Model 3 alternatives?

[page3]

There don’t seem to be many.

Apart from-
Leaf (too old)
Ioniq Electric (good car, got one)
Id3 (questionable interior)
e208 and similar - too small
Honda e / mini - too small, too little range
Ioniq 5 and similar- MPV

Err, what else is there? Is the medium sized family car segment really so small?

No MPVs please. I don’t like the high driving position.

[off_again]

Polestar?

But you have hit the way that 'legacy' manufacturers have adapted when confronted by Tesla. In reality, the mid-size sedan market is shrinking but Tesla has done a good job to provide a good product at a good price. However, they havent really addressed the other markets and the fact that the MY isnt available in Europe is shocking!

That said though, I suspect most manufacturers are happy to let Tesla have this sector. They want the SUV, CUV and luxury markets (and others) for the future.

[phil4]

As off-again says, almost no one has wanted to go head to head with Tesla on the model3. The SUV market being such a big and profitable market is a big part of that.

So the closest as he mentions is the Polestar 2.

You’ve mentioned most of the other niches that are filled. But for that saloon segment it’s a two horse race.

[page3]

It’s crazy there are almost no family sized EVs available, barring the SUV brigade.

The Model 3 is a stretch being fairly wide and not a hatchback.

You’d have thought Peugeot would have brought out an e-308. Or Mercedes an electric A class. Or Ford an electric Focus.

As you say, they want to push everyone to SUVs.

Edited by page3 on Monday 19th July 18:43

[sjg]

Upcoming BMW i4 is similar dimensions (height is within 5mm) to the Model 3. £52k start price though.

Worth checking height though, things like the eniro are styled like SUVs but really aren't very tall.

[off_again]

sjg said:

Upcoming BMW i4 is similar dimensions (height is within 5mm) to the Model 3. £52k start price though.

Worth checking height though, things like the eniro are styled like SUVs but really aren't very tall.

My local BMW dealer (have an i3) has started to push this. Was there last week for the annual i3 service and was talking to their techs on it. Seems to be pretty advanced in its delivery process as they had some techs getting trained on it in the next week or two, with deliveries to dealers for early previews coming in August! The new here in the US suggested fall 2021 with deliveries in Q1 2022, but might be sooner! That is what they were suggesting at least.

Looks good and BMW i products are actually pretty good.

[georgeyboy12345]

i-pace?

[Dave_Rich]

KIA EV6.

[page3]

I-pace and EV6 are both SUVs. I did look at the Hyundai Ioniq 5 which I really liked, but again a big SUV. Also, to get the lighter interior you have to get the top trim which makes it significantly more expensive than the Model 3.

The BMW is just too expensive (for me!).

[aparna]

Have you ruled the model 3 out?

[page3]

aparna said:

Have you ruled the model 3 out?

No. I’m quite excited to get a Model 3, which is a good sign. It’s what I really want. But I do want to ensure I’ve looked at all the alternatives, and was surprised that there are so few £40K non-SUV family cars.

[anonymous-user]

I think the polestar 2 looks good. The problem is that although it’ll definitely be better built than the Tesla, I’m not sure it’s quite got the gadget factor?

[page3]

bulldong said:

I think the polestar 2 looks good. The problem is that although it’ll definitely be better built than the Tesla, I’m not sure it’s quite got the gadget factor?

Definitely need to go and see one.

We’ll be a zero ICE car family (wife already has an Ioniq electric) so the draw of the supercharger network is pretty strong. Right now it’s less hassle to take the petrol for those occasional long journeys.

[raspy]

Wait 5 years for some Chinese EVs to come over. More choice.

[page3]

raspy said:

Wait 5 years for some Chinese EVs to come over. More choice.

Lease runs out soon. I have no desire to get another ICE. I was intending to go electric three years ago, but the choice was so poor I waited.

This time I’m going to buy. Fed up with leasing, and the Tesla deals are pretty poor.

A Model 3 will do me fine

[manracer]

I went to wembley for the euros and Silverstone this weekend just gone.

Stopped once on the way down for 15 minutes, used the air conditioning for 3 days of camping to keep me from melting, keeping the cool box powered for the entirety which used 85 miles of range.

Yesterday we stopped for 15 minutes to charge and get a burger king.

I can't imagine wanting to do long distance using private charging infrastructure, not now or in the next few years. The supercharger network, integration into Google maps journey planner and peace of mind the reliability that the Tesla charging network gives me being matched any time soon.

[Auto810graphy]

Due to the BIK changes we do lots of EV’s, M3 and Polestar are very popular, as is the Kia. It seems people that actually bother to drive them go for the Polestar as it’s much more normal where it counts and equals the M3 everywhere else. People that just need a car and don’t really care go for the Tesla as they assume it’s better.

[Dave_Rich]

page3 said:

I-pace and EV6 are both SUVs. I did look at the Hyundai Ioniq 5 which I really liked, but again a big SUV. Also, to get the lighter interior you have to get the top trim which makes it significantly more expensive than the Model 3.

The BMW is just too expensive (for me!).

iPace and EV6 aren't SUVs, they are crossovers. The Ionic5 isn't a big SUV.

All these cars are much lower than a ICE SUV.

I compared my wife's XC60 with an Enyaq and the Volvo was significantly taller.

The Model 3 is very low for a saloon.

Suggest you compare some actual dimensions as these new EVs are quite deceptive in their dimensions.

[page3]

Dave_Rich said:

iPace and EV6 aren't SUVs, they are crossovers. The Ionic5 isn't a big SUV.

All these cars are much lower than a ICE SUV.

I compared my wife's XC60 with an Enyaq and the Volvo was significantly taller.

The Model 3 is very low for a saloon.

Suggest you compare some actual dimensions as these new EVs are quite deceptive in their dimensions.

Good call, already doing that. I have limited space where I park so too wide and I can’t open the doors. Tesla about as wide as I can go.

The Ioniq 5 was huge though when I saw it last week.

SUV/Crossover all the same to me I’m afraid. I dislike the shape and the driving position. I wish I didn’t, I’d have a lot more choice.

Ipace might be worth a look though.

A shame Mercedes haven’t bothered with an electric a-class, although I won’t miss their obnoxious dealers and customer service.

Edited by page3 on Monday 19th July 21:56

[Dave_Rich]

page3 said:

Dave_Rich said:

iPace and EV6 aren't SUVs, they are crossovers. The Ionic5 isn't a big SUV.

All these cars are much lower than a ICE SUV.

I compared my wife's XC60 with an Enyaq and the Volvo was significantly taller.

The Model 3 is very low for a saloon.

Suggest you compare some actual dimensions as these new EVs are quite deceptive in their dimensions.

Good call, already doing that. I have limited space where I park so too wide and I can’t open the doors. Tesla about as wide as I can go.

The Ioniq 5 was huge though when I saw it last week.

SUV/Crossover all the same to me I’m afraid. I dislike the shape and the driving position. I wish I didn’t, I’d have a lot more choice.

Ipace might be worth a look though.

A shame Mercedes haven’t bothered with an electric a-class, although I won’t miss their obnoxious dealers and customer service.

Edited by page3 on Monday 19th July 21:56

I drive my wife's XC60 regularly and tested an Enyaq 2 weeks ago and I can tell you the driving positions are very different. The Enyaq is much more saloon like and I think that is true of many of the EV 'crossovers'.

Sounds like we are coming from a similar place as I have run several E Class. For reference my current car is an A8 and I have my eye on the EV6 which I will see but not drive next week.