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top-10-used-electric-cars-for-less-than-pound25000

You'd have had to be living under a rock not to know that, since&nbsp;the proposed legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/governments-2030-ban-on-the-sale-of-new-petrol-and-diesel-cars-under-fire-from-mps/n23064">banning the sale of pure petrol and diesel-engined cars in the UK&nbsp;</a>was first announced, the interest in electric cars has grown enormously.&nbsp;

Buying a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-cars/n17000">electric car</a>&nbsp;can still cost rather a lot of money, though. One solution is to buy one used, where you can dip your toes in the future without spending a fortune.&nbsp;

Here, we've brought together our top 10 favourites for less than&nbsp;£25,000. Some are stylish, some are sensible, but all of them have plenty to offer the eco-conscious motorist on a budget.&nbsp;

Slideshow story: please click the right-hand arrow above to continue, or simply scroll down if you’re reading on your mobile

Top 10 used electric cars for less than £25,000

Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Jaguar and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is probably the most comfortable for a long motorway journey.

MERCEDES-BENZ

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/eqc/4x4/used-review/n23007">Mercedes EQC</a>&nbsp;was actually Mercedes' first built-from-scratch electric vehicle, back in 2019, and it sits in the popular large SUV category. Good sales mean there are plenty of them to choose from used. Refinement and long-distance comfort are where the Mercedes EQC excels, plus performance is more than enough to keep speed freaks happy.&nbsp;

"The cream of the Mercedes EQ electric line-up. Really classy and desirable and good to look at but nicely affordable now." -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/oliver-young/n22317">Oliver Young, used cars reporter</a>

We found&nbsp;2022&nbsp;Mercedes EQC 80kWh AMG Line Premium, 30,000 miles, £24,994

10: Mercedes EQC

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Supremely quiet</li>
	<li>Comfortable motorway ride</li>
	<li>Decent infotainment system</li>
	<li>Good value used</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Range between charges could be better</li>
	<li>The Audi E-tron is more practical</li>
	<li>The Jaguar I-Pace is more fun</li>
	<li>Mercedes' reliability not the best</li>
</ul>

Hatchback

Hyundai has transformed itself from a maker of oddball hatchbacks that sold in small numbers in the UK, to a major rival to the likes of Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

The Korean firm’s Ioniq Hybrid is particularly impressive, having beaten the trend-setting Toyota Prius when we tested the cars back to back.

Meanwhile, at the extremes of the Hyundai range you find the tiny i10 city car – a four-time What Car? award winner – and the stylish yet family-friendly Santa Fe SUV.

As a bonus, all of these cars come with the reassurance of a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, whereas most of Hyundai’s rivals offer only three years and 60,000 miles of cover.

HYUNDAI

IONIQ 5

Its looks are arresting enough, but there's plenty more to like about the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/ioniq-5/hatchback/review/n22944">&nbsp;Hyundai Ioniq 5</a>. It's a supremely comfortable and spacious electric SUV, with a surprisingly good range and eager performance to back it up. It's quiet and cosseting, there's loads of room inside and it's quick to charge. It might look like a million dollars but its used prices are now very competitive, well under half what you'd need for a new one. 
 
We found:&nbsp;2023&nbsp;Hyundai Ioniq 5 77kWh Ultimate, 39,000 miles, £24,000

9: Hyundai Ioniq 5

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Very quiet and cosseting to drive (on 19in wheels)</li>
	<li>Lots of passenger room, especially in the rear</li>
	<li>Quick to charge</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Woolly handling, more so in regards to pre-2022 cars</li>
	<li>Interior doesn't feel as premium or solid as it looks</li>
	<li>While capacity is good, the boot itself is quite shallow</li>
</ul>

Estate

Buyers seeking value for money should have Kia towards the top of their shopping list.

Although once a niche brand in the UK, today Kia outsells many more established brands, helped by its market-leading seven-year warranty and a strong reputation for reliability; in fact, Kia regularly finishes towards the top of our reliability surveys.

There are plenty of models to choose from, too, ranging from the small Picanto city car to the Ceed family hatchback and the Sorento large SUV. The Picanto was the first Kia to win its class at the What Car? Car of the Year awards.

The<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/ev6/estate/review/n23462">&nbsp;Kia EV6</a>&nbsp;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. You'll also pick up the residue of Kia's excellent seven-year-from-new warranty.

"Another one of our old Car of the Year winners. What can I say? Terrific then, still great now. Prices are really tempting here." -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/mark-pearson/n1035">Mark Pearson, used cars editor</a> 
 
We found:&nbsp;2023&nbsp;Kia EV6 77.4kWh Air, 20,000 miles, £25,000

8: Kia EV6

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Impressive range</li>
	<li>Fast-charging capability</li>
	<li>Spacious inside</li>
	<li>Long warranty</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Firm ride</li>
	<li>Shallow boot</li>
	<li>Headroom not great</li>
	<li>Reliability mixed</li>
</ul>

The sportiest Seats have long used the&nbsp;Cupra name, but it's now been turned into a standalone sub-brand, in much the same way as Fiat's sportiest models are badged as Abarths.

Like Abarth, some of Cupra's models including the Ateca and Leon are extensively reworked Seats, but models such as the Born and Formentor are exclusive to Cupra.

Whilst Cupras are closely related to equivalent models from Seat and Volkswagen, they are generally tuned to provide a more engaging driving experience.

CUPRA

BORN

It's no coincidence that the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/cupra/born/hatchback/review/n23703">Cupra Born</a>&nbsp;looks like a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id3/hatchback/review/n21832">Volkswagen ID 3</a>, because that's essentially what the Born is underneath. The two are mechanically related, although the Born is effectively the sportier option.&nbsp;You'll find it has a slightly more upmarket interior and sharper handling. It's also the more expensive option and that goes for used prices too, hence it finished lower down our list.&nbsp;

"The Born feels very roomy up front, with plenty of handy cubbyholes, while a couple of six-footers will be comfortable in the back."&nbsp;–&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/oliver-young/n22317">Oliver Young, used cars reporter</a>

We found&nbsp;2023 Cupra Born 58kWh V2, 12,000 miles, £24,500

7: Cupra Born

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good range between charges</li>
	<li>Sharp, capable handling</li>
	<li>Remains comfortable, despite its sporty demenour</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Slightly firm ride</li>
	<li>Fiddly touch-sensitive buttons</li>
	<li>Subpar infotainment system</li>
</ul>

MG has a long heritage in the UK, and while these days it is owned by Chinese firm SAIC, it is slowly but surely beefing up its model range.

Kicking things off is the MG 3, a rival for affordable hatchbacks such as the Dacia Sandero and Skoda Fabia. Then there’s the ZS small SUV, which faces off against the likes of the Renault Captur and Seat Arona. And at the top of the range is the GS, which goes up against Dacia’s Duster and the Ssangyong Tivoli.

While any future MG products are likely to be introduced in China before coming to the UK, design work is still undertaken in the UK. MG’s design studio is based at Longbridge, where the brand made its name with models such as the MGB GT.

MG MOTOR UK

If you fancy a spacious and practical&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/estate-cars/n16998">estate car</a>&nbsp;that's also an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-cars/n17000">electric car</a>&nbsp;and is cheap to buy used, you're really only looking at one model: the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mg-motor-uk/mg5/estate/review/n22011">MG5</a>. A 2022 facelift sharpened up its looks, making its cut-price origins less obvious and giving it a bit more 'impress the neighbours' appeal. It also ushered in an improved interior design and new infotainment.&nbsp;If you’re after an electric car with a long range, enough room for a family and a high level of standard kit, this could be the model for you.&nbsp;

"An electric estate? There aren't many of them, but the MG5 is a neat buy. it's good to drive and really practical. The dog will love it." -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/oliver-young/n22317">Oliver Young, used cars reporter</a>

We found&nbsp;2023 MG5 EV, 10,000 miles, £22,000

6: MG5

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Decent range</li>
	<li>Good value for money used</li>
	<li>Quite comfy</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Infotainment is fiddly</li>
	<li>Not much fun to drive</li>
	<li>Charging speeds not the quickest</li>
</ul>

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

ID.3

Launched in 2020, the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id3/hatchback/review/n21832">&nbsp;Volkswagen ID 3</a>&nbsp;was the first-born child of the manufacturer’s ever-expanding all-electric ID series. It's good to drive, with nippy performance, it has plenty of range and it comes with a spacious and practical interior. True, the overall quality of the interior is a little underwhelming, and the infotainment system can be fiddly, but overall the ID 3 is now one of the best used electric cars you can buy.&nbsp;

"It looked a million dollars when it first came out and it still looks pretty good today. A really attractive used buy, in all senses of the word." -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/mark-pearson/n1035">Mark Pearson, used cars editor</a>

We found:&nbsp;2023&nbsp;Volkswagen ID 3 Pro Performance 58kWh Life, 39,000 miles, £23,000

5: Volkswagen ID 3

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good to drive with nippy performance</li>
	<li>Plenty of range</li>
	<li>Spacious interior</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Underwhelming interior quality</li>
	<li>Questionable reliability</li>
	<li>Infotainment system misses the mark</li>
</ul>

One of the greatest success stories in the car world of recent decades is Skoda’s rise to become a hugely credible mainstream maker of good-value, good-sense cars.

Central to that success has been its place within the VW Group, alongside the Volkswagen brand itself, plus the likes of Seat and Audi. That has given it access to exactly the same underpinnings for its cars as the other brands, and it has complemented this by adding its own developments, from the way the cars drive and ride through to the features they have and the pricing.

The result is a range that extends from a city car to a large executive saloon, with family and large seven-seat SUVs too. There’s a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines, all of which are competitive for the class.

As a result, Skoda has a range of cars that is almost entirely class-leading or among the class leaders, and it has enjoyed long-time success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

SKODA

ENYAQ

The<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/enyaq/4x4/review/n22909">&nbsp;Skoda Enyaq</a>&nbsp;may look rather conventional next to one or two of its modern<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-suvs/n23038">&nbsp;electric SUV</a>&nbsp;rivals, but don’t be put off: it’s one of the best around, new or used, regardless of size. It’s good to drive, comfortable, practical, extremely refined and comes with a decent range.&nbsp; The iV 60 version has a 58kWh battery and a decent official range. Bought used, it’s also great value. It could be all the car you’ll ever need.&nbsp;

"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." –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/oliver-young/n22317">Oliver Young, used cars reporter</a>

We found:&nbsp;2023&nbsp;Skoda Enyaq iV60 63kWh Nav Loft, 42,000 miles, £25,995

4: Skoda Enyaq

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Extremely spacious</li>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
	<li>Plush ride</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>So-so performance by electric car standards</li>
	<li>Some rivals are more adept at handling</li>
	<li>Infotainment isn’t as responsive as rival systems</li>
</ul>

E-NIRO

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/niro/estate/review/n24582">Kia e-Niro</a>&nbsp;might not look like a revolution, but it was one of the first pure<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-electric-cars-2022/n17000">&nbsp;electric cars</a>&nbsp;offered at a reasonable price that came with a terrific on-paper range. It's handily sized outside and roomy inside, and it comes with a range that will embarrass many more expensive electric cars. In one of our Real Range tests, it achieved 253 miles in real-world use. Look for '3' trim which has the 64kWh battery, because it's quicker, has a much longer range, is better to drive and gets an upgraded infotainment system.

"Proof that we know what we're talking about. This e-Niro was class-leading when it was launched and it makes a really attractive used buy now." -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/oliver-young/n22317">Oliver Young, used cars reporter</a>

We found:&nbsp;2021&nbsp;Kia e-Niro 64kWh 3, 49,000 miles, £16,000

3: Kia e-Niro

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Terrific range</li>
	<li>Spacious interior</li>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Can lean on the pricey side</li>
	<li>Doesn't charge as quickly as some rivals</li>
</ul>

Peugeot has its strongest model line-up for some years, with some of its cars now rated by our testers as being among the very best available.

Highlights focus around the firm’s newest SUVs, the 3008 and 5008. The 5008 was named Large SUV of the Year at the 2018 What Car? Awards, thanks to its appealing blend of space, interior quality and low running costs.

That bodes well for future launches, too, because many of the learnings from these cars will be passed on as new versions of existing cars are launched – something that could take many years, because the Peugeot range is so big, ranging from an entry-level supermini with the 108 to an executive saloon with the 508, up into the SUV range and also vans.

Buyers should evaluate some of the lower-rated cars in the range more carefully, though. Some are now quite old, and are subsequently left behind in terms of quality when compared with the opposition, making them below-average buys, in our estimation.

PEUGEOT

Temporary taxonomy to get review live.

ChrisH 01/10/2019

e208

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/208/hatchback/review/n20228">Peugeot e-208</a>&nbsp;is the firm's&nbsp;first all-electric mass-production car and it's&nbsp;as pretty as a peach. Some real bargains are now filtering through to the used forecourts. Not only does it look the part it also has a great interior and is surprisingly good fun to drive. It rides well, too, and it's quieter than most of its rivals. In fact, it's a great all-rounder. Its official range of 217 miles is also decently competitive.

"I love this car for its agility and nippiness in town traffic. It's a great-looking car too and you can actually fit quite a lot of shopping and/or luggage in if needed." -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/mark-pearson/n1035">Mark Pearson, used cars editor</a>

We found:&nbsp;2023&nbsp;Peugeot e-208 50 kWh Allure, 27,000 miles, £22,000

2: Peugeot e-208

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good to drive</li>
	<li>Modern and well-finished interior</li>
	<li>Used prices start at around £12k</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Steering wheel can obscure the driver display</li>
	<li>A few alternatives have even better electric ranges</li>
	<li>Some rivals are more interior and boot space</li>
</ul>

Saloon

Tesla is a US brand&nbsp;that revolutionised&nbsp;the car industry, putting <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-electric-cars-2022/n17000">electric cars</a> in the limelight&nbsp;for the first time – helped by the personality and profile of boss Elon Musk.

Today, Tesla has a broader&nbsp;line-up than ever, with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-3/saloon/review/n19010">Tesla Model 3</a> saloon&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-y/hatchback/review/n23624">Tesla Model Y</a> SUV the company's cheapest models. For those with bigger budgets or a need for more space, there's the larger <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-s/hatchback/review/n150">Tesla Model S</a> saloon and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-x/hatchback/review/n161">Tesla&nbsp;Model X</a> SUV.&nbsp;A&nbsp;new Roadster, complete with supercar-beating acceleration, is also in the works.

&nbsp;

TESLA

MODEL 3

Launched in 2019, the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-3/saloon/review/n19010">&nbsp;Tesla Model 3</a>&nbsp;has been a runaway worldwide sales success. It offers state-of-the-art tech, great performance and an excellent range in a relatively affordable package. Of these earlier models, the Standard Range Plus is WLTP-certified for 254 miles of claimed range and the Long Range steps that up to 348 miles. The Performance officially does 329 miles. All Model 3s come with plenty of luxuries, and the best news of all is that used prices have now fallen to an extremely tempting low.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Every time we test a Tesla, it proves vastly more efficient than its rivals; the latest, post-2022 Model 3 averaged 3.7 miles per kilowatt hour of electricity used on our real-world test route."&nbsp;–&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/mark-pearson/n1035">Mark Pearson, used cars editor&nbsp;</a>

We found:&nbsp;2022&nbsp;Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus, 37,000 miles, £25,000&nbsp;

1: Tesla Model 3

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Tremendous performance</li>
	<li>Long range</li>
	<li>Surprisingly practical</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Build quality could be better</li>
	<li>Ride and handling not up to top ICE rivals</li>
</ul>

Electric cars don't come cheap, but you can get a great one for a bargain price if you buy used

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