Seven affordable SUV EVs battle for the title of ACOTY’s Best Budget SUV EV.
How Does ACOTY Define This Class?
Every Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that qualifies for this category needs to be powered solely by electricity from battery packs, propelled by only one electric motor, sold with a Category B Certificate of Entitlement (Cat B COE) and priced at or below S$250,000 with COE.
Imagine calling a quarter of a million dollars ‘affordable.‘ Welcome to Singapore, folks!
Meet The Contenders
Flying the Swedish flag is the Volvo EX30 (left), and representing Germany is the Smart #1 Pro+ (right).
Next, also representing Germany in the form of two Volkswagen siblings are the ID.4 (left) and ID.5 (right).
Finally we have a trio of SUV EVs hailing from China. Clockwise, from top left, are the Zeekr X Standard, XPeng G6 Long Range and Omoda E5.
The Volvo EX30 has a sharp, muscular exterior that looks fresh. Its interior is tech-centric, yet minimalist and the material quality make it a pleasant place to be. Its ride quality is excellent and the EX30 is easy to pootle about in town. Plus, it has enough grunt to put a surprised smile on your face.
If its curves and cuteness you’re after, the Smart #1 Pro+ has you covered. This compact SUV EV is pretty spacious inside, and its colourful displays and light materials offer a refreshingly pleasant environment. With lots of tech and good features, the #1 Pro+ doesn’t just look attractive but it can also go like the clappers.
The Volkswagen ID.4 is easy to drive and well-behaved on the roads. It employs materials on the interior that feel good and lift airiness. Speaking of the latter, it’s also pretty spacious and practical. All of this wrapped up in a pleasant exterior that takes design cues from Volkswagens of yore.
Its sibling, the Volkswagen ID.5 is essentially the ID.4 but with a sloping coupe-esque roofline. Street cred instantly upped. It’s also is easy to drive, has an interior that feels airy and is still quite practical and spacious. If sleeker looks matter, then the ID.5 is definitely up your alley.
Sharing the same platform as the Smart #1 and the Volvo EX30, the Zeekr X has a design that can be described as quirky and polarizing. It’s quick on its wheels and will delight its owner with a tech-focused interior and with materials and colours that are pleasing to the eye and skin. Plus it has some fun and quirky tricks up its sleeve too.
The XPeng G6 is keen to flex its eco credentials. With a smooth and sleek facade, brisk and instant acceleration and quiet cruising, the G6 also offers tech-up-the-wazoo on the inside, along with a pleasant unpretentious vibe. Plus it’s spacious and practical too.
That the Omoda E5 looks like a Japanese SUV speaks well to its design language. Its swooping in the right places and sharp in others. The interior feels pretty posh, is tech-centric and is spacious and pretty practical. The E5 delivers a nice and smooth gentle cruise, for this is its raison d’être.
Seven diverse choices. Which to crown the winner?
AutoApp Car Of The Year Best Budget SUV EV
Zeekr X Standard
| Vehicle | Points Tally |
| Volvo EX30 | 268 |
| Smart #1 Pro+ | 332 |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 242 |
| Volkswagen ID.5 | 248 |
| Zeekr X Standard | 362 |
| XPeng G6 Long Range | 359 |
| Omoda E5 | 289 |
The win goes to the Zeekr X Standard with 362 points. Considering its price to performance to features proportions, it offers the most value-for-money in the Budget SUV EV segment.
More on the scoring categories used to derive points here.
Congratulations to the Zeekr X Standard for winning the AutoApp Car of the Year 2025 Best Budget SUV EV!
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