10. Volkswagen ID.7
Volkswagen has a nasty habit of making really good EVs that are just too darned expensive – we’re looking at you, ID.Buzz. But while this ID.7 saloon is pricey, it’s also impossible to ignore that it offers substantially more range from the same battery pack as taller, bulkier SUV models, and it’s one of the comfiest and most refined cars on the road. The tourer estate is wonderfully useful and stylish.
[ Full review: VW ID.7: Impressive limo-length EV with a big range – and price tagOpens in new window ]
9. Polestar 4
Suddenly Polestar has jumped from being a one-car brand to having three models on sale, and while the updated 2 and pricey 3 have their charms, there’s no question that the slinky-looking Polestar 4 is the eponymous star of the line-up. Quick (even in basic RWD form), good to drive and with a cracking interior – but will you get used to that blanked-off rear window?
[ Full review: The Polestar 4 is simply stellar when it comes to comfortOpens in new window ]
8. Volvo EX90
The massive EX90 is a good reminder that Volvo has been a champ in the big SUV business ever since the original XC90 was launched in 2002, and the EX isn’t going to drop that particular ball. As enormously spacious as it is just plain enormous, the EX90 also benefits from a lengthy one-charge range, and of course is spectacularly safe. Just fix the touchscreen please, Volvo.
7. Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Hyundai has taken the big, bulky, family-friendly Ioniq 5 and somehow concocted not only a stormingly fast electric car but one that actually tugs at the heartstrings in a way EVs aren’t supposed to be able to do. Towering power, but also with a sense of fun around its simulated gear shifts and synthetic engine noises. Plus, it has properly good steering and chassis balance. A landmark electric car.
Beauty & the Beast review: On the way home, younger audience members re-enact scenes. There’s no higher recommendation
Matt Cooper: I’m an only child. I’ve always been conscious of not having brothers or sisters
A Dublin scam: After more than 10 years in New York, nothing like this had ever happened to me
Patrick Freyne: I am becoming a demotivational speaker – let’s all have an averagely productive December
6. Dacia Duster
Pretty much every new car which comes to market now is somewhere between slightly too expensive and outrageously so. But not the Duster, which remains true to its core mission of providing just enough of what you need and nothing that you don’t. So it’s just spacious enough for four, has a boot that’s just big enough, and three engine choices that have just enough power and performance, and plenty enough fuel economy. All for a price that mere mortals can actually afford.
[ Full review: New Dacia Duster: Great value returns in a much prettier packageOpens in new window ]
5. BMW i5 Touring
Taking the basic strengths of the i5 saloon and turning it into a Touring estate was a no-brainer for BMW, and even in estate-phobic Ireland, this is a popular model. We miss the opening tailgate glass of old but the boot is usefully big and versatile, and the i5 remains a peach to drive. Plus, even if the outright range isn’t all that great, we still managed to cross Europe in a day while driving one.
4. Alfa Romeo Junior
Having an Alfa on this list is contentious, but we were really smitten by the Junior and the way it drives. In all-electric format this car feels light and agile, a feat not managed by many EV rivals that haul similarly sized battery packs around. Loyal Alfistas will regard it, being both a crossover and an EV, as heresy, but on the road it’s got Alfa traits. And this is a brand every car lover hopes can survive.
3. Renault R5 E-Tech
Renault has, astonishingly, stayed true to the concept car version’s styling, and has not merely created a retro-look electric car but an electric car that looks as if the original Renault 5 never went out of production but simply evolved with the times. Sharply priced, good to drive and only slightly short of real-world range, it could be an EV game-changer.
[ Full review: Motors Renault 5 delivers retro fun and a nippy driveOpens in new window ]
2. Hyundai Inster
Almost the cheapest EV in Ireland, though pipped to the post by the Dacia Spring, the Hyundai Inster is a better all-needs electric car than the Spring, thanks to a superior range (up to 369km with the bigger battery) and a roomier and more practical cabin, which has usefully adjustable rear seats. It also looks cute, and while it’s not a thrill-ride to drive, it’s perfectly competent and ideal for town.
[ Full review: Hyundai Inster: Small EV with a big personality set to shine in 2025Opens in new window ]
1. Skoda Superb
Possibly the most conventional car on this list, but the Superb takes conventionality and subjects it to the most rigorous self-improvement programme you might imagine. Hugely spacious and practical, smooth and refined to drive, available with a genuinely useful long-EV-range plug-in hybrid, and while it’s become more expensive, it’s still just about able to be considered a bargain. A tremendous all-rounder.
[ Full review: Skoda’s new Superb truly lives up to its badgeOpens in new window ]
