Plenty of head and leg room for passengers
Weaknesses
- Stiff ride in urban conditions
- Handling isn't as exciting as one or two of its rivals
- Limited boot space due to the battery fitment
Another former Car of the Year is the Kia e-Niro, which was a bit of a game-changer when it arrived in 2019. It was one of the first cars to offer both a reasonable price and a good official range.
Those testaments still stand today, because prices start from just £10,000 for a car with around 70,000 miles on the clock. This also gets you our favourite 64kWh model with its 282-mile official range.
We would rank the e-Niro higher, but it’s not as good to drive as the Skoda Enyaq and it’s let down by poor charging speeds. A 10-80% top-up of a 64kWh car with a 100kW charger takes around 45 minutes, which is slower than most cars on this list.
"In our real-world range test, the 64kW e-Niro managed 253 miles in warm weather conditions. I think that’s pretty good, even by modern standards." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor
We found 2022 Kia e-Niro 64kWh 3, 41,731 miles, £14,795
Read our used Kia e-Niro review
Search for a used Kia e-Niro for sale
Strengths
- Strong performance
- Plush interior
- Early versions are good value used
Weaknesses
- Slightly choppy ride
- Fiddly infotainment
- Short range on early versions
The Volvo XC40 is one of those cars that’s available with a choice of power to suit almost every need, including petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid power. In this instance, we’re referring to the fully electric Volvo XC40 Recharge. It comes with many of the regular car’s strengths, including its impressive practicality, high-quality interior and good safety ratings, but its fiddly infotainment system and choppy ride mean it can’t quite match the BMW iX3 for all-round goodness.
On the plus side, it does have very strong performance. Our favourite Twin Motor model has 402bhp, which means 0-62mph takes a very un-Volvo 4.7sec. It’s also powered by a 78kWh total capacity battery, which allows for an official range of 274 miles. That’s similar to the iX3.
"We managed to fit eight carry-on suitcases in the boot of the XC40 Recharge, which is pretty good. It also has a front boot under the bonnet, which I find useful for storing the charging cables." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor
We found 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin 78kWh Pro, 72,109 miles, £19,868
Read our used Volvo XC40 Recharge review
Search for a used Volvo XC40 Recharge for sale
Strengths
- Quick acceleration
- Excellent range between charges
- Tesla’s charging infrastructure
Weaknesses
- Substandard ride and handling
- The Model 3 is better to drive
- Some of its rivals are cheaper to buy age-for-age
Changing a stereotype isn’t easy, but the Tesla Model Y is a car that has done just that, because it’s one of the most reliable electric SUVs you can buy, according to our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, having finished in third place out of 27 cars with a score of 97.1%. That’s quite a change from the big panel gaps and creaky trim Tesla was once known for.
Other strengths include a vast interior (with a very big boot and front boot – we managed to fit 10 carry-on suitcases inside), competitive pricing and a long range. We just wish it were more fun to drive, and the ride quality was a bit better.
"The Model Y’s minimalist interior looks great, but after a while I got fed up with the lack of buttons for even basic functions, such as the mirror adjustment." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer
We found 2022 Tesla Model Y Dual Motor Long Range, 79,000 miles, £19,200
Read our used Tesla Model Y review
Search for a used Tesla Model Y for sale
Strengths
- Good range
- Plenty of space for occupants and their luggage
- User-friendly dashboard layout
Weaknesses
- Steering wheel short on reach adjustment
- Not much fun to drive
- Some motor whine around town
The second-generation Hyundai Kona Electric is a big improvement over its predecessor. It has a more spacious interior, with much improved space in the back seats and boot, but it’s still no match for a Skoda Enyaq. Interior quality was much improved, too, although it’s still not as plush inside as a Smart #1.
To drive, it was much better, with improved ride comfort and tidier handling. While it’s still not as well-rounded as the #1 on the road, it does beat that car for range in Long Range form, where it can do 319 miles officially between charges.
"I really like the Kona Electric, but it’s one of those cars that’s a Jack of all trades and a master of none." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer
We found 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric 64.5kWh Advance, 20,283 miles, £19,840
Read our Hyundai Kona Electric review
Search for a used Hyundai Kona Electric for sale
Strengths
- Great amount of range
- Ideal driving position
- Punchy performance
Weaknesses
- Small boot
- Fidgety ride
- Used examples aren't common
It was a close call between the Kia Soul EV and the Kia Niro EV to make the tenth spot of this list, but the Soul EV just edges it. It’s cheaper to buy by quite some margin, plus it has a stronger reliability record, having finished in seventh place out of 27 cars in the electric SUV section of our latest reliability survey.
Why doesn’t it finish further up this list? Well, it’s largely down to two things – ride quality and charging speeds. The suspension is quite choppy at low and high speeds, and like the closely related e-Niro, the charging speeds are a bit slow. Even so, it’s still a practical and pleasant electric SUV that’s very well equipped in all trim levels.
"I’d struggle to choose between the Soul EV and e-Niro, but the downside of going for the former is that there are fewer of them available on forecourts." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor
We found 2022 Kia Soul EV 64kWh Maxx, 23,545 miles, £14,899
Read our used Kia Soul EV review
Search for a used Kia Soul EV for sale
