Best used electric cars to buy 2026
Looking to join the EV revolution but have a smaller budget? Here are the best used electric cars to buy
Electric cars have well and truly entered the automotive mainstream and now millions of car buyers are wondering if an EV could work for them. While even the cheapest new electric cars are pretty expensive, why not consider buying a used electric car instead?
Our road testers have thoroughly tested every electric car on the market and we’ve picked the best used electric cars currently available for a more affordable way into EV ownership.
We tend to think of EVs as expensive, but cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Renault Zoe and Skoda Enyaq all prove it’s now possible to find a decent used electric car for an affordable price.
A used electric car could be an even better buy than a used petrol or diesel car, as EVs are proving to be very reliable and cheap cars to run so far, with fewer moving parts and less to go wrong. They also tend to do fewer miles in the same amount of time, so there are some used electric cars out there that are like new even at a few years old.
However, an electric car needs to work for you. If you can charge up at home and don't tend to do lots of motorway trips, they're perfect. Charging at home can mean ultra-low running costs that no equivalent petrol or diesel car can dream of getting close to, and of course there are plenty of environmental benefits as well.
Best used electric cars to buy
All things considered, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (a former Auto Express Car of the Year winner) is the best used electric car you can currently buy. It has a decent real-world range, speedy charging capabilities and is reasonably priced.
If you want your used EV to be smaller or retro-inspired rather than futuristic, then the nimble Renault 5 is a great contender.
For those seeking a high-quality and practical car, not to mention another former Car of the Year winner, then the Nissan Ariya should be on your shortlist.
| Rank | Make and model | Maximum WLTP range |
| 1. | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 282 miles |
| 2. | Renault 5 | 267 miles |
| 3. | Nissan Ariya | 329 miles |
| 4. | Mazda MX-30 | 124 miles |
| 5. | Kia EV6 | 300 miles |
| 6. | Jeep Avenger | 250 miles |
| 7. | Skoda Enyaq | 365 miles |
| 8. | MG4 | 338 miles |
| 9. | Renault Zoe | 149 miles |
| 10. | Smart ForTwo | 84 miles |
Keep reading to discover the best used electric cars, or click the jump links in the table above to go straight to a make and model...
1. Hyundai Ioniq 5
- 73kWh Premium (2022), 84,000 miles - £14,895
Why buy? Hyundai dared to be different – and struck gold as a result.
Ever since the Ioniq 5 broke cover in February 2021, it was clear that this was something special. Buyers clamoured to secure one of the first cars, no doubt encouraged by us naming the Hyundai our 2021 Car of the Year, Best Mid-Sized Company Car and Premium Electric Car, plus it also triumphed in the Design category. Quite a haul, but entirely deserved because its maker did such a fabulous job of blending form and function.
Not only does the Ioniq 5 look like nothing else on the outside, but on the inside the Korean model is also spacious, high-quality and crammed with tech that’s easy to get on with.
At launch there were 58kWh and 73kWh battery options; later came 63kWh and 77.4kWh packs, with the ultra-fast Ioniq 5 N (launched in October 2023) getting an 84kWh battery. As such, all Ioniq 5s have a generous real-world range, making this an ideal motorway cruiser thanks to its excellent refinement.
Two-thirds of Ioniq 5s are rear-wheel drive, which leaves a third with four-wheel drive, and these start at £17k. You can buy a rear-wheel-drive car from just £13k, and a couple of grand more bags a lower-mileage example.
But you’ll need much more to buy an Ioniq 5 N; these 641bhp monsters start at £45k. Whatever you buy it will come with the balance of the standard five-year warranty with no mileage limit. Not that you should need it, such is Hyundai’s excellent reliability record.
Latest used Hyundai Ioniq 5 deals
2. Renault 5
- Roland Garros (2025), 5,000 miles - £24,999
Why buy? Renault shows how to revive a classic model – it’s brilliant.
To qualify for inclusion in our Used Car Awards, contenders should have been on sale for at least three years, but we’ve bent the rules for the Renault 5 because it came out just two years ago. However, it’s such a cracking car that we couldn’t wait another year to feature it here.
We love it thanks to its brilliant dynamics, keen pricing, smart retro design and accessible tech – and we know that you’ll love it, too.
3. Nissan Ariya
- 87kWh Advance (2023), 26,500 miles - £19,599
Why buy? The perfect first EV for anyone needing a family car.
If you want an electric SUV, you’re spoiled for choice, so the fact that the Nissan Ariya was our Car of the Year in 2022 shows how multi-talented it is.
Its head-turning looks and premium cabin are just for starters, because the Ariya is also engaging to drive and has a range of up to 329 miles. When we crowned it Car of the Year, we claimed that the Nissan “mixes style and substance seamlessly”, and it still does.
Latest used Nissan Ariya deals
4. Mazda MX-30
- Prime-Line (2024), 11,500 miles - £11,290
Why buy? Go your own way with this low-profile compact EV.
Arguably one of the less obvious car brands in the UK, Mazda deserves to do better because its cars are fun to drive, superbly built and have lovely interiors. That’s certainly the case for the Mazda MX-30, which is also ultra-safe, according to Euro NCAP.
But the 35.5kW battery gives a range of just 124 miles, which is a deal-breaker for some drivers. If that range figure works for you, we’d suggest that you take a closer look at this left-field EV.
5. Kia EV6
- GT-Line S (2023), 10,000 miles - £27,495
Why buy? It raises the bar with its style, long range and decent kit.
Kia isn’t in the habit of producing duffers, but even we were surprised when it introduced the EV6.
With its eye-catching design, long range, fast charging and spacious, hi-tech cabin, it was a big leap from the e-Niro that came before. Even better, the EV6 was good to drive, and while this all came at a cost (up to £58k), you can now buy an EV6 for as little as £17,000, with the 577bhp GT edition available from £27k.
6. Jeep Avenger
- 54kWh Summit (2024), 20,000 miles - £14,995
Why buy? A stylish, small electric SUV with a decent range – at a keen price.
Jeep is on a roll thanks to the Avenger, which has been a hit with UK buyers. It’s easy to see why: this rugged-looking supermini-sized SUV is neatly styled, comfortable, features great infotainment, is good to drive and has a range of up to 250 miles courtesy of its 54kWh battery.
We ran an Avenger on our long-term fleet and averaged 4.5 miles per kWh, with the 154bhp electric motor providing plenty of pep.
Latest used Jeep Avenger Electric deals
7. Skoda Enyaq
- ECOSUITE 60 (2022), 23,000 miles - £19,495
Why buy? A family-friendly electric SUV that focuses on comfort and usability.
The shift from ICE to EV has caused a few problems for car makers, but when Skoda introduced its first electric car, the Enyaq, it would have been easy to think that the brand had been producing them for years, such was the SUV’s breadth of abilities.
When it arrived in March 2021, buyers could choose between Enyaq 60 and Enyaq 80 models, with 58kWh and 77kWh batteries respectively. Later, the range was bolstered by four-wheel-drive (80x), vRS and Coupé editions, with a new entry-level Enyaq 50 (with a 52kWh battery) arriving in 2024. A facelift in spring 2025 brought a radical redesign for the nose and a top-spec Enyaq 85 variant with a headline 365-mile range.
All Enyaqs are perfect long-distance cruisers with extraordinary refinement, a comfortable ride, spacious cabin and lots of standard kit. All versions are easy to drive, nippy enough, and so far reliability has proved to be pretty good. You can buy an early, high-mileage Enyaq 60 from as little as £13k, with three-year-old examples available within our £20,000 budget.
8. MG4
- SE Long Range (2023), 52,000 miles - £11,700
Why buy? Roomy, practical and with a long range, yet eminently affordable.
The EV landscape has changed enormously since the MG4 arrived in 2022, with affordable options now everywhere. But the MG put the cat among the pigeons with its low price, long range (up to 338 miles) and distinctive styling, as well as its seven-year warranty. Well equipped and fun to drive, the MG4 has a lot going for it.
The key downside was sub-par cabin quality, but MG addressed this with a facelift in January 2026.
9. Renault Zoe
- Signature 41kWh (2018), 29,000 miles - £5,900
Why buy? You won’t find a practical urban runabout that’s cheaper to run.
Buy a used Renault Zoe, charge it at home on an off-peak energy tariff, and you’ll be able to enjoy the cheapest motoring possible.
One of the world’s first affordable electric vehicles, the Zoe is refined, practical and comfortable – and usually reliable. Early cars came with a range of as little as 62 miles and (until 2015) a leased battery pack, so buy something later with the battery included and a range of up to 149 miles.
10. Smart ForTwo
- 17.6kWh Prime (2018), 31k miles - £5,995
Why buy? Stylish, tough and well equipped, plus you can park where nobody else can.
Is there a better city car than this? With its ultra-compact dimensions, whisper-quiet running and great build quality, the Smart ForTwo really is the smart choice.
The Mk3 arrived in EV form in 2017, with a 17.6kWh battery for a range of up to 84 miles and an 81bhp e-motor giving nippy acceleration. Strong, well equipped and neatly designed inside and out, the ForTwo cuts a dash like nothing else.
Latest used Smart ForTwo deals
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