@@hugovale6360 for instance he said Volvo got the best cabin design by a country mile , yet to adjust the mirrors you need to access the main menu then select mirrors then adjust it with arrows , it's all good if you are living inside the cabin and not driving !
@@markvanloo309 Maybe not but this video was about the man telling us the budget EVs he likes, that's it. The reason for rejecting cars were never to clear, some were even rejected on looks, are you kidding me? None of these cars are beauties. This is a video that shouldn't have really been made.
The difference between them is that cheaper Hyundai/Kia interiors can be drab and have cheap materials. Low end Volvos still have good variety of materials and selections.
As a Swede, considering the twin-motor option on the EX30 is not just about getting the extra performance, but to get actual AWD during our snowy winters ❄️🚗💨
5 years and 98,000 km into Kia e-Niro ownership and I have to say it has been faultless...comfortable on long hauls with a real world range of 450 km on motorway runs in summer. The comment about a petrol equivalent being 'just as cheap to run as an EV' is totally wrong. Last year I spent €746 driving 20,963 km. That same distance in the Niro hybrid (assuming 5.6l/100 km or 50 mpg) would have cost €2,054 (using €1.75/litre). Main service costs are half those of the Niro hybrid. We need to get the facts into people's heads about the much lower running costs of EVs.
I have my e-Niro at 177.000 kilometres now with the same experience as you. Came from an Audi A1 diesel. Shiiit the amount of money I’ve saved over the time. 😂
@@christianfensbo6980 Good to hear from you. You do a lot more driving than me so I guess the more you drive the more you save. I've just reported out on my 105,000 service and a change of front tyres, see Kia e-Niro Diaries Encore on UA-cam.
@@hugovale6360 The Volvo also has a gray as fuck interior but he called that interior beautiful. Like, this dude is clearly a terrible reviewer. He isn't even consistent with his own opinions lmao. Its not that I took it personal, its that this dude doesn't know what he's talking about lol.
Top gear always had the balls to give real opinions on things. Remember a guy named Jeremy clarkson? Thats what sets them apart. The kia is a good grandmother car
Firstly the Volvo doesn't just have gray, you have the choice between 4 different colors and secondly, the quality of the materials is far superior in the Volvo.
The same EX30 Autocar said had a touchscreen control concept that was beyond frustrating, and borderline unusable is your pick? And also said "ease-of-use, clarity, simple functionality" are all missing. This is what happens when your "review" is limited to a drive around an old airfield and judging an interior based on superficial aesthetics rather than living with a vehicle and really getting to experience it's usability.
@@rantingyoof6960i like the BYD atto3, but that interior is exactly what put me off it. That guitar string thing is absolutely useless, and the air vents and door handles do look incredibly stupid. I ended up getting the BYD seal, mainly because it’s more than half the price of a tesla model 3 where I live, but also because it doesnt have the atto3’s “quirky” interior bits
Just shows how top gear chooses it's info wisely lol. The range of the Smart isn't 197 it's 267, that version is the premium with a heat pump, you've quoted the Brabus model range.
@@krizndzone I think a lot of the reviews for the Smart quote stuff from the Brabus version, such as Range, handling, ride etc when the lower models are all better in that regard. All the other reviews I've seen praise its handling and ride such as Carwow, so, like I said maybe Top Gear just wanted the Volvo to win. Doesn't really matter though Geely wins either way.
1. Atto3 is third biggest selling EV in Australia by a big margin. I really like the funk interior. Bass player and surfer so the guitar strings and whale underside on the dash appeal to me. 2. EX 30 one centre display. I think I read the EU won’t allow full safety rating for a car without a HUD (or binnacle in driver’s line of sight. I recently rented a Model Y which was wonderful except for looking sideways for key data.
I think Stellantis EV stuff is ridiculously expensive for what is a compromised platform, but I struggle to see how they'd cost as much to run as the ICE equivalents, particularly when the 1.2 Puretech inevitably sharts its wet belt after four years.
Luckily they gave the engine to FIAT and it came out with a chain instead of the belt and a VGT for the Alfa/Lancia use case. They remembered FIAT makes the best small engines.
@@marieaudreyduchamp8839 the Scenic, while not as quirky as it was originally and having the same copy pasta silhouette as every other SUV on the road, also looks good. Well thought out internally.
Yes, that was an odd throwaway line - I have the feeling that the reviewer neither likes nor owns EVs, otherwise he would see that (after the higher purchase price) they are a lot cheaper to run..
My dad drives a heavy, relatively inefficient EV that shares an ICE platform. He has access to a home charger (not everyone does obviously). He's covered 7000 miles so far at a cost of £300 or thereabouts. Ignoring depreciation (quite tricky, because holy shit) it's very cheap to 'fuel'.
I don't want any of these. Not because they're electric, but because there's no advantage of having a crossover rather than a simple hatchback. All they allow is the manufacturers to charge us more.
You are not actually looking at the vehicles then. If you actually did, you’d see that most of them are hatch backs with black cladding. There are sedans with the same amount of ground clearance as some of these cars…
Idiotic take. While I understand enthusiasts' lamenting the ubiquity of appliance "crossovers", the fact of the matter is these all handle better (and probably even have a lower center of gravity) than even "hot" hatches of your youth, with the added practicality (ground clearance) and comfort (visibility, ease of passenger egress/ingress) of being "crossovers"
I'm not sure about that based on the Volvo's size. It's just so small. I still think the XC60 will be Volvo's best-selling car and at some point, the EX60. The US doesn't go for very small cars and even the much bigger (than EX30) XC40 doesn't outsell the XC60.
um there are different cars for different needs?? If you have no kids and live in the city, why buy a car with useless back seat space if you just dont need it?
Bizarrely irrational and annoying review. I really can’t understand why you would dismiss the Kia, particularly as you made the assumption at the end that buyers are either a young family or couple. While I’m neither of those things, I suspect the Kia’s practicality, reliability and warranty would make it an excellent family car.
There was a claim that BYD has the same battery and motor as the others. What? That's a bit unprofessional. BYD have +10additional KWh compared to Jeep and it is LFP that less flammable and can be always charged to 100% while in a Jeep you have to charge to 80% max daily. So, you end up with completely different daily range. Plus, BYD has mote tech and heat pump and glass roof as standard. and the motor outputs 160KW also more powerful than Jeep.
all he wanted to talk about the interior, which he didn't personally like, and then refused to talk about it anymore. very unprofessional. I love the Atto 3 ❤
I actually stopped watching there and disliked the video. I also have an Atto 3, the battery is what drove me to BYD: you don’t have to baby sit the battery, you charge it weekly to 100% and that’s it. Heck you can charge it to 100% daily and the battery won’t care. With the heat pump you don’t have to worry too much about cold weather.
Yeah... I would say the Kona is one of the best ones albeit yes it's not as pretty but price/value considered, I don't understand why they didn't even talk about it. Mechanically I would say it's got one of if not the best range and efficiency for it's battery size.
He disregarded it because of the interior, which is insane! The white leather interior is so pretty. Also, it's easily the least fiddly interior out of all the finalists.
Having physical controls is fine, but having too many is not. Just by looking at it you see that there is way too much going on. Look over practicality - typical French design (when they don't overdo then car is actually cool).
Seems a purely commercial decision to me, because the major bunch of cars are in fact crossovers now? So in order to convince buyers into going EV, the manufacturers have to tap into what people are buying? I was hoping they'd make an estate version of the Polestar 2 myself.
If I was any of these manufacturers, I'd refuse to send any more cars to this guy. All the effort to get them a car, and they dismiss it in mere seconds?
@@timaustin2000 That was an absolutely crackers take lol i have a hyundai ioniq 5 (awd 320bhp version) that costs less than a tenna to fully charge from empty but its never empty when i charge it at the end of the week and i end up just doing weekly top up charges costing 3-4 quid. Our previous car was a 2023 seat tarraco and that was in the region of £30-40 a week for the same miles driven. I dont know on what planet they come to the conclusion the petrol versions could be almost as cheap to run, most people considering an EV will almost certainly be considering a home charger install, it can be more expensive at public chargers, it might even be the case that £20 petrol will take you further than £20 electricity from a public charger but its close enough that if you have a home charger where the car will charge 90 percent of the time that completely blows up any argument running costs could be just as good on petrol, no chance... but they just dont mention this for some reason.
following history, jeremy clarkson, hammond and may established Top Gear so that it could then be used to advertise to fans whatever the motor world wanted
I would have more confidence in your review if in the first minute you did not get the name of the first car wrong. The eNiro is NOT the car you show, it is a Niro EV which is a different model
I have the Megane E-Tech and I love it. The EX30 is also very nice but I hate thinking that less = better. No screen behind the steering wheel? Lack of buttons and everything has to be operated via the touch screen? Those are no pros to me, therefore I chose the Megane over the EX30.
Precisely. In the case of the Megane E tec, at least is gets pretty close to a proper hatchback. Personally, I wish the VW ID 3 and the Capra Born were a bit better than what they actually are because they are proper hatchbacks.
@@ewadgeHatchbacks need a proper boot you can actually put stuff in. Otherwise there's no point in the hatch in the back. Ever look at the boot in the ID3? It's tiny. Megane's boot is huge in comparison.
great comparison, thank you. After 3 (happy) years with a Tesla M3 LR, I am considering renting an EX3 this Summer (6 months), thus avoiding value loss when better batteries (WLTP on the EX30 is not good enough when living in Norway and enjoying longer trips) enter the market the next couple of years. This comparison (almost) nails it for me.
Excuse me, I thought @topgear made quality content. You lost all credibility stating that "EVs are not for everyone". There is so much misleading information here that I really hope Robert Llewellyn and his team at Stop Burning Stuff chimes in here with some factual information. This video was embarrassing tbh.
In none of these reviews they mention the average maintenance cost for these EVs. These legacy automakers have not figured out what to do with their resellers. This means you will still need to pay very expensive periodic maintenance, even if it's an EV. They will find any excuse to make you drive back to the reseller every year just to have some fluid changed or "something" checked.
I’ve driven most of these cars and I think the Kia is the best car, I would never buy a stelantis group car again because of the crap after sales service and massive depreciation.
I had the megane for 6 months and I absolutely loved it. Wasn't quite big enough for my growing family of 5 and the range during 0°c was barely 150 miles, but the cars quality, infotainment and looks are second to none that I checked out 12 months ago.... the volvo wasn't available then but I still think I would have went for the megane. Lifestyle meant it wasn't for us and now we have a honda ZR-V advance e-hev and we love that too!!
the problem with the design of the volvo's interior is while it may look nice, they've done the daft thing of removing as many physical controls as possible
I'm 1m26 and it's disappointing. The battery in these vehicles isn't 50kWh, it's 54 but 51 usable. Please get the facts correct when doing these videos.
So the Kona is a better Niro? With less space inside, less comfortable seats, a shorter warranty and a smaller boot? It's a cracking car, don't get me wrong, but it's the cheaper cousin of the Niro for a reason. Maybe reviewing cars isn't really for you, my friend.
really nice video, funny thing is he said everything I was thinking about the diferent models. Thanks guys, nice content. This video helpt me with my choice!
Why get a car reviewer who hates cars? I'm guessing he drinks petrol and wants a Range Rover SVR that may ignite at any point and burn down an airport carpark? I'm guessing TopGear still takes bribes!
Here in the US Pacific NW I have had my eye on the EX30. Many of these EVs are not available here. But yes, no need for AWD so extended range RWD seems perfect for a retired couple.
EX30 has no physical button, no HUD, and that is a total deal breaker to me. Among this group I would pick Kona (they have a light and more colorful interior), but honestly none is ideal. What about iX1 and new Countryman? Too expensive?
I have had another brand of EV, and now a Tesla, the supercharging network is worth more than anything anyone else is offering. Never having to worry about charging, makes all the difference in the world.
@@Visualhead_Spacer and then you need another car to take any sort of trip away from home, because the other charging systems are utterly unreliable and sparse
Not a bad video but a bit gimmicky. Attempt at constructive criticism: make jokes and humor more natural. Also, if you say something is bad from a subjective point of view, it would be nice to see what you mean. When you were going over the Citroen, Peugeot, and the first Chinese car, you mentioned how cheap certain parts of it were. I couldn't tell how cheap it was...especially the interior door handle on the first Chinese model. To me, I saw that door handle in a unique and convenient position and it's action was smooth and quiet. Maybe it's just me, but I feel there is room for improvement. After the first mention of the Volvo, I noticed some more consistent reviews of the cars.
The EX30 has a current wait time of 7 months, make sure you order early! The Megane has a tiny boot and if you’re over 6 foot tall zero room for a passenger behind the drivers seat. I wanted a decent size estate with 300+ mile range, the only car available/coming is the BMW i5 Touring which is way over my budget. after testing most of these cars and those in the bracket above (IONIQ 5, GT6, Teslas, polestar etc), I take delivery of my Kona in a few weeks
Nice vid, makes me want to check out the EX30 when my KIA Niron EV lease is up soon. The Niro EV has been great but we need something bigger for our household. Its just too small.
No mentioning of the elephant in the room that is the Chinese tariffs applied to cars originating from Chinese manufacturers. Chinese Tesla’s don’t suffer this but BYD certainly do for obvious reasons. The BYD Seal can be had for £31k in Thailand / Australia….or £46k in the UK…..same car….mental. ….and before someone tries to correct me….yes they’re UK applied tariffs on Chinese imports…that’s what I meant.
Whilst I am bias (I own one) I think the Megane is the best looking car (beauty being in the eye of the beholder) and my first 13 months with it have been superb. I home charge, have taken it on trips from Jersey where I live twice to Yorkshire and once to Lake Garda, and it is the perfect size for myself my wife and our two large dogs. The boot space, at 440 litres is good and the tech works and is not fiddly (physical buttons! Yay 😀). I agree the Volvo looks nice and it would have come under serious consideration had it been available when I bought mine. I would have had to make a choice between a bit more speed versus a far superior infotainment experience. The good news is that choice is growing and price is beginning to reduce (too late for my purchase but given that I want to see far more EV’s on the road I am happy it’s happening). Personally wouldn’t buy a Chinese car (oppressive regime etc) which is also a half mark against the Volvo (dragon in reindeers clothing?).
And also the byd is a nice looking car when you see it in person and to the Peugeot my friend made a great point about the driving position and it feels completely different if you cover the screen behind the wheel and no not to use like that but just so you can see how much different it feels and it just goes to show what visual effects have on you....
Smart #1 and the ex30 both have 1600kg towing capacity. Also if the #1 has a curb weight of 1800kg that's a good start for towing even if it only has a 80-100 mile towing range it's well within nearly all of our caravan holidays distance 😁. One thing I have seen on the ex30 was the Speedo ect is all in the central tablet not on a dedicated display so that's another win for the smart #1. Also the smart #1 we looked round had rear seats that slid back and forth and locked at 90° which for a couple with just dogs is great for loading up all the stuff for a holiday as no leg room needed and 90° backrests is not an issue heck makes it easier to get the suitcases in 😁 Not sure any of the others even have towing in this price or class either 😮 Looking at those brakes on the mg it's a good thing it's not raited to tow it will never stop 😂
Great video, except the guff about the petrol versions being as cheap to run as pure electric. Which is complete nonsense. Excepting that, it was a good round up of current family EV's and I'd take the EX30 out of the bunch. And before you hit the dislike button, yes I am an EV driver, and recently had to drive a perfectly good VW courtesy car (Polo R DSG) and while it was fine, it's like stepping back 10 years. I was glad to be back in my ID.3.
what a chaotic review - didn’t comment properly on half the cars shown, dismissed some of them based on personal preference, and didn’t seem to approach the review with any logic at all - all while being insufferably sarcastic
This guy just showed up to look at these cars, decided the Volvo looks best and that's what he went with. Oh, I'm sorry you only test drove 2 cars? IT'S YOUR JOB TO DRIVE THEM ALL! HOW CAN YOU RECOMMEND A CAR IF YOU HAVEN'T DRIVEN IT ?!?? Woeful journalism this.
I think the only negative on the EX30 is the space in the back seats and maybe the limited efficiency, but the price is right and you get a lot of great car for the money. The Smart has a variable rear seat arrangement, very nice to have and overall probably the best useable space? The Renault has a poor range, despite its brilliant cockpit with big screens and the native Google system. I have the Niro EV, see more pros than cons, so I like it and I totally agree with you that the new Kona is the improved Niro. Does any of these compact SUVs have 800V oder 400V with higher currents DC charging? That is the reason why I would not recommend my Niro EV to anyone driving long distance a lot, because max. 85KW is quite a joke, but fine with my mode of operation. I am very happy to see so many choices that didn't exist two years ago when I ordered my car. I wonder how the EV4 will turn out end of the year or beginning next year?! Greetings from Germany
@@imbethondion4572 "This is the smart #1. And yes, you are meant to say “Hashtag One” in full like someone who has just discovered this crazy new piece of tech called ‘The Internet’. " You can just google TG Smart #1
Which EV crossover are you picking?
Model 3 standard range probably
The Porsche 911 992 GT3 RS
Mg4 Xpower. Actual monthly cost is same as the MG4 SE and much cheaper than the Volvo but with 430bhp..
Am taking the Renault ❤
Renault Megane every day of the week
is this how Top Gear does car reviews now ? yeah why bother driving when you can pick a car just by looking at its interior !!
Then again, it is a very important factor since you'd be spending 95% of your time inside the car
@@brent9369but umm, you will be driving there too
It's a freaking SUV, what do you expect by driving? It will drive like a closet.
@@hugovale6360 for instance he said Volvo got the best cabin design by a country mile , yet to adjust the mirrors you need to access the main menu then select mirrors then adjust it with arrows , it's all good if you are living inside the cabin and not driving !
@@lakshithaudara how often are you adjusting your mirrors? You do it once and save a profile that gets loaded the next time you drive
You rejected the Kona for its grey interior and raved about the Volvo’s grey interior. The Megan was also grey inside.
How about some consistency?
Very bad reviewer. Kona and Niro are the best here, with biggest mileage.
@@ivand911Best in what? Space? Agreed. In power/towing capacity, DC charging speed? No.
@@markvanloo309 Maybe not but this video was about the man telling us the budget EVs he likes, that's it. The reason for rejecting cars were never to clear, some were even rejected on looks, are you kidding me? None of these cars are beauties. This is a video that shouldn't have really been made.
HE is the reason why buttons are disappearing from cars , he is GUILTY !!!
The difference between them is that cheaper Hyundai/Kia interiors can be drab and have cheap materials. Low end Volvos still have good variety of materials and selections.
As a Swede, considering the twin-motor option on the EX30 is not just about getting the extra performance, but to get actual AWD during our snowy winters ❄️🚗💨
Agreed, or pulling out of a wet/greasy side road
Traction control on a electric motor I'd far superior to ice. I've seen videos of a model 3 rwd in snow with no trouble at all.
And the 4wd can toe more
Congrats! Nice Chinese car mate!
@@etbadaboum : go buy it now before the EU raises import duties by 40% later this year.
5 years and 98,000 km into Kia e-Niro ownership and I have to say it has been faultless...comfortable on long hauls with a real world range of 450 km on motorway runs in summer. The comment about a petrol equivalent being 'just as cheap to run as an EV' is totally wrong. Last year I spent €746 driving 20,963 km. That same distance in the Niro hybrid (assuming 5.6l/100 km or 50 mpg) would have cost €2,054 (using €1.75/litre). Main service costs are half those of the Niro hybrid. We need to get the facts into people's heads about the much lower running costs of EVs.
I have my e-Niro at 177.000 kilometres now with the same experience as you.
Came from an Audi A1 diesel. Shiiit the amount of money I’ve saved over the time. 😂
@@christianfensbo6980 Good to hear from you. You do a lot more driving than me so I guess the more you drive the more you save. I've just reported out on my 105,000 service and a change of front tyres, see Kia e-Niro Diaries Encore on UA-cam.
Disqualifying the Kona simply the guy didn't like the gray interior is just pathetic. That alone tells you about the credibility of this test. 💀
Well, seems like somebody likes the Kona and took it personal
@@hugovale6360 The Volvo also has a gray as fuck interior but he called that interior beautiful. Like, this dude is clearly a terrible reviewer. He isn't even consistent with his own opinions lmao.
Its not that I took it personal, its that this dude doesn't know what he's talking about lol.
@@TheBlueCreeper-cry baby
Top gear always had the balls to give real opinions on things. Remember a guy named Jeremy clarkson? Thats what sets them apart. The kia is a good grandmother car
Firstly the Volvo doesn't just have gray, you have the choice between 4 different colors and secondly, the quality of the materials is far superior in the Volvo.
The same EX30 Autocar said had a touchscreen control concept that was beyond frustrating, and borderline unusable is your pick? And also said "ease-of-use, clarity, simple functionality" are all missing. This is what happens when your "review" is limited to a drive around an old airfield and judging an interior based on superficial aesthetics rather than living with a vehicle and really getting to experience it's usability.
Agreed 100%.
Absolutely this. The BYD, which I think is at an ambitious price point now, nonetheless deserved much more than what it received in this film.
@@rantingyoof6960yeah, disqualifying because of air vent styling reeks of a rushed video.
Byd owners are angry here ee
@@rantingyoof6960i like the BYD atto3, but that interior is exactly what put me off it. That guitar string thing is absolutely useless, and the air vents and door handles do look incredibly stupid. I ended up getting the BYD seal, mainly because it’s more than half the price of a tesla model 3 where I live, but also because it doesnt have the atto3’s “quirky” interior bits
Just shows how top gear chooses it's info wisely lol. The range of the Smart isn't 197 it's 267, that version is the premium with a heat pump, you've quoted the Brabus model range.
The base model in smart #1 (pro +) got 260 miles. I don’t know where did this presenter got his information about the car. That presenter is a clown 😂
@@krizndzone I think a lot of the reviews for the Smart quote stuff from the Brabus version, such as Range, handling, ride etc when the lower models are all better in that regard. All the other reviews I've seen praise its handling and ride such as Carwow, so, like I said maybe Top Gear just wanted the Volvo to win. Doesn't really matter though Geely wins either way.
@@stevejewiss532I bet topgear received a big amount of payment from Volvo to advertise their EX30 😂
@@krizndzoneHe is annoying, irritating and also looks shit 😂
@@krizndzonethe base model of the #1 is actually the Pro, which has the smaller range, but I agree he is a clown!
1. Atto3 is third biggest selling EV in Australia by a big margin. I really like the funk interior. Bass player and surfer so the guitar strings and whale underside on the dash appeal to me.
2. EX 30 one centre display. I think I read the EU won’t allow full safety rating for a car without a HUD (or binnacle in driver’s line of sight. I recently rented a Model Y which was wonderful except for looking sideways for key data.
The one question this "review" raises is why is top gear still a thing?
I think Stellantis EV stuff is ridiculously expensive for what is a compromised platform, but I struggle to see how they'd cost as much to run as the ICE equivalents, particularly when the 1.2 Puretech inevitably sharts its wet belt after four years.
Luckily they gave the engine to FIAT and it came out with a chain instead of the belt and a VGT for the Alfa/Lancia use case.
They remembered FIAT makes the best small engines.
That purtech engine is a disaster for sure…
The megane is far superior to all the other junk
@@marieaudreyduchamp8839 the Scenic, while not as quirky as it was originally and having the same copy pasta silhouette as every other SUV on the road, also looks good. Well thought out internally.
Yes, that was an odd throwaway line - I have the feeling that the reviewer neither likes nor owns EVs, otherwise he would see that (after the higher purchase price) they are a lot cheaper to run..
Kona , have one, do 500miles a week so the extra range is helpful, loads of kit, is a bit gray but very happy with it.
The way he discarded the Kia 😅😅😅 man Top Gear is seeing new lows everyday
Saying the ICE versions are just as cheap to run compared to the EV versions is just not true…
Let's talk again, in 8-10 years, when you will have to pay 20k+ for a new battery, then we can talk about running costs.
@@IncoG8 On those crappy little Stellantis engines in 10 years you have to switch out the engine. Moot point.
@@IncoG8 Estimated 2% of batteries to be replaced at 10 years.
The video lost all credibility when the presenter put that misinformation out.
My dad drives a heavy, relatively inefficient EV that shares an ICE platform. He has access to a home charger (not everyone does obviously). He's covered 7000 miles so far at a cost of £300 or thereabouts.
Ignoring depreciation (quite tricky, because holy shit) it's very cheap to 'fuel'.
I don't want any of these. Not because they're electric, but because there's no advantage of having a crossover rather than a simple hatchback. All they allow is the manufacturers to charge us more.
You are not actually looking at the vehicles then. If you actually did, you’d see that most of them are hatch backs with black cladding. There are sedans with the same amount of ground clearance as some of these cars…
Crossover Volvo EX30 is in fact identical to hatchback VW ID3 in dimensions. I consider the Volvo a hatchback, as well as many others.
Idiotic take. While I understand enthusiasts' lamenting the ubiquity of appliance "crossovers", the fact of the matter is these all handle better (and probably even have a lower center of gravity) than even "hot" hatches of your youth, with the added practicality (ground clearance) and comfort (visibility, ease of passenger egress/ingress) of being "crossovers"
ANYONE who says a CrossOver looks "cool" Is probably an owner of a Stanley Cup😂
@@chrisk.6531They may be comparable to old ones, but the new ones wipe the floor with them.
In the US we don't have all those choices. However, the most desirable and premium looking one is the Volvo EX30. I think they will sell out here.
I'm not sure about that based on the Volvo's size. It's just so small. I still think the XC60 will be Volvo's best-selling car and at some point, the EX60. The US doesn't go for very small cars and even the much bigger (than EX30) XC40 doesn't outsell the XC60.
Forgot to show how awefull small the rearsets are in the Volvo ex30😂
I've watched reviews of the Volvo and those rear seats are beyond tiny. They made me question why the car exists.
Ikr. A deal breaker for me. No space for legroom. That shit is mental. Seriously made by chinese, for chinese.... 😂
"forgot" :)
um there are different cars for different needs?? If you have no kids and live in the city, why buy a car with useless back seat space if you just dont need it?
@@savedfaves answer, demographic shift.
Bizarrely irrational and annoying review. I really can’t understand why you would dismiss the Kia, particularly as you made the assumption at the end that buyers are either a young family or couple. While I’m neither of those things, I suspect the Kia’s practicality, reliability and warranty would make it an excellent family car.
That's excatly what he said. You're one of those practicality lovers who will choose the Kia anyways, so you shouldn't have watched it until te end.
Salty af 😂😂😂😂
Keep crying
Kia is trash and hyundai too
@@sachab6098😂, neither have been for decades ! Just won car of the year !
@@sachab6098Are you a mushroom cos it's a shittake
There was a claim that BYD has the same battery and motor as the others. What? That's a bit unprofessional. BYD have +10additional KWh compared to Jeep and it is LFP that less flammable and can be always charged to 100% while in a Jeep you have to charge to 80% max daily. So, you end up with completely different daily range. Plus, BYD has mote tech and heat pump and glass roof as standard. and the motor outputs 160KW also more powerful than Jeep.
all he wanted to talk about the interior, which he didn't personally like, and then refused to talk about it anymore. very unprofessional. I love the Atto 3 ❤
I actually stopped watching there and disliked the video. I also have an Atto 3, the battery is what drove me to BYD: you don’t have to baby sit the battery, you charge it weekly to 100% and that’s it. Heck you can charge it to 100% daily and the battery won’t care. With the heat pump you don’t have to worry too much about cold weather.
No had no idea about any of the tech, he is just a dick
Disregarding the Kona was a joke
Genuinely, what more is there to talk about?
Yeah... I would say the Kona is one of the best ones albeit yes it's not as pretty but price/value considered, I don't understand why they didn't even talk about it.
Mechanically I would say it's got one of if not the best range and efficiency for it's battery size.
He disregarded it because of the interior, which is insane! The white leather interior is so pretty. Also, it's easily the least fiddly interior out of all the finalists.
@@Lechkatathis “presenter” def has odd taste
@@EndeavorsDnBas if he decides which cars are selected lol
How can having more physical controls can be a point against the Megane? It’s more comfortable and safer.
Having physical controls is fine, but having too many is not. Just by looking at it you see that there is way too much going on. Look over practicality - typical French design (when they don't overdo then car is actually cool).
Kia Niro makes the best argument amongst these EV cars. Think volvo sponsored these guys 😂
Petrol versions as cheap to run? Really? Come on....!
Why dont they just make electric V70 ? Why does every EV has to be a small crossover. Half the cars I see outside are VW or Skoda station wagons...
Heck yes, Volvo station EV would be awesome, V70XC EV please
Seems a purely commercial decision to me, because the major bunch of cars are in fact crossovers now? So in order to convince buyers into going EV, the manufacturers have to tap into what people are buying? I was hoping they'd make an estate version of the Polestar 2 myself.
EX90 if you want big
this video was unprofessional and contradicting things top gear themselves said about those car in other videos
Just love he keeps speaking with the price tag of the base ex30 while driving a much higher trim.
That was the current UK base model. Higher trim either has bigger wheels, a bigger battery or two motors.
As a swede, I do love the car. I should not be able to use this keyboard however, as I have no hands, being a root vegetable and all.
If I was any of these manufacturers, I'd refuse to send any more cars to this guy. All the effort to get them a car, and they dismiss it in mere seconds?
He is such a pro car reviewer... 😂😂😂
He is like that relative you would like to smack in the face every Xmas
WOOOOOOW such bollocks on the "Just as cheap to run". This isn't even REMOTELY true.
Exactly what I thought! What going on with the Top Gear team?
Yes some fact=checking would have been nice.
It can be true if you can't charge at home but then don't buy an EV.
@@erik.... Indeed though even public charging rates are coming back down.
@@timaustin2000 That was an absolutely crackers take lol i have a hyundai ioniq 5 (awd 320bhp version) that costs less than a tenna to fully charge from empty but its never empty when i charge it at the end of the week and i end up just doing weekly top up charges costing 3-4 quid. Our previous car was a 2023 seat tarraco and that was in the region of £30-40 a week for the same miles driven.
I dont know on what planet they come to the conclusion the petrol versions could be almost as cheap to run, most people considering an EV will almost certainly be considering a home charger install, it can be more expensive at public chargers, it might even be the case that £20 petrol will take you further than £20 electricity from a public charger but its close enough that if you have a home charger where the car will charge 90 percent of the time that completely blows up any argument running costs could be just as good on petrol, no chance... but they just dont mention this for some reason.
was behind a EX30 yeasterday, looks much better in person
following history, jeremy clarkson, hammond and may established Top Gear so that it could then be used to advertise to fans whatever the motor world wanted
I would have more confidence in your review if in the first minute you did not get the name of the first car wrong. The eNiro is NOT the car you show, it is a Niro EV which is a different model
Ollie woke up that morning and chose chaos 😂
I have the Megane E-Tech and I love it. The EX30 is also very nice but I hate thinking that less = better. No screen behind the steering wheel? Lack of buttons and everything has to be operated via the touch screen? Those are no pros to me, therefore I chose the Megane over the EX30.
A number of those ‘crossovers’ are marketing descriptions as many are hatchbacks.
Is there such a thing as a crossover that isn't a hatchback?
Precisely. In the case of the Megane E tec, at least is gets pretty close to a proper hatchback. Personally, I wish the VW ID 3 and the Capra Born were a bit better than what they actually are because they are proper hatchbacks.
Shhh, don't say anything. It gets people to buy these thinking they're crossovers when in reality it's keeping hatchbacks alive!
@@ewadgeHatchbacks need a proper boot you can actually put stuff in. Otherwise there's no point in the hatch in the back. Ever look at the boot in the ID3? It's tiny. Megane's boot is huge in comparison.
great comparison, thank you. After 3 (happy) years with a Tesla M3 LR, I am considering renting an EX3 this Summer (6 months), thus avoiding value loss when better batteries (WLTP on the EX30 is not good enough when living in Norway and enjoying longer trips) enter the market the next couple of years. This comparison (almost) nails it for me.
If the Model Y isn't included, then the comparison is worthless. It's the benchmark.
10k extra
Not an suv. Just a fat hatchback
benchmark of what??? ... hhahahahaha
11:53 - “A lot more cleaner”. Where do they find these people?
I test drived both and I prefer the megane. But the interior of the Volvo is cleaner and more minimalistic
Excuse me, I thought @topgear made quality content. You lost all credibility stating that "EVs are not for everyone". There is so much misleading information here that I really hope Robert Llewellyn and his team at Stop Burning Stuff chimes in here with some factual information. This video was embarrassing tbh.
In none of these reviews they mention the average maintenance cost for these EVs. These legacy automakers have not figured out what to do with their resellers. This means you will still need to pay very expensive periodic maintenance, even if it's an EV. They will find any excuse to make you drive back to the reseller every year just to have some fluid changed or "something" checked.
Volvo EX30...ordered 👌
The Smart #1 was a nice option though
Huh? Those are your bases for rejecting the Atto 3? Come on Marriage.
ikr, so unprofessional 😂. didnt even go into the BYD batteries. he even said they use "the same battery" which they absolutely do not
There are so many things incorrect in this video that the journalist should hand in his accreditation and start selling used cars
Yeah!!! The thing about journalism seems country miles distant from this… well-filmed but uncompromised with the truth, video
I’ve driven most of these cars and I think the Kia is the best car, I would never buy a stelantis group car again because of the crap after sales service and massive depreciation.
I had the megane for 6 months and I absolutely loved it. Wasn't quite big enough for my growing family of 5 and the range during 0°c was barely 150 miles, but the cars quality, infotainment and looks are second to none that I checked out 12 months ago.... the volvo wasn't available then but I still think I would have went for the megane. Lifestyle meant it wasn't for us and now we have a honda ZR-V advance e-hev and we love that too!!
were you doing motorway driving I'm considering downsizing from a key ev6 to a megane but 150 miles in winter is very poor compared to the ev6
Can you tune the strings on the BYD pockets so they play defined chords? Could be an attraction....
13:12 THE SMART IS NOT WORTH DRIVING hahahahaha that cracked me.
Where’s the model y
The video is about £35k cars, the Model Y is £10k more. Although one has to be careful because with options these can get to that price quick.
Who cares? Nice to have EV reviews without any mention of Tesla.
the problem with the design of the volvo's interior is while it may look nice, they've done the daft thing of removing as many physical controls as possible
I'm 1m26 and it's disappointing. The battery in these vehicles isn't 50kWh, it's 54 but 51 usable. Please get the facts correct when doing these videos.
Model Y, best car of every kind‼️
And the most beautiful too... 😂
So the Kona is a better Niro? With less space inside, less comfortable seats, a shorter warranty and a smaller boot? It's a cracking car, don't get me wrong, but it's the cheaper cousin of the Niro for a reason. Maybe reviewing cars isn't really for you, my friend.
really nice video, funny thing is he said everything I was thinking about the diferent models. Thanks guys, nice content. This video helpt me with my choice!
Why get a car reviewer who hates cars? I'm guessing he drinks petrol and wants a Range Rover SVR that may ignite at any point and burn down an airport carpark? I'm guessing TopGear still takes bribes!
Is it the entry or the range extender you're driving? would be good if you clarified - thanks
Here in the US Pacific NW I have had my eye on the EX30. Many of these EVs are not available here. But yes, no need for AWD so extended range RWD seems perfect for a retired couple.
Good upfront, honest reviews of the cars, just what I needed…
EX30 has no physical button, no HUD, and that is a total deal breaker to me. Among this group I would pick Kona (they have a light and more colorful interior), but honestly none is ideal. What about iX1 and new Countryman? Too expensive?
Top Gear is officially a joke!
Why? This is my first TG video in years and it seemed pretty good to me.
@@Ezinma88 Look at their comment question, answers itself.
Why? No more of that jerk?😂😂😂
You should have put “commercial” on the upper corner
12:45 Shouldn’t brakes have to deal with the speed and weight of a car rather than the power of the engine?
Aren't they supposed to declare when its na advert.
where is the model y??
In the Elon Musk doghouse...AND IN MY OWN GARAGE!!! Best vehicle I've ever driven.
I have had another brand of EV, and now a Tesla, the supercharging network is worth more than anything anyone else is offering. Never having to worry about charging, makes all the difference in the world.
95% of people charge at home, I rather have a quality drive, quality of car dynamic experience than a Tesla.
@@Visualhead_Spacer and then you need another car to take any sort of trip away from home, because the other charging systems are utterly unreliable and sparse
@@Visualhead_Spacer The Model Y Long Range has a fine drive quality and you can't beat 425 hp for a "dynamic" experience.
Not a bad video but a bit gimmicky. Attempt at constructive criticism: make jokes and humor more natural. Also, if you say something is bad from a subjective point of view, it would be nice to see what you mean. When you were going over the Citroen, Peugeot, and the first Chinese car, you mentioned how cheap certain parts of it were. I couldn't tell how cheap it was...especially the interior door handle on the first Chinese model. To me, I saw that door handle in a unique and convenient position and it's action was smooth and quiet.
Maybe it's just me, but I feel there is room for improvement. After the first mention of the Volvo, I noticed some more consistent reviews of the cars.
The EX30 has a current wait time of 7 months, make sure you order early!
The Megane has a tiny boot and if you’re over 6 foot tall zero room for a passenger behind the drivers seat.
I wanted a decent size estate with 300+ mile range, the only car available/coming is the BMW i5 Touring which is way over my budget. after testing most of these cars and those in the bracket above (IONIQ 5, GT6, Teslas, polestar etc), I take delivery of my Kona in a few weeks
Nice vid, makes me want to check out the EX30 when my KIA Niron EV lease is up soon. The Niro EV has been great but we need something bigger for our household. Its just too small.
The BYD Atto 3 is a great car and outside of Europe its really cheap as far as EV's are concerned
If there’s one thing I’m exited about in the video, it’s the
No mentioning of the elephant in the room that is the Chinese tariffs applied to cars originating from Chinese manufacturers. Chinese Tesla’s don’t suffer this but BYD certainly do for obvious reasons. The BYD Seal can be had for £31k in Thailand / Australia….or £46k in the UK…..same car….mental. ….and before someone tries to correct me….yes they’re UK applied tariffs on Chinese imports…that’s what I meant.
The Smart #3 is a step up on the #1 driving wise and I found it a lot quieter that the EX30 when i drove both back-to-back.
Why do you keep slamming Kia and Hyundai? Both are exellent for what they are
Whilst I am bias (I own one) I think the Megane is the best looking car (beauty being in the eye of the beholder) and my first 13 months with it have been superb. I home charge, have taken it on trips from Jersey where I live twice to Yorkshire and once to Lake Garda, and it is the perfect size for myself my wife and our two large dogs. The boot space, at 440 litres is good and the tech works and is not fiddly (physical buttons! Yay 😀). I agree the Volvo looks nice and it would have come under serious consideration had it been available when I bought mine. I would have had to make a choice between a bit more speed versus a far superior infotainment experience. The good news is that choice is growing and price is beginning to reduce (too late for my purchase but given that I want to see far more EV’s on the road I am happy it’s happening). Personally wouldn’t buy a Chinese car (oppressive regime etc) which is also a half mark against the Volvo (dragon in reindeers clothing?).
The EX30 with the twin motor is amazing fun and definitely worth the extra, it's hilariously fast.
wow an ev crossover. exactly what i needed !!
I'm confused why they included the MG4 instead of the MG ZS EV. Isn't the ZS their crossover?
What a load of bollocks, slams the smart for looks, doesnt drive it and it ends up in the top 3
I know right and they quote the wrong range which is 267. The range they quoted is for the Brabus version.
And also the byd is a nice looking car when you see it in person and to the Peugeot my friend made a great point about the driving position and it feels completely different if you cover the screen behind the wheel and no not to use like that but just so you can see how much different it feels and it just goes to show what visual effects have on you....
Smart #1 and the ex30 both have 1600kg towing capacity.
Also if the #1 has a curb weight of 1800kg that's a good start for towing even if it only has a 80-100 mile towing range it's well within nearly all of our caravan holidays distance 😁.
One thing I have seen on the ex30 was the Speedo ect is all in the central tablet not on a dedicated display so that's another win for the smart #1.
Also the smart #1 we looked round had rear seats that slid back and forth and locked at 90° which for a couple with just dogs is great for loading up all the stuff for a holiday as no leg room needed and 90° backrests is not an issue heck makes it easier to get the suitcases in 😁
Not sure any of the others even have towing in this price or class either 😮
Looking at those brakes on the mg it's a good thing it's not raited to tow it will never stop 😂
Being from Slough, I can infact confirm that the interior of the Hyundai is not as grey as Slough.
Great video, except the guff about the petrol versions being as cheap to run as pure electric. Which is complete nonsense. Excepting that, it was a good round up of current family EV's and I'd take the EX30 out of the bunch. And before you hit the dislike button, yes I am an EV driver, and recently had to drive a perfectly good VW courtesy car (Polo R DSG) and while it was fine, it's like stepping back 10 years. I was glad to be back in my ID.3.
what a chaotic review - didn’t comment properly on half the cars shown, dismissed some of them based on personal preference, and didn’t seem to approach the review with any logic at all - all while being insufferably sarcastic
@7:25 the e-2008 is 6kg heavier on the Left Front than the Right Front.
Finally a review that cuts the bullsh*t and gets to the point from the start. I disagree with people, this is a nice video to watch 🎉
This guy just showed up to look at these cars, decided the Volvo looks best and that's what he went with. Oh, I'm sorry you only test drove 2 cars? IT'S YOUR JOB TO DRIVE THEM ALL! HOW CAN YOU RECOMMEND A CAR IF YOU HAVEN'T DRIVEN IT ?!?? Woeful journalism this.
I think the only negative on the EX30 is the space in the back seats and maybe the limited efficiency, but the price is right and you get a lot of great car for the money. The Smart has a variable rear seat arrangement, very nice to have and overall probably the best useable space? The Renault has a poor range, despite its brilliant cockpit with big screens and the native Google system. I have the Niro EV, see more pros than cons, so I like it and I totally agree with you that the new Kona is the improved Niro. Does any of these compact SUVs have 800V oder 400V with higher currents DC charging? That is the reason why I would not recommend my Niro EV to anyone driving long distance a lot, because max. 85KW is quite a joke, but fine with my mode of operation. I am very happy to see so many choices that didn't exist two years ago when I ordered my car. I wonder how the EV4 will turn out end of the year or beginning next year?!
Greetings from Germany
I CANNOT wait to get my hands on the EX30!!! Eagerly awaiting the order portal to open for US buyers.
Worth the wait
It’s a Kia Niro ev not a e Niro plus they are excellent cars. Why do we need posh interiors? It’s comfortable and does everything most others do
I'm curious what was wrong with putting the electric motors in the front . Like how they did with engines. I don't get change that
Top Gear is on a roll, I miss these comparison tests.
Any change of reviewing the scenic e tech ?
Got the EX30 ! A bit of a learning curve coming from a Volvo C40.
Where is Ionic 5?
Another league.
Interested in a comparison between the Volvo and the new MininCountryman
Gotta be honest. This is an old man review saying things like "this is not cool"...
Awful review overall. Subjective rubbish based on aesthetics.
I audibly groaned in disgust when the DS interior popped up on screen 😂😂😂
Thank you for calling it the Smart number 1
Every other car reviewer keeps calling it hashtag one.
Because that's what it's called. Even TG the magazine recognizes this.
@@Afilon How can a magazine pronounce a car model name?
Hashtag one is it’s name 😅
@@AutoSocialUK its #1
nowhere have i seen it confirmed that is pronounced 'hashtag'
# means 'number' to people who arent children
@@imbethondion4572 "This is the smart #1. And yes, you are meant to say “Hashtag One” in full like someone who has just discovered this crazy new piece of tech called ‘The Internet’. "
You can just google TG Smart #1
Like the Peugeot the most, French cars are so alluring
how difficult is it to look in the camera?
i have the EV crossover Geely Geometry C and it's fantastic. I totally adore it. I assume it drives somewhat like the volvo in this video.