As the price of fuel has remained high in the UK following the USA’s war with Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, more people have been turning to electric cars.
With that in mind, it can be difficult to decide which one to choose given how many are now on sale. Fortunately, journalists at Auto Express have put together a list of what they believe are the best electric cars currently available in the UK.
Coming in first on their list was the electric SUV, the Skoda Elroq. Priced from £32,000, it was praised for its spacious interior, value for money, and comfortable yet highly functional cabin.
Summarising the car, journalists Steve Walker and Ryan Birch said: “Skoda doesn’t tend to miss the mark when it launches new cars, and the Skoda Elroq, a small electric SUV, is no different.
“In fact, the marque has done such a good job with the Elroq that we named it our Car of the Year at the 2025 New Car Awards.”
However, the Skoda was not without faults, with reviewers noting that its brake pedal was a bit “spongy”, that rear USB ports were not included on lower-spec models, and that the “energy-efficient heat pump” was an optional extra.
Nevertheless, the Skoda ranked ahead of the BMW iX3, another premium electric SUV, with prices starting from £59,500.
Auto Express praised the BMW for its charging, ride, handling, performance and efficiency. However, the car was let down by having an “odd steering wheel” and a “limited range of powertrains”.
They concluded: “The ride might be slightly firm for some tastes, partly due to the standard 20” wheels, and the steering wheel design is certainly quirky, but otherwise the iX3 puts in a spotless performance.”
Coming in third was the much-lauded and award-winning Renault 5, competitively priced from £21,500. The reviewers said the positives of the car were that it was “great to drive in all conditions”, offered good value, and had “user-friendly” technology.
On the negative side, they said its ride was “slightly bouncy at lower speeds”, and that the boot lip was a bit high. The boot lip refers to how high the edge of the boot is off the ground — the lower it is, the easier it is to load and unload items.
It is not just motoring publications that have driven the Renault 5. When Reach plc attended Goodwood’s Media Day, car reviewer Christopher Sharp got behind the wheel of one.
He said: “To drive it is impeccable; it is a car that at road speeds rotates around your hips. I couldn’t believe it because from the outside it looks quite big, but on Britain’s potholed, bumpy roads it was all the clichés of driving excellence.
“Yes, it’s not the most powerful, it’s not rear-wheel drive, but of the modern cars I’ve driven it’s one of the best. Talking to others afterwards, we couldn’t quite believe what Renault had done, because it will take a lot for other small electric cars to feel this good.”
