The best electric SUVs – driven and ranked

Best for: All-round ability

The Skoda Enyaq isn't a superstar in any one area like some of the other cars here, but it is a fantastic all-rounder. 

The Enyaq has truly excellent levels of refinement and noise isolation.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

It really is a Skoda through and through – and it just happens to be an EV too.

Its interior is sensibly laid out, with physical controls and soft-touch materials. Standard adaptive cruise control and paddles for the regenerative braking make it intuitive to drive, as does the chassis, which is balanced and mature, if not especially entertaining.

Our pick of the Enyaq range is the 85 Edition, which has a big battery for a 348-mile range, as well as all the equipment you need as standard.

Best for: Seven seats

If you’re looking for an electric SUV rather than a cheaper and more efficient saloon or hatchback, it’s probably because you’re after a lot of space.

To my mind, this is the first desirable electric SUV.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Few do space better than the vast Kia EV9. The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV beats it for absolute interior volume, but it's even more expensive and the space it offers isn’t quite as versatile.

The EV9 makes better use of its generous square footage thanks to a larger glass area, seats that tumble and fold more easily and a front luggage compartment to store the charging cables. 

Dual-motor versions offer strong performance, although the single-motor version is the pick of the line-up for most people's needs, as it offers more range for less money.

The EV9 is very stylish for a seven-seat SUV and offers creditable luxury, efficiency and range.

Best for: Boot space

Whatever you think of Tesla’s figurehead, the Model Y is undoubtedly an objectively good car. 

As a practical, rangy family EV, it's hard to argue against.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

It tops many a best-sellers list, is keenly priced (usually with good leasing deals being offered independently) and is extremely spacious. Its boot is frankly enormous, especially with its underfloor storage considered, and there’s a frunk.

Tesla’s extremely button-light interior and bold, simple exterior styling isn’t for everyone, but it all meshes together when looked at through the prism of minimalism.

The ride is a bit harsh and the steering a touch too sharp. But real-world range is superb: according to our testing, the Long Range All-Wheel Drive model will easily crack 300 miles. And even the cheapest, least powerful model will dispatch 0-62mph in just 5.6sec.

Best for: Performance

Cars that truly change the game have always been vanishingly rare, and that remains true in the topsy-turvy era the automotive industry is currently weathering. Yet the Ioniq 5 N is just that: a game-changer.

With the arrival of the Ioniq 5 N, the electric driver's car has landed, and it’s fully deserving of its perfect five-star Autocar road test rating.

Mark Tisshaw, Editor

Hyundai made car enthusiasts take notice when its first petrol-powered hot hatchbacks, the Hyundai i20 N and Hyundai i30 N, turned out to be excellent right out of the gate. And it seems intent on carrying that driver’s car cred into the electric era with the hot version of the Ioniq 5.

The Ioniq 5 N goes further than just stiff suspension and bucketloads of power. You do get the latter but, thanks to a stiffened shell, a proper limited-slip differential on the rear axle, adaptive dampers and Hyundai’s engineers having a sense of humour, it’s genuinely entertaining. It loves to rotate on and off the power – and if you so wish, it can emulate a six-speed gearbox connected to a petrol engine.

Best for: Compact size

Another quality EV offering from Skoda here. The Elroq is to all intents and purposes a smaller Enyaq. It retains a great deal of the interior space, quality and clever thinking but just wraps it in a smaller and cheaper car.

It’s intuitive, pleasant and with a cabin whose ambience has been lifted above the workaday.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

It’s very easy to drive too. The ride is settled, compliant and isolates the driver nicely from the road. The steering, while not the last word in feel, is uncorruptedly fluid, making the car very easy to place on the road.

The 85 model uses a 282bhp motor. This feels very fast – assertive almost. The 50, with 168bhp, is slower and feels it on the road. But it is cheaper, more efficient and is our choice.

If you’re coming from a petrol-powered family hatchback, the slowest version of the Elroq still won’t feel slow.

Best for: Real-world range

The Scenic has come a long way since those humble MPV days of the late ’90s. Today it's a mid-size electric SUV that's perhaps even better suited to family life than the car of old.

Tidy handling, adequate performance and, most notably, the ability to travel more than 300 miles in real-world driving give it some authority at this price point.

Richard Lane, Deputy road test editor

The interior is particularly noteworthy. There’s clever use of storage elements throughout and physical controls for all of the most important commands. There’s also a rather lovely panoramic roof available. It lets lots of natural light in, which really helps to create a sense of space.

When the car first came out there were a couple of battery options, but now there’s just one: the Long Range. This has a WLTP-backed 379 miles of range and, based on our testing in cold weather, it should do 300 miles in most circumstances.

Best for: Value

Cramming an 81.4kWh battery into a small SUV like the EV3 was masterstroke by Kia’s engineers, because it sent it right to the top of its class in terms of range.

Kia has opted for a fairly middle-of-the-road set-up that absorbs large bumps quite nicely without becoming floaty.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Indeed, the EV3 is claimed to offer up to a mightily impressive 375 miles, and while this is closer to 300 miles in the real world, few rivals come close – and it's priced from just £36,000. 

Amiable drivability and excellent practicality add to the EV3's all-round appeal, as does its logically configured user interface. 

It could be more efficient and its ADAS can irk to the point of annoyance, but don’t let these points deter you: the EV3 is a great electric car and a serious achievement in a crowded segment. 

Best for: Dynamism

The Kia EV6 is an excellent electric SUV and one that should suit the whole family. It’s comfortable, long-legged and relentlessly quick in its most powerful specification.

It's honestly priced and easy to drive and use, and it enriches the EV class by its presence.

Felix Page, Deputy editor

In its most efficient guise, the EV6 delivers a hefty 361 miles of range, and charging speed is also nearly class-leading at 258kW.

Power starts at 226bhp, which is more than enough for most drivers, while the range-topping EV6 GT pumps out a whopping 577bhp.

The EV6 is mechanically similar to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 but slightly better to drive overall, with sweet steering, commendable precision and a comfortable ride. 

If you’re after an electric SUV with coupé driving dynamics, enough space for the kids and a well-appointed interior but don’t want to shell out on the full-sized, seven-seat EV9, the EV6 might be the perfect car for you.