Boring EV please

[Tiglon]

I've had a Mini Cooper SE for the last 6 months, my first EV (to avoid diesel prices). It's now being written off after an accident and I need to replace.

- I don't think I want the same again, it was great but I'd rather move on.
- Would be nice to have something more comfortable, at the expense of "fun".
- Commute is around 50 miles per day, so I don't need a huge range but more is always better.
- Bigger boot would be better as we have a 6 month old and an 8 year old. The other car is an A6 Allroad for range and boot capacity, but it would be helpful if the EV is more of an allrounder than the Mini.

I've previously always chosen cars based on driving dynamics or engine, so I'm not really sure where to start with a boring car.

Budget around £11k, but less would be better.

So far I've browsed:

- Honda e - bit too expensive and very small, but I love the way it looks inside and out.
- Peugeot e-2008/208 - 208 is more my kind of thing but... practicality.
- Mazda MX-30 - looks are a bit weird at the back but the interior looks high quality.
- DS3 Crossback - the styling in and out feels like it's trying a bit too hard to be luxury.
- BMW i3 - Love it, but maybe not the sensible option.
- Hyundai Kona - nothing really stands out about it, but probably well made especially compared to the French options above.

Any other suggestions? Anything I should bear in mind about the above?

Priorities are it being a nice place to sit (8+ hours driving per week) and good spec would be a plus. Decent speakers, nice materials etc.

Apologies for such a boring post... I nearly fell asleep writing it, but I genuinely need the help. How do I choose between all the different flavours of dull?

[resolve10]

I really liked the VW ID.3 my partner had as a company car for a year, but it was a brand new 2025 car so not sure what an £11k budget would get you in terms of age and spec.

Hers was a Pro S Match. It had great seats, heated everything, good sound system and great ride quality coupled to a RWD chassis that was more engaging to drive than its given credit for. Achievable 300 mile range even in winter.

I miss it a lot, it was streets ahead of the Mercedes EQA she had prior to it.

[_Hoppers]

Before I got an i3 (sold now) I looked at the Honda and Mazda. The small battery and performance made me choose the BMW over these two. Even though you have a small commute a 100mile range is limiting. My neighbour bought the Mazda as they don't usually have large distances to travel but they are finding the range restrictive. It's a great value car but it's great value for a reason! Prices for the Honda were quite strong too when I looked and there were very few for sale.

[Mark V GTD]

Honda really need to bring the E back, with a sorted battery. Great looking and quirky car - especially compared to the strange looking N thing they have just released.

[Tiglon]

resolve10 said:

I really liked the VW ID.3 my partner had as a company car for a year, but it was a brand new 2025 car so not sure what an £11k budget would get you in terms of age and spec.

Hers was a Pro S Match. It had great seats, heated everything, good sound system and great ride quality coupled to a RWD chassis that was more engaging to drive than its given credit for. Achievable 300 mile range even in winter.

I miss it a lot, it was streets ahead of the Mercedes EQA she had prior to it.

£11k is just below the bottom end of the ID.3 market, so even pushing the budget only gets you low spec, smaller battery or high mileage and the earliest models.

Will keep an eye on them though.

[Tiglon]

Mark V GTD said:

Honda really need to bring the E back, with a sorted battery. Great looking and quirky car - especially compared to the strange looking N thing they have just released.

I'd be fine with the battery, the problem is that they have held their value much better than most cars.

[Tiglon]

_Hoppers said:

Before I got an i3 (sold now) I looked at the Honda and Mazda. The small battery and performance made me choose the BMW over these two. Even though you have a small commute a 100mile range is limiting. My neighbour bought the Mazda as they don't usually have large distances to travel but they are finding the range restrictive. It's a great value car but it's great value for a reason! Prices for the Honda were quite strong too when I looked and there were very few for sale.

Same range as I had in the Mini and it wasn't a problem for me. That's what makes it appealing - it works for me but not for lots of other people so prices are great.

Would it be worth extra money to go for additional range that I don't need, and have to sit in a Peugeot or DS that just won't feel as well made? Or are the French options better than I'm giving them credit for?

[SWoll]

resolve10 said:

I really liked the VW ID.3 my partner had as a company car for a year, but it was a brand new 2025 car so not sure what an £11k budget would get you in terms of age and spec.

[127Sport]

I second the ID3 suggestion.

[_Rodders_]

Our early ID3 would throw up errors most days. I'd say at least once a week it would need a Ctrl, Alt, delete to get it to move again, I wouldn't touch one with a haptic bargepole.

Least fuss and best at just being a car is probably a Model 3.

[SWoll]

_Rodders_ said:

Our early ID3 would throw up errors most days. I'd say at least once a week it would need a Ctrl, Alt, delete to get it to move again, I wouldn't touch one with a haptic bargepole.

Least fuss and best at just being a car is probably a Model 3.

You're looking at well over 100k miles on a Model 3 for £11k though.

[Tiglon]

I'm look at lower mileage (generally under 50k), should have said. I do around 15k miles per year so would rather start from a lower mileage point.

£11k will get me a Tesla that's mega high mileage and/or from a dodgy looking dealer/private. Similar with the ID.3.

This is boring motoring, high mileage is too interesting... but maybe I am better off going higher mileage and getting something better. The worry for me with high mileage (but not old) EVs is just how much has been done fast charging and how will the battery have coped.

Edited by Tiglon on Friday 16th October 12:37

[127Sport]

MG4 then.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608175...

[Tiglon]

Am I being overly precious about the mileage?

[Uncle boshy]

Not necessarily recommending you buy one with this mileage , but this guy does ok with his mega mileage Tesla 3

https://youtu.be/SJLLZdx_rMw?si=AHDQY1qvpOhdve63

[Tiglon]

Uncle boshy said:

Not necessarily recommending you buy one with this mileage , but this guy does ok with his mega mileage Tesla 3

https://youtu.be/SJLLZdx_rMw?si=AHDQY1qvpOhdve63

It seems like 99% of the high mileage Tesla's out there are listings that don't scream "trustworthy seller, buy me" as much as "unrecorded accident" or "ex-uber".

That's what puts me off almost as much as the mileage itself.

[Fastdruid]

Tiglon said:

- Peugeot e-2008/208 - 208 is more my kind of thing but... practicality.

Apologies for such a boring post... I nearly fell asleep writing it, but I genuinely need the help. How do I choose between all the different flavours of dull?

My wife had the e-2008 as a hire car for a while[1].
First and most important thing is the seating/wheel position is marmite. They've gone with a small wheel, look at the dash over rather than through and she couldn't get a position she was *happy* with. You *have* to try it yourself and see if you get on with it.

Now she was very much not impressed at all with it. Slow, wobbly, lethargic, too tall, sat too high up. Despite being slow still had a tendency to wheelspin and she thought the integration on the drive train was poor...boot was small and badly designed and charging was rather hit or miss. Particularly with keyless as it would unlock and stop charging every time you walked near it with the key.

...but then she's used to driving a Golf R.




[1] Her car was in for work and needed something to get round, had hired the cheapest smallest thing they had but this was a "free" upgrade (being twice the rental price on paper) and figured she'd try an EV out. End verdict however was she'd have rather had what she'd booked in the first place!

[samoht]

I'd definitely look at a Citroen e-C4. It's on the same platform as the e-20(0)8 and DS3, but longer wheelbase so more spacious, and is comfort-oriented with decent seats and soft suspension.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202610026...

Winter motorway range c. 120 miles at constant 70mph (much more at lower speeds / warmer weather).

Get a Shine Plus for leather seats and ACC. Look out for rusty door inner bottom edges, nonfunctional air-con, and the 'Traction Fault' recall to have been done.

[butchstewie]

Kind of my boring standard answer right now but have you looked at the cheap Tesla PCH deal?

[Tiglon]

I worry that the French options just feel too cheap and crappy. Maybe I need to get over myself though.

I have looked at new options, including the Tesla. The sums just don't work out for me though, especially given the mileage needed - I'd end up paying a lot more than if I buy used.

Lexus UX looks good, if pushing the budget slightly. I'm guessing cheap because Chademo, which probably wouldn't bother me as I very rarely charge away from home even with the Mini range, let alone an extra 50 miles on top.