Still on the fence between the Kona EV Preferred and the Model 3 Standard Range Plus

Discussion in 'Hyundai Kona Electric' started by nepoxx, Aug 13, 2020.

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Kona vs Model 3 if price is not an issue

  1. Kona

    7 vote(s)
    63.6%
  2. Model 3

    4 vote(s)
    36.4%
  1. I initially opted for the Kona because it is slightly cheaper and had great reviews. My Hyundai dealer says the car should get here in early September (which is soon!) Since the deposit is fully refundable, I am still hesitant in opting for the Model 3, from what I gather the price difference is ~6.5k$, which over the life of the vehicle is not that much

    Kona EV Preferred: 49,023$
    Model 3 Standard Range Plus: 55,590$
    (including taxes, excluding incentives)

    Now there a some pros and cons to each, which is why I'm still on the fence:

    Kona Pros:
    • Slightly greater range
    • less expensive
    • Better build quality (unsure about this one)
    Kona Cons:
    • Not a lot of space for rear passengers (how bad is it?)
    • I find the interior ugly and feels "cheap"
    • A few instances of cars catching on fire, not much info from Hyundai yet
    Model 3 SR+ Pros:
    • Looks amazing
    • Better performance
    Model 3 SR+ Cons:
    • Rear wheel drive (I live in Quebec City)
    • Quality issues, unsure if fixed or how Tesla dealt with it
    • More expensive
    Now I am aware that this forum is going to be biased towards the Kona, which is totally fine and might end up saving me a few grands, but I would still like to have your input! Why should I choose the Kona over the Model 3?
     
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  3. Hi,

    Having tried both, owning a Kona and living in montreal. It depends of your needs and what you are looking for.

    Kona:
    -More classic car with buttons easier to get used to
    -Better range but only in city driving

    Model 3 SR+:
    - Future proof with the OTA updates
    - AP is a standard here, you need to get the Kona Ultimate to get something that is still far from tesla.
    - Better charging network.

    So, if you think of doing a lot of distance and a lot of highway, I think the Model 3 should be your choice.
    If you want a more classic car and it's more for city driving, I don't think the price difference for the Model 3 is worth it.

    Hope it helps
     
    nepoxx likes this.
  4. cmwade77

    cmwade77 Active Member

    Kona is more economical to run as well, DC Quick chargers are about half the
    charging cost of the Tesla super chargers.
     
    nepoxx likes this.
  5. By AP you mean autopilot? As far as I know full autopilot is a 10k$ upgrade on the Model 3. I also thought lane assist and adaptive cruise control came with the Preferred trim.

    I mostly drive in the city and do the occasional highway (usually between Montreal and Quebec, which is ~260km, which should be doable by both cars unless it is very cold).

    Thanks for the help :D
     
  6. You can use those cheaper chargers with the Tesla, however. So in the end you have more options.
     
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  8. Full self driving is 10k but the basic AP is standard:
    Enables your car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically for other vehicles and pedestrians within its lane.

    For the Kona, I just verified and lane assist and adaptive cruise control do come with the preferred version (wasn't the case for the 2019 model).

    For my range in winter the lower it gets is about 300km in the really cold days.
     
  9. I was having a similar debate for months between the Kona Ultimate and the Model 3 LR/AWD. There are feature differences between the cars for sure as well as pricing. The two things that pushed me to the Kona were price and size. I’m not a fan of large cars and as much as I was impressed with the M3 the smaller hatchback footprint of the Kona won me over.

    If you plan on putting people in the backseat for extended periods of time then the Kona may not be for you.

    They are both great cars, get the one that appeals to you most. If you have a want like I did for size of the car then let that guide you.
     
  10. cmwade77

    cmwade77 Active Member

    Even on DC chargers, the Teslas are about 1.5 times the cost, as they actually go fewer miles per kWh than the Kona. So this really applies to all charging in general.
     
    nepoxx likes this.
  11. cmwade77

    cmwade77 Active Member

    The other problem I have with the Tesla is how much has to be controlled through the touch screen, I may be old fashioned, but I like physical buttons and switches.
     
    GeorgeS likes this.
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  13. Etienne Savard

    Etienne Savard New Member

    LKA was available on the Kona Preferred 2019. I own one, and I used it yesterday...

    As for autonomy, if you drive at 120km/h, you will do about 360 km on from 100% to zero, with climate control at 22C (I did it yesterday) almost all on the highway (Sherbrooke-Longueuil and back). Usually, I don't drive that fast and I can easily achieve 400km, still without driving like a grandpa and with air conditioning on.

    In winter, I usually do 350km with a full charge. Preheat while on your level 2 home charger is the key. On really cold days (-25C or less) I still have 285km of range.

    As for the interior space, go try it, every dealer in the province has a demo for road tests. My experience is that my children are not complaining on the rear seat (5, 9 and 14 to). It mostly depends on the driver and passenger sitting position. I like to drive pretty close to the wheel and seat almost at top height, so there's enough space behind me for anyone. The trunk is not that deep but you can lower the floor by 2", and remove the upper cover behind the seat which let you stack stuff up.

    If you want more space, you can go with the Kia Niro but it will cost you the price of the model 3 to have the same level of equipment that came standard in the Preferred...
     
  14. cmwade77

    cmwade77 Active Member

    LKA is available on even the lowest model on the 2019, which is what I have.
     
  15. FloridaSun

    FloridaSun Well-Known Member

    If range is not your concern, I'd take the M3. While the "official" range difference between the Kona and the Standard Range Plus is within 10 miles, the real life range of both is quite different.. In most scenarios, you'll get 50 to 70 miles more range with the Kona than the Standard Range Plus. The Kona is much closer in real life range to the Long Range Model 3 than the Standard Range Plus. If you want the prestige of a Model 3 and range is not your main concern, go with the M3.. They are fantastic cars and more high tech.. Some however prefer to have a car that operates more than a normal car and doesn't require to go through menus to perform certain functions..
    Also, if you want a better fast charging network, the Tesla is the way to go with their Supercharger Network.. That's the main reason that my next EV will be a Tesla.. We have family in South Texas and the McAllen area does not have a single Level 3 charger but there is a Tesla Supercharger... So, until I have a Tesla, we won't be able to visit our family there except if we take a rental ICE car..
     
    nepoxx likes this.
  16. This was my dilemma over a year ago and I chose my preferred Kona mostly because it was nearly 10K cheaper, had a bigger battery than than the standard range plus and the availability of service. Tesla's nearest service center is around 1200km away from me while my closest Hyundai dealer is only 6km away. After 7 months waiting for the car and in the 8 months I have owned the car I have had to visit my service center sadly way too may times, dealt with a dead 12v battery at least once a month, had the traction motor replaced. As I write the car sits at the dealer for the past week waiting for a new 12v battery. I really like our Kona but if I were to do it again I would probably get a model 3.
     
    nepoxx likes this.
  17. Jimct

    Jimct Active Member

    I've had the Kona SEL for 10 months now and so far love the car. I loved the M3 LR AWD when I test drove that, and decided we were to be a 2 car EV family. The COV-19 delayed my delivery date but is now set for this Monday, can't wait. My plans are the Kona for shorter trips around town and the Tesla for long trips, but I'm sure we'll adjust as time goes on. I hope to keep the Tesla a long time so using the other car will keep the mileage low and extend its lifetime.
    As to back seat legroom: I'm 6'2 and can't get into the Kona's back seat; when I'm driving nobody else can sit behind me. I wish they had made the car 2 inches longer just for that. The M3, when I test drove it the sales person (consultant, I think they're called) who was taller and huskier than me sat behind me, so I think there's better room there. Obviously after we've had the Tesla for a while we'll be formulating a better comparison. If I find this thread a few months from now I'll get back.
     
  18. CharlyM

    CharlyM Member

    I would argue if you live in Québec the CCS charging network is better than the Supercharger one, since there is a ton of chargers in Gaspésie / in the coast / in New Brunswick that you'd need to fork the CAD$ 600 chademo adapter if you got a Model 3 otherwise :).

    I believe they fixed the catching fire issue in the last BMS update (which also makes fast charging a bit faster). I can definitely concur with other people on the range: the range under 100km/h is a lot better than advertised, I was surprised at first.

    No reliability issues so far for me. The back seat space definitely depends on how tall you are, I'm 170cm and it's fine, if I was taller it could be more annoying.
     
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  19. FloridaSun

    FloridaSun Well-Known Member

    Once we get our Tesla in about 2 years or so, my wife will be the one that will most likely drive the Tesla to drop off the kids at school and drive around town.. I'll probably keep driving the Kona to work and for trips within Florida.. This will keep the miles on the Tesla low while I'm not worried about the miles on the Kona as I have no intention of ever selling it.. I love the lifetime battery warranty for the 2019 SEL... I will trade in my wife's BMW i3 for the Tesla when the time comes..
     
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  20. nigels

    nigels Active Member

    It sounds like a Tesla is an aspirational car for you, so my recommendation is that you should just get one. If you compromise and buy any other EV you're always going to be looking at a Tesla and thinking what it would be like to own one. There are several positives of a Tesla M3 over a Kona EV which you and others have already pointed out, but here are a few questions to help you decide:

    1. Do you regularly drive with 3 or more people in your car? If you do and your rear seat passengers are adults, then you're going to want the Tesla. The Kona Electric's rear leg room isn't great. It was almost a deal breaker for me since I'm 6' 4" and nobody would be able to sit behind me...comfortably. For me, 99% of the time it's just me, or my wife and me - so not an issue.
    2. Do you plan on traveling long distances? Tesla's supercharger network would definitely make long distance travel less stressful. You can do it in a Kona, but you need to plan well and allocate more time for charging. Of course, this depends on where you live and where you plan to go.
    3. Do you regularly need to carry cargo? The Kona hatch is quite small, but surprisingly practical for carrying groceries, and has the advantage of a low loading bay (lower than the Tesla's trunk). I was able to fit airplane carry-on luggage end in, which surprised me. Still, it's a small car, and you'll notice that. Also, as you know the Tesla has a frunk, so that's another place to put luggage that the Kona doesn't have.
    4. How much do you value mobile phone connectivity? Kona supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which you can't get on a Tesla. That was one reason for me ruling out the Tesla.
    5. Will this be your only car or a second car? Bear in mind that Tesla doesn't have dealerships and requires the use of certified repair facilities for accident damage. I'm not sure how big a deal that is for most Tesla owners. You should probably talk to some in your area to find out. I happen to think that a certified repair facility is a good idea having toured a Porsche certified facility and learned how complex it is to repair cars to factory levels of quality and safety.
    6. You mentioned that you find the interior ugly and cheap. Are you willing to put up with that? This is what you'll be looking at 99% of the time. I happen to really like the "blue pebble" light-color interior of the Kona, but beauty is subjective.

    These are both great cars, fun to drive, are well-equipped, and have real world range that make them practical as primary vehicles. I don't think you can go wrong, but do think carefully about what your heart wants. If you dream of owning a Tesla, don't compromise!
     
    syntaxfx likes this.
  21. Ed C

    Ed C Active Member

    I was one of those people who initially put a $1,000 deposit for the Model 3. This will be my first electric car, so I wanted to experience driving one as a commuter without breaking the bank. My intention was to buy the $35,000 standard trim they had promised.

    But as I saw how Tesla kept delaying the rollout of the standard trim, and opting to sell as much of the more expensive trim to squeeze as much money out of their customers, before they hit their 250,000 production number; I began to believe Tesla is more greed than good for their customers. There was a queue even for people who put their deposit to place their order. By the time my chance to order came up, 2 quarters had passed since they hit 250,000 cars....effectively cutting my eligible tax refund by 50%. Not only that, they stopped producing the standard base trim....forcing you to buy the LR with the AP included (that is an additional $4,000 that Musk had initially promised). I was disappointed by Tesla, and asked for my deposit back.

    I was interested in Tesla because of its range (over 200 miles), because I have a 100 mile daily commute to work. The car also looked kind of like a normal sedan, except without a front grill. Also, the name Tesla is synonymous with a luxury car and high tech. But since M3 is nothing compared to a model S or X in terms of price, you can't really compare a mass production M3 to say a S or X. M3 had become more of your average Joe of Teslas. So, that kind of wore off from me fast.

    I looked at other 200 mile plus electric cars on the market and it was either the Kona EV, Bolt or Leaf Plus. I chose the Kona...because it was a better car in my opinion than the other 2. I received my full $7,500 federal tax credit, making my new car at a reasonable low $30,000. The car looks acceptable for a cross over SUV, and I was able to get a red one without paying an additional ridiculous $2,000 from Tesla.

    Again, as a first time EV adopter, I wanted to try it without spending an exorbitant money on one. EVs will get better tech and range as time goes on. I will eventually upgrade to a better EV in the future, so I don't plan on tying too much money on one now.

    I am single, so I do most of my driving solo, so back seats are not an issue. I love the cost savings I have driving my EV. It costs me $3.50 for a 100 mile round trip home-charging. It would normally costs me $14-$15/day for gas in my ICE car, not to mention the tons of air pollution I am causing.
     
    Last edited: Aug 13, 2020
  22. FloridaSun

    FloridaSun Well-Known Member

    Another thing to consider is insurance. A Tesla is more expensive to insure than other EVs
     
  23. For me the difference was less than $100 annually compared to the Kona. Insurance rates have so many variables I suggest the OP gather a VIN from each and contact their insurance representative.
     

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