Tom Barnard
15 Sep 2025We love a bargain at Electrifying. While new EVs often have a higher upfront cost than their petrol equivalents, when they are used they cost the same and sometimes less!
So we thought we’d round up some of the best buys on the market right now by looking on our used car listings. And we’ve given ourselves a budget - they all have to cost less than £20,000.
I’m going to start with a car which is way under the £20,000 limit – the MINI Electric. In fact you could buy two for that, as prices start at below £10,000.
There are some compromises with Electric MINI ownership. If you’re looking for an EV that’ll do massive distances without recharging, then skip forward to the next cars in the list.
But if you’re after a runaround for the shops, school run, or commuting — and you don’t mind plugging in after about 100 miles — then the MINI is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.It’s huge fun to drive, the interior feels more BMW than budget, and it’s efficient too — so you’ll spend less on ‘leccy.
When browsing listings, watch for the different trim levels. The poshest, called 3, will be worth more than the basic 1 and mid-range 2 because it comes with leather seats, front parking sensors, a Harman Kardon hi-fi, adaptive lights, and a big sunroof. There’s a lot of personalisation too — so you can go bold (yellow mirrors) or keep it subtle (silver or grey with black wheels). Many owners picked bigger alloy wheels because they look sportier, but be warned: bigger tyres mean more drag, so you’ll lose a few miles of range and the ride can feel firmer — plus tyres will be pricier.
The good news is that the MINI Electric is proving reliable, with very few issues reported by owners. Aside from the odd creaky dashboard or phone connection dropout, its record is solid. The batteries hold up well too according to our approved dealers’ battery health checks.
The MINI Electric had a facelift in 2021, so the older models are rare as they were only on sale for a year, but they’ve got a different front end and older infotainment tech. You can spot them by the fog lights on the bumper, and they’re worth a few hundred less than facelift cars.
Lastly, service history is stored in the car’s system. Just head to the My MINI menu on the screen to view it — clever, eh?
The MG4 is brilliant value when it's new, so they are even better when they are used. We’ve showered this car with all sorts of awards because it’s great to drive, spacious and has all the latest safety kit. There’s loads of room, even if you’ve got lanky teens.
The 4 has also got an unbeatable manufacturer’s warranty – seven years!
Prices start at around £13,000, so our £20,000 budget will get you a very lightly used version of a top-spec Trophy. It’s the Long Range so should be capable of around 250 miles between charges.
There is also a smaller battery model with 51kWh and a 217 mile official range, but these versions are quite rare as most new car buyers paid the extra to get the bigger battery.
All MG4s come with a decent level of kit as standard, but if you are like me and insist on heated seats and a steering wheel warmer in the winter, these only come on the Trophy and XPower models. The same goes for remote preconditioning.
But while the Trophy is very nice, I’ve got my eye on the X-Power. It’s still available below budget – which means it has more power and faster acceleration than a Porsche 911.
There are a few things to check. Some MG4 drivers have reported AC charging errors, and dodgy change port lights. Look for flimsy interior trim and gear selector malfunctions too. Check you can connect your phone properly while you are there.
If you do get an X-Power, they all seem to have an annoying vibration at motorway speeds. This is normal and doesn’t mean anything is broken.
For the battery, expect 4% degradation in the first 50,000 miles, with that curve flattening over the next 50,000 miles. That’s pretty good.
Finally - I have to mention colours. The bright blue and orange aren’t to everyone’s taste, so you might be able to get a better deal on a used one if you don’t mind going bold.
Or how about something a little more sensible? Whenever I drive a Kia Niro I just think to myself how it would be a car which is so easy to live with. It’s got enough space, it’s fast enough, has all the equipment, a proper range and efficiency and Kia’s legendary long warranty. Which explains why it’s been one of the best-selling EVs in the UK.
There are examples which cost a lot less than our £20,000 limit, but it might be that they are older, have lots of miles or the smaller 39kWh battery. Which might be fine for you.
But I’m going to suggest you stretch to one of these – the newer model. Besides looking a lot more modern, it also has more space in the back and some extra technology. It drives better too.
There’s only one battery option on these later cars and it’s 65kWh which gives an official range of 285 miles. That’s enough to last most drivers weeks of commuting. Twenty grand will be enough to get one like this with a reasonable mileage in a nice colour.
Problems? Well it seems to be a very reliable car generally, with only a few problems with the 12 volt battery reported. Most faults will be covered by Kia’s seven year warranty too, but you’ll need to make sure the service history is up to date and to Kia’s standards or the company could refuse any claim.
If you like your cars to be a little more SUV shaped, then maybe a Mokka will be to your taste? It has the higher seating position which we all like and gives a little more space inside, but doesn’t take up any space on the road than a traditional small hatchback.
Underneath it shares big bits of hardware with Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat and even Jeep which means you get a better car for less money. It means the Mokka has decent tech and just enough room for a small family.
In terms of the range, most of the Mokka’s you’ll see on the used market will have the older 50kWh battery, which has an official range of around 220 miles. Bear in mind this will be less - sometimes much less - in winter or if you hoof it on the motorway. But if you are just doing day-to-day driving it will be fine, and it charges pretty quickly when you do need to go further.
The later cars got the option of a better 54kWh battery and more power too. These are more efficient generally but are rare on the used market as there were some stonking deals on the older spec models.
That means they are great value for money when they are used. We found one year old examples with fewer than 6,000 miles for less than £16,000. Or about half the price when it was new!
The other thing I’d say about the Mokka is that you need to go for a test drive to make sure you can live with the safety systems. Some owners are driven potty by the technology which tries to ‘help out’ by pulling you back into lane. You can switch it off, but it will come back on again each time you start the car.
Let’s move up a size now to a car which we like so much that Mike on the Electrifying team bought one. With his own real money.
For starters, there are the looks which kind of combine 1980s retro cool with a modern SUV vibe - that I think is aging really well. It looks so striking that I can’t quite believe these were launched in 2021. I also can’t believe these are now in our budget.
There are two battery versions to choose from. The most popular when new was the 73kWh which has a 217HP motor, but there’s also a 58kWh with a less powerful 170HP motor.
Both are packed with tech and have posh 800V electrical systems which allow seriously quick charging – up to 225kW if you can find a fast enough charger – which could give you 60 miles of range in just five minutes, or top you up from 10 to 80 per cent in a whisker over 17 minutes. Be warned though, you’ll need the battery preconditioning feature to be installed on your car and some earlier models built before 2023 don’t have it.
They are a little bit cheaper than the Kia EV6, which is pretty much the same car underneath but looks a lot different and is a little sportier to drive. Which team are you on? EV6 or IONIQ 5?
Not everything is rosy though, as there are a few problems to look out for. Firstly - get an insurance quote. Although the 5 is in a lower group than some rivals - like a Tesla Model 3 - there has been a spate of thefts caused by weak security on pre 2024 versions. This means the premiums could be higher.
The Ioniq 5 isn’t particularly efficient either. It’s a heavy car – the bigger battery model is well over two tonnes – and those retro looks play havoc with the aerodynamics. The smaller battery model is good for around 180 miles between charges, with the larger pack car good for about 250 miles.
There are also some issues with the 12 volt battery, which can flatten itself if the car is left with less than 15% charge in the big main battery. That means it won’t start without a jump. Which would be annoying.
Hyundai says it’s developing a fix for both, so make sure you get the updates when they come. And other problems should be covered by the five year warranty if the servicing is kept up.
No used EV video roundup would be complete without mentioning the Model 3, not least because it has been one of the best-selling electric cars in the world. That means there is plenty of choice in the used market – there’s no shortage of them in our used car listings.
There is a good reason they are so popular. Tesla has somehow managed to give the Model 3 the performance of a supercar with the efficiency of a supermini.
There are a few different versions to look out for. When it was introduced into the UK in 2019, the Model 3 had a range of between 254 and 348 miles, depending on whether you went for the Standard Range or Long Range. The bonkers Performance version was only a few miles less than the Long Range.
A facelift at the end of 2020 increased the range by a few miles on all the models. If you want all the figures in detail, we have a longer used Model 3 review on YouTube (below) and here. And if you can stretch to one of the new ‘Juniper’ Tesla Model 3s, you can get an official range of over 400 miles!
Inside, the minimalist tech inside takes some getting used to, but once you know how it works it makes other cars seem a bit old fashioned.
And of course you’ll be able to access the Tesla Supercharging network, which makes long journeys a breeze and will make topping up easy and cost efficient even if you can’t charge at home.
One thing you might notice though – most of the cars you’ll see for sale are white. That’s because any other shade was a pricey option when they were new. It means you’ll have to pay a little more for one when they are used too – about £500 apparently.
Where white did cost extra was inside. The lighter interior was a cost option when the car was new, and does make it brighter - but it’s just not really practical if you have kids, a dog, or like wearing jeans. No really - they stain the material blue and it’s IMPOSSIBLE to remove.
If you want to steer clear of the Tesla for whatever reason, here’s a Swede deal – the Polestar 2. It’s a bit of a mash up between Scandinavian design and Chinese EV tech - as Polestar is part of a massive Chinese car maker and built in China, but it's designed in Sweden. And its look is a bit of a mash up too - sort of half-way between an SUV and a saloon.
But where the Tesla has to make do with a smaller boot lid, the Polestar’s more practical hatch makes it a more obvious choice for anyone who needs to carry something like a bike.
Like the Tesla there are single and twin motor variants, but the Polestar is slightly cheaper that the Model 3 – probably because a lot of people have never heard of it.
Our £20,000 budget will get you a three-year-old 2 with either the Long Range 78kWh battery or the Standard Range 64kWh pack, Even the smaller battery could probably drive from London to Newcastle without stopping.
Look for a car with the Plus Pack – it was a £4,000 option when new but brings a heat pump for more efficient running in cold temperatures, a panoramic glass roof, sound system upgrade and “vegan leather” upholstery, so it'll make a big difference if you spend a lot of time in the car.
At this sub-£20,000 price level we’re not going to stretch to one of the facelift cars which switched from front to rear wheel drive - but if you can afford one they are nicer to drive. The Performance Pack models are a bit pricey for us too. They look great with their big wheels and yellow seat belts and are VERY fast. Maybe a bit too much to be honest. Maybe I’m getting old!
The Born is one of the electric cars we are constantly recommending here at Electrifying. Cupra has added a sporty edge to the Volkswagen ID.3 to make it look leaner and meaner with a more assertive look. It’s also a bit more fun to drive, yet it is still efficient and remarkably refined with a decent ride quality which won’t rattle your teeth on broken road surfaces.
It’s also practical, with 385 litres of boot room which expands to 1,267 litres with the seats folded. That’s a bit smaller than the class average, but will be big enough for most families.
The Born is offered with three battery options; 58kWh or 77kWh in the standard cars with power outputs of 201bhp and 228bhp, or 79kWh in the sporty Golf GTi-rivalling, 322bhp Cupra Born VZ.
Although the prices when new are reasonable, it’s the lease costs which look most attractive. This means there are now plenty coming back onto the used market after the agreements are over and prices are really reasonable.
There aren’t many reported problems beyond the technology which afflicts all VW Group electric cars, although updates will have helped here. The non-metallic grey paint can be a little soft and therefore scratches and chips easily, so look for damage and repairs.
Also check the tyres, especially on the higher spec V3 and VZ versions as they are around £250 each for the factory-approved Continentals.
While the smaller ID.3 hatchback and big ID.Buzz tend to hog the limelight, the poor ID.4 tends to be overlooked. And that’s a shame as it’s a spacious family SUV and very efficient too which is great value when used. It’s actually cheaper than a Skoda Enyaq with the same miles and age – which might be a surprise to anyone who thought VW was posher!
The ID.4 is a car which has been evolving since it was launched so the trim levels and specs can be quite confusing, but it is available with two batteries and a variety of different models with either rear- or four-wheel drive. The lower models are the most common on the used market and look the best value. Look out for ex-taxis though - these will have high mileage and will usually be black with steel wheels rather than alloys.
The 52kWh battery models have a 148 or 168bhp electric motor that should do more than 200 miles on a charge. The performance of these is adequate, if not quite as grin-inducing as some rivals. The posher Pro Performance models get a 77kWh battery and 201bhp, or there are twin motor versions with 282bhp and a 300 plus mile range. As usual, this will drop off a lot in winter or if you do a lot of motorway miles.
The early cars have VW’s infuriating software and switches. You do get used to it - eventually.But it's roomy, safe, comfy, reassuringly familiar even if you're new to electric cars. It also goes a long way in between charges. What more could you want?
If the price of a new Q8 e-tron makes you baulk, take a look at a used version. The cheapest are now dipping below £20,000, making them a third of the price when they were new.
Why do you want one? Well there’s the style and build quality you’d expect from an Audi. They charge quickly too. Audi initially offered just one size of battery - a whopping 95kWh - and then brought in a model which was much cheaper, but used a 71kWh battery and had a bit less power.
I’ll say that these cars are not very efficient, and you might struggle to get 200 miles out of a charge from the bigger battery, and the smaller 50 model will be nearer 150 miles in winter. That’s worse than a Corsa Electric.
The problem is made worse if your car has the bigger, blingier 22-inch alloys. The smaller tyres might not impress the neighbours but they can add 30 miles to the range. You’d feel silly if you were stuck 20 miles from home late at night because you went for the nicer looking wheels! They also make the car more comfortable over bumps. Believe me, it makes it much nicer to live with. In this case small is good!
But slap a private reg number on your e-tron and the neighbours will think you’ve won the lottery, even though you’ve only spent twenty grand.
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