Keeping with the proper discussion, I find the whole what can and cannot be on the scheme kind of ridiculous to be honest. The Mach-E should be on the scheme for a pure practically point of view, its easy to get into, it’s boot will take a wheelchair, and with the seats down it’ll even take a full on recumbant trike and cos it has a reasonable large (especially without the divider) froot/frunk under the bonnet you’d still have space for other stuff. After speaking to a Kia/Hyundai salesman yesterday he is doubtful the Ioniq 5 nor EV6 will ever come on for the exact same cost reasons. Which I’m hoping he is wrong on that one too. With the ID4, I actually prefer the looks (externally at least) of it’s smaller sister the ID3. Though its not as practical from a space perspective. But both of them have suprisingly cheap feeling and costcutting interiors. The lack of seperate rear window buttons is just daft for example. The problem with the ID4 as well is that only the most basic models are, currently, on the scheme and you’d have to spend a fortune to get the various packs to add things that make driving easier and less stressful. If the higher spec models come on it won’t be so bad as they have most of the bits and pieces as standard. The Soul from Kia ticks pretty much every box bar 3, (1) it has quite a small boot, (2) does not have memory seats and (3) doesn’t have front parking sensors. I realise thats a bit poncy from an outside perspective but with the memory seats it means my partner and I can easily swap who is driving without me then having to spend half my bloody day trying to remember and work out exactly how I had the seat and the front sensors just make me less worried I’m going to hit something when parking. Have I ever done so? No. Do I get overly anxious about it all the goddamn time? Damn right -_-…. I was also informed you can’t get the blue soul anymore and that Kia are basically running down existing stock. Saleman assumes they will then stop doing the first edition and go to more standard 2, 3 , 4 model naming and spec differentation like the other Kia cars. The Kona is better in that regard, but I personally don’t like the design as much. I am aware that the Soul is proper marmite though haha. Hopefully the Enyaq will come on, though I imagine it’ll have a similar spec issue to the ID4 with option packs and thus eye watering additonal costs. I guess I’m just gonna wait things out a bit longer :/. I’m on year 1 of a 2 year extention of my Galaxy at the moment – great car, so very easy to get in and out of and cavenous boot, but I get crap mileage out of it as it’s a diesel and most of my journeys are very short ones (2-5mile round trips) :(. Apologies to anyone who made it this far for my digital equivlant of verbal diarrhea X_X, but also thank you.
Both ID3 and ID4 feel rather cheap inside, i agree – as well as that absolutely stupendous solution to the rear windows, no idea what’s wrong with having four levers for the windows rather than two and a switch for front and rear. The Enyaq (also MEB platform) as well as the Q4 e-tron (same platform) don’t have that issue, and in case of the Enyaq (i haven’t seen the Q4 in person yet) the interior is much nicer, too.
Even with the now available higher spec ID4 (Family), it doesn’t feel like a 45 grand car.
Prior: SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux 1.5 TSI DSG MY19, VW Golf GTE PHEV DSG MY23
Current: Hyundai Ioniq 6 Ultimate
Next: we'll see what's available in 2028.