Top 10 best small electric cars 2023
We give the low-down on the very best affordable electric city cars, superminis and family hatchbacks on sale today
Small hatchbacks, or superminis – the Fiesta, Polo, Clio etc. – are consistently among the most popular cars in the UK, so why should that change with electric cars? After all, their compact size, practical interiors and light, nimble handling couldn’t be more suited to our back roads and suburbs.
Of course, batteries are expensive and more easily hidden in something SUV-shaped, which means that we’ve seen most of the innovation in the bigger segments, with the mid-size EV and the family EV classes filling up quickly with very competitive models.
But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any good options if you want to drive an electric car without taking up more road than you have to. With a bit of careful driving, some small EVs will crack 200 miles of range. And if careful driving is not your style, there are a few options that even have hot hatch pretentions.
We’ve tested and rated every small electric car currently on sale. Here is our rundown of those we consider to be the very best.
*Best small electric cars 2023*
*1. Dacia Spring*
*Pros*: Very cheap, decent to drive
*Cons*: Short range, slightly rudimentary inside
If you’re looking for a small electric car, chances are you’re also looking for an affordable electric car, and if there’s one thing electric cars tend not to be very good at, it’s being affordable. But you can trust Dacia to bring value to the table. It’s finally bringing the Dacia Spring Electric to the UK and despite being based on the Indian-market Renault Kwid and its price likely starting with a 2, it’s a very decent little car.
Of course, you don’t get something for nothing, so the range is fairly short: The claimed 140-ish miles of battery range should translate to something between 90 and 120 miles in mixed real-world driving. 50kW DC charging isn’t much, but then the battery is only 26.8kWh so it’ll still fill up quickly.
On the road it has a breezy, agile and energetic way about it that speaks of its lightness and compactness and while you won’t confuse its refinement and performance for that of a Mercedes S-Class, or even a Peugeot e-208, it’s all much better than you might expect for the money.
Where the Spring betrays its value positioning the most is in the interior, with a lack of adjustability in its driving position and fairly rudimentary materials. Then again, a facelift is planned in 2024 that ought to improve those things. With the Sandero, Jogger and Duster, Dacia has proved it’s an expert at injecting a bit of flair into a cabin without breaking the bank, so that bodes well.
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*2. Peugeot e-208*
*Pros: *Good battery range for the price, comfortable ride, decent performance
*Cons:* Soft suspension impacts body control at speed, some low-rent materials, slightly cramped rear seats
As a traditional combustion-engined supermini, the Peugeot 208 doesn't do an awful lot to stand out from the crowd. However, in all-electric guise, our road testers reckon it's one of the most appealing small cars there is. That’s thanks to its mix of genuinely usable range, strong performance, value, practicality, style, perceived quality and, last but not least, driver appeal. Essentially, it deserves to figure highly if you're shopping for your first electric car.
Unlike more low-rent-feeling electric cars, this Peugeot's materially rich and distinctive interior distinguishes it just as clearly as the stylish bodywork. Its practicality is on a par with the Renault Zoe's and better than in a Mini Electric, both of which are key considerations for cars like this. During our testing, we found that the e-208’s refinement beats both of those key rivals, too, while performance is still fairly strong. Certainly, you get an adequate dose of that electric-motor-enabled zip.
The car also rides with a suppleness missing from some smaller EVs, which often struggle to contain their body mass on the road, while in its higher-speed body movements, it doesn't feel as heavy as key rivals. The steering is striking for its directness, although body control deteriorates a little if you drive more enthusiastically. Even so, it's the roundedness of the e-208's driving experience that really impresses. Its claimed range of 225 miles isn't to be sniffed at, either. A longer-range version is due soon, but might also be a chunk more expensive.r.
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*3. Fiat 500*
*Pros:* Handsome styling, decent tech, drives well at speed
*Cons:* Overly-high driving position, so-so real-world range, poor pedal placement
Fiat's model range is now slightly confusing, because the old car lives on as the Fiat 500 Hybrid (despite being only a mild hybrid). The one you want, however, is the new electric 500. It might look familiar, but it's only when you see them side by side that you realise the new electric 500 is completely new.
Fiat has done a marvellous job at retaining the modern-day 500's cute retro looks, while making it into a car for the modern age. Because it was developed as a purely electric car from the outset, it has a fairly sizeable (for a small car) 42kWh battery and a theoretical WLTP lab test range of 199 miles, even if we discovered that translates to more like 140 miles in real-world use. There is a cheaper Fiat 500 Action model with a 24kWh pack, but we don’t think the financial savings are great enough to offset the much shorter range.
The electric Fiat drives substantially better than any other 500 as well, with its 117bhp motor making it surprisingly zippy and fun for a city car. Yes, we found the steering to be quite light, but there's plenty of grip and an absence of body roll - and while it's not exactly at home on the motorway, it copes remarkably well.
The interior is also a massive improvement over previous 500s too. It's still quite plasticky, but it looks great, the seats are comfortable and the infotainment is logical and responsive. There's even a convertible model with a roll-back canvas roof. It's still not great for tall drivers, though, and it goes without saying that you shouldn't plan on carrying adults in the rear very often.
Inflation and the death of the plug-in car grant have not been kind to the Fiat 500 Electric’s list price, however. At launch, you could buy one for under £20,000, but now the range starts at £28,195. If you want the longer-range version, you’ll need to fork out at least £31,195. That's a fair chunk of change for such a tiny tot, but we’re still quite fond of this tiny, fashionable EV that’s surprisingly good to drive when you escape the city.
There’s now also a faster, hot hatch version called the Abarth 500e. With 152bhp, stiffer suspension and sharper steering, it’s even more fun to drive than the Fiat, but the range takes a bit of a hit. It’s expensive, too, starting at £34,195.
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*4. Vauxhall Corsa Electric*
*Pros:* Decent real-world range, refined
*Cons:* Not much fun to drive, cramped rear seats, imperfect driving position
Vauxhall's sibling to the Peugeot e-208 doesn't quite have the style or its imaginatively configured interior, but because it’s largely the same underneath, it’s still one of the best small electric cars.
Early versions were a little behind the Peugeot on range, but an update in 2022 that added a taller final drive ratio and a standard heat pump lifted the range from 209 to 222 miles. There’s a facelift coming later this year with a thoroughly revised front end, a new multimedia system and a bigger battery giving a 246-mile WLTP range. Unfortunately, that also comes with a chunky price increase, to at least £35,125.
The Corsa might be a little plainer than the Peugeot but to our eyes, it still looks handsome enough. The driving experience combines genuine 190-mile everyday battery range with keen and competent handling and a comfortable ride, while 100kW DC rapid charging compatibility as standard should be a selling point too. Vauxhall also has purchase incentives for a free home charger installation and access to a special home energy tariff.
Vauxhall's large UK dealer network and the brand's desire to offer some decent discounts has helped to make this one of the UK's best-selling EVs, converting people who hadn't previously considered electric motoring. Our testers reckon it's certainly good enough to leave the right kind of impression.
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*5. Jeep Avenger*
*Pros:* Long range, sophisticated feel, individual styling
*Cons:* Expensive
What’s a huge Jeep SUV doing in this list of the best small EVs? Well, this is a Jeep like none that have come before. Aside from the Wrangler’s minor cult following, Jeeps have never really caught on in Europe, so here’s the first Jeep that was designed and engineered for Europe in Europe, and it will also be built here. So European-centric is the Jeep Avenger, in fact, that it won’t even be sold in the US. At 4.08 metres in length, the Avenger is pitched at the heart of the booming supermini SUV.
It’s the 2023 European car of the year, thanks to its 249-mile WLTP range from the 51kWh battery, practical interior with lots of storage space and composed and supple road manners. This car feels like it sits towards the more sophisticated end of the class.
In this class, value is important, though, and the Avenger starts at £35,700. Range-topping Summit trim even commands £39,600. That gets you into a bigger, more luxurious car.
*6. Renault Zoe*
*Pros:* Excellent value for money, quiet, decent range
*Cons:* Very poor safety rating, only charges at 50kW maximum, lacks sparkle at speed
The world of EVs is moving quickly, so it would be entirely reasonable to think that the Renault Zoe is now a relic. It would also be very wrong. It has never been the most exciting EV, but the current generation was a significant step up compared with the original. With its 52kWh battery, it can cover up to 239 miles of lab test range on a charge, and that's rather embarrassing for some of the more expensive options on this list. We’ve found the real-world range to be closer to 190 miles, which is still pretty strong.
Annoyingly, rapid charging capability is a £1200 option, and even then, 50kW is nothing to write home about. Prices start at £29,995 for a Techno without rapid charging, while the Iconic costs £31,995 and can rapid charge as standard and adds 17in wheels.
The Zoe is broadly pleasing to drive, and we found it to be very nippy, fairly quiet and with a good ride around town. At higher speeds, it can feel slightly unsettled and there's a somewhat leaden feel to the controls. The interior and infotainment are substantially improved from the last generation.
However, crash test results published by safety body Euro NCAP at the end of 2021 awarded the latest version of the Zoe a zero-star rating, being critical in particular of its offset frontal and side impact protection. At one stage, the Zoe led Europe's embryonic EV market. Now, it’s still a very decent value option. With that said, its more stylish Renault 5 EV replacement will be very welcome.
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*7. BYD Dolphin*
*Pros:* Long range, good value, very well equipped
*Cons:* Woolly handling, frustrating control interfaces
If you are after value for money these days, particularly for an EV, the incoming Chinese manufacturers are a good place to start. The latest company with big plans for Europe is BYD, which is rapidly building a full range of electric cars. The smallest, for now, is the Dolphin.
It is by no means the best car on this list, but given the entry level model costs £25,490, rising to £30,990 for the fully loaded long-range version, some of its flaws can be excused.
The handling is quite woolly and the leatherette is a bit naff, but the main problem of all BYDs is that the infotainment system is infuriating. Even though the screen is huge, it hides important settings in deep submenus and doesn’t integrate with phone mirroring very well.
However, you get all the equipment you could possibly wish for, the ride is fairly plush and real-world range that’s comfortably over 200 miles is not to be sniffed at. The Dolphin is also a tad larger than the other cars on this list, so it offers more interior space as well.
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*8. Mini Electric*
*Pros:* Good fun to drive, handsome styling, punchy performance
*Cons:* Poor real-world range, small battery, not particularly practical
The Mini Electric brings all of the fun factor you expect of the brand to the compact EV segment – albeit packaged with a few equally typical usability restrictions. Based exclusively on the three-door Mini bodyshell, the Mini Electric adopts the powertrain from the now defunct BMW i3S, giving it a very healthy 181bhp and 199lb ft of torque. We found performance to be notably stronger than many of the cars you might compare it with in this list, while we enjoyed the grippy, darty and agile handling: all the enduring dynamic traditions of the Mini brand. We like it a lot.
Range is the catch. Mini claims 143 miles, but in reality, depending on how and where you drive it, you're more likely to get between 100 and 120 miles. And that's in a car with a pretty small boot and whose back seats are tricky to access and of little use for anyone but younger kids anyway. Then there's the fact that, with prices starting at a little under £30,000, we don’t think this is the most cost-effective compact EV option.
Yes, the Mini is still one of the more enjoyable small EVs, but the short range means it’s no longer good enough to be at the top of this list. The good news is that an all-new version should land early next year with bigger battery options. We’ve had a brief go in a prototype and it’s even better to drive than the current one, too.
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*7. Mazda MX-30*
*Pros:* Upmarket interior, smart styling, sharp steering
*Cons:* Range is too short, impractical rear doors, not as light as it should be
Mazda has never been afraid to do things its own way, and the approach it has taken with its first all-electric car is no different.
The MX-30 is therefore not quite what you'd expect, but it's an appealing proposition all the same. Toy-car looks are wrapped around an unusually small battery pack – just 35.5kWh, giving an official range of 124 miles – because Mazda believes owners simply won't need any more, and increasing the size of the battery would mean unnecessary cost and weight.
The car is reasonably spacious within, has an SUV-lite body that is very much on trend, and is trimmed in interesting materials that give the cabin a singularly cosy and likeable atmosphere. It also includes distinctive suicide rear doors - a nod to the brand's old rotary-powered RX-8 coupé - but we found them slightly impractical in day-to-day use.
Dynamically, the MX-30 also stands out - although only when you're travelling with a bit of pace on an interesting road. With 143bhp and 199lb ft, the electric motor didn’t blow our socks off in a straight line, but the weighting of the MX-30's steering and the supple manner in which the suspension transfers weight while cornering are genuinely reminiscent of the MX-5 sports car. Around town, however, we found it a little plain.
Charging at up to 50kW is possible, and if the limited range works for you, there is plenty to like about the unusual Mazda MX-30. It could be an effective second car.
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*10. Honda E*
*Pros:* Eye-catching styling, zippy performance, sophisticated ride and handling
*Cons:* Short battery range, expensive, small boot
Honda has taken a left-field approach with its first all-electric car, the Honda E - which is unusually compact for an electric car, and innovative in several ways.
A rear-mounted motor promises packaging efficiency (although the car itself fails to follow through with it), while all-independent suspension heralds the ride and handling sophistication of a bigger car.
The E is available in 134bhp and 152bhp forms, but neither has quite the battery capacity of rivals: 35.5kWh gross is all you get here, which makes for a claimed WLTP range of 136 miles maximum (with the car rolling on 16in wheels). In testing, we struggled to get much more than 100 from our test car, which had 17in rims.
To drive, the E feels plush, composed and easy to operate, with medium-paced steering but a tight turning circle, and moderate but responsive performance. It didn’t excite us, and it doesn't offer the last word in background body control, but it's a relaxing zero-emissions city car and its alternative styling is exceptionally endearing. It's helped here by genuine one-pedal driving, which once mastered delivers greater driver engagement and enhanced efficiency.
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