EVs - Test Drives and Impressions of NZ Available Models

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Mad Scientist
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#3092007 19-Jun-2023 14:09

RunningMan:

maoriboy:[snip] the Canton sound system was amazing!

Batman:[snip] Canton sound system is the worst premium audio i've ever tested.

Hmmm, same, but different.

i felt that way in the car while testing, gave me displeasure, just wasn't impressed.

after the 1 hr test, yes 1 hr

i hopped into my friend's Nissan Leaf, it's 10 years old, has a Bose sound system that if you search on the internet, isn't the best out there.

i thought, hey lets play the same playlist and it was 10X better, endorphins and dopamine released, the playlist sounded awesome in comparison, we ran through all the songs and they all sounded amazing. there wasn't a song on the Canton that we thought sounded impressive on it.

so, there you go

i can tell you the Nissan Leaf Bose is not generally highly rated, it was 10X better, the Canton is pure garbage as a premium sound system. it's a good basic one.

obviously everyone's ear is different. maybe they prefer the Canton to the Nissan Leaf Bose. but i doubt it. the Canton is generally trashed by reviewers on the Net and now i know why!

Batman

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#3092021 19-Jun-2023 14:49

maoriboy:

Admittedly I'm coming from a low level, with the MG ZS ev sound system being below average. In comparison the Canton system was far superior 😆

But vastly inferior to Nissan Leaf Bose

I'll have to admit the Canton midrange and bass is clear. you will hear with good clarity in bass and voices and instruments. but a good sound system makes pleasure. the Canton and the Meridian of the EV6 don't make me release happy chemicals. Nissan Leaf Bose will do a little (a lot if you've just stepped out of the Enyaq as it turns out!). the ones that give me most pleasure i've tested are - Audi Bang and Olufsen. BMW Bowers and Wilkins.

I need to try out the Tesla i've heard good reviews but i need to hear for myself

Batman

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#3092027 19-Jun-2023 15:04

updated the review added a couple of things

anyone knows if the Enyaq to NZ will have a heat pump?

sales person has never heard of a heat pump in a car and doesn't know if it comes with one

wellygary

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#3092033 19-Jun-2023 15:15

Batman:

Sales person has never heard of a heat pump in a car and doesn't know if it comes with one

Likely because every car they have driven is an Ice with a +100kwh heat source,

Although pretty much every car actually does have a heatpump, its just that its single-cycle (cooling) as opposed to reverse-cycle (heating and cooling)

Batman

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#3092037 19-Jun-2023 15:32

wellygary:
Batman:

Sales person has never heard of a heat pump in a car and doesn't know if it comes with one

Likely because every car they have driven is an Ice with a +100kwh heat source,

Although pretty much every car actually does have a heatpump, its just that its single-cycle (cooling) as opposed to reverse-cycle (heating and cooling)

I've been wondering that. Thanks, obviously not an engineer.

UK spec says second heating unit. I presume that means one heat pump one ptc heater (also don't ask me what ptc is.. In my mind there are some elves heating up a wire and more elves blowing air across heated wires)

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#3092039 19-Jun-2023 15:37

maoriboy:
Admittedly I'm coming from a low level, with the MG ZS ev sound system being below average. In comparison the Canton system was far superior 😆

About that, umm... Yup.

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RunningMan

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#3092040 19-Jun-2023 15:40

PTC heater is just a coil of resitance wire getting hot when current is passed through it. Very similar to a fan heater in your house, except some will heat a liquid which is then circulated through a radiator, like old central heating. PTC = postive temperature coefficient i.e. it's resistance increases as it gets hot.

Batman

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#3092094 19-Jun-2023 16:09

so all Enyaqs in the UK from cheapest to expensive come with this

"Mechanically controlled air conditioning with second evaporator and second heating system"

so. heat pump or no heat pump for my simple mind?

Edit: all models in the UK have a heat pump option for $1000 pounds. so the second heating system is not the heatpump. Doubt we are getting the heatpump.

maoriboy

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#3092099 19-Jun-2023 16:13

Batman:

About that, umm... Yup.

Not really sure what your point is with that comment but it seems neither helpful nor constructive to the conversation.

Batman

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#3092102 19-Jun-2023 16:16

Does drum brakes in rear mean anything bad?

wellygary

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#3092103 19-Jun-2023 16:24

Batman:

Does drum brakes in rear mean anything bad?

Drums are cheaper that Disc Brakes, they are generally not as effective in wet weather,

But on an EV you will hopefully be using regenerative braking for most stopping,

So in the end of it is likely a small difference,

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#3092867 21-Jun-2023 09:39

Not surprisingly given the price drop, interest in Enyaq up. And there's a model refresh coming late 2024:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/132366196/enyaq-interest-explodes-tenfold-as-update-detail-revealed

Having put down $ reserving a 2023 coupé, there's now some small FOMO about the refresh MEB platform models coming out - although that'll be in late 2024, and will be over $100k.

Longer range (570km vs 532km), more powerful rear wheel drive (210kW vs 150kW) and faster 0-100 (6.7 vs 8.2 seconds). Likely also some updates to software capabilities - one of the few critiques of the current range. May even get rear discs and - for Batman - a better premium sound system ;)

When Gavin Shoebridge test drove the Enyaq, his observation that "if the car had 200kW - it may be all things to all motorists" could be put to the test!

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#3093452 22-Jun-2023 14:04

Skoda Enyaq iV80 Sportline Max

As tested $84990 (launch pricing)*. The middle model of the Enyaqs available in NZ.

There are already good reviews on this thread by @maoriboy and @Batman so this will be complimentary to those.

TL:DR. Well built, nice ride quality, quiet, good cargo capacity. Offline connectivity, so relies on Apple CarPlay, Android Auto. Reasonable value at launch prices.

Seats are firm, but have electric (memory) adjustment and lumbar support (and heating) . It was easy to find a comfortable driving position, however for my old bones, I think the firmness would be tiring over a long drive. Like the Mach-E, the driving position is elevated without being full SUV.

The cargo bay seems a useful shape and size, underfloor has space for granny charger, type 2 cable and a puncture kit. No frunk. For people wanting a “station wagon” without going full SUV, this would seem to fit the bill.

The ‘Max’ model has adaptive dampers and set to the ‘comfort’ level gave a very nice ride. Probably one of the best of any EV I have tried. The noise level during the drive was very low. Levels similar to Mercedes and BMWs tested previously (although those were a while ago). You can hear the low speed pedestrian warning from inside the vehicle (why?).

Acceleration was ‘pedestrian’ by EV standards, but it is a heavy car, and it feels it.

The infotainment screen is a good clear resolution. Despite the system being part of the VWAG, it was pretty easy to navigate and operate. Particularly using the hardware shortcut buttons. Android Auto was clear and wireless (CarPlay the same I assume). Salesperson couldn’t tell me if the NZ spec cars would have navigation (didn’t think so), therefore would be relying on phone nav (the demo was UK spec). The good part was the nav instructions are fed to both the HUD and Driver’s Display. It doesn’t seem to have speed sign recognition (offline status?).

I found the audio no more than ‘okay’ despite being the model with “Canton” audio upgrade. I spent time in the audio settings (while parked) trying various levels, balance, etc but failed to achieve anything startling. For comparison I put the same music on in my Model 3RWD with its standard audio system and it sounded better than in the Enyaq.
The Adaptive Cruise and Lane Keeping modes are displayed on both the HUD and DD. Both operate well (after finding the activation switch hidden low on the left side of the steering column that is). The other steering wheel switches, while mainly capacitive, were better than the ones in the Cupra Born.

On my standard test route the Enyaq returned 176Wh/km. So 437km from its 77kWh battery.

At its launch price the Enyaq seems like a pretty good EV, even considering its “offline limitations”. But once the price returns to the original level, I’m not so sure. Whether the rebate still exists next year may change the landscape with a lot of the EV offerings though.

*According to the salesperson, the $13000 discount is for the initial shipment of 600 cars. Prices will then revert to $93K (Sportline), $98K (Sportline Max) and $103K (Sportline Coupe).

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

sultanoswing

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#3093455 22-Jun-2023 14:19

Batman:

Does drum brakes in rear mean anything bad?

If a car can skid when you hit the brakes hard, then the brakes are adequate, and it's the tyre grip letting you down. TLDR; - drums are fine for this application.

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#3093457 22-Jun-2023 14:23

Drums are not able to dissipate heat as well as ventilated discs so if you are driving like Juan Fangio, drums can overheat and fade out on you. Probably a non-issue for most drivers especially EV's with regenerative braking.

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