Test Drive Notes
As I get a chance to test drive each vehicle, I’ll update this post with what I thought of the car after having driven it.
MG4
Hyundai Kona Electric
Kia EV6
Hyundai Ioniq 6 - 17/01/2025
A Hyundai promo that began this week inspired me to test drive an Ioniq 6 RWD on Friday. If I had to describe it succinctly, it’s like they took the Model 3 and went “let’s copy it but make it better”. All the little stuff I dislike about the Model 3 is solved in the Ioniq 6.
One pedal driving is excellent - virtually the same as the Model 3 and much better than the EX30. Feels better on the road too, just a bit softer, less sport oriented and more comfortable. The EX30 drives better than both of them IMHO.
A wider seat/cockpit area than the Model 3, so more leg room for a wide bastard like me, but there’s still a centre console that gets in the way unlike the EX30. Interior quality is great, but I still prefer the EX30’s more minimalist setup and I don’t mind everything on the screen to be honest.
Was able to take it on the freeway and adaptive cruise control worked nicely. Performance in Eco mode seemed about the same as my Model 3 in chill mode, which is fine as that’s what I drive around in day to day anyways. Screen is responsive, the physical controls for the AC are good and the AC itself is fantastic, soooo much better than the Model 3 and even better than the EX30.
Drove around for about 20 minutes and had no complaints really, I’d be happy driving this day to day. That said, I did want a smaller car than the Model 3 and the Ioniq 6 is longer. It’s also got less cargo space than the Model 3. Oh and it doesn’t really look much better in person than in the photos. It’s still not an attractive car to me - at least it’s unattractive for a good reason (aerodynamics).
One downside is the Ioniq 6’s charge port is on the “wrong” side for my garage and the cable on my wall charger is too short to reach, so I’d need to spend a bit of extra money either replacing the charger with a new one with a longer cable or replacing the cable on my existing charger.
The Ioniq 6 is a lot of car for the money and loaded with features that the EX30 doesn’t have:
- 360-degree parking camera
- V2L inside and ouside of the car
- Remote parking assist (can use the remote to drive the car forward/back from outside the car!)
- 18" wheels, so cheaper to replace when the time comes
- Normal keyfob with buttons to lock/unlock
- Heads-up display
Plus almost 150km more range and $7,000 cheaper.
The EX30 does have free servicing for 5 years (vs $1200 for the Ioniq over 5 years), looks and feels better inside & out, is more comfortable to sit in, a heat pump, charge port on the correct side for my garage, faster, drives better, Android infotainment is great and fits more cargo with the seats down. I’d also bet that it would hold its value better after 5 years as more people want an SUV style car than a sedan - plus the EX30 is 10x more popular than the Ioniq 6 and is a MY25 model vs MY23 for the Ioniq 6.
Best price I could get for the Ioniq 6 is $52,750 verus $59,500 for an EX30. On paper the Ioniq 6 is an obvious winner but driving them both and living with them is a different story. I wish I could borrow each car for like half a day. I’m hoping as the promo gets closer to the end and the Ioniq’s still don’t sell (only 1 sold in VIC over the first weekend of the promo) they might drop the price enough that I could snag one under $50,000.
Kia EV5 - 24/01/2025
Didn’t get to test drive this one, but I was in the city and saw Kia had an EV5 setup in Federation Square to tie-in with their sponsorship of the Australian Open. I got to sit in it and fiddle around and have a good look at the car as nobody else seemed to care about it.
Very comfortable, tasteful interior, good quality materials throughout. No issues at all with how it looks and feels. I still reckon the EX30 is the best, but you’d be very happy with the EV5.
I wouldn’t get one personally as it’s just too big (even though dimensions wise it’s actually smaller than the Ioniq 6) and more car than I need. Looks perfect as a kid hauler car though, which is exactly what it’s designed to do. If you wanted a family car (2 adults, 2 kids, maybe a dog) the EV5 should be top of your list.
Volvo EX30 - 11/01/2025
Really liked this car. Extremely comfortable, doesn’t feel like a giant pig of a vehicle like some other SUVs I’ve driven but the height of the car makes it easy to get in and out of.
Loved the interior quality. Look great inside & out in real life, just like the pictures. The Android infotainment is pretty cool, didn’t get to use it deeply it the map was responsive and I like that it’s pure Google Maps. 360-degree parking camera is very good (test drove the Ultra - Plus wasn’t available for demo), nice and crisp quality, didn’t feel slow.
Only downside was the one pedal driving. It works as advertised and is actually one pedal, but it feels “grabby” at low speeds and has a harsh complete top, unlike the Model 3 which is very even all the way to a complete stop. Could just be me not being used to it.
Air conditioner vents not as adjustable as I’d like, can’t point it at my face but at least it doesn’t blast cold air on my hands like the Model 3.
Overall I’d be very happy to live with this car based on the 20 minutes I drove it. Would love a longer test drive somehow so I could take it down the Western Highway or along a country road at higher speeds instead of inner-city Melbourne.
