Suppose there’s such a thing as the iPhone of cars. If that exists at all, it’s assuredly the Tesla Model Y. Tesla’s midsize electric crossover has earned its stripes as the world’s best-selling electric vehicle (and best-selling single model of car, period) for its unassailable combination of range, power, tech features, price and practicality.
But right as an updated Model Y makes its debut, a lot of people have their reasons for wanting to move on from Tesla. That also coincides with a new crop of highly competitive EVs from other brands that just weren’t in the same class as Tesla five years ago, but are now catching up and even doing some things better.
Our friends at Edmunds highlight the state of play in a new video comparison test of highly-rated electric family crossovers: the new Model Y “Juniper,” the Honda Prologue, the Chevrolet Equinox EV and the updated Hyundai Ioniq 5. Independent of anything else, each of these is a good choice—but one emerges as being truly on par with the Tesla, which until recently was hard to pull off.
In fourth place is the Honda Prologue, 2024’s surprise EV success story. It’s a General Motors EV underneath the skin until Honda starts to do its own thing. But that’s not a bad thing at all—especially as the Prologue adds some Honda vibes but keeps Apple CarPlay, unlike GM’s own cars.
And it’s extra roomy with lots of room for luggage and the biggest cupholders in the test; Honda sure knows how to sell cars to Americans. The Prologue Elite, as tested here, comes in at $59,295 and offers up to 283 miles of range.
Photo by: YouTube
Coming up behind it is the Chevy Equinox EV, our 2024 Breakthrough Award winner and pound-for-pound one of the best electric bargains in America. Edmunds‘ tester comes in at $34,995, and lately it’s been acing the hell out of its range tests with a stunning 356-mile result. (I’ll add that I’ve never experienced anything that good from the Equinox EV, but Edmunds’ local Southern California weather is probably helping a lot.)
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But it’s also smaller than the rest and the sole contender that’s single-motor and front-wheel-drive, so it’s no wonder it does better than its all-wheel-drive counterparts. It “almost gets to the top spot on its value proposition,” tester Brian Wong says.
Photo by: YouTube
Yet what’s really telling about this test is that it ends in a dead heat. Though the Model Y was long the crossover to beat in this space—and indeed, the updated one seems to be very good—it ties with the updated Ioniq 5 here.
Edmunds‘ Model Y Launch Series (which was recently discontinued) comes in at $61,635 and offers an impressive 327 miles of range. It’s got a nicer, quieter cabin, more range, different looks and finally, better ride quality than the previous Model Y.
Wong calls it one of the most comfortable EVs you can buy today—definitely not something you’d say about the last car. And while Tesla’s tech is always good, its Full Self-Driving system “makes some questionable decisions.”
Photo by: YouTube
Wong notes that the Juniper is a “big improvement” for the Model Y, and that the previous generation “would have only gotten third place in this test. But now, it is on equal footing with the Ioniq 5.” That Wong phrased that sentence this way, and not the other way around, says a lot about how Tesla’s competition is getting better and better.
In the Ioniq 5’s case, that means a standard Tesla-style North American Charging Standard plug and native Tesla Supercharger access without an adapter. Coming in loaded at $60,285 and with a range of 282 miles, it’s simply more user-friendly than the Tesla is: buttons, knobs and physical air vents make operation a lot easier than Tesla’s all-screen approach. It also has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a clever sliding center console, a comfortable cabin and punchy performance.
Photo by: YouTube
Is the updated Ioniq 5 now Tesla’s most fearsome competition in the U.S. market? I’d say it’s looking that way, now more than ever. Ultimately, Edmunds‘ Wong said your choice comes down to what you prefer: the Tesla’s “uncompromising minimalism” or the Ioniq 5’s “futuristic familiarity.”
But even the tie verdict makes clear that the Model Y isn’t the default top choice in the EV crossover world anymore, and that alone is a huge advancement for the entire field.
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
