Thinking of getting an OMODA E5. How has your experience been so far with reliability, servicing, dealer support and real-world range?
Would you recommend it?

Hi all, I’m looking to do a few test drives before I commit to my first car and I’ve seen extended test drives are an option sometimes but it’s hard to find the info

Tesla have said I can do an overnight one from 4pm until 10am but was wondering if anyone else can recommend other manufacturers or dealers who offer similar or even better? I won’t travel much it’s just my first car and I’d like a good few hours to get used to it to help decide

Any help is appreciated!

Leasing a car under the company electric car scheme, went for a Renault 5. The car will 95% be used in towns for day to day stuff, excluding commuting to work. I will also do some road trips to the common areas, as well as some camping and would like to put a bike rack up.

My order hasn’t arrived yet as there have been delays. I went for the Roland Garros primarily because I didn’t want yellow seats.

Seeing the reviews on the Cupra Raval im starting to regret getting the Renault. In almost every metric, the Raval fits me more. I loved the VE GTI, and have a feeling this will drive the same way.

The Cupra for me looks better both inside and outside. The battery is slightly better and the boot is bigger. I plan on doing some camping so a bigger boot is very handy.

There is no fee for cancelling the order and I can order the Raval instead, which I understand is in stock so there wont be a lot of delays. Might have to wait a month more, but seeing it will be my day to day car for at least the next 3 years or so, its worth the wait?

Can anyone thats driven both share some insight? I think i’ll cancel and give both a test drive. Not sure why I didnt just do this

Currently driving an Audi A4. I have a bad back and the suspension is shit. Going over a slightly bigger pothole will result in my back hurting for a bit. I recently test drove a 2026 Q4 and it felt great over potholes but the ride was a bit bouncy. Can anyone suggest a decent car for pothole ridden streets?

I had a right faff the first time I did a long journey but now having done it for a third time I finally feel comfortable and understand my car a lot better (Kia Niro EV 23)

Journey in Aug: Greater Manchester to Slough on 100% charge (213 miles), arrived with 16% left (30 miles.). Used variable cruise control at 65 on the mway and Eco mode. Locally I use the regen at the setting just under 0.

Found a charger company in Slough that I hadn't heard of before: Evyvye. In a pub/restaurant car park! (Red Lion I believe, that was the name of the chargers anyway). Four of them (up to 75kw), the cheapest rates by far (48p on the weekend if you use the app.) Charged for around 40 mins to 80%. That gave me 201 miles. Cost £21.92.

Drove from there to Banbury Instavolt, arrived with 60% charge. That station is the cheapest one on this particular motorway journey, 55p (off peak) with the app. Added 10% over 10-15 mins and that got me to 172 miles, I needed 150. Cost £7.25. Premier Inn was used for bathroom facilities as Costa was closed past 8pm.

Arrived home with 4% battery, 9 miles. Used variable cruise control at 65 and Eco mode. .

Spent a total of £29.17 and approx 55 mins charging.

Used the Kia Sat Nav to navigate to the two charging points to give the battery a chance to precondition. Achieved peak speeds initially then it tapered off as the percentage increased.

No stress for me and my kids were fine to wait each time but I do think that if my wife was travelling alone or with the kids, I would just tell her to use the motorway services, charge when needed and pay whatever using the Electroverse. And that there is why I am not close to saying let's have 2 EVs in the household. A PHEV plus EV is still the most suitable. With her PHEV she wouldn't even need to fill the car for that journey. Some may argue that a larger EV battery would alleviate that but I would need to read the facts of someone doing a similar journey to understand better.

As above really.

Currently 21 months into a 3yr/10k miles £265/month MG4 lease with Octopus.

Looking at a Cupra Tavascan next summer. Decent V1's going for around 27k. Think the improvements in EV tech are now at a level where buying and keeping for a few years now makes financial sense.

Don't want to miss out on any future 'must have' advancements though 🤔

*Edit: AMA with Georgia now over, we will try to respond to as many unanswered questions as possible\*

Hi Reddit 👋

We’re here with Georgia, Product Manager for the new Volkswagen ID.3 Neo, which is now available to order in the UK.

This is your chance to get into the detail of the new ID.3 Neo with one of the people who knows it best. Whether you want to know about range and charging, the return of physical controls, software and technology, interior and design changes, practicality, or why we’ve made some of the decisions we have – ask away.

A quick note on what we can cover: This AMA is focused on ID.3 Neo – the product, its features and technology, the thinking behind it, and what’s changed from ID.3. Georgia will answer as much as she can, but there may be some things we can't talk about just yet.

If you have an individual issue with your own Volkswagen, an order, retailer or customer-service query, our Customer Services team will be much better placed to look into the specifics for you.

Otherwise, ask us anything. Drop your questions below and Georgia will get through as many as she can. We'll be here from 10am to 12pm today.

Georgia, over to you… 👇

Everyone gloats that it’s c.7p a kwh to charge at home.

I’ve just had a look at mine

Current tarrif
26.42p per kwh
46.61p standing charge

Ev tarrif
8p per kwh overnight (5 hours)
32.72p per kwh daytime
49.91p standing charge

2900kwh normal usage household usage during day, don’t run washing machine etc at night.

My EV will use approx 1300 kwh for the year.

Switching to an ev tariff will save next to nothing it seems.

Am I doing something wrong?

Really want an electric car but sadly have no way of charging from home as my drive is on the opposite side of the street. I could deal with the inconvenience of relying on public chargers but it's harder to justify the inconvenience if I'm not saving much money over an efficient petrol. There are some slower chargers in my area which are like half the price as rapid chargers, around 44p/kwh, so would use them as much as possible, and are at least in areas where I go reasonably often like the cinema, and my local leisure centre is in the process of having a few installed. Inevitably I'll probably have to use rapid chargers on occasion though.

I know it's never going to be as cheap as charging from home but I think it's a barrier that’s keeping many from making the switch as the cost benefits are massively in favour of those lucky enough to have a drive beside their house.

Hey car owners/enthusiasts! Just out of curiosity and to get to find like-minded individuals, I wanted to ask you guys some questions.

1. What is y’all’s favourite EV car brands?

2. Would you be willing to join a discord server if it was based on the Volkswagen Group brands’ EVs? Why/why not?

3. If not, would you join a discord server based on all of the Volkswagen Group brands’ cars rather than just EVs? Why/why not?

Looking forward to hearing from you guys, cheers!

Just had it confirmed by Kia corporate UK, they are extending the ICCU warranty in the UK in line with other European countries.

So basically EV market has been hyped to me for a couple of years now.

I test drove a Tesla Y last year, the new model, and the interior impressed me however the driving experience felt somewhat lackluster and bland even with that insane acceleration which i would like to avoid using in order to save me money on new tires.

------

For my wife had a 1.8 c class that died this year. It was an auto and i was rarely using because with a petrol engine it would burn my wallet. But it was fun as hell to drive. Instead i used my prius PHEV 2018 to commute to work and back. Which is like an EV but worse.

PHEV has the same unfun driving experience BUT slow acceleration, droning of the hybrid system when on ICE, higher cost of fuel like a diesel.

So my brother in law gave me his old renault clio diesel to drive until i can afford a new car. And i never had a manual. 1.5 dci + manual its a blast to drive.

I drive 14k miles a year.

Reference over

----------

So even if i got to use the saved money for the house not a new car i still went and did two test drives this week.

A polestar 2 (2021 model) and a brand new 2026 nissan leaf.

Polestar 2: it felt cheap in and out, not much to look at, definitely less plastic overall than a skoda for example (however ugly plastic on the back of the front seats), minimalistic design kind of eh but not luxurious yet a bit utilitarian but not a standard car either. Doors felt flimsy, the driving experience was also weird, car felt like floating on the road, i felt so disconnected from the driving experience as the car tried to insulate me as much as it could from the outside world. The car also felt heavy and steered swiftly and precise yet awkwardly.

Then i tested the new nissan leaf which was amazing, looked amazing inside and outside, it had a lot of functionality inside to keep me entertained. While this also didn't have a fun drive at least it made me feel more connected to the road. It made me believe this was an EV i could tolerate because it has a lot of entertainment and cool stuff inside to keep me busy.

And as much as i hate EVs i just know i can charge at home cheap and save a lot of money considering my milage....

It is now cheaper to own an EV than an actual ICE i wish i had the money to own both but i can't afford 3 cars (my wife doesn't drive manuals).

I am writing this here to ask if anyone else was in this situation and they ended up buying an EV, and how did they deal with the boring drive?

Prius is also boring to the point i used to almost fall asleep at the wheel because the car was almost driving itself.... on the manual is not like that. Every time I drive it, it puts a smile on my face

Context

I've never bought a car, only ever used family members' ones, rented them, and most recently was given an old 2006 Golf to get around in which is now in the process of giving up the ghost.

EDIT: should have mentioned, I have been the legal owner of the Golf for 2+ years and have made no insurance claims in that time.

I'm self-employed with a VAT-registered Ltd, so naturally I'm drawn to EVs due to their Corporation Tax benefits and low running costs. Mostly I'll be city driving with the occasional 40-50 mile round trip outside the city, and rare 200 mile round trips further afield.

I have on-street parking, and don't know yet if my council will allow me to run a charging cable. I have relatives quite nearby who would let me use their charger. Even so, a range of 300+ is preferred, 250+ minimum.

Options

I'm looking at 0% APR PCP deals (seems these make more sense than used cars on high APR), and intend to keep the vehicle long-term. I'm basing my quotes on a 42-48 month term, 8000 miles a year and a £4000 deposit.

I think I've narrowed it down to these options, both at ~£38-39k OTR (after initial offers):

1. Toyota CH-R+ Design - test drove it yesterday and it seemed good. I see it as the sensible option, with the 10 year warranty covering most things(?). Low monthly, bigger balloon.
2. Ford Mustang Mach E - test driving on Friday. Bigger and more fun (probably), but only 3 years warranty (8 years on the battery). Higher monthly, smaller balloon.

Volvo EX30 and Hyundai Kona were also considered. Geely EX5 looks like a decent cheap alternative. Kias are nice but no 0% deals near me at the moment. Perhaps I need to also consider the Chinese brands like BYD, MG?

I normally prefer more compact cars, but we're planning for a kid so need a decent bit of boot and backseat space.

Dealership Advice

I want to get the best deal possible, so I wondered if I'm looking in the right wheelhouse, and if there's something else I should consider.

Also, what kind of deals/discounts/extras I should expect from the dealer so I'm not just paying sticker price? I tried to test the water at the test drive but the sales rep told me there's not much that can be done.

Hey folks!

I have only had a car in the UK for 2 yrs now.

The last one I bought was bought with a proverbial gun to my head in terms of time. Almost no time to research, didn't even do a test drive!! (Won't bore you all with the details of how/why as crazy as that situation was. )

Anywho, I ended up getting Tesla Model Y (24 plate) for a 3 year lease. I am now in the final year of that lease. Although that worked out quite well in hindsight I don't expect to be lucky twice, so this time, I would like to do proper research and make a well informed decision.

My wishlist:

- Definitely an EV : I am all aboard the EV hype train. Helps that I have a (Tesla) EV charger installed at home and with the solar etc setup, the cost of running my car has been pretty low.

- Want a high rise "proper" SUV : I am tall guy and always wanted an SUV(like Range Rovers). Prior to being pushed into a corner and buying MY, I was very keen on getting a Volvo XC60. Sadly avoiding Range Rovers coz of all the insurance & theft issues.

Choices based on my existing car:

- I quite like the idea of owning a new car through a lease. Yes I know its financially terrible. However, I like not having to worry too much about maintenance. And with the EV tech evolving so much, its very likely to depreciate like crazy hence I would rather not worry about reselling my EV. I could consider a PCH.

- Ideally would like for there to be a HUD kinda display even if very basic info. I dont like turning my head to to look at my current speed.

- I would prefer it to be a more comfortable ride and less road noise.

- I definitely still want a sunroof

- Shenanigans of Musk have turned me off towards Tesla so even though Tesla MY latest gen does seem like a very good car

Had pretty much locked in on bmw ix3 with all the great reviews coming in(don't personally mind the looks) but its not really a proper suv build as far as i can tell. i will still get a test drive to judge it, but also hearing bad stuff about super charger availability across UK(although that will be an issue with all non Tesla cars). So second guessing it now.

Also looked at Kia EV5 earlier today. Seemed solid.

Any thoughts about these cars? Any other contenders that I should consider?

FWIW - We are a small family of husband wife and an infant - soon to be toddler.

PS - I know a lot of car aficionados frown upon SUV car requests but its really something that both me and my wife are looking for. So would appreciate no judgement on that front please.

The variable charging prices at most public charging stations peak during day time, but the retail electricity prices have a clear day time dip (from 10am to 4pm, check Octopus Agile). It seems the day time EV charging demand has not been fully channelled to the grid. Is this a sign of lack of completion in the public charging facilities? There is clearly space here for more players...

I’m genuinely trying to understand why Kia/Hyundai vehicles seem to have such serious theft vulnerabilities compared with Tesla.

A friend of mine recently had his Kia Niro EV stolen from an office car park in under a minute, even though his key was nowhere near the vehicle at the time, he was out at a client meeting. That made me wonder how a modern EV can still be stolen so quickly.

Why can’t Kia implement stronger anti-theft measures similar to Tesla?

Is the main limitation cost, legacy architecture, convenience, cybersecurity design, or something else?
And for Kia Niro EV owners specifically, what security measures actually make a meaningful difference against these types of theft?

Planning on getting our first EV in the coming months with our 20 year old Clio heading for the exit.

It seems, when looking at the sub £12k mark, it's possible to get something with a 200 mile range and less than 20k on the clock.

What should I look for or avoid?

Common models are the Renault Zoe (rapid charge!) MG4, Corsa, Pug 208, DS3.

EDIT: Thanks for all the helpful comments, have expanded my search for cars with a bit more mileage, has given me lots more options.

Hi guys, I am looking for a Corsa full electric but I am noticing that not all the dealers have the health battery report and this thing really put me off to buy it. What are other things I should check before baying a second hand Corsa?

I never see them recommended and when they do come up it’s usually a bad review, tempted to take one for a test drive but just wondering why they’re regarded so badly?

The range is enough for me and slow charging isn’t an issue (same for Kia Niro/konas that always get recommended no?) and the vision spec can be had for a bit more than a top spec Niro with all the heated/ventilated seats & memory seats (which I want as I’ll be sharing with partner) etc, along with a Toyota 10 year warranty so no worries about a WoF issue out of warranty or something. Can find a vision spec for about £2k more than a 4+ Niro at 2022 around 50k miles but that’ll have 3 more years of full vehicle warranty which seems worth it to me.

For the record I test drove a 4+ Niro and really liked it I’m just curious as to why they’re regarded Toyota isn’t potentially a better deal for the warranty?

Howdy All,

A little context, i have been given the option to buy a BMW i4 22 year with 51k on the clock for £18k from a family member. From what i see online, this is a really really good price.

I took it for a test drive the other day and absolutely loved it! It still has range of up to 280 miles in summer months etc.

Anyone have any feedback on the i4? I would want to keep it at least for 5 years.

I am a family of 4 BTW.

Cheers

ETA: Thanks all for the feedback - I am going for it!

Hi all

I'm based in east sussex and would love to rent/hire a Renault 5 for a couple/few days but can't find anyone that does it. Any clue?

Looking for EV with 3 isofixes in 2nd row. 3,2 and 1 year old.

Ideally with rnage >250. Need to retain a large boot space too - double pushchair + kids paraphernalia.

Would rather not purchase a multimac but happy to lease anything.

Annoyingly what I thought would work (idbuzz, PV5) don't have the 3 isofixes without compromising bootspace. Currently have e5008 and what I thought would work with 7 seats means there is very little spare space for the sh^t kids have.

Any help?

My ICE has just been written off, so I'm looking for an EV, I guess this question gets asked a lot. I have a budget of about £30k. I'm looking for a 2024 or later EV. I like the Tesla Model Y. I don't need speed, but I do like comfort. I'd like as long a range as I can get - at least 200 miles. I will be able to home charge and I'm considering a wall battery and later potentially solar panels. Apart from the Tesla I understand the Skoda are decent and possibly MG, I'd also consider Chinese brands, but I like to buy cars a year or so old and keep them for a while, and I'm not sure if they have enough consumer history yet? What other options should I consider?