Ever since BMW and Porsche proved with the X5 and Cayenne that people like sitting high up in cars that look like off-roaders but drive and feel like luxury cars, there’s been no stopping the rise of SUVs.
As we move towards electric cars, one benefit of SUVs is that their tall ride height and body is ideal for hiding a bulky battery pack in without compromising interior space too much.
Before we go further, let’s set out some ground rules first. What even is an SUV and how are they different from crossovers? Annoyingly, there are no hard and fast rules, so for convenience, we’ll avoid the C-segment hatchbacks, crossovers and SUV-alikes like the Kia Niro EV and Smart #1 here. We deal with those separately in our Best mid-sized electric cars list.
That still leaves a lot of cars, and a £38,970 Skoda Enyaq isn’t exactly comparable with a £153,795 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, so we’ve categorised them by specific qualities, such as most fun, best range, most comfortable and so on. Here, then, in no particular order, are our favourite electric SUVs.
The best electric SUVs
Kia EV9 – Best for interior space and practicality
Commended: Skoda Enyaq, Tesla Model Y
If you’re looking for an electric SUV rather than a cheaper, more efficient and better-handling saloon or hatchback, it’s probably because you’re after a lot of space. Few do it better than the vast Kia EV9. The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV beats it for absolute interior volume, but the Benz is 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 cables. The EV9 isn’t just a void on wheels either.
As with the Kia EV6 and Niro EV, the EV9 is a very well-sorted EV to drive too. Dual-motor versions offer strong performance, though the upcoming single-motor model is likely to be the pick of the range, while steering wheel paddles make the regenerative braking easy to control. The EV9 is very stylish for a seven-seat SUV and offers creditable luxury, efficiency and range.
If you’re looking for something slightly more affordable than the £65,025 EV9, or don’t need seven seats, we’d point you towards the Skoda Enyaq or Tesla Model Y.
Read our Kia EV9 review
Fisker Ocean – Best for Range
Commended: Polestar 3, BMW iX
The SUV shape is far from ideal for aerodynamics, but some manufacturers compensate for the relative lack of efficiency by fitting a huge battery. If you want the electric SUV with the longest range, you’ll want the Fisker Ocean, which is rated for 440 miles in Extreme trim. The cheaper Ultra promises a still-impressive 429 miles. We’ve not been able to do any extensive testing of the Ocean, but those two trims have a standard heat pump, so should hold their range fairly well, even in winter. Their 200kW charging makes it possible to top up the 106kWh battery in a reasonable amount of time.
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The Ford Mustang Mach-E is only the car in the UK currently authorised for hands-off driving – and it doesn't even get a mention in the "Best for assisted driving" category?