Welcome to Electric Road’s ‘Top 5 Small Electric Cars’ Summer 2023 in association with Xcite Car Leasing.
At Electric Road, our key objective is to be as useful as we possibly can be for those considering their first or next electric car and related products & services. Finding the right electric car is clearly the most important part of the process! In an ever-growing market there are many considerations (budget-aside) such as should you buy new or used and how you are actually going to use the car.
Just so you know, we only consider a particular make & model when we’ve received a minimum of 20 Top 5 EV Surveys for the vehicle. For the ‘Small Electric Car’ category, we base it on cars with a length of 4,100mm or less.
Owner Ratings
Based on the 5-bolt rating from over 4,000 Top 5 EV Surveys received up to and including 30th June 2023, Electric Road has extracted the top 5 highest-rated small electric cars. Within the review forms, owners have to provide an overall bolt rating out of 5 on their car. We’ve then worked out the average rating for each make & model as shown below.
We hope this summary of EV owners’ opinions will help you make the right decision when the time comes to purchase your first or next electric car. Given how quickly the electric vehicle market is growing, the ‘Top 5 Small Electric Cars’ will be updated each quarter ensuring you have the latest owner feedback from Electric Road.
Top 5 Small Electric Cars
1. MINI Electric (4.76)
The MINI Electric is once again our most highly-rated small electric car with owners loving the driving dynamics, build quality and overall value. It seems that the MINI Electric really does put a smile on owners’ faces!
Here’s what some of our owners think about their MINI Electric:
‘This wasn’t a quick or easy process as I spent time thinking it through. I spent time monitoring my miles I was doing and thinking was the range going to be enough? One day I woke up and said this makes complete sense and I can do it. So I went back to test drive the MINI Electric while my MINI Cooper S convertible was in for a service and that was it. I certainly haven’t regretted it. I was worried about the range but I didn’t need to at all as it works perfectly. We have even driven from Warwickshire to Norfolk with the dog because we love the way the car drives.’
MINI Electric Cooper S 32kWh 2022, Helen E. Read the full Owner Review here
‘Always wanted a MINI, decided to go electric and it was the only choice as it’s one of the cheapest and best-looking electric cars. Bought during Covid without a test drive or seeing it first.’
MINI Electric 2020, ElectricKD. Read the full Owner Review here
‘After having two ICE Minis, I was familiar with the car and liked the concept that the BEV version is virtually identical to look at; not at all a ‘look at me’ car, until you accelerate, that is! The performance from the electric motor with instant torque is a massive improvement on the petrol version that I previously had. After comparing the car to similarly priced and sized competition, which were all slightly lower powered and didn’t handle as well (in my opinion), I knew that the MINI was the electric car for me.’
Level 2 2022, Richard. Read the full Owner Review here
Find your new electric vehicle today with Xcite Car Leasing!
2. BMW i3 (4.75)
The iconoclastic i3 is a close second to the MINI and is adored by many of its owners for its overall quality, use of ethical materials and ultimately, its performance.
Here’s what some of our owners think about their BMW i3:
‘I’m very brand loyal and this is my 8th BMW. I wanted to change to an EV so they lent me one for the day and I was sold. Love the futuristic looks, the individuality, the quality and the performance.’
120Ah 2021, Neil. Read the full Owner Review here
‘We didn’t want a large car and the BMW i3 was the best compromise between city car and the greater range of large cars. This is due to its unique carbon reinforced plastic/aluminium construction which makes it over 200kg lighter than the smaller Renault Zoe. The interior is a delightfully light place to be even on dull, dismal days, the exterior is a bit marmite ‘love or hate’ but we love its (still) fresh, futuristic looks. The performance and range are excellent; a recent trip to the East Coast from West Yorkshire saw us achieve 173 miles with 14%/24 miles remaining.’
i3 120Ah 42.2kWh 2019, Andy. Read the full Owner Review here
‘It’s a ‘small on the outside, big on the inside’ hatchback. I particularly like the build quality and eco materials used. Very economical to run despite it being quick off the mark. The BMW app is fantastic and easy to use. I can’t charge at home but have had no issues keeping it topped up, many times free of charge. I will never go back to a petrol or diesel car. Go and test drive an electric car, you will not look back.’
i3S 42kWh 2020, Gary. Read the full Owner Review here
Find your new electric vehicle today with Xcite Car Leasing!
3. FIAT 500 (4.69)
Owners love their all-electric FIAT 500 particularly how well-thought through it is as an EV combined with the usual Italian flair!
Here’s what some of our owners think about their all-electric FIAT 500:
‘The small size means it fits on my very small drive. The range is excellent so I can go to London with just one stop on the way to recharge. The look of it also, it’s really eye-catching. It’s an EV that isn’t a petrol with just batteries in it, it was designed from the ground up as an EV so feels very well thought out and quite high-end for such a small car.’
RED Edition 2021, Catherine Lane. Read the full Owner Review here
‘I’ve had several Fiat 500s so I thought I would test drive an electric one. That led to an immediate order!’
Icon 48kWh 2022, Heather Taylor. Read the full Owner Review here
‘I wanted a fun car that would put a smile on my face while driving it.’
La Prima Cabriolet 42kWh 2021, Sophia_1522. Read the full Owner Review here
Find your new electric vehicle today with Xcite Car Leasing!
4. Honda e (4.55)
Owners feel they have a very unique car with the Honda e from its design to how it drives.
Here’s what some of our owners think about their Honda e:
- ‘I love the quirky design of the Honda e, it’s a classic retro design that has been modernised
- It’s also a fantastic size for city driving: its very agile and is great for small parking spaces and nipping in and out of traffic
- It also has a tiny turning circle, which means you can literally turn around in any street!’
Honda e Advance 2020, Adam. Read the full Owner Review here
‘Loved the look and to drive it was something unique and special over all other EVs; it actually had character.’
Honda e Advance 2020, Simon. Read the full Owner Review here
‘We needed a small city car to replace my wife’s ageing Polo. We chose the Honda e for its style, size, tech, performance and ‘cool factor’.’
Honda e Advance 2020, Rick Oz. Read the full Owner Review here
‘The e is the first real BEV from Honda, there was a compliance car in the 2000’s and there is the Clarity Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicle. But with the e, Honda have created a jewel of a car. It looks like a show car, made real. It has very clean external lines and the interior is like a lounge. It is only a four seater but space and access for four is fine. It has cameras for rear view mirrors which work really well in all conditions.’
Honda e Advance 2020, Julian. Read the full Owner Review here
Find your new electric vehicle today with Xcite Car Leasing!
5. Renault Zoe (4.50)
Range, spec and the driving experience are common themes with Zoe owners.
Here’s what some of our owners think about their Renault Zoe:
‘My wife and I both have GT Line Zoes. We picked them after looking at the cheapest to run versus the cheapest to lease versus best range. We both had new ICE cars before and actually replaced both of them within 2 months of getting the first Zoe. I don’t think we would’ve gone down the EV route if we hadn’t been able to charge at home and on Octopus Go. The savings for us so far have been substantial. We live in Aberdeen and I work in the Cairngorms and the range at this time of year hasn’t been too bad, lowest I’ve had has been around 180 miles at – 10 c.’
ZE50 GT Line 2021, Giles. Read the full Owner Review here
‘I’ve had a lot of Renault cars over the years including a Twizy, the dealership send me special offers, I took a test drive and fell in love with the feel of the car.’
Zoe 2016, Simon Upton-Millard. Read the full Owner Review here
‘After having a Zoe ZE40, which was superb, when I decided to replace it, I still went for a Zoe as they have a large interior for a small car. The range was great for the ZE40, getting me up to 225 miles on the 40kWh battery. I had a courtesy Corsa for awhile which I took on holiday for a week and it had a way smaller boot and the back seat space was noticeably smaller than the Zoe. My dog had to be coaxed into the back seat of the Corsa but would jump into the back of the Zoe. So when I had to replace my Zoe ZE40, after an accident, I went for a used Zoe ZE50 GT Line with rapid charge.’
Zoe ZE50 GT Line Rapid charge 2021, Keith H. Read the full Owner Review here
Find your new electric vehicle today with Xcite Car Leasing!
