Which electric car to buy in 2023?

Electric car: city cars

At Dacia Spring is the most accessible electric car, starting at €20,800: in its new Extreme finish, it takes care of its look by adopting colored inserts. Even if the Spring adopts a recalibrated steering and new shock absorbers, its body roll remains significant and the braking frankly lacks efficiency. We will therefore prefer to take the national roads and adopt a “cushy” driving style. But at this still “discount” price, it’s hard to be demanding!

The Fiat 500 electric remains a good choice for urban use, but is penalized by reduced rear roominess and its average range of 145 km (170 km of urban range) in its small battery version, which will suffice as a second car, the “big battery” version (263 km) being much more expensive. Pleasant interior, safe handling, pleasant liveliness in the city, but beware of the damping, however, which remains a little too firm.

The new Jeep Avenger is the first electric car from the American brand, with its nice look and compact size. The Avenger stands out with an average range of 330 km, and up to 380 km in town. Agile, comfortable and attractively presented, it is also well equipped. But its habitability is limited, and its trunk small.

sedans

The MG4 is the cheapest electric compact (from €29,990). It offers a very correct range (340 km on average, 275 km on the motorway), but also real driving pleasure, on-the-job performance (204 hp), complete Luxury finish equipment and good level comfort. Of course, not everything is perfect: the finish is just correct, the ergonomics lack clarity, the multimedia system menus are a happy mess and the trunk is rather narrow for the category. But the price (compared to its rivals, of course) can only encourage indulgence…

The Renault Megane E-Tech is an all-new electric car, whether in terms of exterior style or interior, very well finished and dominated by state-of-the-art, high-performance and intuitive digital interfaces. In its 218 hp EV60 version, it guarantees good performance and an average range of 350 km (300 km on the motorway). Enough to give it real versatility, especially since it offers an excellent compromise between comfort and road holding. Nevertheless, the rear seats are a bit cramped, while prices, although down slightly, remain high (from €38,000)…

With a lower first price (from €41,990), the Tesla Model 3 range is again eligible for the bonus, and is displayed at the price of a Megane E-Tech in high finish! Despite its relatively small battery (57 kWh), it claims an average range of 395 km (335 km on the highway) thanks to its excellent efficiency. This makes this Model 3 Propulsion a machine suitable for travel, especially since it can recharge at 170 kW and benefits from the vast network of Superchargers. Excellent performance, dynamic handling, roominess and generous equipment. Only downside: the firm suspensions.

Les SUV

Besides its atypical look, the Kia Niro EV stands out for its excellent size/habitability ratio. Its trunk, in particular, is very large (482 dm3). Its presentation is also very successful, while the cozy soundproofing and the soft suspensions invite you to travel. In this regard, however, we must qualify: if the autonomy is correct, fast charging limited to 77 kW will require waiting three quarters of an hour to recharge from 10 to 80%. Also, the Niro EV lacks dynamism. As for its 7-year warranty, it makes it possible to forgive high prices (from 45,640 €).

The Hyundai Ioniq 5, it is above all a hell of a “face”, directly inspired by a concept car! It is also a well-presented passenger compartment (pure design, XXL screens) and particularly spacious. We particularly appreciate its comfortable seats, as well as its sliding bench seat which provides additional modularity. On the road, this “cocooning” trend is confirmed, with soft suspensions and serene handling, if not the most agile in the category. The 77 kWh version combines a large battery with the “small” engine, in propulsion, to offer a correct autonomy, although a little tight on the motorway (280 km). Fortunately, its 800-volt battery supports up to 232 kW of charging power, which can go from 10 to 80% in just 18 minutes! Alas, despite the small discounts, the prices remain high (from €51,400) and deprive this model of the bonus.

The Skoda Enyaq Coupé iV is mainly distinguished by its more inclined rear window and slightly richer equipment (fixed panoramic glass roof as standard) than the Skoda Enyaq iV. The habitability, excellent, does not change, as does the spacious trunk. We also appreciate the neat interior presentation, and the better thought out ergonomics than on board the cousin, the Volkswagen ID.5. On the road, the paddles on the steering wheel allow you to adjust the recovery of energy, while the comfortable autonomy (440 km on average) allows you to see ahead. Approval and comfort are of a good standard. But rear visibility is very limited.

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