Best electric hot hatches

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the ultimate electric performance car, short of million-pound-plus hypercars. That’s because while it’s based on a sensible family car, it has had its suspension upgraded to make it handle better in corners, bodywork changes to improve cooling so you can drive harder for longer, and better brakes to help rein in all that performance. Speaking of which, the Ioniq 5 N makes up to 650hp in its sportiest setting, combining with all-wheel drive and grippy tyres for a ludicrous 3.4-second 0-62mph time. And you can make it sound like a petrol car, complete with ‘fake’ gear changes, adding a whole new element of fun to the experience.

The Volvo EX30 is so good that it was crowned Carwow Car of the Year 2024. Like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, the Twin Motor Performance version uses two motors to create all-wheel drive, which helps a similar 0-62mph time of 3.6 seconds, despite having ‘only’ 428hp. It doesn’t have the same mechanical upgrades as the Hyundai, but it’s still great fun to drive and feels more than fast enough on a twisty road. It’s not particularly practical though, so if you need a car that can also carry the kids and a big shop you might need to look elsewhere.

The Kia EV6 shares much of its mechanical bits with the Hyundai Ioniq 5, so you know you’ve got a fantastic base for an electric performance car. The GT is the go-faster model, and while it’s just as quick as the Ioniq 5 N in a straight line, it hasn’t had quite the same overhaul under the skin to make it agile and rewarding in corners. You do get adaptive suspension and configurable drive modes for a sportier drive, though, so the EV6 GT is perfectly capable on a fast cross country jaunt – helped by a whopping 585hp, of course.

The Cupra Born is a brilliant electric car – there are no gimmicks, it’s just a spacious, comfortable family car that won’t break the bank. Basically, the ideal starting point for a hot hatch. The Born is not as sporty as its looks suggest, but if you go for the e-Boost it’s more than adequate, with that instant electric torque under acceleration making up for a 230hp output that looks a touch weedy on paper. It’s also rear-wheel drive, so feels surprisingly nimble, and the comfortable suspension means bumpy B-roads won’t throw you around like some more hardcore sports cars.

The Smart #1 is another fantastic electric family car, and the Brabus is the most powerful version. The #1 is based on the same platform as the Volvo EX30, so it gets the same 428hp setup as that car’s Twin Motor Performance version. It doesn’t feel quite as ready for all that power as the Volvo, though, which can make it a handful on a twisty road, particularly in the wet. Still, you get a spacious cabin, so it’s good for daily duties, and has enough power to excite when you want it.

The Genesis GV60 is mechanically similar to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, but it has a much quirkier design, both inside and out. What’s unchanged is the fact that it’s spacious inside, while loads of quality materials make it just about the poshest of the trio. There’s also a quick version, called Sport Plus, which has 490hp and a Boost button on the steering wheel which unleashes its full performance. It’s a fast car, but like most of the cars lower down in this list, is let down a bit by the fact it doesn’t feel like there have been enough upgrades to make it as impressive in corners as it is in a straight line.

The MG4 XPower is the perfect example of a car that’s had buckets of power dumped on it and, well, not a lot else to make the most of it. The positives are that, like the regular MG4 EV, it’s fantastic value – 435hp and a 3.8-second 0-62mph time for less than £37,000 is bonkers. It’s incredibly quick, then, but accelerate hard out of a corner and it feels like the car is scrabbling for grip, which isn’t confidence inspiring.

Like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, the Abarth 500e attempts to inject a little fun into electric motoring. There’s a speaker beneath the car that imitates a sporty petrol engine, and as you accelerate it gets louder, addressing one complaint about the silence of electric performance cars. You can turn it off if you want, but it’s a fun feature nonetheless. To drive? It’s nippy and good fun in corners, though the extra power over a regular Fiat 500e does mean range is reduced to a measly 157 miles.

The new Mini Electric has just been launched, and in Cooper SE form you get 218hp, a 6.7-second 0-62mph time, with a respectable (official) range of about 250 miles. The styling isn’t particularly racey inside or out, but you get the understated, classy design we’ve come to expect from Mini. And the new interior looks cool with its big, circular infotainment display.