Consumer Reports highlights five top electric vehicles under $50,000, including the Hyundai Ioniq 6, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Kia Niro Electric, Nissan Ariya, and Audi Q4 E-Tron, emphasizing their range, features, and reliability for budget-conscious buyers.
The new Hyundai IONIQ 6 has received significant upgrades, including a longer range of up to 353 miles (568 km) in Korea and over 350 miles in the US, an upgraded 84 kWh battery, and a built-in NACS port for Tesla Superchargers, positioning it as a stronger competitor to the Tesla Model 3.
Charging an electric vehicle at home using a Level 1 charger can be convenient but slow, as experienced with the Hyundai Ioniq 6, which only gained 6% battery overnight. For faster charging, a Level 2 charger or public charging stations are recommended, though they come with additional costs and considerations.
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 offers fast charging and impressive range, but the frustration lies in its outdated USB-A port requirement for using CarPlay, causing inconvenience for iPhone users with the new USB-C connector. This issue results in the phone's charge being maintained rather than increased, despite being plugged in, and poses a genuine annoyance for users. Despite this setback, the Ioniq 6 is praised for its design, driving experience, interior quality, standard features, and efficiency, with hopes that Hyundai will address the USB port issue in future updates.