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It’s a weird time to be a Tesla owner. Not because the cars have suddenly started falling apart, far from it, but because the badge on the hood has, in some parts of America, become a scarlet letter. Once a totem of tech-forward status, Teslas are now being treated like rolling political billboards. And frankly, not every owner signed up for that kind of attention. These days, you can’t pull into a Whole Foods parking lot without someone assuming your car says more about your Twitter feed than your taste in engineering.
Let’s not mince words: this isn’t about cars anymore. The people hurling insults, keying doors, or swerving menacingly around a Model 3 on the freeway don’t give a damn about dual motors or over-the-air updates. They’ve decided that anyone driving a Tesla is a card-carrying member of a certain ideological tribe.
The Unwanted Badge of Ideology
And if that tribe happens to have a loud, erratic, and unusually tan figurehead at the helm, well, tough luck. You’re guilty by association. As one Reddit user put it in a post that sparked an avalanche of agreement,
“Because of all the harassment Tesla owners now face.
I’m thinking about jumping ship from my Model 3 to an Ioniq 6. Thoughts?”
What followed wasn’t the usual Reddit slap-fight, it was a calm, rational discussion of why so many are reevaluating their relationship with Tesla. One user, venir, summed up the reality like a seasoned test driver:
“You’re going to downgrade significantly from a tech perspective but upgrade quite a bit from a quality car perspective.”
Another, The7thM, echoed this sentiment after switching cars just a week prior:
“Way less ‘fun’ software stuff but an overall better car.”
It’s a shift from obsessing over 0–60 stats to valuing daily livability and maybe even a little peace of mind at red lights.
This isn’t the first time a car’s cultural baggage has overwhelmed its mechanical merit.
Porsche owners were once dismissed as aging status-chasers, Ferrari drivers as blow-dried finance bros, Prius owners as sanctimonious virtue-signalers.
Hyundai Ioniq 6 vs. Tesla Model 3: A Detailed Comparison of Specs
- The Hyundai Ioniq 6 starts at a lower MSRP of $39,045 compared to the Tesla Model 3’s starting price of $43,880, offering a more budget-friendly option for consumers.
- The Ioniq 6 is larger in dimensions, being 6.7 inches longer, 1.2 inches wider, and 2.1 inches taller than the Model 3. This results in a more spacious interior, particularly offering greater rear legroom, enhancing passenger comfort.
- Equipped with an 800-volt electrical architecture, the Ioniq 6 can charge from 5% to 80% in just 19 minutes under optimal conditions, outperforming the Model 3’s charging capabilities.
But Tesla has taken it to another level, thanks in part to Elon Musk’s personal transformation from Silicon Valley rebel to Internet agent provocateur. As one user aptly put it,
“I really liked my Tesla… but not supporting Elmo.”
That wasn’t a typo, it was a jab. And not a single person asked for the political baggage that now comes free with every Supercharging session.
To be clear, the Model 3 is a fine machine. It’s a cold, calculating weapon, a digital scalpel in an analog world. But even its biggest fans acknowledge its soul is somewhere between “a beyond burger” and “overachieving office printer.”
Many Tesla owners express a similar sentiment: while the car is an exceptional tool, blisteringly fast, brilliantly engineered, and impressively efficient, it often feels emotionally sterile. That’s the paradox of Tesla ownership in 2025: a near-perfect machine that leaves its drivers feeling oddly disconnected.
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 plans to change this, the quietly confident outsider. A slippery, swooping sedan that doesn’t scream for attention but wins it anyway. Reddit user human_trainingwheels shared their journey from a 2020 Model 3 LR to a 2023 Ioniq 6:
“Bigger back seat, more luxurious ride, way easier to get in and out of… and not supporting Elmo.”
Hyundai, it should be said, isn’t just playing catch-up, they’re playing to win. With the recently unveiled Ioniq 6 N joining the Ioniq 5 N in showrooms, they’ve covered both ends of the EV enthusiast spectrum.
Rethinking EV Ownership and the Future of Driving
- The upcoming Ioniq 6 N is expected to feature a dual-motor setup delivering up to 641 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque, aligning with the performance metrics of the Ioniq 5 N.
- Anticipated to house an 84 kWh battery pack with advanced thermal management, the Ioniq 6 N aims for consistent track performance and an estimated range of approximately 230 miles.
- Drawing inspiration from Hyundai’s RN22e concept, the Ioniq 6 N will showcase sculpted bumpers and a dynamic stance, emphasizing its sporty and aggressive aesthetic.
The 5 N is an electric hot hatch with rally-bred manners and launch control that’ll slap the grin off your face.
Meanwhile, the Ioniq 6 offers grand tourer refinement with understated tech. Neither car needs a sideshow to sell itself. They’re quietly brilliant in the way the best cars used to be, focused on driving, not drama.
And yes, there are trade-offs.
“The Bluelink phone app is so damn slow,”
Noted Redditor ambiveillant.
“There’s no sense that the phone app and the car are really linked, the way that the Tesla app-car connection is seamless.”
Fair enough. The tech edge still belongs to Tesla, for now. But as Ill_Necessary4522 demonstrated with a $1,200 comma.ai install:
“Not FSD, but decent ADAS.”
The gaps are narrowing, and if Hyundai’s trajectory holds, they may soon close entirely. In the meantime, what buyers gain is something that’s become strangely rare: the ability to drive a great electric car without starting a conversation they never wanted to have.
Hyundai Ioniq 6 N Revealed: Dual-Motor Power, Advanced Design, and Performance
And maybe that’s the story here. Not just about specs, or design, or even brand loyalty. It’s about ownership, what it feels like, what it says about you, and whether it brings joy or friction. For a growing number of EV drivers, the answer is shifting. And the cars they’re choosing next are as telling as the ones they’re leaving behind.
Image Sources: Tesla Media Center, Hyundai Media Center, r/Ioniq6 subreddit
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.
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Source: torquenews.com
