Hello all! Thinking about finally making the switch to EV. I’m deciding between an Ioniq5 or a Model 3. For those who own these cars, could you share some advice? What should I look out for if considering a second-hand purchase? Is it even worth getting one used? I’m new to electric vehicles.
The lack of buttons in the Model 3 was a big reason I picked the I5. My cousin let me drive his Model 3 a year before I leased the I5. I loved driving the Model 3 but hated that you basically had to search through an entire menu system on an iPad just to make some basic adjustments. Test driving the I5 made it a really easy decision for me.
The I5 isn’t a stripped down car made to the lowest possible cost, which is one of the reasons I picked it. Here’s a great video that explains it further: https://youtu.be/Xd-ONCVjz7I?si=BoBncSUjt1TQNFf8
@Kai
It also won’t trap you in the car during a fire because the doors are electronically operated unless you know where to find an emergency release inside the car. There have been cases of people unable to escape from Teslas because the doors were inoperable after power failure. Forget about keeping a glass break tool in the glove box because it too is electric.
@Zorion
That right there is enough to sway me away from considering one. That’s terrifying.
Kasey said:
@Zorion
That right there is enough to sway me away from considering one. That’s terrifying.
I own a 24’ Model 3 Performance and a 24’ Ioniq5. The emergency release on Tesla doors is actually pretty easy, only the back seats require you to pull up a little piece. The front has a lever built into the door. Don’t let this discourage you from a Model 3. I prefer my I5, but not because of the door locks.
@Finley
I’m still interested, but it’s concerning to think about potential safety issues. I love both cars’ exteriors. Just haven’t test-driven an Ioniq yet. I can only base my thoughts on driving a friend’s Tesla.
@Kasey
The Tesla has a latch right above the window button. No secret hatch, just pull. It’s in plain sight. It’s the back doors that are tucked under that little mat. Not ideal, but I’m not worried about safety in either car. Owners’ manuals are our friends.
@Finley
So only people in the backseat are trapped? Awesome.
@Kasey
This is a non-issue. Not sure why this is suddenly a big topic. The car has had no significant issues since its introduction in 2018
@Finley
Yeah, I plan on having kids strapped in car seats in the back. They can’t pull a lever on the floor. It’s a scary oversight.
@Kai
I’ll watch that video and go from there! Thanks, G. The Ioniq5 is my first choice, going to test drive one after the holiday and get a hands-on feel. Just figured I’d ask the internet for help as well!
@Kasey
Just FYI, you can’t buy 2024s for the time being. There’s an open recall for the charging system with no fix, so sales have stopped.
Model 3 is a subpar EV. Hard ride with a cheap, poorly designed interior.
Ioniq5 is actually closer to a Model Y than a Model 3: it’s a crossover SUV, not a sedan. The layout inside is night and day better than the Model 3. So much more room, much better layout, and it has both buttons and touchscreens.
Both cars have quality issues. Buying from a Hyundai dealer can be a worse experience, but getting all the warranty repairs from a Hyundai dealer is much better.
Plus, Hyundai doesn’t try to scam its way out of not honoring their warranty. There’s a great investigative piece by Reuters on how dishonest Tesla is when not honoring their warranty: customers literally had a wheel come off a day after purchase and Tesla refused to honor the warranty, claiming the problem was due to how it was driven, while leaked documents showed they knew there was a quality issue.
@Skyler
The 2018 Leaf I owned before the Ioniq 5 was a nicer car than the Model 3 in many ways. Not as fast, smaller battery, and slower charging, but otherwise a MUCH nicer car that I had zero quality issues with.
@Skyler
Thanks for the response! I know both cars are different as far as sedan to crossover type. Just what I’m looking at as far as options. Definitely appreciate the feedback altogether though. It was quite insightful. Out here where I’m located all the second-hand Ioniq5s are buybacks which kind of scare me a bit. Just seems like they’re problem-oriented. Any insight on why they might have been buybacks as far as issues with them?
@Kasey
Another point I just thought of: beware the EV owners that confuse their first EV experience with the brand of the EV they only bought. That Leaf blew my mind away and had me raving to people because even a low-performance EV is better than most ICE cars. Having owned another EV and test drove some other models since then made me see that the Leaf differently.
@Kasey
I have had four warranty repairs over two years and had to replace the 12V out of pocket (likely due to the notorious ICCU issue). Warranty repairs had nothing to do with anything EV specific. 62k driven and no noticeable degradation of the battery. I’ve gotten close to 300 kW charging speed which is stupidly fast charging. The efficiency is great, so with the long range model, I rarely need to fast charge anyway. The driving performance is amazing, but I have the AWD with dual motor so can’t comment on lower trims.
Overall, I love the car but am unimpressed with Hyundai quality.
@Skyler
I think it depends on the dealer. I had an exceptional experience in North Houston
Tan said:
@Skyler
I think it depends on the dealer. I had an exceptional experience in North Houston
Yeah, I’ve heard people rage about dealers taking 5k nonrefundable deposits and then adding a ‘dealer fee’ that added 10-20k to the MSRP when the car arrived. I personally did NOT have this experience.