Once upon a time, eco-friendly cars were seen as something of a luxury, given the lofty price tags that often accompanied them. These days, electric cars have clocked up plenty of miles on our UK roads, and so you’re able to get hold of a secondhand green machine for a competitive price on the used car market. 

We consider ourselves something of an expert on used cars, what given our amazing vehicle check which tells you all the ins and outs on a secondhand motor, and so we’re well-placed to give you the low down on which electric cars are worth their salt. 

After much deliberation, we’ve decided on our top five eco-friendly used cars and their various pros and cons. 

Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf is Britain’s best-selling eco-friendly car, and so it makes sense that there’s plenty of models out there on the used car market that you can snap up for a decent price. 

Given the wealth of options out there, you should have plenty of options to choose from with the Leaf, tailoring those extra features to suit your budget. Though the Leaf’s battery is leased (which means that there’s a small monthly fee to pay) you’ll get a decent amount of range from Nissan’s electric offering with a comfy ride and head-turning looks to boot.

Toyota Prius

We couldn’t have an eco-friendly car list without including the car that’s perhaps the most synonymous with being environmentally friendly; the Toyota Prius. 

Spotted everywhere from Sunset Boulevard to your local shops, this hybrid is lauded by A-Listers for its low carbon footprint; Sarah Michelle Gellar, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper, Orlando Bloom and Leonardo Di Caprio are just a handful of celebs who advocate this eco-friendly runaround. 

Though it’s not exactly a looker, the Prius boasts a roomy interior that’s genuinely a nice place to be. plenty of miles from its battery and a very impressive fuel economy too.

Volkswagen Golf GTE

One of the best-selling (and best performing) hatchbacks of all time also has a very impressive plug-in hybrid version among its ranks; the Golf GTE. 

Though picking up a secondhand Golf will be a little pricier, in our humble opinion, it’s most definitely worth it. The GTE boasts eye-catching styling, a contemporary interior, comfortable ride and great handling, making it a genuine joy to drive as well as being kind on the planet. 

Renault Zoe

Another looker is Renault’s ‘Zoe’, an affordable yet attractive eco-friendly option for those who are searching for a car that’s still great to drive. 

With snappy handling, a comfy ride, a sensible amount of interior space and stunning exterior styling, the Zoe is an absolute steal given some of the low price tags out there on the used car market. 

On the cheaper, entry-level models you will have to pay a monthly fee for the leased battery, but Renault very generously throws in breakdown recovery and they’ll replace any battery deemed to be running below 75% of its projected capacity too. 

Ford Focus Ecoboost

It’s only right that we finish up our five-strong list with Britain’s best-selling hatchback, the ever-impressive Ford Focus. Ford’s Ecoboost model combines low running costs and low CO2 emissions to produce a vehicle which lands firmly in VED band A, that means that you won’t have to pay any road tax on the Focus Ecoboost. 

Though it’s not the most attractive Focus ever made, it’s by no means an ogre, and the interior is as comfortable and practical as you’d expect from any Ford. There’s a reason that the Focus has been evergreen since its introduction to the UK market, and with the Ecoboost’s outstanding 85mpg, the model looks set to be future proof too.