The UK’s best battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) cars have been revealed at the 2025 What Car? Electric Car Awards.

Now in their sixth year, the awards honour the best EVs across 15 categories and also name the best used alternatives.

The most successful brands in 2025 were BMW and Volkswagen, which each snapped up four titles.

BMW took the Best Electric Luxury Car and Best Used Electric Luxury Car (for the i7 eDrive50), as well as Best Used Hybrid Executive Car (for the 330e) and Best Used Hybrid Estate Car (530e Touring).

Meanwhile, Volkswagen won Best Electric Seven-Seater (ID. Buzz LWB), Best Electric Estate Car (ID.7 Tourer 77kWh Pro), Best Hybrid Estate Car (Passat 1.5 eHybrid) and Best Hybrid Family Car (Golf 1.5 eHybrid).

The most affordable new electric or hybrid winner was the Renault 5 Comfort Range, which costs £26,995 in Techno trim, while the most expensive model was the BMW i7 eDrive50 Excellence (Executive Pack), with a price tag of £112,890.

The Cupra Raval won the Reader Award, which was decided by a public vote on What Car?’s social media channels, with people asked to choose the upcoming electric car that they are most excited about from a 14-model shortlist.

What Car? editor Steve Huntingford said the number of What Car? readers researching electric cars originally peaked back in June 2022, but noted a resurgence of interest in 2025, with the arrival of the Government’s Electric Car Grant further accelerating that trend.

“It helps that the number of fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars on offer has increased exponentially since we first held the What Car? Electric Car Awards in 2020. Plus, as these awards show, there are now brilliant options whatever your budget.”

2025 What Car? Electric Car Awards winners, held in association with Pod

ELECTRIC CAR WINNERS

Best electric small car: Renault 5 Comfort Range Techno

Best electric family car: Cupra Born 59kWh e-boost 230 V1

Best electric small SUV: Kia EV3 Standard Range Air

Best electric family SUV: Skoda Elroq 85 Edition

Best electric seven-seater: Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB

Best electric estate car: Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer 77kWh Pro Match

Best electric executive car: Tesla Model 3 RWD

Best electric luxury car: BMW i7 eDrive50 Excellence (Executive Pack)

Best electric performance car: Porsche Taycan RWD

 

HYBRID CAR WINNERS

Best hybrid family car: Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI eHybrid Match

Best hybrid small SUV: Mazda MX-30 R-EV Prime-Line

Best hybrid family SUV: MG HS 1.5T Plug-in Hybrid SE

Best hybrid seven-seater: Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6T PHEV Premium

Best hybrid estate car: Volkswagen Passat 1.5 TSI eHybrid 204 Elegance

Best hybrid executive car: Mercedes-Benz E-Class E300e AMG Line Premium

 

USED ELECTRIC AND HYBRID WINNERS

Best used electric small car: Peugeot e-208 100kW Allure

Best used electric family car: Cupra Born 58 kWh V1

Best used hybrid family car: Mercedes-Benz A-Class A250e AMG Line

Best used electric small SUV: Smart #1 Premium

Best used hybrid small SUV: Mini Countryman 17-24 Cooper S E PHEV

Best used electric family SUV: Skoda Enyaq 60 Suite

Best used hybrid family SUV: Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi 3

Best used hybrid seven-seater: Hyundai Santa Fe 2018-24 1.6 PHEV Premium

Best used electric estate car: MG 5 EV 61 kWh SE

Best used hybrid estate: BMW 5 Series Touring 17-24 530e SE

Best used electric executive car: Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus

Best used hybrid executive car: BMW 3 Series 330e Sport

Best used electric luxury car: BMW i7 eDrive50 Excellence (Executive Pack)

Best used electric performance car: Porsche Taycan 4S Performance Plus 93kWh

 

SPECIAL AWARD

Readers’ choice: Cupra Raval

 

The full list of awards winners is online here.