I review EVs for a living – these are the top 7 electric cars that blew me away in 2025

Simply the best combustion engine alternatives

01 Jan 2026, 14:00 · TechRadar

Features By Leon Poultney published 1 January 2026

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It is easy to be led by the various damning headlines that suggest demand for electric vehicles is waning to the point that big automotive players are completely rethinking their strategies.

Granted, the likes of Porsche and Ford have back-tracked on plans, shoehorning gasoline engines and hybrid set-ups into models that were destined to be pure electric, but this isn’t the case for everyone.

Kia, Hyundai, Renault, Peugeot and the Volkswagen Group continued to release new and exciting EVs throughout 2025, while Tesla updated its two best-selling vehicles in the Model 3 and Model Y this year.

What’s more, the Chinese brands that once operated on the fringes are now becoming ever-more mainstream, with the likes of BYD, MG, LeapMotor and more all grabbing large slices of the market in the UK, Europe and beyond.

It’s a slightly different story in the US, where a reversal on incentives and tax breaks has slowed EV progress, often forcing many of the aforementioned brands to rethink their electric strategy in North America to ensure they remain profitable.

Polestar, Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes-Benz all paused or scrapped plans to launch models in the US, but that hasn’t prevented homegrown talent from prevailing.

Tesla and Rivian continue to reach new buyers, Hyundai and Kia remain popular and Nissan’s recently release Leaf is making waves for its range and affordability.

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