In association with MotorEasy
What Car? Reliability Survey: Most and least reliable electric SUVs
In our annual Reliability Survey, we asked readers to rate the dependability of cars aged up to five years old. Here we list the most and least reliable electric SUVs in the UK...
Electric SUVs are designed to offer the best of both worlds: pure electric motoring and the practicality of an SUV body style. It’s no surprise, then, that it’s one of the fastest growing car classes.
While some electric SUVs performed exceptionally well in our Reliability Survey, others suffered a high proportion of problems, bringing the average for the class down to 89.3%, which is nearly two percentage points lower than the average for other electric vehicles.
It contains some of the highest-scoring models for reliability, including the Tesla Model Y, which achieved 99.2%, with only 4% of the cars in our survey suffering any faults. However, it also contains one of the lowest-scoring model in the entire survey, the Vauxhall Mokka Electric, which had faults on 55% of the cars reported on.
Here’s how electric SUVs performed according to our latest data.
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Most reliable electric SUVs
1. Tesla Model Y (2021-present)
Reliability rating 99.2%
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Most common faults: Non-motor electrics 3%, motor electrics 1%
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Average repair cost: £0
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Typical time off road: 75% one day or less
The Model Y is based on the same underpinnings as the Model 3 executive saloon, but it's been turned into a family SUV with a higher driving position and more room inside. It is fast, has a long range between charges and is very practical. However, there are quieter and more comfortable alternatives.
Another thing the Model Y has in its favour is its impressive reliability record. Its not only the most dependable electric SUV, it's the top scoring electric car overall in the latest survey.
Tesla has really turned around the reliability of its cars over the past few years and the Model Y is testament to this. Only 4% of the examples we heard about went wrong, and all were fixed for free. Three-quarters of faults were fixed the same day, and the rest of the issues were resolved in less than a week.
Owner’s view: “My car’s reliability gives me confidence in the brand.”
2. BMW iX3 (2021-present)
Reliability rating 96.7%
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Most common faults: Air-con 5%, non-motor electrics 5%
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Average repair cost: £0
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Typical time off road: 83% up to a week
The BMW iX3 is essentially an electric SUV version of the BMW X3 family SUV. It is good to drive and practical, but its official range of up to 292 miles is a lot less than the Audi Q6 e-tron (381 miles), the Mercedes EQE SUV (376 miles) and the Tesla Model Y Long Range (331 miles).
Although it scored a few percentage points less than the Model Y, it beats its German rivals for dependability. Only 12% of the iX3s in our survey encountered glitches, and most were electrical issues affecting the air-con, motor and other components. BMW covered the cost of repairs, but these tended to be on the slow side; 83% of cars took up to a week to repair, and the rest more than a week.
Reliability rating 95.8%
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Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment 15%, non-motor electrics 5%
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Average repair cost: £0
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Typical time off road: 60% one day to a week
You'd be forgiven for thinking the Volvo XC40 Recharge is no longer on sale new because its name has been changed to EX40 to fit in with the other models in Volvo's electric range, the EX30 small SUV and EX90 seven-seater.
The XC40 expertly mixes style, space and comfort. It has a stylish interior, comprehensive safety equipment and a supple ride. It has an official range of 250 miles.
A fifth of XC40 Recharge models had a problem, mostly with the sat-nav/infotainment. Although all cars remained driveable, only 20% of the affected vehicles were fixed within a day; 60% took up to a week and the rest took longer. All remedial work was done for free, though.
Volvo XC40 Recharge review
4. Kia EV6 (2021-present)
Reliability rating 94.9%
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Most common faults: 12-volt battery 6%, motor electrics 6%
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Average repair cost: £0
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Typical time off road: 73% more than a week
The Kia EV6 is a brilliant electric car with a long range and the ability to charge up very quickly. It's also huge in the back and good to drive. It was so good when it was launched that it was crowned our Car of the Year in 2022.
It's had a facelift recently and gained a new 84kWh battery that has an official range of 361 miles (up from 328 miles previously). There's also a four-wheel drive dual-motor (AWD) EV6 that can complete the 0-62mph dash in just 5.3 seconds, which is faster than a Model Y Long Range.
The other good news for potential buyers is that it's proving very robust so far. Only 13% of the examples in our survey went wrong, mostly with battery and motor issues. While all problems were sorted out at no cost to owners, many people were without their cars for some time: only 18% of issues were resolved in a day or less and 73% of faults took more than a week to fix.
5. Kia e-Niro (2019-2022)
Reliability rating 94.4%
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Most common faults: Bodywork 5%, non-moor electrics 4%
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Average repair cost: 82% cost £0
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Typical time off road: 56% one day or less, 39% more than a week
The Kia e-Niro was one of the first pure electric cars that was both offered at a reasonable price and came with a terrific range. The 64kWh version achieved 253 miles in our real-world range test, which is a great figure for a family-sized electric car.
The e-Niro was replaced by the Kia Niro EV in 2022, but it's the best bet if reliability is your priority because it beat the new model by just over four percentage points.
Although 19% of e-Niros went wrong, minor bodywork glitches were the most common complaint. Owners told us that 56% of problems were fixed in a day or less, and 39% took more than a week to put right. While Kia covered the cost of 82% of remedial work, that left 6% of owners with bills ranging from £751 to £1000.
Kia e-Niro review
6. Skoda Enyaq (2021-present)
Reliability rating 94.2%
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Most common faults: Non-motor electrics 16%, sat-nav/infotainment 5%
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Average repair cost: £0
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Typical time off road: 39% one day or less, 34% one day to a week
The Skoda Enyaq is practical, good to drive, smart inside and our favourite 85 version has an impressive official range of up to 358 miles between charges. The 85 can do 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds, meaning it's quicker off the line than entry-level versions of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Nissan Ariya.
Although 29% of the cars we were told about went wrong, most suffered minor electrical glitches that were fixed quickly. Most faulty cars remained driveable, and 39% of their issues were sorted out in a day or less. Skoda paid for all fixes, so no owners were left with unexpected bills.
Skoda Enyaq review
7. Audi Q4 e-tron (2021-present)
Reliability rating 93.0%
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Most common faults: Bodywork 8%, non-motor electrics 8%, sat-nav/infotainment system 8%
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Average repair cost: £0
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Typical time off road: 43% one day or less, 43% more than a week
The Q4 is closely related to the Skoda Enyaq, but it's a far more premium proposition with a classy interior, slick infotainment system and a class-leading virtual cockpit dash display. In spite of this, it's also well priced. No wonder, then, that it's Audi's top selling model.
The Q4 e-tron is just as dependable as the Enyaq to live with. According to owners, 23% of their cars had problems, with the bodywork, non-motor electrics and sat-nav/infotainment system causing the most upset. However, Audi paid for all faults to be fixed and its technicians got 43% of cars back on the road in a day or less. It's just a shame that 43% were in the workshop for more than a week.
Reliability rating 91.0%
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Most common faults: 12-volt battery 17%
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Average repair cost: 80% cost £0
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Typical time off road: 50% more than a week, 40% one day or less
The second-generation Hyundai Kona Electric is one of the few sub-£40k EVs to offer an official range of more than 300 miles. It's also a well-rounded electric SUV with plenty of space for passengers and their luggage and a user-friendly dash layout.
It's not as bulletproof as its petrol and hybrid siblings — they scored 98.7% and 99.0% respectively — but its score of more than 90% is still respectable.
Overall 23% of the examples reported on had issues, with the 12-volt battery causing most problems. While 80% of fixes were carried out for free, some owners had to pay between £51 and £200. Half of the faults put cars out of action for more than a week, but most of the others were sorted out within a day.
Hyundai Kona Electric review
9. Genesis GV60 (2022-present)
Reliability rating 90.9%
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Most common faults: Sat-nav/infotainment 12%, gearbox 6%, non-motor electrics 6%
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Average repair cost: £0
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Typical time off road: 71% more than a week
A brilliant electric car, the GV60 is the best model in the fledgling Genesis brand's line-up. It helps that Genesis is the luxury arm of the Hyundai Group, and the GV60 is closely related to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. That means it features proven technologies, and gains a respectable reliability rating.
The GV60's fault rate is pretty high at 29%, but that didn't translate to big repair bills for owners because Genesis covered the cost of all the necessary work. Problems with the sat-nav/infotainment system were the biggest headache, and some owners also told us about problems with their cars' air-con, bodywork and non-motor electrics.
It's great that all work was done gratis, but not so good that nearly three-quarters of faulty cars were out of action for more than a week.
Genesis GV60 review
10. Kia Niro EV (2022-present)
Reliability rating 89.3%
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Most common faults: Non-motor electrics 17%, battery pack 7%, interior trim 7%
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Average repair cost: £0
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Typical time off road: 67% more than a week
The Niro Electric is not as groundbreaking as its e-Niro predecessor but it's still a good all-rounder. It's practical, comfortable and has a real-world range of more than 250 miles.
However, it's been far more prone to problems that can be time-consuming to fix than the e-Niro. Although non-motor electrical issues were the most frequently cited headache, there were also issues with the EV battery pack. The good news for owners is that Kia covered the cost of all repairs; the not so good news is that only 33% of faults were fixed in a day or less, the rest took more than a week.
Kia Niro Electric review
Least reliable electric SUVs
1. Vauxhall Mokka Electric (2020-present)
Reliability rating 65.6%
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Most common faults: 12-volt battery 30%, drive battery/charging 20%, sat-nav/infotainment system 15%, air-con 10%, bodywork 10%, steering 10%, motor electrics 5%, gearbox/clutch 5%, non-motor electrics 5%
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Average repair cost: 92% cost £0, 8% cost more than £1500
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Typical time off road: 56% more than a week
A smart-looking small SUV, the Mokka Electric is the pure electric version of Vauxhall's petrol Mokka. That means it shares that car's bold Vizor front-end design and on the inside there's a 12in digital instrument display, physical buttons for the climate control and media volume.
However, it has more than its fair share of problems, according to owners. They told us that 55% of their Mokka Electrics went wrong, with cars suffering a range of issues.
Although a third of problems were sorted out in a day or less, 56% of broken cars were out of action for more than a week. Vauxhall paid for the work on 92% of cars, but 8% of owners had bills that topped £1500.
Owner’s view “My car has been in the garage for 14 weeks, and I still haven’t been told what’s wrong with it.”
Vauxhall Mokka Electric review
2. MG ZS EV (2019-present)
Reliability rating 69.3%
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Most common faults: Air-con 14%, 12-volt battery 14%, drive battery/charging 9%, bodywork 9%, interior trim 7%, non-motor electrics 7%, sat-nav/infotainment system 7%, brakes 5%, motor electrics 5%
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Average repair cost: 82% cost £0, 10% cost between £1000 and more than £1500
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Typical time off road: 82% more than a week
The MG ZS EV is roomy, well equipped and extremely well priced. The entry-level SE is a good choice because it offers a mix of low costs, range and equipment.
That's where the good news about the ZS EV ends, though, because it has a high proportion of faults that are slow to be fixed by dealers. Owners told us that 43% of their cars went wrong with a range of issues as listed above. Only 82% of work was paid for by MG, and that left some owners will bills ranging from £1000 to more than £1500. The situation was exacerbated because 82% of cars with problems were in the workshop for more than a week.
Reliability rating 78.6%
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Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment system 25%, 12-volt battery 19%, drive battery/charging 6%, motor electrics 6%, non-motor electrics 6%
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Average repair cost: £0
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Typical time off road: 91% more than a week
The BMW iX is the most radical and technologically advanced BMW electric car since the i3 was revealed 10 years ago. A large and luxurious electric SUV, it combines breathtaking pace with super-hushed cruising manners. It's one of the quietest cars we've ever tested, with a spacious and luxurious interior and a great infotainment system.
However, it's the sluggishness of repairs that pulls the BMW iX's score down: 91% of broken cars were in the garage for more than a week, and 73% of cars were rendered undriveable by their faults. Electrical issues were the most common complaint among the 38% of cars that went wrong. The pain was taken out of the problem for all owners, though, because BMW paid for all remedial work.
Reliability of electric SUVs aged up to five years old
| Rank | Make and model | Score |
| 1 | Tesla Model Y (2021-present) | 99.2% |
| 2 | BMW iX3 (2021-present) | 96.7% |
| 3 | Volvo XC40 Recharge (2018-present) | 95.8% |
| 4 | Kia EV6 (2021-present) | 94.9% |
| 5 | Kia e-Niro (2019-2022) | 94.4% |
| 6 | Skoda Enyaq (2021-present) | 94.2% |
| 7 | Audi Q4 e-tron (2021-present) | 93.0% |
| 8 | Hyundai Kona Electric (2018-2023) | 91.0% |
| 9 | Genesis GV60 (2022-present) | 90.9% |
| 10 | Kia Niro EV (2022-present) | 89.3% |
| 11 | Jaguar I-Pace (2018-2024) | 85.7% |
| 12 | Audi E-tron (2019-2023) | 85.3% |
| 13 | Volkswagen ID 4 (2021-present) | 82.3% |
| 14 | BMW iX (2021-present) | 78.6% |
| 15 | MG ZS EV (2019-present) | 69.3% |
| 16 | Vauxhall Mokka Electric (2020-present) | 65.6% |
To read the reliability data for other car classes follow these links:
Most and least reliable cars overall (2024)
Most reliable car brands (2024)
Most reliable small cars (2024)
Most reliable family cars (2024)
Most reliable executive cars (2024)
Most reliable luxury cars (2023)
Most reliable small SUVs (2024)
Most reliable family SUVs (2024)
Most reliable large SUVs (2024)
Most reliavle seven-seaters (2024)
Most reliable electric cars (2024)
Most reliable sports cars (2023)
Most reliable diesel cars (2023)
Most reliable petrol cars (2023)
Most reliable hybrid cars (2024)
How the research was carried out
The latest What Car? Reliability Survey gained 29,967 responses and that enabled us to report on 199 models (up to five years old) from 31 different brands.
To compile the survey, conducted in association with MotorEasy, we ask thousands of car owners to tell us how well their cars had behaved over the previous 24 months.
For every car that has suffered a fault, we ask in what area the issue occurred, plus how much it cost to repair and how long it spent in the workshop. This information is used to create a reliability rating for each model and brand where we have a large enough response rate.
About the report author
Claire Evans has been a motoring journalist for more than 30 years with a focus on consumer issues for much of that time. She was the advice columnist for Carweek magazine in the 1990s, and also spent six years working on motoring content for Which?.
Claire launched the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2017, and since then has helped thousands of buyers choose the most reliable new cars and SUVs, as well as the most dependable used cars.
