A Confusing Experience at Quirk Hyundai while shopping for an electric vehicle…read more
I was ready to make the leap to EV and the Ioniq 5 was my top contender. Upon arrival, at Quirk I was greeted by one member of the sales team (let's call this person Salesperson #1), and we began discussing my needs. Partway through, Salesperson #1 had to assist another customer and handed me off to a second team member. No issue there--we test-drove the car, and I liked it.
Later, I reached out to Salesperson #2 to schedule a test drive of a different trim. They were out that day but let me know the sales manager, Dave, would assist. When I arrived, Dave redirected me back to Salesperson #1, who remained helpful and accommodating. However, the EV I had requested to test-drive had no charge, despite my advance notice. I waited while it was charged, and once we were on the road, I was even more convinced the Ioniq 5 was the right vehicle for me.
At this point, I had narrowed my options to the Kia EV6 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. The two models differed in standard features across trim levels. The mid-tier EV6 included key safety features I wanted, while those same features required stepping up to the top trim in the Ioniq 5. I preferred the Hyundai and shared this openly with Salesperson #2, along with the pricing I had from Kia. I wasn't expecting a price match, but I did ask for the best lease numbers possible. What I received was higher than Kia's offer but still acceptable. I also asked if they could match the Kia offer on my current vehicle's trade-in value.
After ongoing discussions with Salesperson #2, I let them know I was coming back to town to test-drive both vehicles again and make my final decision that day. Though Salesperson #2 had the day off, they assured me that someone would be ready to assist.
When I arrived, I was greeted by Salesperson #3, who explained that the assigned team member was unavailable and they were stepping in. Unfortunately, they didn't know where the fully charged Ioniq 5 Limited was and instead offered a different unit with only 23% charge. I was then asked what it would take to make the purchase that day. I reiterated that I was comparing two vehicles, that the dealership already had my numbers, and that I still needed an answer regarding my trade-in value.
After test-driving both the Ioniq 5 and the EV6 again, I was ready to lease the Ioniq 5 Limited at the terms previously provided--if the trade-in offer was competitive. Upon returning, Salesperson #3 presented a lease quote for the SEL trim instead. This was surprising, as I had already explained to Salesperson #2 that the SEL lacked essential safety features, like blind spot cameras, and wasn't a viable option. It was evident that there had been little to no communication among the team. I was left with the impression that my research and preferences weren't being taken seriously. It was frustrating to be told, in effect, that I should settle for a less expensive car I had already ruled out. I certainly wondered if they would have made the same assumptions if my husband was the buyer.
In the end, I walked away. I'm now a very happy customer of Darling's Kia, driving an EV6 that I love.
