Category: Reviews

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. 

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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.

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.)

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. 

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.” 

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. 

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

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YouTuber Robert Rosenfeld is one such owner who’s asking himself that question. We have covered his videos before. He has only owned Tesla EVs since 2019, going from the Model Y to the Model X and now to a Cybertruck and building up his YouTube channel along the way. But when he got the chance to see how “the other half lives,” as he put it, he went for it, driving only a loaner 2025 Rivian R1S for a week. 

Experience Rivian on the road—schedule your demo drive today.

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I’ll spoil the ending a bit here. Rosenfeld likes the R1S, but decides to keep the Tesla for reasons we’ll cover next. (It’s also worth noting that he has a big audience of Tesla devotees and is slinging referral codes as part of his videos, so officially making the switch may have had bigger implications for what he does.) 

Yet this is still a good look at the differences between two of the most advanced EVs for sale in America right now. Rivian and Tesla are the only two brands that I believe make truly software-defined vehicles for first-rate smartphone app integration and continual over-the-air updates. And anecdotally, when I talk to Tesla owners looking to move on, Rivian’s EVs are often at the top of their list—although right now, Rivian’s choices are fewer and more expensive than Tesla’s lineup. That should change next year with the debut of the $45,000 Rivian R2. 

In terms of pricing, this R1S Tri-Motor Max Pack costs about $111,000, making on par with a well-equipped Cybertruck or Model X Plaid. This Rivian configuration would get 371 miles of range, handily beating the Model X’s 314 miles and the Cybertruck’s 325 or 301 miles, depending on its configuration. 

So how do these two brands really stack up? First and foremost, Rosenfeld likes the customization and options of Rivian’s R1S and R1T, including trim levels, colors and wheels. Tesla’s configurability is far more sparse. But he likes the boxy design, versatility and SUV capability of the Rivian too. “I’ve got a whole lot of room for hauling, which is nice,” he said. 

Rosenfeld is obviously a veteran of Tesla’s “very few buttons” approach, so he’s at home in the Rivian. (Personally, I wish both brands would add more physical controls.) He feels like it’s a premium vehicle inside and said it “checks most of the boxes,” but admits Rivian’s adventure-y vibe isn’t quite his jam. To each their own.

Rosenfeld heaps a lot of praise on the 360-degree top-down camera system and said he wishes Tesla would adopt something similar. He also really loves the driving experience and admits that even Tesla fans would like the increased degree of customization over the R1S’ driving dynamics: adjustable regenerative braking, customizable displays, different driving modes and so on. “I’d have no qualms about taking this on a road trip,” he added. 

But Rosenfeld said that software is what keeps him loyal to Tesla. He doesn’t love the Rivian’s menu setups (in part because it’s just different from what he’s used to) and he feels like the maps and HVAC controls are clunky. Frankly, I’m not a fan of the climate controls on either car and wish both of them would add some air vents. He’s also a big user of Full Self-Driving, which many Tesla owners are not, and said that not having a direct Rivian equivalent is a letdown. Right now Rivian is just now branching into hands-free highway driving assistance but has more plans for autonomy down the road. 

In the end, Rosenfeld likens the experience to Apple vs. Android: one company tells you exactly what you’re going to get, and the other offers a lot more options, customizations and configuration. It can be tough to switch ecosystems, but I’d argue it’s a little easier for your car than it is for your smartphone and gadget universe. 

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If you want a second opinion, check out this video from YouTuber Darren Byrd, a pilot who normally makes content about aviation but just posted a video about trading in his Model X for a similar R1S. He explains the upsides and downsides in a very fair way, but overall, he’s happy with his purchase. “The R1S is a more normal car that happens to be electric” than his Falcon Door-equipped SUV was, he said. 

In the end, for those considering moving on from Tesla, I’d tell them to ask themselves this: what did you like most about your car? If it was range and ease of charging access, I’d recommend the new NACS-equipped Hyundai Ioniq 5. If was software, arguably Rivian is the closest Tesla competitor and likely to close any existing technology gaps soon enough. If it was performance, very few EVs are slow, but the Polestar 3 or the Porsche Taycan are always compelling options. And the entire field of options is getting better all the time. 

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Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com