Best electric 4x4 cars in the UK
High-quality electric 4x4 cars from rated and reviewed dealers
Last updated June 03, 2025 by
Mario Christou
Strong and silent: best electric 4x4s of 2025
The term ‘4x4’ is synonymous with high-riding, rugged, mud-wading SUVs. You can put that down to their common trait: four driven wheels, across two axles - aka four wheel drive. But, while you’ll most commonly see cars such as Land Rovers and Toyota Land Cruisers referred to as 4x4s, any vehicle with four-wheel drive fits the description - including electric 4x4s.
There are some classic examples which have been revamped and future-proofed with electric power, and number one on this list should come as no surprise. Just because you want to cut emissions and avoid the petrol pumps doesn’t mean you should compromise on off-road ability, after all.
But there are also some properly road-biased electric 4x4s on sale too, with dinky dimensions and soft suspension to take the strain out of wading through Waitrose car parks and climbing the kerbs outside your local cappuccino joint.
Electric 4x4s don’t have to be particularly tall, and there are a couple of examples on this list which might surprise you. Some use four-wheel drive for its performance benefits, ditching off-road ability to offer supercar-baiting acceleration and cornering ability.
And where four wheel drive was once only available in posh, expensive cars or in borderline agricultural green-lane bashers, the advent of the electric motor has made it accessible in sensible, under-the-radar family cars too.
Our expert reviews team has extensively tested every electric 4x4 on sale in the UK, and put together this list to help you decide which ones are worth paying attention to. If you don’t need four-wheel drive but you still want a high-set driving position, check out the best electric SUVs on sale, or the best 4x4s with a mix of powertrains if you’re not ready to go electric just yet.
Battery range up to 280 miles
What's good
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Best for: going absolutely anywhere
Yes you’ve read that right, you don’t have to have a G-Class in super-thirsty AMG 63 trim or with an old-fashioned diesel engine; you can now opt for your rectangular German behemoth with an electric powertrain under the skin.
While you may not hear it coming the next county over as you do with a V8 under the bonnet, the G-Class Electric is unmistakably the same car from the outside. It oozes road presence, with the EV-specific blanked-off grille and gloss black bumper details adding a futuristic twist to the venerable boxy shape.
The interior is much the same as the regular G-Class too, aside from some Electric-specific graphics in the driver display, blue ambient lighting and an additional storage cubby in place of the centre-console clock. That means lashings of leather, great all-round visibility and a retro-tastic grab-handle on the dashboard.
Being so boxy means the G-Class Electric has loads of headroom and legroom inside for all passengers, and while the 555-litre boot is notably smaller than the regular G-Class, the cable storage box in lieu of a spare tyre is a handy touch.
Its electric credentials aren’t quite as impressive as you might expect from a car that costs far north of £100,000, because while it has a whopping great 116kWh battery, you’ll struggle to get close to the claimed 285 mile range. Understandably, it’s hard to be efficient while driving a bungalow.
The G-Class Electric’s real power move is that it’s lost none of its off-road ability by ditching its combustion engines. With the ability to send varying power to each wheel individually, meaning maximum power to the wheel which has the most grip, this might well be the most capable Mercedes off-roader you can buy.
Add to that its comfortable on-road manners, dispatching of bumps and motorway dips with ease. Don’t expect sports-car levels of grip and level cornering on a country lane, but for prowling the posh local high street and taking the family skiing, the G-Class Electric is a hugely capable beast.
Yes you’ve read that right, you don’t have to have a G-Class in super-thirsty AMG 63 trim or with an old-fashioned diesel engine; you can now opt for your rectangular German behemoth with an electric powertrain under the skin.
While you may not hear it coming the next county over as you do with a V8 under the bonnet, the G-Class Electric is unmistakably the same car from the outside. It oozes road presence, with the EV-specific blanked-off grille and gloss black bumper details adding a futuristic twist to the venerable boxy shape.
The interior is much the same as the regular G-Class too, aside from some Electric-specific graphics in the driver display, blue ambient lighting and an additional storage cubby in place of the centre-console clock. That means lashings of leather, great all-round visibility and a retro-tastic grab-handle on the dashboard.
Being so boxy means the G-Class Electric has loads of headroom and legroom inside for all passengers, and while the 555-litre boot is notably smaller than the regular G-Class, the cable storage box in lieu of a spare tyre is a handy touch.
Its electric credentials aren’t quite as impressive as you might expect from a car that costs far north of £100,000, because while it has a whopping great 116kWh battery, you’ll struggle to get close to the claimed 285 mile range. Understandably, it’s hard to be efficient while driving a bungalow.
The G-Class Electric’s real power move is that it’s lost none of its off-road ability by ditching its combustion engines. With the ability to send varying power to each wheel individually, meaning maximum power to the wheel which has the most grip, this might well be the most capable Mercedes off-roader you can buy.
Add to that its comfortable on-road manners, dispatching of bumps and motorway dips with ease. Don’t expect sports-car levels of grip and level cornering on a country lane, but for prowling the posh local high street and taking the family skiing, the G-Class Electric is a hugely capable beast.
Best for: pure electric poshness
Forget the divisive looks for a second, because the BMW iX is so good in so many ways that its design will be the last thing on your mind when you’re driving it. Plus, you can’t see it from the inside…
From the outside, it’s either a perfectly modern, agreeable SUV with funky lines and sharp creases, or it’s a mess. Either way, you’re sure to turn heads on the move. A 2025 update did include a mild nip and tuck to the upright nose, which has made it look slightly less beaverish.
The interior is a masterclass though, and while you can’t specify the enormous SUV as a seven-seater, you do get miles of space for all of your passengers, plus it’s loaded with tech and plush materials inside. From the seamless 12.3-inch and 14.9-inch infotainment/driver’s display screen combo to the mix of fabrics and soft-touch materials throughout the cabin, the iX really does feel like a car of the future.
It may not be as big inside as a Kia EV9 or carry as many people around as a Volvo EX90, but the iX is all the car you’d need for a family of three or four. Plus, its EV capabilities give it some serious brownie points.
There are a trio of power outputs to choose from, and while they’re all blisteringly quick, even the most powerful model will travel over 300 miles to a charge - or hurl you from 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds. The longest-range model can travel up to around 400 miles on a full battery too.
While it may not be a 4x4 in the traditional off-roader sense, the iX more than makes up for it by all absorbing potholes and speed bumps - especially on the optional air suspension - around town and cosseting you on the motorway.
It’s much easier to manoeuvre around tight city streets than its heft would suggest, and though it can’t fully hide its size, the iX does a remarkable job of feeling sporty and surefooted on a country lane.
Forget the divisive looks for a second, because the BMW iX is so good in so many ways that its design will be the last thing on your mind when you’re driving it. Plus, you can’t see it from the inside…
From the outside, it’s either a perfectly modern, agreeable SUV with funky lines and sharp creases, or it’s a mess. Either way, you’re sure to turn heads on the move. A 2025 update did include a mild nip and tuck to the upright nose, which has made it look slightly less beaverish.
The interior is a masterclass though, and while you can’t specify the enormous SUV as a seven-seater, you do get miles of space for all of your passengers, plus it’s loaded with tech and plush materials inside. From the seamless 12.3-inch and 14.9-inch infotainment/driver’s display screen combo to the mix of fabrics and soft-touch materials throughout the cabin, the iX really does feel like a car of the future.
It may not be as big inside as a Kia EV9 or carry as many people around as a Volvo EX90, but the iX is all the car you’d need for a family of three or four. Plus, its EV capabilities give it some serious brownie points.
There are a trio of power outputs to choose from, and while they’re all blisteringly quick, even the most powerful model will travel over 300 miles to a charge - or hurl you from 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds. The longest-range model can travel up to around 400 miles on a full battery too.
While it may not be a 4x4 in the traditional off-roader sense, the iX more than makes up for it by all absorbing potholes and speed bumps - especially on the optional air suspension - around town and cosseting you on the motorway.
It’s much easier to manoeuvre around tight city streets than its heft would suggest, and though it can’t fully hide its size, the iX does a remarkable job of feeling sporty and surefooted on a country lane.
2025
Outstanding EV Award
Battery range up to 349 miles
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Best for: carrying the kids, the dog and the kitchen sink
If sheer interior volume and versatility is high on your list of 4x4 priorities, then the four-wheel drive version of the Kia EV9 might be the be-all and end-all of electric SUVs you should try. It’s so good, in fact, that it won the ‘Outstanding EV’ category of the 2025 Á«»¨Ö±²¥ Car of the Year awards.
And while it may not have the same badge appeal as its German alternatives, the EV9 certainly stands out on the road thanks to its futuristic exterior. It’s a genuinely usable seven-seater, and Kia has had to give it XXL proportions to fit everyone in comfortably.
Combine that with Kia’s space-age design features and the EV9 has the iX licked on the Star-Wars-o-meter. And much like the Millennium Falcon, there’s lots and lots of storage space inside the EV9, and plenty of room for passengers across all three rows.
It doesn’t quite have the degree of poshness as some of its alternatives, but the EV9’s interior feels suitably sturdy. There’s a slick triple-display screen setup perched on the broad, chunky-looking dashboard, but it’s a shame that material quality isn’t quite on par with some of its alternatives.
All EV9s are equipped with the same, enormous battery, and four-wheel drive models offer up to 313 miles of range; enough to undertake family road trips with minimal range anxiety, and really make the most of the interior real estate the EV9 has to offer.
And it’s rather comfortable on the move, if a little crashy over sharp bumps and large potholes, but generally, the EV9 does a good job of ironing out most road imperfections - especially at motorway speeds.
In town, you can never escape the fact that the EV9 really is enormous, but 360-degree cameras and light steering do take some of the load off. It’s far from at home on a twisty road, and its size can be rather disconcerting on a narrow country lane, but the EV9 does manage to be fun if you hit some wider corners.
If sheer interior volume and versatility is high on your list of 4x4 priorities, then the four-wheel drive version of the Kia EV9 might be the be-all and end-all of electric SUVs you should try. It’s so good, in fact, that it won the ‘Outstanding EV’ category of the 2025 Á«»¨Ö±²¥ Car of the Year awards.
And while it may not have the same badge appeal as its German alternatives, the EV9 certainly stands out on the road thanks to its futuristic exterior. It’s a genuinely usable seven-seater, and Kia has had to give it XXL proportions to fit everyone in comfortably.
Combine that with Kia’s space-age design features and the EV9 has the iX licked on the Star-Wars-o-meter. And much like the Millennium Falcon, there’s lots and lots of storage space inside the EV9, and plenty of room for passengers across all three rows.
It doesn’t quite have the degree of poshness as some of its alternatives, but the EV9’s interior feels suitably sturdy. There’s a slick triple-display screen setup perched on the broad, chunky-looking dashboard, but it’s a shame that material quality isn’t quite on par with some of its alternatives.
All EV9s are equipped with the same, enormous battery, and four-wheel drive models offer up to 313 miles of range; enough to undertake family road trips with minimal range anxiety, and really make the most of the interior real estate the EV9 has to offer.
And it’s rather comfortable on the move, if a little crashy over sharp bumps and large potholes, but generally, the EV9 does a good job of ironing out most road imperfections - especially at motorway speeds.
In town, you can never escape the fact that the EV9 really is enormous, but 360-degree cameras and light steering do take some of the load off. It’s far from at home on a twisty road, and its size can be rather disconcerting on a narrow country lane, but the EV9 does manage to be fun if you hit some wider corners.
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Best for: chic city commuting
The Volvo EX30 is by far and away the smallest car on this list. While it’s got a footprint akin to a medium-sized hatchback as opposed to an old-school 4x4, Volvo has stuck to their heritage and decided to offer the EX30 in Cross Country trim.
That means you can get the svelte little SUV with a jacked-up ride height, butch-looking matte black body cladding and a set of rather fetching optional wheels with all-terrain tyres. Spicy.
Yet for all of its new off road clobber, including the optional heavy-duty roof rack, the EX30 hasn’t lost any of its ultra-cool, ultra-modern styling touches. The interior is just as slick as the regular car too; minimalistic, made from recycled materials and with what might be the best door handles in any car on sale today.
It’s not lost the EX30’s annoying quirks too, though. The all-in-one infotainment screen/driver display combo is frustrating to navigate and overcomplicated, plus rear legroom and boot space leave a lot to be desired.
Cross Country cars are only available in top-of-the-range Ultra spec, which means you get Volvo’s ballistic Twin Motor Performance powertrain, good for a 0-60mph time of 3.7 seconds and a claimed maximum range of 265 miles to a charge.
The Volvo’s real trump card is its comfort, with soft, pillowy suspension that feels as though the car’s laying its own tarmac on a bumpy road. It’s just as comfortable on the motorway and rather fun on a twisty road, if never quite sporty feeling.
The Volvo EX30 is by far and away the smallest car on this list. While it’s got a footprint akin to a medium-sized hatchback as opposed to an old-school 4x4, Volvo has stuck to their heritage and decided to offer the EX30 in Cross Country trim.
That means you can get the svelte little SUV with a jacked-up ride height, butch-looking matte black body cladding and a set of rather fetching optional wheels with all-terrain tyres. Spicy.
Yet for all of its new off road clobber, including the optional heavy-duty roof rack, the EX30 hasn’t lost any of its ultra-cool, ultra-modern styling touches. The interior is just as slick as the regular car too; minimalistic, made from recycled materials and with what might be the best door handles in any car on sale today.
It’s not lost the EX30’s annoying quirks too, though. The all-in-one infotainment screen/driver display combo is frustrating to navigate and overcomplicated, plus rear legroom and boot space leave a lot to be desired.
Cross Country cars are only available in top-of-the-range Ultra spec, which means you get Volvo’s ballistic Twin Motor Performance powertrain, good for a 0-60mph time of 3.7 seconds and a claimed maximum range of 265 miles to a charge.
The Volvo’s real trump card is its comfort, with soft, pillowy suspension that feels as though the car’s laying its own tarmac on a bumpy road. It’s just as comfortable on the motorway and rather fun on a twisty road, if never quite sporty feeling.
Battery range up to 330 miles
What's good
What’s not so good
It may be a four-wheel drive, electric estate-car, but the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is a Porsche through and through.
Though high-riding is a bit of a stretch, as the Cross Turismo sits only 20mm higher than its Sport Turismo and saloon stable mates. That means you still have a sleek, svelte, low roofline and classic Porsche curves, but now they’re paired with some chunky body cladding.
The interior is no different to the regular Taycan, which is no bad thing. It’s a proper tech-fest, with a central infotainment display set into the dashboard above a portrait-oriented climate control screen and a digital instrument binnacle that mimics the classic Porsche ‘seven dial’ gauge cluster.
It’s fairly spacious too, with low-set seats providing room for four adults with little discomfort, though tall rear occupants will feel a little claustrophobic on a long drive. There’s a small frunk to go with the decently sized boot, too.
Range is broadly the same across Taycan models, but 4S Cross Turismo will travel the furthest on a charge at a claimed 379 miles. This drops down to 369 miles in the Turbo model, but in the real world you’re unlikely to see much difference.
You won’t feel bad roads disrupting your driving experience much either, as the air suspension does a bang-up job of smoothing out rough roads both in town and on the motorway. It’s about as much fun as you can have in a big, heavy EV on a country lane, too.
Though high-riding is a bit of a stretch, as the Cross Turismo sits only 20mm higher than its Sport Turismo and saloon stable mates. That means you still have a sleek, svelte, low roofline and classic Porsche curves, but now they’re paired with some chunky body cladding.
The interior is no different to the regular Taycan, which is no bad thing. It’s a proper tech-fest, with a central infotainment display set into the dashboard above a portrait-oriented climate control screen and a digital instrument binnacle that mimics the classic Porsche ‘seven dial’ gauge cluster.
It’s fairly spacious too, with low-set seats providing room for four adults with little discomfort, though tall rear occupants will feel a little claustrophobic on a long drive. There’s a small frunk to go with the decently sized boot, too.
Range is broadly the same across Taycan models, but 4S Cross Turismo will travel the furthest on a charge at a claimed 379 miles. This drops down to 369 miles in the Turbo model, but in the real world you’re unlikely to see much difference.
You won’t feel bad roads disrupting your driving experience much either, as the air suspension does a bang-up job of smoothing out rough roads both in town and on the motorway. It’s about as much fun as you can have in a big, heavy EV on a country lane, too.
2025
Outstanding EV Award
Highly Commended
Battery range up to 438 miles
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Best for: being cool and comfortable
Polestar may still be a brand in its infancy when compared to most others on this list, but the flagship Polestar 3 is right up there with the big German brands in terms of desirability and road presence.
It’s one of the sleekest-looking luxury SUVs on sale, with huge wheels and a wide, squat stance - yet a super sleek, low roofline. Think of the Polestar 3 as a half-way house between a traditional SUV and a coupe, yet it manages to look like nothing else on the road at the same time.
The interior is just as minimalistic as the exterior too, with a pair of crisp displays on the simple dashboard. One for the driver and one large ‘floating’ portrait-oriented infotainment screen. It’s a shame the infotainment screen is so fiddly to use, though, as there are a lot of menus to navigate.
Interior space is good, especially up front, while in the back the Polestar 3 isn’t quite as capacious as the Kia EV9, but that’s to be expected with such a rakish roofline. The boot is smaller than a lot of its SUV alternatives too.
A huge battery gives the four-wheel drive Long range Dual motor version up to 395 miles on a charge, while Performance pack cars can only go as far as 352 miles. Still, that’s a lot of distance to a charge, making the Polestar 3 a bona fide road trip-able car.
Add to that the pillow-soft ride on Dual motor cars, a quiet cabin at high speeds and genuine fun in the corners and the Polestar 3 makes a solid case for itself.
Polestar may still be a brand in its infancy when compared to most others on this list, but the flagship Polestar 3 is right up there with the big German brands in terms of desirability and road presence.
It’s one of the sleekest-looking luxury SUVs on sale, with huge wheels and a wide, squat stance - yet a super sleek, low roofline. Think of the Polestar 3 as a half-way house between a traditional SUV and a coupe, yet it manages to look like nothing else on the road at the same time.
The interior is just as minimalistic as the exterior too, with a pair of crisp displays on the simple dashboard. One for the driver and one large ‘floating’ portrait-oriented infotainment screen. It’s a shame the infotainment screen is so fiddly to use, though, as there are a lot of menus to navigate.
Interior space is good, especially up front, while in the back the Polestar 3 isn’t quite as capacious as the Kia EV9, but that’s to be expected with such a rakish roofline. The boot is smaller than a lot of its SUV alternatives too.
A huge battery gives the four-wheel drive Long range Dual motor version up to 395 miles on a charge, while Performance pack cars can only go as far as 352 miles. Still, that’s a lot of distance to a charge, making the Polestar 3 a bona fide road trip-able car.
Add to that the pillow-soft ride on Dual motor cars, a quiet cabin at high speeds and genuine fun in the corners and the Polestar 3 makes a solid case for itself.
Best for: a posh alternative to the norm
If you still think of Lotus as a manufacturer of niche, pretty little sports cars, think again. The Eletre is Lotus’s way of sticking it to the big, posh, European brands in the SUV market.
It’s a behemoth, for starters; brash with bold lines and an enormous grille spanning its front end. The Eletre isn’t a particularly handsome beast, but it’s certainly got a lot of road presence, and the interior more than makes up for the questionable exterior.
There’s a sea of soft, supple materials around you in the Eletre, all tied together by a genuinely interesting design and with loads of room. The infotainment is slick and responsive, with well laid-out menus, and on a more practical note the 688-litre boot is cavernous.
The entry-level 600 model has 603hp and a range of up to 373 miles, while the range topping 900 car has a frankly ridiculous 900hp and range of 319 miles. It’s hugely inefficient though, and you’ll struggle to get anywhere near Lotus’s claimed ranges.
It’s comfortable, though a bit unwieldy, around town, and the Eletre feels most at home cruising on the motorway. Country lanes are remarkably fun for such an enormous car, but you can’t help but feel conscious of the big SUV’s size on a narrow twisty road, which is a shame considering Lotus was famous for designing lightweight cars.
If you still think of Lotus as a manufacturer of niche, pretty little sports cars, think again. The Eletre is Lotus’s way of sticking it to the big, posh, European brands in the SUV market.
It’s a behemoth, for starters; brash with bold lines and an enormous grille spanning its front end. The Eletre isn’t a particularly handsome beast, but it’s certainly got a lot of road presence, and the interior more than makes up for the questionable exterior.
There’s a sea of soft, supple materials around you in the Eletre, all tied together by a genuinely interesting design and with loads of room. The infotainment is slick and responsive, with well laid-out menus, and on a more practical note the 688-litre boot is cavernous.
The entry-level 600 model has 603hp and a range of up to 373 miles, while the range topping 900 car has a frankly ridiculous 900hp and range of 319 miles. It’s hugely inefficient though, and you’ll struggle to get anywhere near Lotus’s claimed ranges.
It’s comfortable, though a bit unwieldy, around town, and the Eletre feels most at home cruising on the motorway. Country lanes are remarkably fun for such an enormous car, but you can’t help but feel conscious of the big SUV’s size on a narrow twisty road, which is a shame considering Lotus was famous for designing lightweight cars.
Battery range up to 414 miles
What's good
What’s not so good
Best for: sensible family practicality
Peugeot holds a unique place in the electric 4x4 world, because not only is the E-5008 relatively affordable - it’s a proper seven-seater, too.
And it looks like little else on sale, bar for its smaller E-3008 counterpart. A broad, intricate grille flanked by striking LED running lights and sharp creases all over the E-5008’s body give it a distinctive appearance.
The interior is just as funky, with the wrap-around dashboard covered in light-coloured fabric and a clever use of ambient lighting. You get a super-widescreen display across the top of the dashboard housing the infotainment and driver instruments, and while it’s fairly easy to use it’s a shame there aren’t any physical shortcut buttons.
There’s loads and loads of room though, both front and back, with plenty of storage for odds and ends and comfortable seats. With the third-row of seats folded away the E-5008 has an enormous 915-litre boot, but even with all seven seats in place there’s as much boot space as in a small hatchback.
Dual-motor, four-wheel drive E-5008s have 325hp and a claimed range of 289 miles, and you should be able to see around 80% of that in real world mixed conditions.
Peugeot has tuned their big SUV for comfort, and the E-5008 makes bad roads feel good as new with minimal noise and no harsh vibrations making their way into the cabin. Motorways are almost entirely wind noise-free, but twisty roads are best taken at a moderate pace.
Peugeot holds a unique place in the electric 4x4 world, because not only is the E-5008 relatively affordable - it’s a proper seven-seater, too.
And it looks like little else on sale, bar for its smaller E-3008 counterpart. A broad, intricate grille flanked by striking LED running lights and sharp creases all over the E-5008’s body give it a distinctive appearance.
The interior is just as funky, with the wrap-around dashboard covered in light-coloured fabric and a clever use of ambient lighting. You get a super-widescreen display across the top of the dashboard housing the infotainment and driver instruments, and while it’s fairly easy to use it’s a shame there aren’t any physical shortcut buttons.
There’s loads and loads of room though, both front and back, with plenty of storage for odds and ends and comfortable seats. With the third-row of seats folded away the E-5008 has an enormous 915-litre boot, but even with all seven seats in place there’s as much boot space as in a small hatchback.
Dual-motor, four-wheel drive E-5008s have 325hp and a claimed range of 289 miles, and you should be able to see around 80% of that in real world mixed conditions.
Peugeot has tuned their big SUV for comfort, and the E-5008 makes bad roads feel good as new with minimal noise and no harsh vibrations making their way into the cabin. Motorways are almost entirely wind noise-free, but twisty roads are best taken at a moderate pace.
Battery range up to 331 miles
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Best for: low-key luxury
While the Audi Q4 e-tron may be similar to the Volkswagen ID4 under the skin, Audi’s engineers have done a good job of making it feel different, and far more upmarket.
It’s far less frumpy looking, for starters, with the classic Audi grille blanked off and re-interpreted for the electric Q4. There’s nothing hugely special about the way it looks, but it’s handsome in an understated way.
The interior isn’t quite as luxurious as you’ll find in bigger, more expensive Audis, but it’s still rather lovely. The dashboard layout is interesting; the infotainment screen is angled towards the driver and the instrument display is big and clear to read.
There’s a lot of headroom and legroom across both rows, though storage is merely adequate and the boot isn’t as big as in other close alternatives.
At low speeds in town the Q4 feels comfortable when driving over broken roads, and it feels peppy when taking off from the lights or changing lanes in traffic. Models fitted with bigger wheels are a bit more jiggly, but motorways are quiet and comfortable.
While the Audi Q4 e-tron may be similar to the Volkswagen ID4 under the skin, Audi’s engineers have done a good job of making it feel different, and far more upmarket.
It’s far less frumpy looking, for starters, with the classic Audi grille blanked off and re-interpreted for the electric Q4. There’s nothing hugely special about the way it looks, but it’s handsome in an understated way.
The interior isn’t quite as luxurious as you’ll find in bigger, more expensive Audis, but it’s still rather lovely. The dashboard layout is interesting; the infotainment screen is angled towards the driver and the instrument display is big and clear to read.
There’s a lot of headroom and legroom across both rows, though storage is merely adequate and the boot isn’t as big as in other close alternatives.
At low speeds in town the Q4 feels comfortable when driving over broken roads, and it feels peppy when taking off from the lights or changing lanes in traffic. Models fitted with bigger wheels are a bit more jiggly, but motorways are quiet and comfortable.
Best for: interior minimalism
The Volvo EX90 and Polestar 3 are distant cousins, and that much is clear in their interior and exterior design. But where the Polestar is sporty and swoopy, the EX90 is a tall, upright SUV in the traditional sense. It’s a seven-seater, too, making it the posh, practical choice.
Traditional Volvo design cues have been nipped at tucked for the EX90, and while there’s a definite resemblance to the petrol-powered XC90 SUV, the smoothed-out grille and twin-level taillights give the electric 4x4 a much more futuristic vibe.
The interior is much the same; sleek and simple, but with a much classier and more elegant design than in a lot of minimalist cabins these days. The large portrait-oriented infotainment screen dominates the dashboard, but there’s also a driver display behind the steering wheel.
It’s just a shame the infotainment itself isn’t as simple, because far too many of the EX90’s controls require you delving into menus and sub-menus instead of focusing on the road.
You can choose from a pair of power outputs, with the less-powerful model having a claimed range of 375 miles. In the real world you’re likely to see around 260 miles to a charge, which is far less impressive.
Efficiency aside, the EX90 is a lovely car to drive. Town driving may be a bit bumpier than you’d want from a big cruiser, but motorways feel buttery-smooth and near-silent and the big Volvo feels grippy on twisty lanes.
The Volvo EX90 and Polestar 3 are distant cousins, and that much is clear in their interior and exterior design. But where the Polestar is sporty and swoopy, the EX90 is a tall, upright SUV in the traditional sense. It’s a seven-seater, too, making it the posh, practical choice.
Traditional Volvo design cues have been nipped at tucked for the EX90, and while there’s a definite resemblance to the petrol-powered XC90 SUV, the smoothed-out grille and twin-level taillights give the electric 4x4 a much more futuristic vibe.
The interior is much the same; sleek and simple, but with a much classier and more elegant design than in a lot of minimalist cabins these days. The large portrait-oriented infotainment screen dominates the dashboard, but there’s also a driver display behind the steering wheel.
It’s just a shame the infotainment itself isn’t as simple, because far too many of the EX90’s controls require you delving into menus and sub-menus instead of focusing on the road.
You can choose from a pair of power outputs, with the less-powerful model having a claimed range of 375 miles. In the real world you’re likely to see around 260 miles to a charge, which is far less impressive.
Efficiency aside, the EX90 is a lovely car to drive. Town driving may be a bit bumpier than you’d want from a big cruiser, but motorways feel buttery-smooth and near-silent and the big Volvo feels grippy on twisty lanes.
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How to choose the best electric 4x4 for you?
How tough do you need it to be?
For day-to-day security and stability in bad weather conditions then any of the cars on the list will get you where you need to go with ease, so long as the going doesn’t get too rough. If you regularly find yourself driving on country tracks or you have some proper off-roading to do, then you’ll be hard pressed to find a better electric 4x4 than the Mercedes G-Class. There are very few terrains it can’t handle.
Size
Given the depth and breadth of the 4x4 market these days, there’s a car out there to suit everybody’s needs. If you live in town or in a tight rural area, something small such as the Volvo EX30 Cross Country or Audi Q4 e-tron might be ideal. If you need maximum space inside then a Kia EV9 or BMW iX might be the best choices.
Cost
The poshest, biggest electric 4x4s are shockingly expensive, no pun intended. For a fully-equipped Mercedes G-Class Electric in a posh colour you’ll be knocking on for well over £170k, with a top-spec Eletre not far behind. You could buy three Peugeot E-5008s for that much money, with change to spare, and you can’t fit seven people in either the Lotus or Mercedes.
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