Something that's been bothering me lately is how attractive the starting prices of new electric cars look, only for the price to climb quite significantly once you start looking at the trim levels you actually want.
I'm quite interested in the Hyundai IONIQ 3. In fact, I think I could get used to the lack of a traditional instrument cluster in the Select, as I discovered during my test drive of the Tesla Model 3. I've added some pictures, that are being showed on dealer websites of the select model and the last one is the Vision. The select also gets a smaller screen.
However, the Select also misses some features I'd really like to have, including a heat pump, heated seats and a heated steering wheel. At least the reversing camera appears to be standard, unlike in the past, when you often had to step up to a higher trim level to get one.
I've signed up for Hyundai's mailing list, which makes me eligible for a €1,500 discount. According to the dealer, this offer remains valid until 1 November.
That would bring the base IONIQ 3 Select down to €26,495. I'd also trade in my Nissan Leaf 40 kWh Tekna, simply because I can't be bothered with the hassle of selling a car privately.
But here's where things get complicated.
The trim level I'd actually want is the Vision, which would cost me €31,495 after the discount. That's €5,000 more than the Select, and at that price, I'm starting to question whether the IONIQ 3 offers good value for money.
For comparison, Leapmotor is offering the B05 for around €26,000, with a more generous equipment list. The IONIQ 3 starts to look less competitive when you move up the trim levels, especially when you consider what you get for your money.
Even my current Nissan Leaf 40 kWh Tekna has some advantages over the IONIQ 3 Vision in terms of equipment. My Leaf has a 360-degree camera, for example, alongside several other features I'd be giving up or missing out on with the Hyundai.
Sure, I could spend around €40,000 on the IONIQ 3 N Line, but that's a lot of money for a car that initially caught my attention because of its attractive starting price.
I'm also planning to test-drive the Kia EV2, so perhaps that will change my perspective. But I have a feeling that, in the end, I might decide not to buy anything at all.
And honestly, why should I?
My Leaf is still doing what I need it to do. Longer journeys used to be more of a concern because of charging stops, but things have actually been going reasonably well this year. The charging infrastructure has expanded considerably, and even my wife doesn't seem to mind the occasional charging inconvenience when we're travelling longer distances.
So perhaps the sensible choice is simply to keep driving my Leaf for a while longer, rather than spending a considerable amount of money on a new EV that doesn't necessarily offer enough additional value.
I'm curious: has anyone else looked at the new generation of affordable EVs, only to discover that the trim level you'd actually want is considerably more expensive than the advertised starting price? And at what point would you decide that upgrading simply isn't worth the money?
