Indecision Volvo EX30 or Kia EV6?
Discussion
We are looking to change our current Panda Twin Air Cross and have decided we are going to go EV and we still want something 4wd.
We’ve narrowed it down to the EX twin motor.
And EV6
Being honest, I prefer the look of the EX30 and after a test drive the other week I really like how they drive ….
…… but …..
I know the EX30’s have this battery problem where you can only charge to 70 until the batteries are replaced under warranty by Volvo, which I believe is in quite a backlog.
I’ve found an EX30 Twin Motor in Ultra spec at a good price, it am wary of the whole potential battery issue with it.
The EV6 I haven’t driven but I really do like the look of it and it looks like a good alternative??
Crippled with indecision at the minute.
We’ve narrowed it down to the EX twin motor.
And EV6
Being honest, I prefer the look of the EX30 and after a test drive the other week I really like how they drive ….
…… but …..
I know the EX30’s have this battery problem where you can only charge to 70 until the batteries are replaced under warranty by Volvo, which I believe is in quite a backlog.
I’ve found an EX30 Twin Motor in Ultra spec at a good price, it am wary of the whole potential battery issue with it.
The EV6 I haven’t driven but I really do like the look of it and it looks like a good alternative??
Crippled with indecision at the minute.
The EV6 is way bigger than the EX30, it also has 800v so charges quicker and has more range. Plus it has also real buttons inside.
The EX30 is a chinese car underneath, with a Volvo design on top for the exterior (quite a good one I have to say).
But if the bigger size of the Kia is not an issue, that would be an easy decision for me (even without factoring the battery issue on the Volvo).
The EX30 is a chinese car underneath, with a Volvo design on top for the exterior (quite a good one I have to say).
But if the bigger size of the Kia is not an issue, that would be an easy decision for me (even without factoring the battery issue on the Volvo).
My partner and I have spent the last couple of weekends in various showrooms looking at EV's.
EX30 was on the list as we both like the way they look. However, we spent less than 5mins poking around one in the showroom and we both thought the interior was absolutely awful so it was quickly ruled out.
EV6 was decent but check you are ok with the driving position as we found the steering wheel didn't have enough reach adjustment relative to preferred seating position. Also a noticeable blind spot when approaching mini roundabouts caused by the chunky A-pillar.
Polestar 2 as mentioned above is a good shout, it was one of 3 we narrowed our search down to. The car we drove didn't have a pan roof and felt really claustrophobic inside. We sat in a forecourt car with the pan roof and this was much better but we still felt a little hemmed in, we think down to both the shallow side windows and because it's not a dedicated EV skateboard underneath the high and angled centre console made the footwells narrow.
It's definitely worth sitting in as many cars as possible, ideally back2back & include some that may not initially be on your radar as it really highlights positives/negatives and shows what things are important to you.
Happy shopping.
Chris
EX30 was on the list as we both like the way they look. However, we spent less than 5mins poking around one in the showroom and we both thought the interior was absolutely awful so it was quickly ruled out.
EV6 was decent but check you are ok with the driving position as we found the steering wheel didn't have enough reach adjustment relative to preferred seating position. Also a noticeable blind spot when approaching mini roundabouts caused by the chunky A-pillar.
Polestar 2 as mentioned above is a good shout, it was one of 3 we narrowed our search down to. The car we drove didn't have a pan roof and felt really claustrophobic inside. We sat in a forecourt car with the pan roof and this was much better but we still felt a little hemmed in, we think down to both the shallow side windows and because it's not a dedicated EV skateboard underneath the high and angled centre console made the footwells narrow.
It's definitely worth sitting in as many cars as possible, ideally back2back & include some that may not initially be on your radar as it really highlights positives/negatives and shows what things are important to you.
Happy shopping.
Chris
The polestar 2 is pretty much the same underneath as Volvo c40/xc40 but a bit lower. I think the screen is a bit nicer in the polestar than the Volvos (wife had 2022 c40 and I test drove polestar 2 in 2023 I think so am a bit out of date but both felt v similar to drive). Newer ones are more efficient (wife s c40 was less efficient than my bmw iX50) but the c40 suspension was very poor over bumps in my view. My wife loved it though
Edited to add that someone I know has just replaced a Kia ev6 with a Skoda enyaq and he is v pleased with it. So an enyaq or elroq (both available with 4wd) might do?
My wife wanted a mini countryman (available 4wd or 2wd) but we ended up with a Kia ev3
Edited to add that someone I know has just replaced a Kia ev6 with a Skoda enyaq and he is v pleased with it. So an enyaq or elroq (both available with 4wd) might do?
My wife wanted a mini countryman (available 4wd or 2wd) but we ended up with a Kia ev3
Edited by oop north on Tuesday 9th June 08:48
We went to buy an ex30 but the interior feels cheap and the single central display with a small speed display didn t work out for the wife.
The Smart #1 is built on the same platform (or a #3) and is a better finished and equipped car, bought lightly used they are a steal.
We drove one, having had Ionic 5 (same as EV6) and bmw iXbefore, it s way better than the ionic - but not as good as an iX - which I d suggest is the best EV going full stop, but more money. We got a 25 plate 66kwh premium plus with 1k miles for £20.5k versus 40k new.
Ev6 and ionic 5 both have issues with onboard charger failure.
The Smart #1 is built on the same platform (or a #3) and is a better finished and equipped car, bought lightly used they are a steal.
We drove one, having had Ionic 5 (same as EV6) and bmw iXbefore, it s way better than the ionic - but not as good as an iX - which I d suggest is the best EV going full stop, but more money. We got a 25 plate 66kwh premium plus with 1k miles for £20.5k versus 40k new.
Ev6 and ionic 5 both have issues with onboard charger failure.
I really liked the idea of the EX30 - styling, performance, price, size.
I desperately wanted to like it, and buy one as my first BEV.
I was given one as a courtesy car (mid spec dual motor) when my XC40 PHEV was in for a service.
What a letdown! Stonking performance, rubbish car. Poor ride, awful driver controls and interface, way too minimalist. Touchscreen controls for the glovebox and mirrors - why?
Tried to get a test drive in a Smart, local Mercedes/Smart dealer totally blanked me.
I ended up getting a Kia EV3. Obviously a fair bit slower than the Volvo, but it's a proper car with actual buttons and an instrument cluster.
I desperately wanted to like it, and buy one as my first BEV.
I was given one as a courtesy car (mid spec dual motor) when my XC40 PHEV was in for a service.
What a letdown! Stonking performance, rubbish car. Poor ride, awful driver controls and interface, way too minimalist. Touchscreen controls for the glovebox and mirrors - why?
Tried to get a test drive in a Smart, local Mercedes/Smart dealer totally blanked me.
I ended up getting a Kia EV3. Obviously a fair bit slower than the Volvo, but it's a proper car with actual buttons and an instrument cluster.
clockworks said:
I really liked the idea of the EX30 - styling, performance, price, size.
I desperately wanted to like it, and buy one as my first BEV.
I was given one as a courtesy car (mid spec dual motor) when my XC40 PHEV was in for a service.
What a letdown! Stonking performance, rubbish car. Poor ride, awful driver controls and interface, way too minimalist. Touchscreen controls for the glovebox and mirrors - why?
Tried to get a test drive in a Smart, local Mercedes/Smart dealer totally blanked me.
I ended up getting a Kia EV3. Obviously a fair bit slower than the Volvo, but it's a proper car with actual buttons and an instrument cluster.
I thought the Volvos (we looked at EX30 and nearly-new XC40 EV) were a breath of fresh air after looking at Kia and Hyundai - they just seemed so “clean” inside. I desperately wanted to like it, and buy one as my first BEV.
I was given one as a courtesy car (mid spec dual motor) when my XC40 PHEV was in for a service.
What a letdown! Stonking performance, rubbish car. Poor ride, awful driver controls and interface, way too minimalist. Touchscreen controls for the glovebox and mirrors - why?
Tried to get a test drive in a Smart, local Mercedes/Smart dealer totally blanked me.
I ended up getting a Kia EV3. Obviously a fair bit slower than the Volvo, but it's a proper car with actual buttons and an instrument cluster.
Then we realised absolutely everything is done from the screen. The Volvo ‘product specialist’ showing us the car said it all works by voice. The car then ignored him completely! Going through the menus manually seemed mental - and that was just sitting in the car park, really wouldn’t want to do it while driving.
The limited warranty, with no Volvo approved way to extend it, also put us off as we usually keep cars in the family for years.
I bought an EV6. 6 weeks ago. Basic air long range. Can not believe how good it is. Already driven 2500 miles. 7 year warranty does it for me, especially as I know from my Sorento how very comprehensive it is.
I expected it to save me a lot of money, which it does, I did not expect it to be so good to drive.
I expected it to save me a lot of money, which it does, I did not expect it to be so good to drive.
Tried the EX30 last year. The driving experience was generally good, as was the roadholding, and the '1 pedal driving'.
What wasn't so good - the ergonomics, the screen, the seats, the music system, the general layout was most un-Volvo like.
This is a car that could be so much better, if they'd put a bit more effort into the design.
So we got another XC40. I have chickened out on EV's on a number of occasions, mainly due to them not being as good as what they are replacing.
I definitely wouldn't be buying into anything with known battery issues - there is a recall for that but maybe Volvo are dragging their heels.
What wasn't so good - the ergonomics, the screen, the seats, the music system, the general layout was most un-Volvo like.
This is a car that could be so much better, if they'd put a bit more effort into the design.
So we got another XC40. I have chickened out on EV's on a number of occasions, mainly due to them not being as good as what they are replacing.
I definitely wouldn't be buying into anything with known battery issues - there is a recall for that but maybe Volvo are dragging their heels.
andrew-6xade said:
Can't believe you would even contemplate a EX given the battery issues and how poorly Volvo have acted.
I had no idea at the time that it had, or still has battery issues. As you can see from my brief synopsis above, there were a number of other significant flaws. A lucky escape and the XC40 is a far better car - despite it being a relatively old design. Volvo are skating on thin ice with their European customer base.
I told the salesman that this (EX30) is a car for young people - who may be more likely to put up with the overall good external design plus the other obvious flaws elsewhere.
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