The best electric family cars – driven, rated and ranked

Best for: Ride comfort

The Volkswagen ID 7 is the German giant's first electric saloon and estate. Think Volkswagen Arteon, but built for the electric age. 

The ID 7 offers more space and more rolling refinement than many of its direct rivals

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Powered by an 86kWh battery as standard, all versions of the ID 7 offer more than 350 miles of range and an equally impressive maximum charging speed of 200kW. Pro S models even have a claimed range of 433 miles. 

The ID 7 is also capable of considerable pace, with 282bhp and 402lb ft available if you opt for single-motor variants. That's enough to dispatch 0-62mph in 6.6sec.

Further appeal comes in the form of its class-leading ride comfort and competitive driving range. Rear space is limousine-esque, while boot space measures 532 litres in the saloon and 605 litres in the estate-bodied ID 7 Tourer. 

Best for: Range

462bhp, 500 miles of range and 400kW ultra-rapid charging, the BMW iX3 has jumped to the top of the class by setting new benchmarks for range and charging. But its technical stats only tell half the story, because this is also a practical and roomy SUV that’s also very good to drive. 

Most buyers will choose M Sport, but don’t discount the base trim. All the good equipment is optional anyway. The multifunctional seats and heated steering wheel are essential.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

At present you can only buy the dual-motor 50 XDrive which starts from around £60,000, but a cheaper, 395-mile single-motor version is on the way. Space and practicality are high on the agenda inside the iX3. 

Adults will easily be able to find a comfortable seating position in the back, with plenty of oddment storage,  large door bins and a 520-litre boot that can swallow several carry-on suitcases. 

There aren’t many physical buttons inside, but the new technology that BMW has brought to the iX3 is innovative and generally easy to get along with. 

Best for: Interior flexibility

As well as being arguably the most characterful model on this list, the ID Buzz is probably the most versatile. 

Driving the LWB is as simple as driving the SWB. It rides pliantly, is incredibly endearing and is quicker than before, both on the road and when charging.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

It comes as standard in short-wheelbase form with five seats, but its true potential is realised in long-wheelbase guise.

In the ID Buzz LWB, you can choose seven seats as standard in a 2/3/2 configuration, or drop down to six seats in a 2/2/2 configuration. 

A further boon for the ID Buzz is its adaptability. If you go for the seven-seater, you can remove the rear seats to create a cavernous 1340-litre cargo space.  

Power starts from 201bhp in entry-level SWB variants and the LWB gets 282bhp. All-wheel-drive GTX models get a punchier 335bhp plus all-wheel drive.

Best for: Leg room

The Kia EV9 is the biggest car on this list and makes a real case for being the best in class if you're a driver with a large family. 

With its 800V charging capability, the EV9 promises to shade its rivals and save owners time, with a 10-80% DC rapid charge possible in a claimed 24 minutes.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Aside from the ID Buzz, few alternatives offer more space than Kia's largest SUV. It boasts a degree of versatility matched only by the ID Buzz, with easily manoeuvrable seats that easily tumble and fold.

The EV9 comes with seven seats as standard, while top-spec GT Line S versions can be selected with six seats, swapping the usual sliding bench with swivelling captain's chairs.

Whichever configuration you choose, people in the third row can expect as much space as those in the BMW iX. Impressive. Boot space is similarly adaptable, with 333 litres in a seven-seat layout, and 828 litres with the third row folded down. Plus, there's a 90-litre frunk (52 litres in dual-motor variants). 

Best for: Boot space

The influential Tesla Model Y gained a significant update in 2025, receiving a design refresh and some comfort adjustments. 

Despite the suspension changes, it’s still on the firmer, noisier end of the spectrum, but the worst edges have definitely been taken off.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

That means it's a better family car than ever. While the previous Model Y suffered from a lumpy, firm ride, the new version is slightly easier to live with, and softens out sharper bumps much more competently. 

Power is plentiful in the Model Y, which is one of the punchier cars on this list for pace. Entry-level, standard-range cars come with 279bhp, while dual-motor versions produce 375bhp and will cover 0-62mph in 4.8sec. 

As for range, the Model Y is one of the more long-legged electric family cars. You'll get 311 miles out of standard-range models, rising to 387 miles in long-range variants. 

Practicality is also a strong point in the Model Y, which offers a cavernous 854-litre boot, plus a 117-litre frunk. 

Best for: Daily driving

The Enyaq has been on sale since 2020, but it's just been given a significant overhaul for 2025. 

With a drag coefficient of 0.24, the Enyaq Coupé is the most aerodynamic car Skoda has made

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

As well as ushering in Skoda's new design language, the latest Enyaq is also more aerodynamic than before and comes with a more premium level of interior equipment. 

Heated front seats are included as standard, along with tri-zone climate control, which should keep the entire family cool through summer and toasty in the winter months. 

The Enyaq is more spacious than many of its rivals. Its 585-litre boot is far bigger than the Volkswagen ID 4's and the Audi Q4 E-tron's, and it also beats the Kia EV6's and Hyundai Ioniq 5's. Fold the seats down and you'll get a massive 1710 litres. 

Entry-level cars have a 63kWh battery for 277 miles of range, but you're likely to prefer the 85 and 85x if you habitually do longer journeys. They get an 82kWh unit that enables an impressive range of 370 miles and 346 miles respectively.

Best for: Style and space

Majoring on practicality and refinement, Hyundai’s flagship electric seven-seater’s breadth of appeal makes it a compelling alternative to more expensive rivals from Europe.

This isn’t a particularly dynamic car to drive, but it’s not really intended to be: the king is far from the most dynamic piece on a chess board, after all.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

Indeed, the suave-looking Ioniq 9 is great value for money when compared with plush, well-appointed seven-seat EVs like the Volvo EX90 and Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.

Even in its lowest spec it feels luxurious, and if you don’t need seven seats you can have a six-seater variant with captain’s chairs in the second row. 

Inside, it's bright, spacious and comfortable, and pleasingly there are plenty of buttons for various functions. 

It’s not the most dynamic to drive, but the ride and handling is perfectly adequate for this type of car. If you want something with a bit more refinement in this department, look at the BMW iX. 

Opt for the single-motor Long Range with 215bhp and you get up to 385 miles of range. 

Best for: Kerb appeal

Given the success of its internal-combustion counterpart, the Porsche Macan Electric always had a tough job on its hands, but it stands out as one of the best electric family cars on sale.

The Macan Electric's drivability in everyday environments is first-rate.

Matt Prior, Editor-at-large

There are four versions of the Macan EV: the base Macan, Macan 4, Macan 4S and Macan Turbo Electric.

All but the entry-level car use a dual-motor set-up, but each uses the same 95kWh battery. Power ranges from 356bhp on entry cars to to 631bhp and 833lb ft on the range-topping Turbo.  

The Macan Electric is great to drive, with sharp, responsive handling and punchy performance.

For the best bang-for-your-buck, we'd recommend one of the lower-level models, because they're more manageable on the road in day-to-day driving, and their handling feels more natural.