EVs - Test Drives and Impressions of NZ Available Models

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#2939937 9-Jul-2022 09:41

Batman:

when is the Enyaq available? apparently it sneaks under the 80 mark by $10 ... i think it's a rather sizable SUV which is what I'm after (as well as range - not sure about efficiency, probably not that good)

Last time I asked it was “after the ID4” (different brands, same importer).

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#2939944 9-Jul-2022 09:56

oh well might have to rely on the nissan leaf for a few more years then.

(and the other 3 dinosaurs in the garage ...)

Dingbatt

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#2968212 14-Sep-2022 18:18

Kia Niro EV (Light) $67990+ORCs as tested.

First impression was it’s not the most inspiring shape externally, but is efficiently “square” with a lot of the current Kia design language added. I don’t like the contrasting C pillar and quarter panel colour that is an option, luckily, it is an option. It is slightly larger than the Ford Focus it would replace. External looks are in the eye of the beholder so I don’t really need to comment anymore on it. It’s front wheel drive only. The charge port is in the centre in the front grill.

The car I test drove was the “light” base model so had cloth seats with manual adjustment and no lumbar support. It also had the base model infotainment and driving screens and no HUD. The screens are very ‘flat’ looking and my wife commented that the instrument display looked like a sticker attached to the panel. The centre screen was relatively low res and reminiscent of a lot of offerings of the last few years. But then again the screen in my Model 3 does skew my perception a little. It has the touch button toggle to swap between the climate and media controls. It has wireless Android Auto / Apple CarPlay. I could only test AA, the display was ‘okay’ but at least it was wireless (the top spec ‘Water’ model is wired).

The seating position is elevated when compared to the Focus but did not feel as high as the Escape or Eclipse Cross PHEVs. The visibility is pretty good all round except for how low the rear view mirror is mounted in the centre of the windscreen. I know there is the need for sensors in the windscreen binnacle that the mirror is mounted on, but this one seems particularly low. It makes it difficult to look up and left at something like a road sign or traffic light. The visibility out the rear window is really good. This model only has rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

The rear seats have an elevated position and look over the front seats. Because of the square roofline still plenty of headroom even for adults. Water model has leather seats (driver’s electric adjustment and lumbar) and a HUD. It also has better screens.

The boot is bigger in all dimensions than our Focus and that’s without including the underfloor space. Didn’t check for a frunk, I’m assuming it doesn’t have one.

I was impressed by the drive though. Not as much ‘go’ as some of the other EVs I have tested but it was very smooth and quiet. Low road and wind noise. It was softer riding than some others, including the EV6. The controls are all “conventional”, a bonus from my wife’s perspective. It has the option of regenerative braking or one pedal driving courtesy of the steering wheel paddles.

I achieved 150Wh/km on my standard test route which includes motorway, extra-urban and urban sections. So with a 64kWh battery that’s about 420km.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

Scott3

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#2968280 14-Sep-2022 19:58

Batman:

when is the Enyaq available? apparently it sneaks under the 80 mark by $10 ... i think it's a rather sizable SUV which is what I'm after (as well as range - not sure about efficiency, probably not that good)

If remember right April 2023 was what they told me when they had the display car in the new-market westfeild.

WLTP rated consumption is 157Wh/km, so beats the likes of the EV6 RWD LR (165 Wh/km).

FYI you can look up specs of most EV's here:

https://ev-database.org/car/1279/Skoda-Enyaq-iV-60

Scott3

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#2968282 14-Sep-2022 20:04

Dingbatt:

Kia Niro EV (Light) $67990+ORCs as tested.

...

Nice review.

Obviously not much room under the bonnet due to being a FWD, but they did manage to squeeze in a 20L frunk:

Obraik

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#2968285 14-Sep-2022 20:31

FWD isn't really an excuse for little storage space under the bonnet when Tesla manages to do it with their Dual Motor vehicles 😉

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#2968298 14-Sep-2022 21:13

My OH completely refused to consider buying the new Niro after seeing the interior, particularly the very angular dash. I don't think it's too bad, but I don't like the small screen with effectively huge bezels in the low-end version. It reminds me of one of those kid's toy laptops with a 8-inch screen mounted in a 15-inch lid. Given how cheap display screen are, this seems like mindless penny-pinching to me

https://images.app.goo.gl/HZG1p3pShn1ghXbSA

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#2984667 19-Oct-2022 13:29

tested EV6 GT Line AWD

- front seats 10/10 very comfortable, can adjust to more positions than any other car. i don't think the base model has these adjustments

- rear seats - 6/10 a bit low to the floor but probably ok?

- headlights - 4/10 (watching bjorn nyland) i started at 2/10 but it's better than my 2012 car so upgraded to 4

- steering - 7/10 pretty direct and car goes where you point it

- regen - 9/10 there is no hill that gets close to 40% available regen going down. not sure how RWD does in slippy condition. reading on tesla forum (RWD), in the snow (winter tyres) every regen is like pulling the handbrake on a rally car. though in the Kia you can engage snow mode and it tones down the regen so you don't pull a handbrake turn. but i'm not going to engage snow mode in heavy rain say, and what happens if i pull a big regen in a slippy corner? who knows!

- boot space - 6/10 - ok. not amazing, not the worst.

- driving comfort - 8/10. i can drive this all day, it's better than a 2022 BMW i tested. i told the sales rep this too.

- takes corners: 7/10 - very good. but you can juuuust feel it's heavy but in 99% of corners you don't feel it. it drives like a go kart. can't give more than 7 as didn't take it to a race track.

- range: 8/10. spirited driving uphill at 80kph - 24 kwh/km.

- noise: 8/10 - there is a stretch of road that is the noisiest in the world that i know of, so i take every car there. the quietest so far. other roads are almost silent. hardly any (if any) wind noise.

- suspension: 7/10 - little roll in corners. yet absorbs bumps in the road very well.

- turning circle - terrible. like a bus. there is a road that i do my turning circle test and this is the worst so far.

- meridian sound system - balanced. not amazing not bad. bass starts at 20Hz from the front speakers, but not loud/boomy.

I highly recommend the GT Line. No idea if the base RWD is good but I think it can't be 40% worse (vs price 40% less).

Obraik

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#2984671 19-Oct-2022 13:36

Batman:

- regen - 9/10 there is no hill that gets close to 40% available regen going down. not sure how RWD does in slippy condition. reading on tesla forum every regen is like pulling the handbrake on a rally car.

Regen on a Tesla is not at all like pulling up the handbrake.

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#2984674 19-Oct-2022 13:46

Obraik:

Batman:

- regen - 9/10 there is no hill that gets close to 40% available regen going down. not sure how RWD does in slippy condition. reading on tesla forum every regen is like pulling the handbrake on a rally car.

Regen on a Tesla is not at all like pulling up the handbrake.

sorry now added that the guy was driving in the snow

jonathan18

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#2984781 19-Oct-2022 15:10

Regen on a Tesla is not at all like pulling up the handbrake.

The feel/functioning of acceleration/regen in the Tesla is one of my favourite things about driving it: I’m really impressed with how nicely nuanced the accelerator is (especially at really low speeds), and similarly how natural the regen feels - none of that hideous transition between regen and brakes of my wife’s Leaf. Now, if only they could make adaptive cruise control anywhere near as smooth as when managing it oneself!

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Batman

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#2990828 2-Nov-2022 07:37

Tested Nissan Leaf 40kwh

SAME SIZE as my 24kwh! It's a compact car with an above average boot for a compact

More powerful than the 24 as per spec.

Regen - very good, way better than the older Leaf

Brake interface - very good, better than older Leaf

Steering - direct, same as older

Heated steering wheel, heated front seats

Massive "transmission tunnel" in the middle of the back seats, not sure why it needed that there's hardly any space at the back already

Dealer told me to expect up to 6% SOH drop after i buy it. Natural degradation about 3% a year just sitting there.

I need a big car but it's a good compact.

Overall a better car than the 24/30kwh Leaf but it's the same thing.

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#2990848 2-Nov-2022 08:34

Batman:

tested EV6 GT Line AWD

- reliability - ?? the heater wasn't working and was blowing ice cold air for 90 mins with the thing set at max temp (27C) - pressing AC on off circulate on off everything, nothing. will things start to break after the 7 year warranty period?

I highly recommend the GT Line. No idea if the base RWD is good but I think it can't be 40% worse (vs price 40% less).

You needed to push a separate button get hot air as no heat pump in the base model then endure the smell similar to an old dusty electric bar heater. I found this extraordinary in a car costing $80K. Surely if you turn up the temp someone at Kia could programme the car to switch the heater on!

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#2991777 4-Nov-2022 11:30

BYD

tl;dr - all i'd say is it drives better than most ICE cars i've driven

road noise - one of the worst. i qualify that with blind perception and also with a SPL dB meter (not a phone app). could be due to the Batman tyres (sorry I need to talk to Alfred)

wind noise - really noticable. not even windy today.

boot space - below average for an ICE car, about average for an EV. didn't measure but looks about the same as Leaf 40kwh

steering wheel - a bit tight but it goes where you point it

handling - handles better than most ICE cars

max acceleration when pointing straight - the car does not track straight, it's everywhere. a bit worse than high powered ICE cars but luckily you're saved by the 160kW ceiling

corners - better than most ICE cars but about average for an EV. not much road lean.

turn circle - exactly the same as Nissan Leaf 24kwh

sound system - from 40 Hz all the way, above average, probably good for a car.

range - drive like mad man - 2.4wh/km drive without caring 1.6wh/km. i'd say very good.

Batman

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#2991961 4-Nov-2022 18:18

also updated the EV6 GT Line - went back again it was so addictive.

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