Best Electric Car 2022: Comfort and convenience

We’ve selected 13 of the most affordable EVs available in Australia to contest carsales’ Best Electric Car 2022.

But these are not budget propositions, starting from $44,381 plus on-road costs for the BYD Atto 3 Standard Range – or a similar $46,990 drive-away price for the MG ZS EV Excite – and extending all the way to $74,000 plus ORCs for the Lexus UX 300e Luxury.

Without exception, all the EVs on test – which are either small or medium passenger cars or SUVs – represent significant premiums over equivalent internal combustion engine (ICE) models in the same stable or the wider market segment.

That’s largely due to the fact that EV technology, in particular the battery pack, is expensive in terms of raw materials and production complexity and costs.

And as a result, most of the electric cars lined up here – many being entry-level variants – do not carry much more in terms of comfort and convenience features than you’d find in a comparable ICE car.

What’s important is what you get for the money you shell out, and how that relates to other electric cars that are likely to be on your shopping (or wish) list.

So let’s dive into the detail once again…

All the electric cars in contention for Best EV are shod with alloy wheels in either 17-inch, 18-inch or 19-inch diameter. There’s not a full-size spare to be found anywhere, with only the Nissan LEAF offering a temporary spare wheel and MINI Electric fitted as standard with run-flat tyres.

The remainder rely on a tyre repair kit, which is the least favoured option for anyone stuck on the side of the road with a puncture – especially in the bush, in the wet or at night, let alone all three.

The position of an electric vehicle’s charge port can impact on the owner’s convenience, depending on where and how you top-up your battery.

So it’s worth noting that most EVs gathered here have a charge port at the rear side.

There are some notable exceptions – the Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV, MG ZS EV and Nissan LEAF – which have their port up front, behind a section of the grille or nosecone. The BYD Atto 3 is also alone in offering its charge port at the right front guard.

Among the other models on test, the Hyundai IONIQ 5, Kia EV6, Mazda MX-30 Electric and MINI Electric have their charge port access at the right rear of the car, while the Polestar 2, Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y are topped up from the left rear.

Different again, the Lexus UX 300e has AC charging on one rear flank and DC charging on the other.

All models except the two Tesla EVs offer the convenience of an AC 15A charging cable. From later this year, Tesla will sell you such a cable for $550 for the Model 3 or Y.

The Lexus UX 300e comes with the bonus of a 7kW wallbox charger, which is supplied and installed for free.

Vehicle-to-load (V2L) connections with electrified vehicles are also bringing new-found levels of convenience, providing a three-pin socket for owners to plug in electrical devices such as computers and domestic appliances that run off the main battery.

In this case, V2L functionality is provided with the BYD Atto 3, Hyundai IONIQ 5, Kia EV6, Kia Niro EV and MG ZS EV.

Other key reference points for comfort and convenience include rear privacy glass, which is fitted standard to five models on test (the two Hyundai EVs, the Lexus UX, Nissan LEAF and Tesla Model Y), and a sunroof, which is found on the BYD Atto 3, Mazda MX-30, MINI Electric and the two Teslas.

In the case of the Model Y and Model 3, there’s no ability to open up the roof to the great outdoors.

From behind the wheel, the convenience of steering-mounted paddle shifters – not intended to change gears as would normally be the case with a conventional ICE vehicle, but to adjust the regenerative braking level – is offered on all but the BYD, Mazda, MG, MINI, Nissan and Tesla models.

All the EVs on test have dusk-sensing headlights and all bar the BYD Atto 3 and MG ZS EV have rain-sensing windscreen wipers. Auto high-beam operation features on everything except the Hyundai Kona Electric.

The Kona and the MG ZS are also the only two models to miss out on an internal auto-dipping rear-view mirror, while there’s a variety of combinations across our contenders when it comes to anti-dazzle external mirrors. The two Tesla models have this feature on both side mirrors, while the Lexus and Mazda offer this function for the driver’s side only.

Heated auto-fold exterior mirrors are fitted to all EVs here except the MG, which has the heating function only. Only the Mazda MX-30 and Polestar 2 offer an auto-tilt function when in reverse.

Leather seat upholstery (either artificial or genuine) is commonly used, but a handful of EVs – the Kia EV6, Lexus UX, MG ZS, Mazda MX-30 and Polestar 2 – have either textile or a textile/synthetic leather combination.

Only the MINI Electric and Nissan LEAF miss out on an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, while only the Hyundai Kona, Kia Niro and Tesla Model 3 have power adjustment for the front passenger seat.

Front seat heating is standard on the Hyundai IONIQ 5, Lexus UX, MINI Electric, Polestar 2 and both Teslas, while the Lexus is the only EV here offered with a cooling function for its front seats. The Lexus and both Teslas also have heated rear seats.

Closer to hand, the (leather-clad) steering wheel in the Lexus UX 300e, Mazda MX-30, Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y also have a heating function.

Climate control is a dual-zone type in all but the single-zone Hyundai Kona and Mazda MX-30.

As for face-level air-vents in the rear seat area, all offer this feature except the Hyundai Kona, Mazda MX-30 and MINI Electric.

Most of them also have a fold-down centre arm rest across the rear bench, the exceptions being the MINI and the Tesla Model 3 and Y.

Park assist comes standard only on the Hyundai IONIQ 5, MINI Electric and Tesla Model 3 and Y.

Power operation for the boot/tailgate is included with the IONIQ 5, Lexus UX, Polestar 2 and both Teslas.

As for the convenience a large boot affords, the MINI is the least capacious with 211 litres of space while the Tesla Model Y offers the most spacious cargo area with the rear seats in place, at 854L capacity.

All have a rear load area accessed via hatch or tailgate, except the Model 3, which has its sedan boot (with split/folding rear seatback) and a small front boot load area.

One of the unique advantages of an electric car is the potential for a front boot storage area (aka ‘frunk’) given the lack of a traditional powertrain. These are typically only small spaces, but are useful for storing things such as charging cables or backpacks.

Among our 13 contenders, five models miss out on a frunk – the Hyundai Kona, Lexus UX, Mazda MX-30, MINI Electric and, surprisingly, the BYD Atto 3, which has plenty of spare space under the bonnet but doesn’t include a binnacle.