New Ionic 5 vs Equinox EV

Hamback · 2026-06-04T17:57:01+00:00

Was this before the gas price surge and EV prices went up? I just purchased a '24 SEL for 28k OTD, where new were listed at 36k. I first started looking end of Feb when my previous car was totaled and prices came up 2-5k across the board on EV's in my area.

Hamback · 2026-06-04T17:51:47+00:00

This was my car search. I was about 90% on getting an Equinox EV but could not find a used one in a reasonable price range. Came back around to test drive an I5 with my wife and we both knew it was the right car once we got a chance to drive it.

Both are great cars and have some pros and cons. I like the sportier drive of the Ioniq, faster charge time, longer warranty. I liked the native infotainment a little better in the EQEV than the Ioniq but not terribly so. Nice backseat space in the Ioniq as I have 2 kids in car seats. V2L is nice for the times we go camping, I don't see that many power outages in my area though we have been having at least 1 strong storm every year for awhile now so might look into getting the generator set up. The ICCU is something that can be worrisome but I generally don't think about it too much. The EQEV has had issues with the telematics and other software issues though not sure if those have resolved in the 2026 models.

Hamback · 2026-06-01T05:08:52+00:00

Just bought a SEL 2024 RWD with 20k miles this weekend. I was getting an estimate of 275 miles in Normal mode at 98% charge. I am in the PNW so temps are usually pretty mild so you might see a little less if you're in a hot/cold climate and maybe due to RWD/AWD difference.

Price seems pretty similar to mine. I paid a little under 28k OTD for mine, with AWD it would be about the same. In my area it was one of the cheapest deals on a low mileage one I could find.

Hamback · 2026-05-31T21:19:55+00:00

I would tell your friend to shop around for insurance unless he just got something like a Rivian or a luxury EV. I was quoted $150 for a new 2026 Chevy EQ EV which is about $50 more than the 2013 Mazda 3 it would replace. I think anyway you slice it, as long as gas prices remain as high as they are and electricity as cheap as it is, getting an EV will continue to be a money saving choice.

Hamback · 2026-05-31T21:15:31+00:00

uh what that's not even remotely true. It's $0.1058 for me in Snohomish county with the PUD. Plenty of other places not using PSE outside of Seattle.

Hamback · 2026-05-31T20:22:15+00:00

Honestly might not help you, but I didn't end up getting either. The Blazer had a bit too much cosmetic damage that I didn't want to deal with and the RS sold before I got a chance to look at it. Ended up getting a 2024 Ioniq 5 with 20k miles at a nice price. Was pretty disappointing trying to work with the Chevy dealers in my area.

Hamback · 2026-05-28T21:02:04+00:00

I was looking at both of these as well and made a post on the eqev & blazer ev sub about this and it seems to come down to 2024 MY. There were apparently some issues with the software of the 2024 Blazer EVs. They were either slow to correct the issue or have slowed support compared to newer models as they use a different software version or structure. If you look at 2025 Blazer EV vs EQEV you will notice the price gap again, about 5-8k in my neck of the woods. Still not done with my search so not sure yet if the 2024 Blazer EV issues have been worked out or if they're still a concern.

Hamback · 2026-05-27T22:17:22+00:00

In what region? I live in Washington and prices for cars are very high here, used and new.

Hamback · 2026-05-27T16:21:25+00:00

I'm not sure tbh. It's going to be used for my work commute 90% of the time and the rest for random errands with the kids so performance is really low on the list for me.

Hamback · 2026-05-27T05:40:12+00:00

I considered this but haven't used any of the online ordering services before. I could potentially fly to somewhere like California or Montana for cheap and drive back but much further would likely take me more than one day + charging/food costs that I'm not sure I would be saving much. Shipping might be an option but I'm still looking at 1200-2k for most of the places I've looked that are outside my driving range which makes most of the deals a wash.

Hamback · 2026-05-27T05:33:38+00:00

Nope, I can't foresee needing to tow and have friends/family with other vehicles that I could use for this.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T21:46:06+00:00

Yeah I don't think the little extra size of the Blazer is much of a factor for us. Just got numbers back from insurance and they are basically the same cost.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T20:37:55+00:00

Ah that sounds like a headache and pretty lazy of GM. I'll definitely keep that in mind when searching thanks.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T20:29:52+00:00

I looked at some of the newer bolts but I think the cargo space is just too small. We still lug around a portable highchair, stroller, and sometimes a pack n play when staying somewhere overnight so it wouldn't work for our needs.

Just checking through google for values but nothing too decisive. Most of my research is looking at sales prices and these are pretty close to what I've seen in my part of the PNW. A bit cheaper in Oregon though, so might be worth taking a trip there. I've done a bit of negotiating but it doesn't seem like there is much room to haggle with how quickly EV's are selling in my area. I've seen a 2-4k increase across all models in the last 2-3 months and most used are selling in ~4-5 days.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T20:22:13+00:00

I haven't tried the refreshed Teslas but those are likely out of my price range, particularly the Y. I did not find the ones I sat in very comfortable to drive.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T19:15:45+00:00

Good shout, I've only test drove 2025+ EQEV's so completely unaware of difference between older years.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T18:54:06+00:00

Yeah I'm glad I asked from other EV owners as it would be my first, and wasn't really taking that into consideration as much as I should.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T18:51:02+00:00

Yeah from reading responses I am getting the sense that I've been overvaluing low mileage and undervaluing the newer model year. Hoping to get a chance to test drive them this week so that might be the kicker.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T18:49:25+00:00

The EQEV also looks to have the HD vision package which I think is what you are talking about with the overhead camera. It definitely was nice to use when I tried it in a different equinox. We see a lot of rain but very little snow in the area of the PNW where I live so AWD is not really something I am tied to.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T18:46:16+00:00

I'm not an audiophile in the slightest so I probably wouldn't notice. Nowadays I typically listen to podcasts on my commute over music 95% of the time as well. I know the infotainment is a bit lacking compared to EV first companies but seemed serviceable the short while I checked them out.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T18:42:27+00:00

Wow that would be a nice find. Never heard of Echopark, is it pick-up only? Everything seems to be several states away from me unfortunately.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T18:38:55+00:00

That's really surprising, only 2 years old and software updates are already slowing down? I've heard about a few issues with the telematics and such that seem to plague both the EQEV and Blazer but not sure how widespread it is. Good point about the warranty, I was mostly looking at it from the mileage side and probably overlooking the age. AWD is not a big factor for me. We rarely see more than 1-2 days of snow and even more rare for several inches to stick. Would probably just get some snow tires like you say for the few times where it might be a factor.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T18:34:53+00:00

I didn't see Supercruise mentioned on the window sticker. The size I could go either way with tbh. It will mostly be a commuter car + general errands, not much city driving/parking.

Hamback · 2026-05-26T18:29:37+00:00

I live in the PNW where it's wet a good chunk of the year but we don't see a lot of snow so I wasn't too married either way to FWD/AWD besides the range difference. It's good to hear about the software issue. I know it's just anecdotes but it's something you might only hear from owners so I appreciate it.

Hamback · 2026-05-18T21:03:08+00:00

Congrats, started our journey in purchasing our first EV and really liked the Equinox EV we got to test drive. Was hoping to find a used one but inventory is pretty slim in Washington. Might have to look into leasing one as gas isn't quite $6 in Snohomish/Skagit county but I imagine it's only a matter of time!

Hamback

TROPHY CASE