I had a succession of excellent Volvo ICE cars prior to buying my Kia EV. The EX30 I tested didn’t feel like a Volvo in terms of quality, seat comfort etc and from what I am reading it was underdeveloped at launch. It is perhaps more Geely than Volvo. I just hope the next generation coming along returns to some of those original Volvo qualities as they provided a nice alternative vs the German brands. Customer loyalty is hard-won, but swiftly lost.
Bruce
And you tend not to lose a lot. I bought my EV (Nissan Leaf - bit old-school now) a couple of years ago for £10500 or thereabouts. Last time I looked at Autotrader, same year car (2021) with my current mileage is about £9000.
Just to add, the classic advice (1990’s) was to buy a car when it was 2 years old and sell it at 5 years old. The depreciation curve used to flatten for that 3 year period, between the “new car effect” and when big things would start to need replacing. Not sure whether it was cause or effect, but apparently the most popular at car loan at the time was 36 months.
A quick google suggests that that initial steep fall is still there for EV’s, but with a rather more consistent roll-off after that - maybe because there’s not many moving parts to go wrong !
I know where you’re coming from regarding customer loyalty, it is very easily lost, similar to yourself, owned a couple of Volvo ICE cars, before switching to VW, and if VW did an electric Tiguan, I would snap their hands off.
I know they do the ID4, but would prefer something a little bit smaller, however their small EV SUV’s aren’t available at the moment and it’s now we are looking.
Gary
@Beachcomber @Argyle_Mikey This is all good advice, we have got plenty to think about over the next couple of days.
Gary
I have a Skoda Elroq since November last year. So far it has proved to be a great car. I really like it and very comfortable for long trips. The range and charging speed is good.
When we were looking last year we tried a few cars and there are several good ones like the elroq. The kia Ev3 was a close contender but we just liked the elroq interior more.
I wouldn‘t like my current wheels to go unmentioned (in the picture winter wheels 
). Hard to beat when looking for a dynamic drive and impeccble interior quality in one car.
I would also say that the drive comfort is almost on a par with longer wheel base models.
Audi Q4 e-tron.
I’ve just gotten out of the hospital and am unable to fully bend my left knee. Because of this, the only way I can get into my G6 is by lowering myself in rear-first.
Unfortunately, my garage is a single-car garage, and I cannot open the driver’s door fully to swing in. Thanks to XPENG and their ingenious car, I can use their incredible intelligent parking assistance to forward and reverse the G6 in and out of my garage. This lets me fully open the driver’s door to get in and out safely.
This is an incredible car to own.
AFAIK the Kia EV3 seats will have the same options as my EV6 and I’d strongly recommend getting the fully electric with lumbar support and personalised settings. So once the perfect position is found it can be stored and recalled at the push of a button.
There is also a setting that pulls the seat back automatically when you open the door to give more room to get out (and get back in).
It’s probably only available on the GT -Line but well worth it if there are any back issues.
.sjb
That looks rather nice, with nice clean lines, unfortunately at the moment, it looks like it’s not available in the UK until the end of February, but something to check out in future.
Gary
I must admit the EV3 does get some great reviews and again I’ve learnt something new regarding the seats, which is a top priority at the moment.
We have a viewing booked in for tomorrow 
Gary
Thank you for sharing, something else to check out,
Gary
Hi Cmax, Kia EV3 or Skoda Elroq are the two to beat at the moment, given your description.
In most reviews the Elroq wins by the finest of margins and this is what we are choosing for a member of our family.
If you are in the UK, take care to keep the MRP below £40,000 as otherwise you will be paying an extra £425/year in road tax. This we found to be easier with the Elroq than the EV3, especially when we wanted the larger battery version. Note that the £40k limit refers to the MRP, not what you actually pay, which will be less.
Both cars are super, so you will do well either way.
Best regards, BF
The threshold for EVs was increased to £50,000 in November, backdated to April 2025. Non EVs remain at £40,000.
Just bear in mind the warranty period for the Elroq is 3 years, the EV3 is 7 years. Probably most relevant if you intend keeping the vehicle a while. EVs tend to be reliable, but costs can be high if not.
I am amazed that so many European manufacturers still only offer 3 years (JLR, VW group, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche for example) although Peugeot/Citroën are now 8 yrs. Japanese, Korean and now Chinese brands have lead the way. Toyota and Suzuki 10 yrs!
Bruce
Oh thank you HH, I missed that one. Good to know.
According to the HMRC website, the £40,000 limit applies until 31 March 2026, then the new £50,000 limit cuts in from 1st April 2026 However, it applies when the cars start their 2nd year of registration. I find this complicated to interpret!
Essentially then, any electric car that was first registered in the UK from 1st April 2025 onwards, with a manufacturer’s list price below £50,000, will avoid the expensive car tax supplement.
Is that about right?
Best regards, BF
Similar system on my BMW, makes getting in and out of tight parking spaces so much easier.
It is a bit opaque and I wouldn’t want to give a definitive answer, and potentially leave you with a bill!! I got the backdated bit from the RAC website if it helps.
..and our two Kias.
Bruce
