Which used EV to buy for up to €30,000?
What is considered to be the best used EV to buy? I currently driving a Nissan Leaf which I like but can be caught on range. Looking for good value and good range.
Would be nice to drive from Wexford to Dublin and back on a charge without worrying about staying below 110km/h. I also like my comfort and gadgets.
Have had two Leafs so looking to try a different manufacturer. I'd consider spending up to €30,000.
Pat (Wexford )May 2026 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Pat,
That return trip is about 300 kilometres, so ideally, you'd get an EV with an official range north of 400km to allow for cold weather, etc. if that's an important requirement to you. Though obviously there are chargers on that route you could use if you had to.
There are loads of good-value options on the used market that fit the bill. The Cupra Born is one of them, with more interior space than your Leaf and a feature-packed infotainment system. You'll find a wide variety of examples priced between €20,000 and €30,000 and while the smaller-battery version is probably fine for your needs, the bigger-battery model is within budget too.
From Hyundai, you have a choice of the Kona Electric SUV, the Ioniq 5 or Ioniq 6. The latter two are the more impressive cars in our opinions and well-suited to long journeys. Again, there's a wide variety of options in the classifieds.
Likewise, you can afford the Kia e-Niro or EV6, but the latter is by far the more impressive, especially on the motorway.
If you want to stick to more compact cars, you'd get into a nearly new Peugeot E-2008 or E-308, and we're particular fans of the latter, though you will find a few examples of the E-3008 within budget as well. And the unique interior designs of these cars might appeal.
Remarkably, you could even get into an early example of the Polestar 2. It's a big step up from the Leaf.
There are loads of other options, so rather than bamboozle you with them, we'll leave it at that for now. Come back to us if you want more help narrowing things down.
Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor