Any compelling alternatives to a Model Y?

[Sagester]

I've had a M3 Dual motor for almost 3 years.
I like my M3 quite a bit with the exception of a few gripes such as road noise, blind slot alerts and over all level of luxury not being up to par compared to other cars in that price range.
I'm looking into getting a Y, however i realize that the complaints I have about the 3, will be the same..

Have there been any compelling alternatives to Tesla released over the past few years? I hear good things about the Polestar, the Kona, how about the audi, benz, jag offerings?

I always felt that the supercharger network is a huge advantage, has electrify America developed into a reasonable alternative?


Does anyone else have lane keeping that is as good as autopilot?

 

[smogne41]

KIA EV6, Hyundai Ioniq5, Genesis GV60 all look really very compelling if you want a CUV (they are all based on the same EV tech platform, but differ in design quite a bit). They have fantastic charging speeds as well. If you are ok with a much more meh charging speed, the Mach E is supposed to be quite nice otherwise.

 

[Sagester]

KIA EV6, Hyundai Ioniq5, Genesis GV60 all look really very compelling if you want a CUV (they are all based on the same EV tech platform, but differ in design quite a bit). They have fantastic charging speeds as well. If you are ok with a much more meh charging speed, the Mach E is supposed to be quite nice otherwise.

anyone have any experience with the non super charger charging networks?

 

[N1L CO2]

There are dozens of other EV offerings now that could go head-to-head with MY. However, it will get shot down every time when you factor-in the ability to charge on the go. EVGo, ChargePoint and Blink are all years behind providing adequate stations along the highways and city streets alike.

 

[Avrana_Kern]

I would say that the Mustang Mach-E is probably the closest competitor, but the Kia EV6, Genesis GV60 (soon) and Hyundai Ioniq 5 (all 3 are basically the same car platform) are probably in that mix too.

The real struggle IMO is availability and pricing. All of the above have dealership models and so they are seeing big markups and their production quantities are abysmally low.

For a PHEV, the RAV4 Prime is probably where the "smart money" is -- but it feels like they make about 10 of them a year and host a Hunger Games style wargame to figure out who can buy them (at $30K markups).

 

[Riguy]

I’d say the BMW I4 if you’re skewed towards the luxury side. It’ll be tough to get one though…I think fall time frame at the earliest From what I heard.

 

[AGARG]

anyone have any experience with the non super charger charging networks?

I picked up a Mach E while waiting for my MY Long Range to arrive (June 2022 now!!!!). Overall Mach E is a good Electric car, but the Electrify America (or other non Tesla charging network) are average to below average in my opinion and are plagued with minor issues all along.
Mach E is rated for about 150 Kwh charging speed, but I rarely get over 100 Kwh. I have tried everything I can think of, including calling Ford and Charging network customer service. Not to my surprise they just blame each other.
Car quality is good, but charging speed on long trip is an important feature that is missing. I plan to keep both Mach E and MY (when I get it) and compare side by side for months and see which one I like better and keep.

 

[voxel]

I picked up a Mach E while waiting for my MY Long Range to arrive (June 2022 now!!!!). Overall Mach E is a good Electric car, but the Electrify America (or other non Tesla charging network) are average to below average in my opinion and are plagued with minor issues all along.
Mach E is rated for about 150 Kwh charging speed, but I rarely get over 100 Kwh. I have tried everything I can think of, including calling Ford and Charging network customer service. Not to my surprise they just blame each other.
Car quality is good, but charging speed on long trip is an important feature that is missing. I plan to keep both Mach E and MY (when I get it) and compare side by side for months and see which one I like better and keep.

The Mach-E has one of the worst charging curves of the SUV EVs. Loved driving it and it had tons of safety features that the Y did not but fast charging is throttled by Ford and the 80% charging falloff has still not resolved for all owners (no updates for post July builds).

If you like the MME you will like the Y. They aren’t drastically different. The MME is a slightly better urban city car and the Y better for long road trips.

 

[voxel]

What do you value most?

If ride comfort… ID.4. And struggle with outdated interior tech.

If luxurious interior then Audi or BMW has some compelling EVs. Ioniq is slightly cheaper than those and has a nice interior.

If acceleration then the Y performance or Mach-E GTPE.

There’s no perfect EV. Each has some serious flaws.

 

[Impaler]

I've had a M3 Dual motor for almost 3 years.
I like my M3 quite a bit with the exception of a few gripes such as road noise, blind slot alerts and over all level of luxury not being up to par compared to other cars in that price range.
I'm looking into getting a Y, however i realize that the complaints I have about the 3, will be the same..

Have there been any compelling alternatives to Tesla released over the past few years? I hear good things about the Polestar, the Kona, how about the audi, benz, jag offerings?

I always felt that the supercharger network is a huge advantage, has electrify America developed into a reasonable alternative?


Does anyone else have lane keeping that is as good as autopilot?

I have had the MYLR since June 2020, and while I keep an eye on the market, I haven't seen anything that has the combo of features, tech, charging infrastructure, and overall satisfaction that I'm getting from the Y. I just looked at a review of the BMW i4 and as is the case with many of the EVs from traditional ICE-producing companies, it's just not very compelling and falls short of the Teslas, IMO, with the exception of build quality and materials.

 

[Watts_Up]

I saw recently a Polestar in San Francisco, looks nice. I didn't know it was available?

The Mach-E, after watching Sandy Munro videos, I will wait for the 2nd generation, with less cooling tubes..

The Ioniq5 could be a good alternative but is already sold out in Korea, so will be sold in limited number in US. Sandy Munro has a review coming soon.

But looking at the Battery and Drivetrain efficiency, nothing compare to Tesla.

The Model Y is so much practical than the Model 3, in particular the rear-seat area is hudge compare to the Model 3.

Beside the Supercharger network, I wonder how FSD compare with other EVs, in case this can be another deciding factor? (See CR review)

 

[wandl]

I picked up a Mach E while waiting for my MY Long Range to arrive (June 2022 now!!!!). Overall Mach E is a good Electric car, but the Electrify America (or other non Tesla charging network) are average to below average in my opinion and are plagued with minor issues all along.
Mach E is rated for about 150 Kwh charging speed, but I rarely get over 100 Kwh. I have tried everything I can think of, including calling Ford and Charging network customer service. Not to my surprise they just blame each other.
Car quality is good, but charging speed on long trip is an important feature that is missing. I plan to keep both Mach E and MY (when I get it) and compare side by side for months and see which one I like better and keep.

Great write-up thanks - one of my neighbours has a MME and said the only reason he bought it was because of his X plan benefits (family & friends discount?) he got his Premium trim for just over $52k (MSRP, zero mark up) and after tax benefits ends up around $45k. Similar to your feedback, he says it is a better build quality and better riding vehicle. Does not have the supercharger network but his daily commute is under 25 miles/day so slow-fast-troublesome-charging is a non issue for him (which I suspect would be applicable to at least 75% of the EV customer base).
Really enjoys a 360 camera and consistent panel gaps, but the software/tech is behind the Tesla experience.

Overall, a pretty good vehicle honestly.

I personally am looking forward to the Ioniq 5 (not a single negative review about them, while I can find plenty of those for the ID4/MME/Tesla/Bolt/Leaf/Polestar) and the Genesis GV60!

 

[tm1v2]

The Polestar 2 dual motor is very compelling, I like how it drives far more than a Model Y, the suspension and noise level are a lot more refined. However it's a much smaller car...it is a hatchback/fastback, but if you need Model Y space inside (for cargo or people), the P2 probably won't cut it, it's actually shorter length than a Model 3. For city driving and parking the P2 would be better than any Tesla though.

The Mach-E GT Performance Edition has a nice suspension, seats, and noise level. Also drives better than a Model Y, though not quite as good as a Polestar 2 Performance. But the Mach-E thermal throttling situation is a bad joke, it affects DCFC charge times as well as high-speed acceleration. Stay away. Also the Mach-E has Start and Parking Brake buttons like it's an ICE car. Feels very old fashioned. I know it's minor but having to use those buttons every time I get in and out would drive me nuts, coming from a Tesla. (Polestar doesn't have that problem, it turns on and off like a Tesla!)

The BMW i4 looks very compelling if you're after refinement more than nimble handling. Early reviews say it feels its hefty weight (1000 lbs more than a Model 3!), but otherwise seems like a nice, highly refined ride, and it's a hatchback/fastback. The brushed motor is a little sketchy though, probably best to treat it like an ICE BMW and dump it before it's out of warranty.

Lastly if you're after refinement but still like Tesla, I'll mention that when I test drove MYLR, M3LR, and M33 in October 2021, the 2021 Model 3 (either/both) were actually a lot more refined than the 2021 Model Y I tested. It's still not luxury and not as refined as a late model BMW or such, but to me the 3 was pretty good in those aspects, whereas the Y is more lacking unfortunately. (Interior quality exactly the same, just talking NVH and ride quality.) The 3 had lower wind noise on the highway, smoother ride, and more nimble handling. But Y is huge inside compared to a 3, you just can't fit cargo and adults in back of a 3 like you can in a Y. Have to pick your priorities. Or buy a Model S. The (P)100D era are very refined (Ravens too I believe), they drive heavy and big but smoother and quieter than any 3 or Y, and the S feels cavernous for hauling cargo. The new 2021+ S sounds more hit-or-miss for refinement depending on how well they managed to fit all the new parts together (but I haven't driven any of the newest ones yet).

 

[Scrotty]

Any thoughts regarding the Lyriq vs MYP?

 

[laservet]

My nephew in Phoenix recently purchased an Ionic 5, absolutely loves it. He looked at the Y but couldn’t justify the price delta for his short city commute.

 

[TallGear]

I would say that the Mustang Mach-E is probably the closest competitor, but the Kia EV6, Genesis GV60 (soon) and Hyundai Ioniq 5 (all 3 are basically the same car platform) are probably in that mix too.

The real struggle IMO is availability and pricing. All of the above have dealership models and so they are seeing big markups and their production quantities are abysmally low.

For a PHEV, the RAV4 Prime is probably where the "smart money" is -- but it feels like they make about 10 of them a year and host a Hunger Games style wargame to figure out who can buy them (at $30K markups).

This is not universally true, there are tons of Ford dealers that sell MME at MSRP and also allow X-Plan. I have a MYP and MachE Premium AWD LR on order, with tax incentives the MME is over $14k less. Even going more apple to apples and comparing it an MYLR it’s still $10k cheaper. Hyundai and Kia dealers are vicious though, I have no doubt they’ll all be marked of $10k+ over invoice since they know they can leverage the tax credit into their pricing.

 

[tm1v2]

@TallGear Even MYLR is much faster and handles better than a Mach-E Premium AWD, yeah the Y costs more but you get more. I'm saying that from having tested them back-to-back. The Premium AWD is quieter than a Y and doesn't have the busy Model Y ride, but that's about its only advantages. The B&O sound system is better too I guess (but the 3/Y system isn't bad).

 

[Albertsv]

One can wait for the upcoming Macan EV and Polestar 3 which supposedly are coming this year

 

[mswlogo]

I've had a M3 Dual motor for almost 3 years.
I like my M3 quite a bit with the exception of a few gripes such as road noise, blind slot alerts and over all level of luxury not being up to par compared to other cars in that price range.
I'm looking into getting a Y, however i realize that the complaints I have about the 3, will be the same..

Have there been any compelling alternatives to Tesla released over the past few years? I hear good things about the Polestar, the Kona, how about the audi, benz, jag offerings?

I always felt that the supercharger network is a huge advantage, has electrify America developed into a reasonable alternative?


Does anyone else have lane keeping that is as good as autopilot?

Those are the exact reasons I traded my 2018 Model 3 Performance (Stealth) for a 2019 Model X (2 years ago).
Zero regrets.

I was gonna go for a Model S actually until I learned it could not tow.
At the time the Model S wasn't that much more than a Model 3 Performance.

I think you are right about the 3 vs Y. There have been some improvements. But you still see folks complaining about road noise on both 3 and Y.

I'm now trading my Model X for a Model S Refresh. I'm gonna put a hitch on it one way or another
I'm getting back almost what I paid for the Model X from Tesla !! Including FSD.

 

[tm1v2]

@Albertsv I hope the Macan EV borrows more from the Taycan than the gas Macan. The 2021 Macan we tested was boring mediocrity. Good suspension tuning but it had nothing else going for it. (The Porsche dealer wouldn't let us test a Taycan but even just sitting in one was more fun than driving the Macan.)

Polestar 3 I am excited about based on the many good aspects of the Polestar 2.