Volkswagen ID Polo alternatives: 5 of my favourite affordable electric cars

This is the new Volkswagen ID Polo, a small electric car which will cost less than £25,000 when it goes on sale later this year. We had the chance to poke around this car at the launch, and on first impressions we were very impressed with what we saw.

It has proper buttons for the climate control in place of the annoying touch sliders Volkswagen put in all its recent cars, and the interior quality is really good as well. There’s also plenty of interior space and a big boot.

The thing is, there are quite a few small, affordable electric cars on the market right now which the ID Polo will need to compete with. Here are five of my favourites which you should also consider if you like the look of the Volkswagen ID Polo.

Five best Volkswagen ID Polo alternatives

1. Renault 5
2. Fiat Grande Panda Electric
3. Citroen e-C3
4. Hyundai Inster
5. MG4 Urban

1. Renault 5

• Pros: + Looks great + Lovely to drive + Brilliant infotainment system
• Cons: – Tight rear seats – Small boot – Annoying column stalks

The Renault 5 is the ID Polo’s biggest competitor, because it’s the best small electric car on sale right now. The retro-modern styling and funky interior make it oh-so-desirable, and it’s also really nice to drive with sweet steering and comfy suspension.

Where the ID Polo has an advantage is practicality, because it’s much more spacious than the Renault. I’m also not a fan of the Renault’s gear selector stalk, because you also have your wipers and media controls in the same place which gets annoying at times. What’s not annoying is the Google-based infotainment system, which is just as easy to use as your smartphone.

2. Fiat Grande Panda Electric

• Pros: + Cheap as chips + Quirky styling + Roomy inside
• Cons: – Low-rent cabin – sub-par range – Poor rear visibility

Like the Renault 5, the Fiat Grande Panda looks really cool. I love the way you have Panda stamped into the metalwork down the side of the car, and the interior is pretty funky as well with its blue plastic and bamboo trim bits.

However, dig a little deeper into the cabin and you’ll realise that it feels pretty cheap in places, and downright nasty in others. The ID Polo definitely feels posher. Still, the Panda is comfy around town and has spacious back seats to make up for this, and it also costs less than £20,000.

3. Citroen e-C3

• Pros: + Comfy to drive + Well-equipped + Sensible interior layout
• Cons: – Poor real-world range – Awkward rear seats – Not great on the motorway

We’ve had a Citroen e-C3 on our long term test fleet for six months, and in that time it’s proven an excellent urban runaround. The suspension glides over all the lumps and bumps of North London, it’s much better than you’d expect a sub-£20,000 hatchback to be.

That said, the range has been far less impressive. It’s meant to do 200 miles on a charge, already 83 miles less than the ID Polo, but we’re lucky if we see 130 miles from it in the real world. At least the interior is pretty nice, and the physical climate control buttons make it easy to use.

4. Hyundai Inster

• Pros: + Insanely practical for the size + Loads of standard kit + Cute styling
• Cons: – Pricier than alternatives – Cheap-feeling cabin – Grabby brakes

If you’re after the most space in a small package, the Hyundai Inster is the only car to consider. It has clever sliding rear seats which give you acres of rear legroom, or a 351-litre boot with them pushed forward. That’s still down on the ID Polo’s 441-litre capacity, but you can’t fold all the VW’s seats flat to create a totally flat bed for camping like you can in the Inster.

It is a bit more expensive than its closest competitors by a few thousand pounds. And the interior plastics are pretty cheap-feeling, but that cute face and the cool seats may be enough for you to forgive it.

5. MG4 Urban

• Pros: + Really practical +Comfortable to drive + Sensible interior layout
• Cons: – Dull to look at – Dull to drive – Scratchy interior plastics

The MG4 Urban is the biggest car on this list, but it costs about the same as the Hyundai Inster. That makes it great value for money, especially when you look at the roomy rear seats and big boot – it has over 100 litres more carrying capacity than the ID Polo.

It is the most boring car on this list though, with anonymous styling and a driving experience which, while comfy, won’t put a grin on your face. Considering what you’re getting for your money though, it’s very hard to ignore the MG4 Urban.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

Click here to follow us on Reddit, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos. You can also subscribe to our WhatsApp channel to get the latest news sent straight to your phone.