Six months ago, I traded my Tesla Model 3 for a Hyundai Ioniq 5. Last week, I traded the Ioniq 5 for a new Model 3 Highland. Here’s what I learned.

The Ioniq 5 is objectively a better car in many ways. The interior space is remarkable, the 800V charging architecture means faster top-ups, and the ride quality on Australian roads is superior. It’s comfortable, practical, and well-built.

But I missed the Tesla ecosystem. The Supercharger network is still unmatched for road trips. The over-the-air updates keep the car feeling fresh. And the phone-as-key integration, once you’re used to it, makes every other system feel clunky.

The new Model 3 Highland fixes most of my original complaints — better interior quality, improved ride, and reduced road noise. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best overall package for my use case: 80% urban commuting, 20% interstate road trips.

The lesson? Test drive everything. Specs on paper don’t capture the daily lived experience of owning a car.