Non-Tesla recommendations for 2nd cheaper EV

[HenryT]

I have been looking for a suitable car for my wife (yep, fair swap, I know...), for under around £25k.

Doesn't need to have a massive range but 150m or better would help sell the idea. No particular 'must haves' but something with a degree of practicality and a little style wouldn't go amiss.

So far I have been looking at cars less than 12 months old, particularly the Peugeot e208 and MG ZS. Are there any others any of you have experience of and would recommend, or alternatively any reasons to avoid those I have suggested?

 

[WesB]

The VW e-golf is a good car if you don't need more than 125mi of range.

 

[Chanser]

Vauxhall Corsa-e or Kia Soul EV

 

[Doudeau]

What a great question - and almost identical to one I asked earlier this year .

Opinions wanted for my second car

Update from me.....

I got bored waiting for the lease company to deliver (the car was in the country but delivery company had been cyber hacked and they couldn’t allocate the cars to customers. I’ve not heard this complaint about Tesla yet but maybe Mr Miserable could help them get them over the last mile anyway) and so bought an ex-demo e208 earlier this month.

I actually went for the GT line rather than the GT I originally ordered as I struggled with the idea of maintaining light grey alcantara seats (I have black interior on my M3P for the same reason) and this has lost me the lane keeping assist I enjoyed in a Pug rental car. As it’s supposed to be our 2nd and runaround car I don’t see us doing many motorway miles and so took the hit on that feature.

Since ordering in May and up to the expected delivery at end of Sept I kept looking at reviews of the Pug and the emerging alternatives and remained happy I had picked the best option for me - as I want it to be able to cope with 130miles if needed and I wasn’t happy with looks of some of the longer range alternatives.

I’ll add another post later today with my largely happy first impressions of the car - spoiler alert - it’s not as a good as my M3P.

 

[GoTLSAGo]

We just bought a Zoe as a second EV to our Model S and love it. Its got long range and is a great size to use as a runaround. There are also some very good lease deals going on it atm.

 

[spooksman]

We are expecting my wife's Peugeot e208 to be delivered tomorrow - yay!

We (well she) decided that she didn't like the look of the Zoe, and the Vauxhall didn't inspire either (although the same underneath as the Peugeot).

We ended up leasing in the end, as the other poster noted, there are some great deals on at the moment.

We'll see how it goes and I'll report back after a few weeks .

 

[Dilly]

Hyundai Ioniq Electric. Great spec, lots of toys. Good all round car.
Had mine 18 months before getting the M3

 

[Simon_M]

The new Mazda MX30 doesn’t have the range of. Tesla model 3 but for many buyers who don’t require a longer range, they are a perfect solution IMHO.Whilst there is no certainty with any car, my experience with Mazda is that they are pretty close to the ideal, but your mileage may vary...

 

[Jason71]

The new Mazda MX30 doesn’t have the range of. Tesla model 3 but for many buyers who don’t require a longer range, they are a perfect solution IMHO.Whilst there is no certainty with any car, my experience with Mazda is that they are pretty close to the ideal, but your mileage may vary...

Do you think the lack of range will hurt the values later? I think I would be reticent to buy one for cash. In a few years when I sell my M3 I expect its range still to be within the bounds of what many new cars at the time will have, not at the top sure but in the middle somewhere. Not sure I can say the same about the Maxda.

 

[CMc1]

Some great Ioniq deals on at the moment

 

[Doudeau]

It appears from the feedback of others that I got lucky with my Tesla build quality and so I am very very happy with it. I make some of the references on e208 below based on the negative feedback from others - even to agree or reiterate that the issues people have with Tesla aren’t unique.

I arranged to test drive the car on the basis I’d take it away if I was happy. Car had badly kerbed front alloys and they’d even had to swap the tyres (to budget tyres!) as they’d been damaged (1300 miles on the clock!). The car bodywork had bad spotting over it. It transpired that it had been used as demo car without the wax added for transportation from the factory being removed. A few days later I went back and picked it up after a proper PDI had been completed including new wheels with Michelin tyres. Maybe it’s not just Tesla who need to improve PDI.

Door closing sound is better than Tesla - boot much the same.
Paint is better.
Despite having a more traditional dash - albeit pimped with 3D display, you still need to use touch screen for basics such as cabin temp.
Unnecessary start/stop button takes longer than ideal to work but still quicker than pin to drive.
It feels solidly put together and more of a premium than I expected tbh.
It rides over speed bumps really well - better probably than my M3P- (aero wheels)
In sport mode the acceleration around local roads is all you need and up to 80mph it is fine on the motorway despite 93max.
You obviously miss Tesla power on motorways, A roads etc.. and it highlights how relatively good the Tesla handling is - it understeers like my Tesla never has.

I’m yet to get the Peugeot app to work for me despite completing the required 3 journeys over 10miles that are required before setup can be completed (what’s that about?). Without it I cannot seem to be able to do a delayed charge. Option seems to be missing on the car dash.

I’m yet to find a discussion forum for e208s where there are more than one post every 5 days.

in summary, I’m really happy with the car and have proactively taken it for trips to the shops over the Tesla - maybe that’s because of its novelty value at the moment but it has still put a smile on my face.

 

[Jason71]

Unnecessary start/stop button takes longer than ideal to work but still quicker than pin to drive.

Pin to drive is not really equivalent to a mandatory start / stop button. it's an optional security feature. if you don't want it you can just turn it off.

 

[Simon_M]

Do you think the lack of range will hurt the values later? I think I would be reticent to buy one for cash. In a few years when I sell my M3 I expect its range still to be within the bounds of what many new cars at the time will have, not at the top sure but in the middle somewhere. Not sure I can say the same about the Maxda.

Jason, I think the range will greatly decrease the value as 1. The median range of manufacturers all have increased, 2. When the rate of battery degradation becomes known, 3. When the estimated and actual range becomes known, 4. When the realisation that you want to charge from say 15% to 80%, 5. When PHEV offer alternatives for the mainstream. At this point it becomes obvious IMHO that this car will plummet in value. I should declare that my Tesla order is for a LR AWD model 3 and I view the limited range models from Mazda with great scepticism e.g. why did they bother? So it will be a great success, and I was of course wrong (again).

 

[HenryT]

Thanks all for the replies - all v helpful and for the trouble taken by Doudeau to collect your thoughts.

As it happens we took a test drive in a e208 GT Line yesterday and it seemed v good. It was just going dark though and we were in the middle of quite heavy traffic so it didn't tell us much about performance, though as stated the quality does seem good. Clearly Peugeot have raised their game in that department since I last went near one.

The Golf was one we considered as she has had Golf's for the last 20 years and Polos before that, but the range in the Golf e just looked a bit too low, plus the Golf e seems a bit 'old technology dressed up as new'. Test drive in an ID3 is pending which could mean the whole prospect of changing waits 12 months.

Likewise the MG might still be one to look at?

Hyundai and Renault don't really seem to appeal despite arguments in their favour.

Kia don't seem to have much about in the price range at the minute.

Corsa was considered but e208 preferred as we stand.

Thanks all, still looking.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

It wouldn't surprise me at all to find that the ID.3 recovers from it's somewhat shaky launch and becomes a worthwhile contender within the next year or so. The car clearly has the potential to be very good indeed, but seems to be let down by having been released before most of the bugs have been sorted out.

The ID.3 remains on my list as a possible replacement for the Model 3 in a couple of years time, as long as VW sort out all the things that still seem to be plaguing the early models

 

[fancealot]

Me and Mrs F have had Mazdas for a while, we've been thinking of getting the MX-30 for her, we just need to ensure that the range is ok for our daily commute (90 miles round trip) it should do but would like to have a several day test drive to see if it works for us, if only it was another 50 miles in range i'd not hesitate.

 

[bigmike_88]

Can't fault the e208. I have a model S and the Mrs e208 does a great job as a second car. GT line trim induces all the bells and whistles required, and I must say I prefer the sport steering wheel compared to the Model S one....

 

[JP1611]

Can't fault the e208. I have a model S and the Mrs e208 does a great job as a second car. GT line trim induces all the bells and whistles required, and I must say I prefer the sport steering wheel compared to the Model S one....

My wife has recently taken delivery of the Peugeot e-2008, it’s a good car and well equipped, but not as efficient as my Tesla.

 

[spooksman]

So the e208 arrived, and first impressions are very good. Good panel fit and finish all round outside, very nice inside, and delivered full of charge no less.

Doors close with a better sound than my M3P if I'm honest, and on a car about half the price it has cruise control that comes on at the speed you're going, a speed limiter and full auto parking, none of which I have .

Not much regen braking though, and not as fast .

 

[HenryT]

Thanks again all.

Test drives tomorrow in the ID3 and MG so may be nearer to a conclusion.