The question used to be whether electric SUVs were ready for mainstream family life. In 2026, they clearly are. The real question is whether one is right for you.

We have put two of the UK's most popular family SUVs head to head: the Tesla Model Y, the best-selling car in Britain, and the Volkswagen Tiguan, one of the most trusted petrol SUVs on the road. Both seat five comfortably, both handle a family's daily demands, and both sit at similar used price points. The differences are in how they deliver.