Once upon a time, driving an SUV and saving the planet were mutually exclusive things. If you wanted one, you couldn’t have the other. Now, though, there’s a wealth of eco-friendly plug-in hybrid and electric SUVs on the market, so you can have a big boot and a clear conscience all at once.
Recently, the electric SUV market has really taken off, and the amount of choice is bordering on bewildering. So we’ve put together our guide to the best and most interesting electric SUVs you can lease in this brave new year of 2021.
Vauxhall Mokka-e
Car lease price: TBC
Hugely popular despite unbridled criticism from the motoring press, the old Mokka was underwhelming at best. But under the tutelage of the PSA Group – the company behind Peugeot and Citroen – Vauxhall has upped its game. The new Mokka promises to be much more exciting to look at, sit in and drive, but we’re most interested in the new electric model. With a 201-mile range and a 136hp electric motor, the Mokka-e is expected to be one of 2021’s most important new arrivals.
Vauxhall Mokka E need to knows:
- Car Leasing Category: Small SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: TBC
- Boot size: 350 litres
- Driving Range: 201 miles
- NCAP Safety Rating: N/A
Audi e-tron
Car lease price from: £479.99 per month*
German SUVs are, by and large, very, very good, so it comes as no surprise that Audi – the company that gave us the Q7 – builds one of the best electric SUVs around. As you might expect, the e-tron majors on tech and build quality, with trademark German engineering surrounded by clever touches such as the cameras that replace door mirrors. Available with a choice of ranges, power outputs and even body shapes, the e-tron is up there with the best in the business.
Audi e-tron need to knows:
- Car Leasing Category: Large SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score**: 4.0 out of 5
- Boot size: 605 litres
- Driving Range: 250 miles
- NCAP Safety Rating: 5 stars
Jaguar I-Pace
Car lease price from: £541.67 per month
Although it might lay claim to being among the best-looking electric 4x4s you can lease, the I-Pace is more than a pretty face. A big battery pack means it will do 292 miles on a single charge, and a 400hp electric motor allows it to sprint from 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds. Combined with sublime handling characteristics and a cabin that’s been dramatically improved with fresh materials and upgraded infotainment, and you’ve got a very special thing indeed.
Jaguar I-Pace need to knows:
- Car Leasing Category: Large SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: 4.5 out of 5
- Boot size: 557 litres
- Driving Range: 292 miles
- NCAP Safety Rating: 5 stars
Mercedes-Benz EQC
Car lease price from: £531.59 per month
Style has become Mercedes-Benz’s big selling point in recent years, and cars don’t get much more stylish than the EQC. Curvaceous and modern, the EQC’s bodywork hides some cutting edge technology that permits an all-electric range of 255 miles and 402hp. As we’ve come to expect from Mercedes-Benz, all that is backed up by a roomy, well-built cabin and some strong on-board technology. It’s a compelling proposition.
Mercedes EQC need to knows:
- Car Leasing Category: Large SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: 3.8 out of 5
- Boot size: 500 litres
- Driving Range: 259 miles
- NCAP Safety Rating: 5 stars
Skoda Enyaq iV
Car lease price: TBC
Skoda’s latest foray into the electric world is this handsome beast, which bears the slightly less graceful name ‘Enyaq’. Still, it’s a big, practical family SUV that benefits from newfound verve in Skoda’s styling department and the Volkswagen Group’s impressive electric know-how. It’ll carry you and your family up to 316 miles on a single charge, and a forthcoming ‘vRS’ version is expected to manage 0-62mph in around six seconds. Although what that will do to the range we don’t yet know.
Skoda Enyaq iV need to knows:
- Car Leasing Category: Medium SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: TBC
- Boot size: 500 litres
- Driving Range: 300 miles
- NCAP Safety Rating: TBC
Ford Mustang Mach E
Car lease price from: £477.80 per month
Here on a one-car mission to make electric SUVs cool, the Mustang Mach-E is what you get when you combine the fabled Mustang with the 21st century. Despite sitting far taller than a Mustang and ditching the 5.0-litre V8 in favour of electric power, it’s still blessed with copious performance and a muscular look. Depending on the version you choose, range varies from 248 to 379 miles, and power outputs range from 269 to 351hp. That’s what engineers call ‘plenty’.
Ford Mustang Mach E need to knows:
- Car Leasing Category: Large SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: TBC
- Boot size: 402 litres
- Driving Range: 300 miles
- NCAP Safety Rating: TBC
Kia e-Niro
Car lease price from: £253.25 per month
Perhaps the electric Niro is not the newest or the most exciting car on this list, but it’s still among the best. A surprisingly classy image is backed up by a solid, spacious cabin and an impressive 282-mile electric range. It’s comfy, too, and as practical as any other form of Niro SUV. It might not be the most luxurious electric car you can lease, but in terms of bang for your buck, it’s one of the best.
Kia e-Niro need to knows:
- Car Leasing Category: Medium SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: 4.3 out of 5
- Boot size: 402 litres
- Driving Range: 282 miles
- NCAP Safety Rating: 5 stars
*Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Price correct as of 30/12/20 - **Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the scores of the UK’s top five leading independent car website reviews
