Top 10: Best electric SUVs in 2026

Whether it's because some qualify for the newly announced Government grant, or because there are more than ever to choose from, the market for electric SUVs is positively booming. And running one can make excellent sense if you can charge it up at home or at work, because you can take advantage of the best energy tariffs to make running an electric SUV very cheap.

The best electric SUVs do far more than just offer the promise of low running costs, though. They must also be practical, with room enough for your family and anything they might wish to bring with them, and interiors which will keep everyone comfortable on long trips. And while we're not looking for sports car handling here, the best electric SUVs should also be good to drive, with potent acceleration, decent cornering ability and a ride which will soak up the worst lumps and bumps with ease.

Our expert team of road testers has spent hundreds of hours driving every electric SUV on the market, assessing them over thousands of miles, both back-to-back against key rivals on public roads, and at our private test track. The result of that in-depth testing is the list you see here, where we're revealing Britain's best electric SUVs. Remember, if any of the cars here take your fancy, you can follow the links through to our full reviews to learn more about each model, or see the latest discounts available through our New Car Deals service.

We've also named the electric SUV we think you should avoid, and answered some of the most common questions about electric SUV ownership at the bottom of this page.

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Volvo's smallest electric SUV counts the Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV and Smart #1 among its key rivals, and impresses by offering comfort and luxury for a relatively modest price.

Indeed, despite undercutting some of those cars, the EX30 is properly upmarket inside, with materials that look and feel expensive. Meanwhile, standard kit is plentiful; it includes adaptive cruise control, a powered tailgate, heated front seats and dual-zone climate control.

We'd stick with cheaper, Single Motor Extended Range versions of the EX30, which should provide enough performance for most families, yet will also quell your range anxiety. Indeed, with an official range of up to 295 miles from its 64kWh battery, it'll get you farther between charges than the #1 or Jeep Avenger. And when you do need to stop, a 10-80% top-up can take as little as 26 minutes.

With a starting price of £33,060 at the time of writing, the EX30 qualifies for the Government's electric car grant.

"If I could add one thing to the EX30 that Volvo doesn't offer, it would be a head-up display, because you currently have to look at the central infotainment screen to check your speed." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

Strengths

• Good to drive
• Smart interior – particularly in Ultra spec
• Competitive entry-level price against rivals

Weaknesses

• Rear space isn't great
• Efficiency could be better
• Interior controls could be more user-friendly

Skoda's first bespoke electric car is practical and good to drive, with a comfortable ride and reassuring handling.

You get a lot of kit, too; even the cheapest model comes with dual-zone climate control, 19in alloy wheels and cruise control. However, the range of this ‘60’ version is on the short side, so we recommend upgrading to the '85', which can officially cover up to 348 miles between charges.

For the money, the Enyaq’s interior quality is good, with everything feeling built to cope with the rough and tumble of family life.

"I'm not usually a fan of touchscreen infotainment systems, but the Enyaq's is helped by having five customisable icons on the top that take you directly to your favourite functions." – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Strengths

• Extremely practical
• 85 version has an impressive range
• Comfortable and easy to drive

Weaknesses

• Elroq is cheaper than entry-level car and goes almost as far
• You'll want to add options, such as a heat pump
• Brake pedal isn’t that easy to use smoothly

Aside from some styling details and the fact the combustion engine has been replaced with an electric motor, you’d be hard pushed to tell the BMW iX3 apart from its combustion-engined sibling, the BMW X3.

That’s no bad thing, though, because it means you’re getting a classy and spacious SUV with, among other things, a large boot and one of the best infotainment systems you’ll find in any new car.

Combine those attributes with a supple ride, assured handling and a respectable range of up to 285 miles between charges, and the iX3 is easy to recommend. Just be aware that some rivals are faster – both in terms of acceleration and how swiftly they can charge.

"While it isn't as vast inside as the larger BMW iX, I still have enough space to sit behind myself in the iX3, despite being 6'5." – Chris Haining, Sub-Editor

Strengths

• Good to drive
• Great infotainment system
• Comparatively well priced

Weaknesses

• Not as fast as rivals
• Audi Q6 e-tron is quieter
• Shorter range than rivals

Not so long ago, Smart only made tiny city cars which had poor ranges, whereas now the brand offers two of the best small electric SUVs on sale.

Perhaps surprisingly, the #1's long lists of attributes include serious performance – in fact, in our tests, it actually beat its official 0-60mph sprint time, needing just 5.8sec. That's faster than the similarly priced BYD Atto 3 can manage, or the more expensive Kia Niro EV.

Don't think the #1 is all go and no show, either, because its interior looks and feels premium, and a couple of six-footers won't feel cramped on its rear seats. Only the boot is a little disappointing, unless you move the sliding rear seats forward and sacrifice some leg room.

"The Smart #1 is a smooth and comfortable motorway cruiser; I'd happily cover big miles behind the wheel of this car." – Darren Moss, Deputy Editor

Strengths

• Great to drive
• Plush, high-quality interior
• Great safety rating

Weaknesses

• Small boot
• Slightly choppy low-speed ride
• Efficiency could be better

With the GV60, upmarket Korean brand Genesis took the underpinnings of the excellent Kia EV6 and added an extra layer of polish.

The GV60 not only offers a generous range of up to 321 miles and ultra-fast charging (meaning a 10-80% top up can take as little as 20 minutes), but is also very refined and has a wonderfully classy interior.

True, you’ll pay more for the GV60 than you would for the EV6, but you get lots of goodies for your money; for example, all GV60s come with wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control and adaptive cruise control.

"I reckon you'll be surprised by the crispness of the GV60's handling; it certainly leans less through corners than rivals from Audi and Hyundai." – Steve Huntingford, Editor

Strengths

• Wonderful interior
• Extremely quiet on the move
• Great infotainment system

Weaknesses

• Boot isn't huge
• Rear space is average
• Optional cameras not as good as traditional door mirrors

When we first drove the latest Scenic, it was let down by an overly firm ride, but Renault has since retuned the suspension, and it now does a fine job of keeping things comfortable.

True, you do pay for this with more body lean in corners than you get with some rivals. However, there's plenty of grip and accurate steering allows you to place the front end exactly where you want it.

A spacious and high-quality interior that features several thoughtful touches that make family life easier adds to the Scenic's appeal. And if you go for the bigger battery, you get an official range of up to 379 miles.

Entry-level Techno versions of the Scenic qualify for the Government's electric car grant.

"The Scenic's standard panoramic glass roof can be turned opaque at the touch of a button. But as a parent, I think the best thing about it is the way it's divided into individually controllable segments so you can keep your children cool on hot days by covering the back seats in shade, while you enjoy the sun in the front." – Steve Huntingford, Editor

Strengths

• Bigger battery version offers a long range
• Cheaper than many rivals
• Five-star Euro NCAP safety rating

Weaknesses

• Rear seat versatility could be better
• Spongy brake pedal feel
• Not particularly quick

Contrary to what its name suggests, the #3 is the second model to join Smart's revitalised line-up. And contrary to what you might think from looking at it, it's more than just a #1 with a lower roofline.

Although they share many components, the #3 is longer and wider than its sibling. As a result, rather than being compromised by its sleeker shape, it improves on the already excellent #1 in useful ways.

That extra length means a larger boot, which makes the #3 a more practical proposition for families. What's more, it still has plenty of space in the rear seats and an interior that's made from high-quality materials and packed with tech.

The #3 is also even better to drive than the #1 and has a slightly longer range (283 miles, officially, in our recommended trim). And yet the #3 is only slightly pricier than its sibling – and it's cheaper than coupé SUV rivals such as the Skoda Enyaq Coupé and Volvo EC40. Entry-level versions of the #3 qualify for the recently announced Government grant.

"I'd recommend paying extra for Premium trim, because you not only get the most efficient motor and largest battery, but also some desirable extra kit." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Strengths

• Good to drive
• Smart interior
• Great safety rating

Weaknesses

• Slightly choppy low-speed ride
• Efficiency could be better

This small electric SUV is based on our reigning What Car? Car of the Year, the Renault 5 – and as such, our expectations of it are high. Thankfully, it delivers, with a comfortable, well-controlled ride, peppy performance and a one-pedal driving mode which makes driving in stop-start traffic easy.

The official range of up to 247 miles might not be as much as the Kia EV3 can manage, but it's still competitive next to rivals including the Jeep Avenger Electric and Vauxhall Mokka Electric. And when it comes to interior space, you can fit more into the boot of the Renault 4 than you can into those models.

Taller adults will find that they have plenty of room to stretch out in the front of the Renault 4, but while rear seat leg room is impressive, head room is far tighter, and taller passengers will find that their heads brush the roof lining.

Not only does the 4 undercut most rivals on price, but all versions should also qualify for the Government's electric car grant scheme.

"When testing the Kona Electric, I managed to fit six carry-on suitcases below its parcel shelf, with space left over for a couple of soft bags." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Strengths

• Good to drive
• Tempting pricing
• Practical boot

Weaknesses

• Rear seats are tight for adults
• Some rivals have longer w

The Skoda Elroq is relatively late to the electric SUV party, but by waiting and tweaking the formula of the larger Skoda Enyaq, the Czech brand has gotten things just right.

As we’ve come to expect of Skoda, the Elroq majors on practicality, with plenty of space for a six-footer to sit behind a driver of similar height without feeling hemmed in. The boot is a good size, too, and the reasonably priced Transport Package helps you to make the most of its space.

In town, the Elroq’s small turning circle and nippy acceleration help you to make the most of any overtaking opportunity, while it’s also a composed motorway cruiser. Its brakes are more consistent in feel than those of the rival Renault Scenic, too. Plus, with 360 miles of official range, longer trips are a doddle.

Then there’s the price, with even range-topping versions undercutting rivals significantly. That price helps most versions of the Elroq to qualify for the Government's electric car grant.

"I was impressed with the interior quality of the Elroq, because it manages to feel more plush than its price would suggest. The steering wheel feels premium in your hands, too" – Stuart Milne, Digital Editor

Strengths

• Comfortable yet sharp to drive
• Very roomy in the back
• Well priced and equipped

Weaknesses

• Rear seats don't do anything clever
• No physical climate controls
• Heat pump costs extra

That the Kia EV3 tops our list of the best electric SUVs shouldn't really come as much surprise. After all, its distant forebear, the Kia e-Niro, was our overall Car of the Year back in 2019. And that car's successor, the Kia EV6, repeated the feat again in 2022. So with the EV3, Kia has had plenty of expertise to call on.

And it's put all that knowledge to good use, because the EV3 mixes practicality with performance, and refinement with running costs to make a truly tempting product. It's got more space for your rear-seat passengers to stretch out than the rival Jeep Avenger Electric or Mini Aceman, plus a big boot. In our tests, we managed to fit six carry-on suitcases inside – the same as the larger Skoda Elroq.

Then there's the driving position, which places you high above the road with good visibility. It drives like a proper SUV, too, with a ride which deals well with battered British B-roads. Even in Standard Range form, the EV3's range will be enough for most buyers, at an official 270 miles. If you feel like you need more than that, then the Long Range model can officially cover 375 miles, which is more than most rivals.

While you'll pay more to put an EV3 on your driveway than you would for some of the other cars on this list, we still think it represents outstanding value for money when you factor in how much equipment comes as standard.

Entry-level Air versions of the EV3, in both Standard Range and Long Range forms, qualify for the recently announced Government grant for electric vehicles, but higher-end trim levels breach the £37,000 threshold for assistance.

"I like quiet electric cars, and Kia has made the EV3 exceptionally quiet – you’ll hear less wind and road noise than you would in either the Mini Aceman or Smart #1." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Strengths

• Attractive entry price
• Long range (especially in the, er, Long Range)
• Comfortable ride

Weaknesses

• Rivals have more versatile rear seats
• Not very agile
• Monthly PCP repayments are fairly high

This electric SUV is comfortable and has a strong record for reliability, but its short range, slow charging and frustrating infotainment stop it from being anything other than an also-ran.