Dilemma: Get a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or buy a German luxury sedan instead?

The new car will be mostly used 1-2 days a week (for city meetings) & for Sunday drives, so require it to be well spaced in the back seat as we are now used to comfort of our S class.

BHPian alashkari recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

This is my first post on Team-BHP. First of all I would like to thank the community for the knowledge i have gained from the last one year since I have gone through various posts.

Last year in October we bought a Tata Harrier Automatic which is my daily driver & a Tata Punch automatic for my wife. We also have a pre-owned Mercedes S class (V221) which we got 2 years back & is mostly used on Sunday drives by me or when my father goes to his meetings outside the city. Extremely happy with the car but have spent close to 6-7 Lakhs for its upkeep. We also have a 14 year old Honda civic which is mostly used once a fortnight by my father just for the upkeep of the engine & the car. Both the S class & Civic are driven by the driver.

Since the last 2 months there is a itch to get a new car as the Mercedes is also 14 years old. Mostly if in the future there are major issues in the car will keep it for its vintage value . The new car will be mostly used 1-2 days a week (for city meetings) & for Sunday drives, so require it to be well spaced in the back seat as we are now used to comfort of our S class. The car will be driven by me + our driver & we both like normal sedate drivers. We like the car to be filled with lot of gizmos as we have the mentality that paying such a hefty amount we want all the features to be available.

We have checked the below car & on further knowledge gained from the forums & other YT videos have deduced the below observations-

• BMW 6GT- Quite a stunner & have reclining rear seats which is a big positive for both my father & myself. Also have rear set screens. Car shall be driven by the driver & myself. The only drawback is that I have read that car shall be discontinued from this year onwards. Got quote for OTR @ Rs. 84 Lakhs.

• BMW 330 GLi- Have read positive reviews on the internet. Have the BMW driving pleasure + rear seat space. The front touchscreen looks amazing. Car luxury feel is not at par with the mercedes.

• Mercedes E class LWB - Good looking & amazing interior but found a lot of semblance to our S class. No USP for us. Got quote of OTR price for Rs. 85 Lakhs.

• Audi A6- Went just for checking the car for the sake of it but came out exteremely happy. Timeless design + Amazing interior + lot of gizmos. Got quote for OTR with Matrix light @ Rs. 77 Lakhs.

• Ioniq 5 - Saw the car on the road & it was mesmerised by the design. Went to the dealership & the car was very unique unlike other cars that we have seen above. Car is full of Gizmos & the rear seat, front seat comfort is quite good. If we go ahead with this car it will be our first EV & then will be our daily driver. Harrier will be relegated to the highway drives. Got quote for On road price of Rs. 48 Lakhs. The only thing is that the car doesn't have the german cars badge value.

We are yet to take the test drive of all the cars listed above.

Request your opinion should we go with the Ioniq or the Audi/BMW.

Thank you!

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

The Ioniq 5 is a phenomenal EV and technologically ahead of most cars that you've listed. It has a big "wow" factor to it and is an all-rounder too, easily useable as a daily driver or on the highway. I think it is one of the best cars you can buy today for 50 lakhs.

If you love it, go for it. But I can tell you that, as great as the Ioniq 5 is, it won't match the sheer quality & luxury of a car like the 6-Series. End of the day, you are comparing the quality of a 50-lakh car with a 90-lakh one. If you want luxury, then the 6-Series is best for you. Whoever owns the car absolutely loves it.

Since you have experience with the S-Class & used cars, I would actually suggest you get a late model W222 facelift model. One of the best S-Class ever made IMHO. A late model W222 will offer you acceptable reliability too.

If you want to spend 50-lakhs, go for the Ioniq 5.

If you want to spend 80 - 90 lakhs, then the new 6-Series or a late model W222.

Here's what BHPian zandot had to say on the matter:

I love my Ioniq5, it is the ultimate daily driver and when it boils down to it, it has more features than my ‘22 5 series. Not only does it drive better, cheaper to run, as luxurious inside, turns more heads and gets more comments from people that have much nicer cars.. but when it boils down to it - a BMW is a BMW.

Are you looking for simple badge value? Then a Hyundai won’t cut it, but if you’re looking for an incredible piece of tech that actually delivers almost everything what an EV should be.

Ultimately would you be happy buying a Hyundai instead of an Audi/BMW?

I personally ended up getting a used 5 series instead of a new one just so I could have the Ioniq too. See how you feel after the test drive, EVs aren’t for everybody. Perhaps you could get a lightly used 6 series/A6 down the line as there are some fantastic deals out there to go with the Ioniq.

Here's what BHPian Actuator had to say on the matter:

From your garage, it is evident that you tend to keep your cars for a long time. Although EVs have captured many enthusiasts' attention, ICE cars, ostensibly in their swansong, are still the purists' choice. While the Ioniq 5 looks futuristic and striking, I don't see it justifying its price tag in the long run, especially with an unproven track record of EVs' battery degradation, replacement timeline and cost. However, if you have your heart set on switching to electric, you could probably check out the Volvo XC40 Recharge which should provide a better badge value in the same price band.

The W214 has already been launched internationally and is expected on our shores next year, so you should probably hold off buying the last-gen facelift. The A6 looks like an ideal proposition and considering the quoted price, seems value for money too.

Here's what BHPian vattyboy had to say on the matter:

If you have a budget for E class or 6 series or A6 then go for one among them. They will provide you with luxury and you will earn some respect from the public on the roads, your relatives and friends.

If you are price-conscious then connect to 3- 4 Audi dealers in your state or nearby states, and you will get a good deal on it surely below 77 lakh.

Here's what BHPian Vijay_T had to say on the matter:

Your garage allows to have Ioniq IMO instead of German sedans.

As many have pointed out,it's badge value is less but you will have fun driving it with all those gizmos available at your disposal along with sheer pulling power.

Ultimately it should be a decision of heart over head when one has such a fantastic garage.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.