Best used electric cars

The Skoda Enyaq may look rather conventional next to one or two of its modern electric SUV rivals, but don’t be put off: it’s one of the best around, new or used, regardless of size.

It's so good we had no hesitation in making it our What Car? Used Car of the Year this year. And no wonder. It’s good to drive, comfortable, practical, extremely refined and comes with a decent range. It's very well-equipped, too. 

The iV 60 version has a 58kWh battery and a decent official range of 256 miles and, for not much more cash on the used car forecourt, there's an 80 version that can go even farther, up to 333 miles. 

Bought used, it’s also great value, with prices starting from just £12k. And it's reliable, too, with a good score of 91.3% in our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey. It could be all the car you’ll ever need. 

"The Enyaq was one of the first electric cars I ever got behind the wheel of. Still, even to this day, I find myself impressed with how practical, comfortable and well-priced it is (new and used)." – George Hill, used cars writer 

We found: 2023 Skoda Enyaq iV 60 63kWh Nav Suite, 45,000 miles, £17,485

Read our full used Skoda Enyaq review

Search for a used Skoda Enyaq for sale

Yes, you really can buy a used Tesla Model 3 for less than the price of a new Dacia Spring. And for the money, you're getting one of the best electric cars around. 

Indeed, the Model 3 is great to drive, with all versions offering quick performance, sharp handling and impressive refinement.

It might not be as practical as the Skoda Enyaq, which is one of the reasons it pips it in this list, but the Model 3 is also a very practical car; despite the sloping roof, two adults should fit easily in the back seats, with enough leg and head room to spare. The Model 3 has a big front and rear boot, too; we managed to fit in 10 carry-on suitcases overall in both.

There are several versions of the Model 3 to choose from, with prices starting from just £12,000. If you're sticking to a £15,000 budget, say, you'll most likely find Standard Range Plus cars with an average mileage from 2021. This version has a decent official range of 254 miles. If you want a longer range, there are some Long Range versions available for our money, of roughly the same age, but these do have more miles on the clock. Post-facelift Model 3s can be had now for £22,000 and upwards. 

"The Model 3 has – and continues to be – a bit of a no-brainer for many electric car buyers and I can certainly see why. You get lots of range, lots of tech and that Tesla Supercharger network takes away a lot of the hassle of electric car charging." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2022 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus, 30,000 miles, £18,000 

Read our full used Tesla Model 3 review

Search for a used Tesla Model 3 for sale

From its driving experience to its build quality, the BMW iX3 is a class act. It's well-rounded and, in our eye,s devoid of any major weaknesses.

And the good news is you can now pick one up for a very healthy discount off the price you'd pay for a new one. Part of its appeal is the way it drives. For a car as heavy and tall as the iX3, it has remarkable agility and composure in the bends. It feels well-screwed together and has lots of dense, squishy materials in the most important places.

Prices start at just £20,000, amazing for such a large and luxurious car. Reliability is looking good, too. 

"I love the way the iX3 drives. As electric SUVs go, it's one of the sharpest and most fun out there. I also found it rather comfortable." – George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2023 BMW iX3 80kWh Premier Edition, 43,000 miles, £32,500

Read our full used BMW iX3 review

Search for a used BMW iX3 for sale

The Smart #1 offers plenty of appeal as a used electric SUV.

It looks like no other car in its class, which is a good start. Then there's the performance, with even the entry-level version fast enough to push the car from 0 to 62mph in just 6.7sec officially, although in our tests it was even quicker, doing the sprint in just 5.8sec. 

Then there's the eye-catching interior and the huge touchscreen. It's all very on-trend, and the interior quality is surprisingly good, with plenty of room for passengers to stretch out in the back.

The good news is that there are more becoming available on the used market daily, and the cars listed are very well priced. Limited boot space and practicality are its downsides, though.

"Another What Car? favourite, the Smart came as a bit of a game changer – here's an electric car looked and tried to be very different. I ran one as a long-termer and loved it. So did all my passengers." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2023 Smart #1 Pro, 35,512 miles, £21,000

Read our full used Smart #1 review

Search for a used Smart #1 for sale

The Cupra Born is a more fun and more classy alternative to the Volkswagen ID 3.

Both models share a great deal under the skin, but with only a few exceptions, you’ll be hard-pressed to tell the difference. Indeed, the ID 3 is even a fraction cheaper to buy age-for-age, but overall we prefer the better driving characteristics and plusher interior of the Born. 

There's a choice of 58kWh and 77kWh batteries, delivering official ranges of 264 and 341 miles – although in our real-world tests, the former returned 183 miles (winter) and 219 miles (summer), with the latter managing 235 and 285 miles. We think the smaller battery makes the most sense because the range should be plenty for many drivers, and these are also the cheapest and most plentiful on the used car forecourts. 

"The Born feels very roomy up front, with plenty of handy cubbyholes, while a couple of six-footers will be comfortable in the back, even behind 6ft 2in-tall me." – George Hill, used cars writer 

We found: 2023 Cupra Born 58kWh V1, 24,000 miles, £17,995

Read our full used Cupra Born review

Search for a used Cupra Born for sale

There’s nothing else quite like the Volkswagen ID Buzz. It combines the practicality of an MPV with the comfort and refinement of a premium SUV and the low running costs of an electric car.

It's good to drive, nicely refined, surprisingly comfortable and massive inside, with more space than most of its rivals can offer even put together. You can also have it in long-wheelbase form, where it's even bigger.

Expensive new, but used prices look good now with 2022 models on sale from just £33,000. 

"Our overall What Car? Car of the Year winner in 2022 and now looking good on the used market. Driving is believing, because you'll never guess how nice this is to punt around or just to be driven in until you've experienced it." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2022 Volkswagen ID Buzz Pro 77kWh Life, 21,000 miles, £33,500

Read our full used Volkswagen ID Buzz review

Search for a used Volkswagen ID Buzz for sale

If range and interior space are top priorities, then take a good look at the Volkswagen ID 3. With the 58kWh battery, the ID 3’s official range stands at 265 miles. In real-world summer conditions, we saw 228 miles.

Front and rear passenger space is excellent, with plenty of head and leg room available. The boot is about the same size as the one in the Volkswagen Golf. It's down one carry-on suitcase on the Renault Zoe, but it's fine for the typical requirements of fitting in a buggy, the weekly shop or a couple of reasonable-sized suitcases.

The ID 3 has light steering, so manoeuvring it around town is a breeze. Beyond the urban sprawl, the steering proves accurate and confidence inspiring, so it’s not an unnerving car to thread along B-roads. Handling and comfort levels are decent too, making it a good car for doing plenty of miles in. 

The only fly in the ID 3's ointment is a rather mixed reliability record, with some owners reporting problems with the infotainment system and one or two minor electrical issues. But for this, it might have finished even higher here. 

"I can't say the ID 3 is an exciting machine, at least in my opinion. However, objectively it is very good – and in a variety of areas – so it's very easy to recommend." – George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2022 Volkswagen ID 3 Pro Performance 58kWh Life, 31,000 miles, £12,250

Read our full used VW ID 3 review

Search for a used VW ID 3 for sale

The Kia EV6 is a brilliant and bang-on-trend electric car with a long range and the ability to charge up very quickly.

It’s also plush inside and huge in the back and very good to drive. The cheaper rear-wheel-drive versions make more financial sense than the faster four-wheel-drive models, especially used.

Prices start from just £16,000. You'll also pick up the residue of Kia's excellent seven-year-from-new warranty.

"A previous What Car? Car of the Year, the Kia EV6 feels suitably futuristic but doesn't resort to the extreme minimalism found inside the Model 3 (something I sometimes struggle to get my head around): I like that the EV6 has a well-built, logically laid-out interior." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2023 Kia EV6 77.4kWh GT-Line, 22,000 miles, £22,995

Read our full used Kia EV6 review

Search for a used Kia EV6 for sale

With the Genesis GV60, the upmarket Korean brand took the underpinnings of the excellent Kia EV6 and added an extra layer of polish. That's great news, because we love the EV6 and we like a bit of luxury.

On top of that, the GV60 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).

It's also very refined and has a wonderfully classy interior. The good news is that on the used market you're not paying the premium over the EV6 you are on the new car market.

Prices start at just £23,000, which is well under half what they cost new.

"This really is a whisper-quiet electric vehicle, one that combines performance, refinement and space with a huge dose of luxury. Don't tell anyone but I prefer it to the Kia EV6, and that's a wonderful car too." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2023 Genesis GV60 Premium 77kWh, 27,000 miles, £27,000

Read our full used Genesis GV60 review

Search for a used Genesis GV60 for sale

The Audi Q4 e-tron and Skoda Enyaq are close relatives, but the Q4 is the more premium alternative.

It’s very comfortable and practical. If you’re not so worried about the badge on the nose, the Enyaq is the cheaper and much better value option, admittedly, but the Q4 feels like the more expensive car it is, particularly in terms of infotainment and interior finish.

The Q4 e-tron also offers up quiet driving manners on the motorway. Interior quality is decent, too, although it’s not as plush inside as the BMW iX3.

Despite the badge, used prices are competitive, if not on a par with those of the Enyaq or the Cupra Born. 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 pretty strong and 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

---

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here