Top 10 best mid-sized electric cars 2023

Yet the real kicker is the pricing, which starts at £26,995 and tops out at £32,495. To put that in perspective, the cheapest Volkswagen ID 3 (with a shorter range) is £36,990.

2. Kia Niro

Unsurprisingly, Kia hasn’t messed too significantly with a winning formula for the all-new electric Niro. Its predecessor was something of a sales hit, mixing practicality and a decent-value price with a respectable range that wouldn’t have you breaking out in a sweat on longer journeys. Only some frumpy looks and slightly skittish driving dynamics really let it down, so these are the areas that have received the most work.

Called the Niro EV (the old car was the e-Niro), the newcomer certainly looks distinctive, with its aggressively angled LED running lights and optional colour-coded C-pillar treatment. You would struggle to call the pseudo-SUV handsome, but it stands out where its predecessor blended in, so that’s probably job done.

Inside, there’s a touch more space for people and luggage, while the dashboard is more slickly styled and there's a larger and more intuitive touchscreen infotainment system with all the connectivity you will ever need.

Under the skin there’s the same 64.8kWh battery as before, which gives an ever-so-slightly longer range of 285 miles. The 201bhp front-mounted motor is also carried over, although its response has been tuned to be less aggressive, meaning much of the previous machine’s traction control-testing scrabble has been eliminated.

In all other respects, the Niro EV is calm and capable on the road, handling accurately and with decent composure, but never getting close to engaging or entertaining. Still, the refinement is good and, firm low-speed ride aside, it’s a comfortable and easy-going way to get around.

There’s lots here appeal if you want a spacious, rangey and refined family EV, and buyers of the old car are likely to be forming an orderly queue outside Kia dealers. However, bear in mind that in top-level 4 guise, the Niro EV costs barely any less than the brand’s faster, sleeker and longer-range EV6.

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3. Cupra Born

The Volkswagen Group's emergent performance brand Cupra has thought small with its first dedicated electric car, the Born. Instead of following sister brands Skoda and Audi and launching a crossover related to the Enyaq iV and Q4 E-tron, it has hitched its first EV to the smaller Volkswagen ID 3. So the Cupra Born is a hatchback rather than a full-sized family car, although it's a slightly pricey one, with strakey styling and sporting intentions that it delivers on more fulsomely than you would expect.

Despite being very closely related to the ID 3 and ID 4, the Born feels like a sharper and more agile tool, attacking twisting back roads with near hot hatch levels of enthusiasm and even drawing the driver into the action, albeit still at arm's length. There's still a sense there's more potential to be unlocked, and if the electronic safety net's grip could be loosened just a little the Born's rear-drive balance could be properly unlocked. Yet overall, this Cupra is the one of the most successful attempts yet at an 'affordable' EV for enthusiasts.

Prices start at £36,475 for an entry-level car powered by a 201bhp electric motor with a 58kWh battery that has a range of 259 miles. There's also a larger 77kWh battery option that's mated to 228bhp motor and claims 340 miles between stops at a plug socket. Prices for that combination start just north of £40,000. Worth the premium over the ID 3?  That really depends on your priorities, but if you fancy a bit more design flair and a fair dollop more sportiness behind the wheel, almost certainly.

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4. Renault Mégane E-Tech

Renault was something of an EV pioneer with its Zoe supermini, which made its debut the best part of a decade ago. But tiny Twizy and forgettable Fluence ZE aside, the French firm hasn’t made much of its head start and has been overtaken by many in the race to electrify their ranges.

As a result, the all-new Mégane E-Tech has arrived in the nick of time, and the good news is that it has been worth the wait. As the name suggests, the newcomer is Renault’s all-eletric take on the family hatchback. It’s certainly a good-looking one, the angular new Mégane looking far sharper and more purposeful than its ICE-powered predecessor. Underpinning the car is Renault’s new CMF-EV architecture, which is claimed to be one of the lightest and strongest in the class (the equivalent Volkswagen ID 3 is around 300kg heavier), while for now there’s a single 60kWh battery option that promises 292 miles between charges.

The Mégane drives well too, its 215bhp motor delivering real verve and its chassis serving up the sort of fine balance of agility and supple ride that used to be a French car speciality. It’s no hot hatch, but there’s genuine pleasure to be had from punting the Renault through a series of corners, yet it's cosseting and calm when you just want to take it easy.

Better still, it does all the family car things well, with just about enough space for five and a generous 440-litre boot. The interior looks good too, and is reasonably well finished, if not quite up to premium standards.

Factor in prices that start at £36,995 for the well-equipped entry-level Equilibre and the Mégane E-Tech deserves a place near the top of your EV shopping list.

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5. Volkswagen ID 3

The Volkswagen ID 3 has kicked off its maker's post-Dieselgate rehabilitation very well. This Golf-sized hatchback became the first to use the Volkswagen Group’s dedicated MEB platform, an entirely fresh rear-engined architecture, when it hit the market in 2020. That gave the ID 3 a relatively long wheelbase, boosting cabin space, and a rear-mounted drive motor with up to 201bhp and 229lb ft.

It launched with two battery sizes: the 58kWh pack lends a WLTP range of 261 miles, while the larger, pricier 77kWh battery ups that to 340 miles. Yet since then, VW has rationlised the range, to the point that there's only one model you can choose: the £37,140 Life with a 201bhp motor, a 58kWh battery and a claimed range of 265 miles. This model pretty much covers all the bases for a family hatch in terms of equipment, performance and distance between charges, but the lack of choice really does limit the ID 3's appeal.

Still, the ID 3 still excels in terms of manoeuvrability and low-speed response and, although heavy by compact car standards and sitting on wheels as big as 20in in diameter, it would seem to meet VW's high standards for ride sophistication, too. Handling is surprisingly agile, balanced and nimble, but there's very little in the way of driver entertainment.

The car is let down a little by its interior, which doesn’t have the same feeling of quality we expect from VW, and its touchscreen infotainment system suffers with some of the same usability woes as many other current VW products, while the lack of backlighting for the touch sensitve heating controls will have you fumbling around in rage after dark. But the cabin is certainly roomy and pleasant enough, and the driving experience is gratifyingly simple and effective.

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6. Peugeot e-2008

Handsome, decently roomy and rangey, pleasant to drive and competitively priced, the Peugeot e-2008 covers a lot of important bases as an affordable EV. It doesn’t stand out from its competitors in any one area: the 64kWh Kia e-Niro is more spacious and longer-legged, although slightly pricier, while different rivals offer stronger performance or clearer design appeal. But the e-2008 gets strong enough scores across the board to make it a commendable all-rounder.

The car’s front-mounted 134bhp motor and its 50kWh drive battery are shared with the Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa Electric. They make for fairly average performance (although drivability is good), and real-world range of between 150 and 170 miles, depending on your route and driving style. That’s broadly competitive for a five-seat crossover hatchback available for less than £35,900 - but it clearly won’t easily meet your every motoring need.

For that money, however, the e-2008’s interior has a surprisingly inviting ambience as well as decent outright space, and it rides and handles with more than a lingering flavour of Gallic sophistication. This car is easy to overlook in some ways, but it certainly deserves your attention. 

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7. Nissan Leaf

The first-generation Nissan Leaf set the mould for the affordable electric car more than a decade ago – and in second-generation form, it’s still in among the list of contenders seeking to follow in its treadmarks.

Battery capacity has been boosted so that, in standard guise, the Nissan has a WLTP-certified range of 168 miles: not a lot by today’s standards but still broadly competitive and no doubt enough for some. However, this rises to more than 200 miles in the case of the range-topping 64kWh e+ version. 

The Leaf also has significantly more power and torque than its predecessor, it performs fairly keenly, it feels like a more rounded car to drive generally and it has plenty of daily-use practicality for a small family. Its interior is starting to look and feel pretty dated, though.

A value proposition that has also improved and is now on a par with that of a mid-market, conventionally fuelled family hatchback, cements the car’s position. That said, to match a traditional ICE hatch for price and kit, you will be looking at a smaller-battery and lower-trim Nissan.

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8. Vauxhall Mokka Electric

Britain’s everyman car brand is out to reinvent itself with the Vauxhall Mokka Electric. This fashionable, good-looking compact crossover shares its platform and running gear with the Peugeot e-2008 and DS 3 E-Tense, and although it’s slightly less practical than the aforementioned Peugeot, its broad-bonnet styling is even more impactful.

The Vauxhall’s 50kWh battery grants a real-world range of about 160 miles, and recharging it while out and about can be done at rates of up to 100kW for an 80% charge in around half an hour.

The Mokka’s cabin is less spacious than some in the top 10, but it will still accommodate adults in the second row. Boot space is reduced to a little over 300 litres in the EV – another practicality showing that leaves the car with plenty to prove elsewhere.

Its performance is fairly strong, and its ride and handling disguise its raised ride height pretty well. The driving experience isn’t likely to be the reason you buy this car, though. If you like the way it looks, it’s probably just about practical, usable and credible enough to drive to reward your interest.

9. Hyundai Kona Electric

It's been around for a while now, but while the Kona lacks the cutting edge appeal of some of its rivals it still has plenty to offer as a stress-free and reasonable value runabout. Its mix of rugged SUV design cues and compact supermini dimensions helps keep it bang on trend, while a facelift last year helped boost its kerb appeal. It also benefitted from the brand's latest infotainment, which features in an interior that's robustly built and has just enough space for four adults but is plenty roomy enough in the back for kids.

Under the refreshed exterior, the Kona features the same mechanicals as before, which means a choice of battery sizes and motor outputs. The entry-level versions get a 39kWh lithium ion heart and 134bhp through the front wheels, while there's also a 64kWh model with 201bhp. Go for the former and you'll get a respectable claimed range of 189 miles, while the bigger battery promises an impressive 300 miles - a figure few rivals can match. However, a maximum charging rate of 50kW means that even on a rapid charger you'll need just over an hour to achieve 80% capacity in the 64kWh car.

Practicalities aside, the Kona is an easy-going and capable machine, but not one that's going to get your blood racing. The handling is safe and predictable, the steering is accurate and, providing you're not driving to end it all, the Hyundai has enough grip to keep your heart rate within safe limits. Both versions serve-up smooth, linear and brisk acceleration, while the torquier 201bhp model has enough grunt and akinny enough tyres that disabling the traction control will allow you to indulge in some Hollywood car chases-style wheel-spinning smoke screens.