Peugeot is a brand in transition. It aspires to be premium, with the main selling point being design. Indeed, there’s no denying the fact that the French brand has some of the best styling in the segment. But the keyword here is ‘aspire’, meaning the marque isn’t quite a full fledge luxury brand yet. Despite that its pricing strategy puts it well and truly in the premium territory.

Take the 2024 Peugeot 3008 for example, where the 4-tier line-up kicks off at just over $50k for the range-opening 3008 Allure trim. The top-spec GT Sport variant tested here costs $63,390 and the plug-in hybrid version is a big $20k jump to $82,915. All prices exclude on-road costs.

Those prices pit the 3008 against rivals from luxury brands like Audi and Lexus. The slightly larger Audi Q3 35 TFSI is priced at $54,600, while the more powerful Q3 40 TFSI S Line comes in at $68,400. The latter is all-wheel drive while the 3008 drives the front wheels only.

The even larger Lexus NX 250 is also within reach of 3008 money, priced at $62,275, with the NX 350h 2WD hybrid model not a far stretch at $69,050. 

The BMW X1 is in the price bracket as well, with the X1 sDrive18i costing $60,400 and the X1 xDrive20i AWD priced at $70,400.

All key rivals in the mainstream space, including models like the Toyota RAV4 and Kia Sportage, are more affordable. Even the Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line which packs a potent 2.0L turbo engine and all-wheel drive is less expensive at $60,590.

But to truly understand the Peugeot 3008, one just has to take a look at it. The lion-badged medium SUV is beautifully styled with intrinsic details like the ‘claw’ LED daytime running lights and unique grille design that blends into the headlamps. They’re matched in the rear with modern taillights embedded in a back garnish.

There’re creases and lines at all the right places and a black roof that gives the SUV a sophisticated look. The proportion is spot on as well.

On the inside things are even more impressive. Premium vibe radiates from every corner of the cabin, with contemporarily styling the focus and high quality materials featured throughout. Everything from the compact steering wheel and gear shifter to the air vents and piano buttons on the centre console have been tastefully designed. Some look and feel even more delicate than those we see in luxury cars. There’re mood lighting strips in the door cards too, which set the tone at night.

Being French, there’re of course quirky elements such as the instrumentation binnacle which sits high up in the dashboard and is meant to be viewed from above the steering wheel, not through it. It’s called the Peugeot i-Cockpit which can take a bit of getting used to but we don’t find an issue with it.

No doubt, the 3008’s design inside and out is a knockout. But is that enough to justify that hefty price tag? We have to dive deeper.

From the surface it looks like the 3008 has got all the tech covered, at least in the GT Sport trim. There’s a crisp and relatively intuitive 10.0-inch centre touchscreen infotainment system featuring built-in navigation and supporting Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. However, the latter is still wired only when most of the competition have now gone wireless.

Complimenting the reversing camera is the surround view which gives a handy ‘bird’s eye’ view of the car from above, but this feature has never worked properly during our test period as there’re always greyed out sections of the car’s surroundings.

If you’re looking for a wireless phone charger, unfortunately this is nowhere to be found in the 3008. At this price point that’s a big missed opportunity, given most key rivals now have this feature as standard.

The GT Sport grades, however, do come with a pretty punchy 690 watt Focal premium sound system with 10 speakers including a subwoofer.

In terms of comfort, the 3008 fairs much better. The Nappa leather upholstered seats not only look great but also feel supple and supportive. From GT grade and up, the driver seat also features a massaging function with the option of five different massaging styles of varying intensity. Now that’s one very luxurious inclusion that you won’t even find in many luxury cars.

Rear seat space is decent for its class with good head and legroom, though the rear bench’s lack of width means three adults can get overly intimate in the back. The fitment of rear air vents will at least keep them comfortably cooled or heated.

It doesn’t disappoint when it comes to storage and convenience, either. The door pockets are usefully thick and deep, they’re also nicely padded for an added touch of luxury. A pair of decent size cupholders are fitted both in the front and back. Elsewhere, the centre console storage compartment is so massive it can swallow a 2L bottle, but the glove box is painfully tiny.

With 591 litres of cargo space (1670 litres with the seats folded, 1608 litres for 3008 PHEV), the 3008’s boot is surprisingly voluminous given the compact exterior dimensions of the SUV.

The 3008 GT Sport we drove is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that develops 133kW and 250Nm, the latter arriving at just 1650rpm. It drives the front wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission. On paper the engine is less powerful than rivalling turbo petrol engines such as that in the Mazda CX-5 or Honda CR-V. However, the front-drive only Peugeot weighs considerably less than its all-wheel drive rivals and so the powertrain still feels relatively relaxed and effortless in most proceedings.

The engine is smooth and quiet for the most part and the torque converter automatic is just as fluid. Left to its own devices, the auto also works discretely in the background without once bringing attention to itself. Despite power going to the front wheels only, traction off the line is pretty good, too, a testament to its effective power management and delivery algorithm.

We also spent some time behind the wheel of the 3008 GT Sport PHEV which is fitted with the same 1.6-litre turbo petrol mill albeit tweaked to produce 147kW and 300Nm, paired with dual electric motors, one at the front and another at the rear, for a total output of 222kW and 520Nm.

Those are some strong figures, which when combined with an 8-speed auto and all-wheel drive, manage to dish out a 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.6 seconds. That’s hot hatch level of acceleration performance and from behind the wheel it does feel very eager and sprightly.

The combination of light weight (1429kg), a well tuned suspension and quick steering endows the 3008 with a very car-like handling, at least in the petrol GT Sport. Where other heftier, bulkier SUVs feel clumsy at the turn of the wheel, the Peugeot stays diligently faithful to driver inputs. Its relatively flat posture around corners further instil confidence.

The 3008 PHEV weighs a lot more at 1840kg due to its drive battery and electric motors, which blunts handling and dynamics slightly despite it being quicker in a straight line. 

Ultimately though, a family car like the 3008 needs to be comfortable around town and on that front the Peugeot delivers. The ride is mostly compliant and smooth, with only the nastiest potholes or undulation able to unsettle the car. And when that happens, it’s also less severe and intruding than we’ve experienced in some other rivals.

Road and wind noise is generally well suppressed, which only allows that wonderful cabin to be better enjoyed. The feel good factor is certainly when cruising in the 3008.

Fuel economy on the combined average is rated at 5.6L/100km for the 3008 petrol, but that’s a little optimistic. Expect the figure to hover around 7.5L/100km in the real world, like how we managed after around 400km of mixed driving. It’s still a reasonable figure for a medium size family SUV, just be mindful that it chews on the more expensive RON95 premium unleaded fuel.

The 3008 PHEV is good for 60 km of electric-only driving range, but again that’s a lot more than the 45-50km that you’ll get realistically. For the average owner, this means the 3008 PHEV will require charging more often than they’d like. And it doesn’t help when it has a miserable 3.7kWh charging capacity. Topping up the battery will take close to 4 hours. It also won’t benefit from the many high capacity public charge points, leaving the only practical way to charge the car is at home overnight.

If you do tap into engine power often (hybrid driving) you’ll be looking at a combined average fuel consumption of around 2.5L/100km, that’s against the claimed 1.6L/100km figure.

On the safety front the top-spec GT Sport variants are comprehensively equipped with features like Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Keep Assist and Hill Descent Control. Other driving aids include Driver Attention Monitoring, Traffic Sign Recognition, Auto High-beam, Tyre Pressure Sensor and Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go function.

Verdict

2024 Peugeot 3008 GT Sport pricing and specifications

The post 2024 Peugeot 3008 Review: GT Sport Petrol & PHEV appeared first on ForceGT.com.

It’s not easy being an Alfa Romeo Tonale. You see, the mere mention of Alfa Romeo will invoke images of the stunning 8C Competizione, and in more recent times, the BMW M3 rivalling twin turbo V6 Guilia Quadrifoglios.

The Tonale on the other hand is a small luxury SUV, albeit beautifully styled with Alfa Romeo DNA, that competes with the likes of the Audi Q3, Lexus UX, Volvo XC40, BMW X1.

It has the unenviable task of convincing die-hard Alfa fans that it’s worthy of the famed Italian badge while appealing to a new breed of buyers looking for something a little…. less common.

This isn’t the first time Alfa’s dipped its toes into the SUV pond though, with the slow-selling, medium sized Stelvio being the brand’s first effort.

Can the Tonale bring in the fresh blood that Alfa Romeo so desperate need? Let’s find out.

How much is the Alfa Romeo Tonale?

Alfa’s local arm has kept things simple, with the Tonale offered in just three variants; a pair of mild hybrids with a 0.8kWh battery pack tested here, along with a plug-in hybrid with a much larger 15.5kWh battery.

The range kicks off with the Alfa Romeo Tonale Ti which starts from $50,900 before moving up to the Tonale Veloce priced from $58,900. The line-up is topped by the Tonale Veloce plug-in hybrid priced from $78,500. All stickers are before on-road costs.

There are only a couple of option packs available:

• Lusso Pack – $5,500
  • Heated front seats
  • Heated steering wheel
  • Heated washer nozzle
  • PTC heater
  • Perforated leather seat trim
  • 8-way electric driver and passenger seats with memory
  • Ventilated front seats
  • 14-speaker Harmon Kardon audio system
• Technology Pack – $3,500
  • Side parking sensors
  • 360 degree camera with dynamic lines
  • Intelligent adaptive cruise control
  • Lane keep assist
  • Traffic jam assist
  • Active blind spot assist with rear cross traffic alert
  • Auto-dimming wing mirrors
  • Magic park

The price difference between the Ti and sportier (according to Alfa Romeo) Veloce is somewhat reduced as the Technology Pack is effectively standard on the latter. Still, you can still spend big on options like premium or special paint, sunroof, the Lusso Pack, and 20-inch grey finished alloy wheels.

The Tonale can be ordered in six colours – Alfa White, Alfa Red, Alfa Black, Vesuvio Grey Metallic, Misano Blue Metallic and Montreal Green. All are a $1,990 option except for Alfa White which is standard.

What do you get in the Alfa Romeo Tonale?

Standard equipment highlight includes:

• 18-inch Diamond cut alloy wheels
• Automatic full LED Matrix Headlights with adaptive driving beam and dynamic turn indicator
• Carbon cloth and leatherette seats
• Aluminium pedals
• Adaptive cruise control
• 25-inch touchscreen infotainment and Tom Tom navigation system
• 3-inch TFT instrument cluster
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Alfa Connect Services
• Wireless charging pad

Veloce adds:

• 19-inch diamond cut alloy wheels
• Dark Miron body kit with matte inserts
• Red Brembo brake calipers
• Perforated black leather and Alcantara seats
• Red accent stitching on doors and centre console trims
• Privacy glass
• Active dual stage valve suspension
• Technology Pack

Veloce plug-in hybrid adds:

• Sunroof
• Chrome finished dual exhaust tips
• Elettro-Biscione logo on rear left window
• Type 2 smart charging port
• Mode 2 charging cable
• Lusso Pack

On the inside

It’s easy to get comfortable in the Tonale, with plenty of seat and steering wheel adjustment. The seat padding is firm and supportive with good lumbar support and you are embraced with a generous amount of side bolstering.

The driving position is, as expected, higher than a regular hatchback but the tall dashboard gives you the illusion you are sitting lower.

It’s a shame the interior is best admired from afar. While the dashboard looks smart from a distance, get closer and it’s evident that material quality can’t match the Tonale’s premium rivals like the Audi Q3 or Lexus UX. The buttons especially lack the quality feel expected from a premium brand.

The Honda ZR-V I drove the week before felt much more premium from the driver’s seat with excellent soft-touch plastics, sturdy dials, and buttons that click with Audi-like precision. Nevertheless, it’s overall easy-to-use with physical controls for the air-con.

There is some minor built- quality issue, too. The sun visor arm in our tester came off when I tried to swing it to the side.

The 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system is responsive and comes with a pleasingly simple menu structure along with a bunch of short cut buttons. However, they are relatively tiny and live down on the left side of the screen, requiring the driver to lean over and aim carefully to execute.

Behind the three-spoke steering wheel is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with agreeably sharp graphics although with fewer layout options and configurability than the best in class, such as Audi’s Virtual Cockpit.

How much space does the Alfa Romeo Tonale have?

Front occupants would have no complaints with good head and legroom, while rear headroom could be tight for lofty passengers especially if the panoramic roof is optioned.

Legroom at the back is also not as generous as the Volvo XC40 although there is some space under the front seats to tuck your feet in.

Boot space is above average for the Tonale hybrid with 500L on offer. Its height-adjustable boot floor also enhances flexibility, while there’s a useful ski hatch through the fold-down rear centre armrest for longer items.

The boot floor is also almost at level with the load lip at its highest position to ease loading while affording extra storage underneath.

The plug-in hybrid gives up a big chunk of its boot capacity (385L) to the batteries that live below it. It also looses the useful height-adjustable boot floor although there’s at least a space underneath for storing the charging cables

What’s underneath the bonnet?

The Tonale mild-hybrid gets a 1.5-litre variable-geometry turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine making 118kW at 5,750rpm and 240Nm at 1,500rpm. Drive is sent exclusively to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch auto.

In a departure from some other mild hybrids, the Tonale’s system can drive the front wheels up to 40km/h, as long as there’s enough charge in the batteries.

Fuel use is a claimed 5.6L/100km although on test, it’s a disappointing 8.6L/100km of 80 per cent city driving.

Our time in the Tonale did not include the plug-in hybrid but Alfa claims it will return a combined fuel consumption of just 1.5L/100km.

How does the Alfa Romeo Tonale mild-hybrid drive?

The hybrid drivetrain isn’t the smoothest when transitioning from electric to engine. You are always aware during the handover from electric propulsion to the engine, unlike the silky-smooth Japanese hybrids such as the Lexus UX200h and Honda ZR-V.

That isn’t helped by the seven-speed dual-clutch auto which feels laggy and snatchy at low speeds. Thankfully, it does get better with the DNA dial pointed at Dynamic where the drivetrain shrugs off its lethargy and becomes more alert and responsive.

Alfa Romeo has also tried to imbue some dynamism into the Tonale but hasn’t quite succeeded, either. Its steering is quick but not very precise. As a result, you find yourself constantly making small adjustments to stay within the lines.

Its turning circle is also massive for a small car, making U-turn a challenge on narrow city streets.

There’s some body roll around corners while the engine isn’t overly inspiring, all of which doesn’t exactly encourage enthusiastic driving.

On the bright side, ride comfort is commendable around town even on the Veloce’s 19-inch boots. The Ti with its smaller 18-inch wheels and chunkier rubbers is quite impressive at soaking up low-speed shocks from potholes, while the cabin is relatively well insulated from wind and road noise.

One of the Tonale’s other strong point is its brakes which is firm and progressive.

How safe is the Alfa Romeo Tonale?

The Tonale carries a five-star ANCAP rating and comes with a comprehensive list of safety features.

Safety equipment highlight:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Traffic sign recognition
• Rear seat reminder alert
• Lane departure warning
• Lane keep assist
• Forward collision warning
• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
• Front and rear parking sensors

Veloce adds:

• Side parking sensors
• 360 degree camera with dynamic lines
• Intelligent adaptive cruise control
• Traffic jam assist
• Active blind spot assist
• Rear cross traffic alert

Its worth noting however that during our time with the Tonale, the AEB got ‘blinded’ on a few occasion in the evening when driving into direct sun.

Ownership

Like Alfa Romeo’s wider range, the Tonale is cover by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

It also benefits from capped-price servicing, costing $1,735 for the first three years, or $3,675 for five years.

Verdict

The post 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale mild-hybrid review appeared first on ForceGT.com.

Luxury electric vehicles are projected to be one of the biggest sellers in the passenger car market in the coming years. A segment spearheaded by Tesla over a decade ago, today every major premium car manufacturer has a dedicated line of EV offerings – BMW with its i models, Mercedes-Benz with its EQ range and Audi with its e-tron line-up.

While the big three are well and truly onboard the EV bandwagon, challenger brands like Lexus and Genesis have only just started. Lexus, the luxury offshoot of Japanese automotive giant Toyota, is banking on the new fully electric RZ 450e medium SUV for success against the Germans, following lacklustre response to its UX 300e compact SUV, the premium marque’s first EV launched back in 2022.

Genesis, the luxury spin-off of Korean car maker Hyundai, already has a dedicated EV model, the GV60 compact SUV, as well as an electrified version of the G80 sedan. There’s now another zero-emission variant in the form of the Electrified GV70 which is based on the regular engine-powered GV70 medium SUV.

If Tesla’s have become too common and the German offerings don’t float your boat, the Lexus RZ 450e and Genesis Electrified GV70 are both compelling alternatives, which is why we have gathered them here for a comparison review.

How much do they cost?

Both Lexus and Genesis are not restrained when it comes to pricing strategy. The RZ 450e and Electrified GV70 come with hefty price tags, which makes their segment positioning a little blurry.

The RZ 450e is available in two variants, the base spec Luxury which is priced at $123,000 and the upper spec Sports Luxury costing $135,000. The latter can be had in a two-tone finish for an extra $4,200.

Meanwhile, the Genesis Electrified GV70 is offered in a single spec only with a sticker of $127,800. All prices exclude on-road cost.

The pricing positions both the RZ 450e and Electrified GV70 just below rivals like the Polestar 3 and BMW iX, but significantly above models like the BMW iX3, Mercedes-Benz EQB and Tesla Model Y.

They might as well because in terms of dimensions they slot in the same way amongst those competitors. Between the RZ and GV70 though, the former is longer while the latter is wider.

Is there anything interesting about the design?

The RZ 450e is by far Lexus’ boldest looking model, apart from the super sexy LC coupe and the iconic LFA supercar. There’s a lot to take in, from the black accented front bumper and swept back lines to the floating roof and rear light bar. But somehow they all come along harmoniously, producing a design that is very unique, futuristic and sophisticated.

The Sports Luxury model tested here boasts striking multi-spoke 20-inch wheels tucked within black painted wheel arch mouldings.

The Electrified GV70 is much more conventionally styled as compared to the RZ 450e. Granted, it’s based on the regular GV70 which in itself is a pretty sweet looking luxury SUV. Unlike the engine-powered models, the grille is sealed with the charging port neatly concealed within. In the rear, the absence of tailpipes is the only giveaway of its electrified propulsion.

Our test vehicle rolls on standard 20-inch wheels and is draped in the optional $2,000 matte green paint which looks amazing.

How is the interior like?

Echoing the exterior, the RZ 450e’s interior radiates a very modern and contemporary feel. It’s unlike the usual warm, rich and luxurious cabins we have been used to seeing in Lexus models. In fact, the RZ’s cabin looks so cool it’s not very Lexus-esque at all.

That’s because the RZ cabin focuses on sustainable construction, with heavy usage of environmentally-friendly materials including a vegan upholstery called Ultrasuede (on Sports Luxury model), a sustainable suede material made partly from biomaterials and recycled PolyEthylene Terephthalate (PET).

If you’re skeptical about this type of upholstery, afraid not because it feels supremely comfortable. Applied on the seats and doors, it looks very high end, too. Our tester is trimmed in the two-tone interior colour scheme called Storm (exclusive to Sports Luxury) which pairs light bluish grey suede seat upholstery with white synthetic leather door and centre console trim. The dashboard is a matching grey colour. The combined effect is an open and airy cabin feel.

Speaking of which, the RZ features some next level tech in its panoramic glass roof to control cabin lighting and temperature. At the push of a button the clear roof turns opaque to block out some light, eliminating the need for sunshade. It’s one of the coolest things we’ve seen in a vehicle.

The cockpit of the RZ consists of a massive 14.0-inch touchscreen display infotainment system. The interface is a big step up from previous Lexus systems in terms of screen resolution and intuitiveness. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto.

Not as impressive is the digital instrumentation cluster which is so small that it only takes up half the cluster space. The graphics aren’t that crisp either.

Taking on a very different approach, the interior of the Electrified GV70 is sheer opulence and indulgence. It feels much more expensive and sophisticated than the Lexus, with higher grade materials and more delicate switchgear throughout. The cabin mood lighting, changeable in colours, truly lifts cabin ambience at night.

The seats, upholstered in fine Nappa leather with white contrast stitching, look more premium than those in the RZ, though they’re not as cocooning.

Matching the RZ in screen size is the 14.5-inch touchscreen wide display infotainment system which can be operated by touch or a remote control in the centre console. While the screen itself is superbly sharp and very responsive to the touch, the remote controller can do with some improvement. Because the control combines a rotary dial, arrow buttons and a round touchpad all into one, it is confusing to use. It needs to be simplified. You can use touch but the screen is quite a stretch. Wired connectivity for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is supported.

Ahead of the driver is a 12.3-inch 3D instrument cluster that gives a sense of depth to the virtual gauges. While it doesn’t offer much customisability, it’s still leaps and bounds ahead of the RZ’s cluster.

How much space is there inside?

Packaging is slightly better in the Lexus than in the Genesis. In the former, the seats and door cards are less chunky, resulting in more interior space. The floor is also flatter in the back of the RZ, giving more leg space to the middle rear passenger. Both cars can accommodate five people quite comfortably but those seated in the Lexus will have just a little more room to move about. But when there’re three adults seated across the rear bench, they’ll have more shoulder room in the Genesis thanks to its slightly wider cabin.

Built from the ground up as an EV, the RZ’s interior is not shared with other non-EV Lexus models and so there’s more freedom to carve out more storage space, taking advantage of the drive shelf-less nature of EVs. The open lower storage pan in the centre console is an extra storage space in the RZ 450e that the Electrified GV70 lacks due the latter having to share its cabin with fuelled versions of the car. However, the RZ doesn’t have a glovebox which can be a little inconvenient.

Boot space is larger in the RZ at 522 litres compared to the GV70’s 503 litres. It’s another story when the rear seats are folded, with the Genesis packing 1678 litres against the Lexus’ 1451 litres.

How do they drive?

Both EVs are motivated by dual electric motors, with the RZ 450e packing a combined output of 230kW/435Nm, up against the Electrified GV70’s much more potent 360kW/700Nm. There’s certainly quite a big difference in power output but not in the way they drive.

Lexus prides itself on making some of the most refined and quietest cars in the market. You can only expect its first from-the-ground-up EV to be even more serene and hushed. And that’s exactly how the RZ 450e drives. It is literally whisper quiet in all proceedings, be it accelerating, cruising or braking. Unlike other EVs or hybrids, there’s a distinct absence of whine from the electric motor, with the silence pierced only by wind and tyre noise, but even that is very much suppressed.

With a highly insulated cabin, the Electrified GV70 is very much muted as well but it’s no match for the Lexus, for there’s still a very slight whine from the electric motor – if you pay enough attention.

With a belly full of batteries, both SUVs are heavy vehicles weighing over two tonnes. And so neither cars are particularly sharp to drive, with weight a constant companion around tight corners. They aren’t clumsy per se, as they still thread through corners nicely. They just don’t like to be rushed.

That said, the RZ 450e’s lighter and more responsive steering tune does give a sportier and nimbler driving feel. Overall control is also better in the Lexus, thanks in part to the amazing grip and response from its ‘Direct4’ all-wheel drive system where driving and braking force is distributed individually to each wheel.

Where the electrified GV70 triumphs over the RZ is in acceleration. Nudging 100km/h from standstill in 4.2 seconds, the Electrified GV70 sprint time is over a full second quicker than the RZ’s 5.3 seconds. Maxed out, the Genesis tops 235km/h which also trashes the Lexus’ 160km/h.

Both cars deliver high levels of ride comfort but the GV70 feels just a little smoother at low speeds over rougher bitumen.

How about efficiency and charging?

The RZ 450e’s reported driving range fluctuates quite a bit depending on how you drive, meaning it’s tricky to know how much actual range is remaining. On paper, the RZ is good for 395km (WLTP) on a full charge, but we think that’s optimistic. The Electrified GV70 has a longer range of up to 445km (WLTP) and it does seem to deliver quite close to that figure.

Indeed, the reported real world efficiency is better in the GV70 at 19.3kWh/100km compared to the RZ’s 20.8 kWh/100km. This comes as a surprise as the Lexus is lighter and rides on skinnier tyres.

Both cars support the usual domestic 1.8kW AC, 11kW/22kW AC and 50kW DC charging, but the RZ’ charging rate maxes out at 150kW while the GV70 is capable of up to 350kW. The Lexus’ DC charge time is noticeable slower as well, the smaller capacity battery is to blame.

The RZ’s charging port is located at the base of the A pillar making it hard for charging cable to reach at public charge points. The GV70’s charging port in the grille is much easier to get to.

Verdict

The Lexus RZ 450e and Genesis Electrified GV70 may not be the most efficient or sportiest EVs around. Their pricing isn’t that attractive either. But if you value longevity and reliability, both vehicles may have the advantage over their European competitors.

As a bespoke EV model in Lexus’ line-up, the RZ 450e boasts unique styling that’s backed by a wonderfully refined drivetrain and decent dynamics. However, it’s let down by a dated and small digital instrumentation cluster and short driving range.

In contrast, the Electrified GV70 impresses with an ultra luxurious cabin with a modern cockpit, while delivering a greater driving range. It also costs over $7,000 less than the Lexus.

When the brief is about mid-size premium electric SUV, luxury and driving range is key, and the Electrified GV70 seems to have delivered across those fronts a little better than the RZ 450e.

Let us help you get the best deal on your next new car. Contact us.

Pricing and Specification

The post 2024 Lexus RZ 450e vs Genesis Electrified GV70 Review appeared first on ForceGT.com.

The Audi SQ7 has been with us since 2015 and with a heavily 2^nd facelifted model just around the corner, we spent some time with a 2024 SQ7 to reacquaint ourselves with the luxury SUV before the new one arrives.

While the updated model brings aesthetic and tech upgrades to the luxury SUV, its mechanical bits remain unchanged.

In the SQ7, that means a force-fed 4.0-litre petrol V8 pumping out an adrenalin inducing 373kW at 5,500rpm and a muscly 770Nm of torque. And in an era of electrification, the non-hybridised V8 is rare as a hen’s teeth!

But even at the ripe old age of eight, the SQ7 still feels like the posh SUV that it is.

How much is the Audi SQ7 TFSI?

The flagship SQ7 isn’t cheap as you’d expect, wearing a price tag of $175,400 before on-road costs. That’s $38,200 more than the Q7 55 TFSI S Line below it.

The good news is, however, it’s $4,500 cheaper than the Mercedes-Benz GLE53 AMG which costs $179,900 yet comes with considerably less power at 320kW/560Nm.

On the flip side, you could head into a BMW showroom and drive away in the BMW X5 M60i for just $172,900. It’s also slightly more powerful at 390kW/750Nm.

Like the SQ7, the X5 M60i comes with a turbocharged V8 while the GLE53 AMG employs a twin-turbo V6.

On the inside

The SQ7 gets the same cabin as the regular Q7, which was comprehensively overhauled a few years ago. It feels plush and tech heavy the moment you pull the vault like door shut.

Compared to the Q7, you get fancier sports seats and a flat-bottom steering wheel. Our test car is also equipped with the $13,300 Sensory Package, which amongst others, adds leather to the upper dashboard and artificial leather to the lower interior elements for a properly upmarket touch.

The one-piece sports seats with quilted stitching are very comfortable indeed, with an excellent blend of comfort and support, and complete with adjustable bolsters to hold you snugly in place in the corners.

Cabin space is vast with plenty of room for even lofty driver and passengers. There are big door bins capable of swallowing large water bottles and plenty of storage space in the bin underneath the front centre armrest.

Rear seat space is equally generous, thanks to the rear seats that slide back and forth, as well as recline. However, the big, high-backed front seats do impede visibility for those behind.

There is surprisingly decent space in the third row although you wouldn’t call it generous. Interestingly, the third-row seats don’t get the exquisite diamond-quilting for the leather you’ll find in the first two rows. They also miss out on air vents, which won’t win fans on a hot summer day.

Even with all seven seats in use, the SQ7 still provides around 300L of boot space which is better than some rivals. Folding them away via a boot mounted button yield an impressive 704L of space.

By comparison, the BMW X5 manages only 650L, while the related but five-seat Porsche Cayenne yields 770L. It’s worth noting however the SQ7 is still 150L down on the standard SQ7.

Drop the second row and you essentially turn the SQ7 into a leather-lined van with a massive 2,050L on offer.

The heavy mid-life overhaul has done wonders to disguise the SQ7’s age, with two giant screens for infotainment and climate control. The upper screen takes care of navigation, music, as well as connected internet functions, while the lower screen looks after heating and cooling.

Both offer slick graphics, responsive inputs, as well as a satisfying haptic click with each press of a button to make it easier to use.

As we have mentioned many times before, Audi’s digital instruments is still one of the best in the business with beautiful presentation and configurability.

And while most of the cabin is beautifully finished with excellent fit and finish, the grey leather on the bolsters of our media car is a little faded after around 10,000km on the test fleet.

What’s under the bonnet?

Audi has replaced the turbo-diesel with a 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 petrol.

It pumps out 373kW of power and 770Nm of torque and is the same engine found under the Bentley Bentayga. It will hurl the large SUV from 0-100km/h in a mere 4.1 seconds –  that’s serious hot-hatch territory.

Power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission and quattro system with a self-locking centre differential and default 60:40 rear: front torque split.

Depending on the road conditions, up to 70 percent of the engine’s torque can be directed to the front axle, and 85 percent to the rear axle.

The SQ7 has an 85-litre fuel tank that requires 95 RON premium unleaded fuel. Combined fuel consumption is rated at 12.1L/100km.

What’s the Audi SQ7 like to drive?

The SQ7 is impressively fast yet comfortable. It’s also surprisingly agile in corners for a large and heavy SUV.

It turns into corners with the sort of sharpness that puts some hot hatches to shame, and the harder and faster you push, the SQ7 will somehow muster more grip to pull you through to the next straight. It does a great job at disguising how high the centre of gravity is.

There are tonnes of torque from pretty much off idle, although you can’t run the engine past the limiter as the gearbox will automatically shift-up, regardless of which drive mode you’re in.

Given the prod, the petrol V8 appears to make all the right kind of epic noises, but you soon realise that most of it comes from the 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, which is slightly disappointing.

Still, the transmission is smooth and well calibrated, kicking down decisively while releasing a satisfying crackle from the exhausts.

The brakes are pretty good, too, although we find it hard to justify $19,500 for the ceramic brakes on our tester unless you intend to hit the track regularly.

Around town, the ride is exquisitely sublime, with the standard air suspension ironing out most road bumps effectively. The suspension can be electronically raise or lower, too, depending on the drive mode. It will also drop the car to the ground when parked for easy entry and exit.

Refinement is excellent, too, with just a hint of road noise on coarse-chip bitumen thanks to the chunky performance rubbers, while wind noise is nearly non-existence.

Despite measuring over 5.0m long, the SQ7 rear wheel steering effectively shrinks the car by a good margin, making tight inner city manoeuvre a breeze.

We can’t fault the SQ7 on the active driver assistance front. The adaptive cruise control operates smoothly and maintains a set gap to the car in front. It will also accelerate automatically after coming to a stop when the car in front moves on.

The lane-keep assist system isn’t overly intrusive either, intervening only when things go haywire.

What do you get with the SQ7?

As standard, the SQ7 comes with the following:

• S-specific front and rear bumpers, grille, side sills and rear tailgate spoiler
• 22-inch alloy wheels
• Red brake calipers
• Aluminium-look mirror caps
• Matrix LED laser headlights with dynamic rear indicators
• Panoramic sunroof
• Rear privacy glass
• Heated and folding side mirrors
• Power assisted door closure
• Roof rails
• Valcona leather upholstery with diamond patterned contrasting stitching
• S sport front seats with heating and electric adjustment, incl. 4-way lumbar
• Heated steering wheel
• Interior ambient lighting
• Illuminated door sill trims
• 10.1-inch haptic touchscreen
• 8.6-inch haptic touch secondary screen
• 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit
• Head-up display
• Built-in satellite navigation
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 17-speaker, 730-watt Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system
• 4-zone climate control

Options highlight:

Dynamic Package:

• Quattro sport differential
• Active roll stabilisation

Sensory Package:

• 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen 3D Advanced Sound System
• Dinamica black headlining
• Front seat ventilation and massage function
• Seat heating for outer rear seats
• Extended leather package – upper dashboard in leather and lower interior elements in artificial leather
• Air quality package – air ioniser and fragrance

How safe is the Audi SQ7?

The SQ7 carries a five-star safety rating from ANCAP based on test conducted in 2019 on the regular Q7.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with:
  • Vehicle and pedestrian detection
  • Reverse AEB
• Adaptive cruise control with stop & go
• Traffic jam assist
• Lane keep assist
• Blind-spot assist
• Rear-cross traffic assist
• Surround view cameras
• Tyre pressure monitor

Ownership

The SQ7 comes with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, with a five-year prepaid service package costing $4,370.

Verdict

The post 2024 Audi SQ7 TFSI Review – A practical hot-SUV appeared first on ForceGT.com.

Polestar, the Scandinavian EV brand that’s been hot on the trail of Tesla, has upped the competition with an updated Polestar 2. The rival to the Tesla Model 3 can now travel up to 22% further, consume up to 9% less energy and charge up to 34% faster, at least on paper. It’s not a big claim though, as the revised model gets a host of hardware upgrades including larger batteries and new electric motors.

The good news is that, despite the improvements, there’s no price increase across the range. Kicking off the range is the Standard Range Single Motor variant priced at $67,400. Moving up, the Long Range Single Motor model costs $71,400, while the Long Range Dual Motor all-wheel drive flagship asks $76,400. The latter can be optioned up with a $9,000 Performance Pack which brings more power and quicker acceleration. All prices exclude on-road costs.

For comparison, the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Single Motor costs $61,900 and the Dual Motor Long Range all-wheel drive is priced at $71,900. The Model 3 Performance hero is now no longer offered. This means the revised Model 3 line-up is about $5,000 cheaper than the Polestar 2 for equivalent variants.

Is the premium in price for a Polestar 2 justified? It’s subjective but here’s our take. In terms of looks, the ForceGT team is split with some preferring the curvy, elegant lines of the Tesla Model 3 while others like the contemporary and European styling of the Polestar 2. But almost all of us agree that the Polestar 2 has a richer and more complete interior. When it comes to driving dynamics, we all give it to Polestar.

Our testers for this review were the Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor and Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack. From the outset, these revised models look no different to the pre-updated versions, except for a new cover for the grille – which Polestar calls “Smartzone” for its embedded sensory gizmos – and mild styling tweak on the 20-inch wheels in the LRDM Performance. It’s the right move, as there’s no need to mess with the clean, minimalist and understated styling of the car. It’s a smart looking sedan with intricate detailing like the Thor’s Hammer daytime running lights, frameless door mirrors and rear LED light blade.

The plastic cladding on the wheel arches is an acquired taste and there’s a bit too much wheel gap for our liking, but the wheel design is striking with the wheels themselves sitting nicely flush with the fenders. Opting for the Performance Pack on the LRDM model will see the brake callipers tucked behind those massive 20-inch rollers painted in Swedish gold – Polestar’s trademark accent – and boy do they look good.

The Polestar 2 has a relatively square passenger cell with a flat roofline and that’s intended. The cabin is roomier as a result of this design, with space for five adults to stretch out and plenty of headroom for rear passengers. However, there’s a rather large centre hump in the rear footwell which is surprising given the lack of a driveshaft (being an EV).

As previously mentioned, the Polestar 2’s interior design is a winner. The vibe is calm, futuristic and premium, with delicate details in the mix of bold trim pieces. The brand hasn’t gone overly obsessed with LCD screens either like most other EV manufacturers. The 11.2-inch portrait centre touchscreen is large but not crazily massive, with it neatly integrated into the dashboard at a perfect angle for top notch ergonomics. A modest digital instrumentation panel sits under a conventional binnacle, viewed through a sporty three-spoke steering wheel. The raised centre console houses one of the coolest shifters we have seen. Shaped like something out of Star Trek, the shifter has an illuminated Polestar logo at the base which is such a neat touch. Look up at the roof and another Polestar logo is visible near the rear view mirror, this one projected on to the panoramic glass roof – nice.

All these translate to unique cockpit feel from behind the wheel, one that is sporty, sophisticated and driver focused. Mixed in with the glass roof, the interior is also bright and inviting, though it can get pretty hot in summer with the amount of light the roof lets in. The air-con is slow to cool things down, which means on hot sunny days the car is best parked in the shade.

A plethora of storage spaces are dotted around the cabin, including large door pockets, a covered compartment under the front central armrest, storage pockets on either sides of the centre console and a pair of cup holders for the front and rear. There’s not one but two boots – a 405-litre main rear boot, expandable to 1,095 litres with the rear seats folded and a second 35-litre boot under the bonnet.

Standard equipment in the Polestar 2 has been revised to increase overall value. Driver Awareness features are now standard, including Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with steering support, Cross Traffic Alert with brake support, and Rear Collision Warning and Mitigation, along with the 360-degree surround view camera and automatic dimming exterior mirrors. A wireless phone charger is now also standard on all versions.

But the biggest update is to the powertrain. More advanced electric motors and inverters are fitted to all variants, bringing vastly improved range and performance across the board. Previously front-wheel driven, single-motor variants are now rear-wheel driven for a sportier driving feel. Power is upped substantially from 170kW to 220kW – a hike of 50kW, while torque has increased to 490Nm from 330Nm, that’s a jump of 160Nm! The 0-100 km/h sprint time has been slashed by as much as 1.2 seconds, down to 6.2 seconds.

Dual motor variants are now rear-drive bias thanks to a revised drivetrain setup that sees the rear motor as the primary drive source. The front motor can now be disengaged completely to support efficiency gains, with it only coupled when more power or traction is needed. The dash to 100km/h is 0.2 second quicker than before at 4.5 seconds.

Available to purchase as a downloadable over-the-air software upgrade for any eligible Long Range Dual Motor variants, the optional Performance Pack lifts power to 350kW while keeping torque figures the same. The 40kW of extra power is enough to trim the 0-100km/h sprint time to 4.2 seconds.

Regardless of single or dual motor variants, the Polestar 2 has no fuss laying its power down on to the tarmac. Despite the high power and torque output, there’s virtually zero wheel spin at launch, even for rear-wheel drive models. Being an EV, power delivery is completely linear from the get go. Plant your foot down at any speed and the instantaneous torque thrust the car forward for super quick overtaking.

With most of the weight from the battery and drivetrain stuffed low in the car, the centre of gravity is low resulting in a relatively flat cornering stance. The steering is numb but otherwise precise and smooth. The brakes are strong but slightly wooden when one pedal drive is turned off.

While both variants on test exhibited good ride comfort with just enough firmness for a sporty driving feel, the Long Range Single Motor model felt like the better daily driver as its lighter, nimbler and has a more relaxing demeanour. Its thicker tyre wall also absorbs road imperfections better.

All Polestar 2 versions feature upgraded lithium-ion batteries which are capable of faster charging rate. Long range battery supports up to 205 kW DC fast charging, while standard range battery is good for up to 135 kW DC.

AC charging is also possible via a standard home AC wall plug, or 11kW or 22kW public charge points. Charging at home can take a full day or more for a full charge, which is painfully slow. So, it’s always better to charge at a charging bay, which can top up around 100km in about 15 minutes at 22kW AC. We also charged at 50kW DC which topped the battery up from near empty to 80 percent in about 30 minutes.

For paid public charging, the fee at the time of writing is around $0.40 per kWh. This means generally you’ll be able to run the Polestar 2 at a lower cost than most petrol or diesel powered vehicle.

The Standard Range Single motor version now has a range of up to 532km WLTP, an increase of 54km, and the Long Range Single Motor variant can now achieve 654km WLTP, an increase of 103km.

The front motor disconnect function on the Long Range Dual Motor variant is particularly effective at maximising range, which is now rated at 591km WLTP, a big increase of 104km from before.

The Polestar 2 is covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. More impressive, it’s also offered with five-year free servicing and roadside assistance.

Verdict

2024 Polestar 2 Pricing and Specification

The post 2024 Polestar 2 Review – the real alternative to Tesla? appeared first on ForceGT.com.

Want a Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid but not keen on waiting for 18 months? The Honda ZR-V e:HEV might be your answer.

What is it?

The five-seat Honda ZR-V is a mid-size SUV that straddles the gap between the Honda CR-V and the smaller HR-V in size, performance and price.

Measuring 4,568mm long, it is 108mm longer than its closest rival, the Corolla Cross. However, the model also goes head-to-head with low-spec versions of the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5.

And like the Corolla Cross, it sports a naturally aspirated 2.0L engine along with two electric motors driving just the front wheels.

Yes, it’s all a little convoluted.

The ZR-V hybrid LX on test here is also the only electrified variant of the range and sits at the top of the four-tier line-up at $54,900.

The range kicks off with the petrol only VTi X at $40,200 before moving up to the VTi L at $43,200. The VTi LX petrol book ends the ICE line-up at $48,500.

Prices above are drive-away and like all new Honda’s sold in Australia since July 2021, they are fixed and non-negotiable.

2024 Honda ZR-V price (drive-away):

• Honda ZR-V VTi X: $40,200
• Honda ZR-V VTi L: $43,200
• Honda ZR-V VTi LX: $48,500
• Honda ZR-V e:HEV LX: $54,900

What do you get?

All models get:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Adaptive LED headlights with active cornering lights
• Rain sensing wipers
• 10.2-inch digital instruments
• 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay
• Wired Android Auto
• 8-speaker sound system
• Dual-zone climate control
• Black fabric seats
• Front USB-A and 1x USB-C
• Rear USB-C (2x)
• Rear air vents

ZR-V VTI-L adds:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Rear LED taillights
• Heated exterior mirrors
• Hand-free power tailgate with walk-away closing
• Black leather and cloth upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Rear privacy glass
• Metal paddle shifters

ZR-V VTi LX adds:

• 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels
• Body-coloured lower bumpers and wheel arches
• 12-speaker Bose Sound System
• Wireless smartphone charger
• Satellite navigation
• Black leather upholstery
• Eight-way power driver’s seat with memory
• Four-way power passenger seat
• Heated outboard rear seats
• Heated steering
• Plasmacluster air purification system

ZR-V e:HEV adds:

• Smart key card
• Humidity sensor
• Shift-by-wire gear selector

What’s the Honda ZR-V e:HEV LX like on the inside?

Like most car manufacturers today, there’s a great deal of resemblance between the cabin of the Honda ZR-V and other recent Honda models, especially the Civic.

There’s a strong retro vibe in the cabin courtesy of the honeycomb-patterned one-piece air vents, hexagonal steering wheel boss, and old-school rotary dials – the latter are much easier to use than some touchscreen embedded systems of its rivals.

Built quality is excellent too, with beautifully weighted controls, high quality plastics and precise switchgear.

The leather-wrapped steering wheel feels great to hold and adjusts for reach and tilt. Together with the electric driver’s seat adjustment, finding the perfect driving position is a cinch.

From the driver’s seat, the ZR-V feels more car-like than some of its peers due to the low mounted front seats.

The driver is greeted by a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that is standard range wide. Again, it’s similar to the one found on the latest Civic, which isn’t a bad thing as it’s clear, easy to read and comes with a virtual ZR-V that mimics the actual lights and indicators. However, it lacks the configurability of some rivals.

Further along the dash, a 9.0-inch touchscreen takes care of the easy-to-use infotainment system, including built-in sat-nav that complements the phone’s map (wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto).

It also comes with a five-year complementary subscription to Honda Connect which offers a raft of convenience and safety services accessible via a smartphone app including remote lights on/off, lock/unlock and climate control pre-conditioning.

Other functions include vehicle status, virtual dashboard, trip log, geofence alert and automatic collision detection.

The interior feels upmarket, with solid switchgear and dials. The knurled climate control knobs in particular clicks with precision when turned and wouldn’t look out of place in a premium car.

How spacious is the Honda ZR-V?

It’s easy to get comfortable in the ZR-V’s cabin. Both rows of seats are supportive, while there are plenty of head, knee and leg room for taller occupants.

The rear floor is nearly flat which makes it easy to accommodate three across the rear seat.

There are plenty of storage throughout the cabin, including a cubby underneath the electric park brake. Ahead of the gear lever is a wireless charging pad for your smartphone.

The door bins are large enough to accommodate larger bottles, while the storage cubby underneath the centre armrest is good for keeping things out of sight.

Rear seat passengers are not forgotten with rear air vents, map pockets behind the front seats, door bottle holders and cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest.

Further aback, boot capacity is rated at 370L, which is smaller than the Corolla Cross Atmos’ 414L. The e:HEV only comes with a tyre pair kit while petrol variants are all equipped with a 17-inch space saver spare wheel.

How safe is the ZR-V e:HEV?

The Honda ZR-V hasn’t been hurled into a wall by ANCAP as yet, though safety systems include:

• AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Adaptive cruise control
• Traffic Jam Assist
• Lane Keep Assist
• Traffic sign recognition
• Front and rear parking sensors
• 11 airbags including knee and centre

Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and surround-view camera are found on VTi LX and above.

What’s under the ZR-V e:HEV’s bonnet?

The e:HEV is powered by a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirate four-cylinder petrol engine combined with two electric motors to produce a system output of 135kW and 315Nm.

It drives the front wheels via an e-CVT with no all-wheel drive option offered.

Honda claims the e:HEV will return 5.0L/100km on the combined cycle which isn’t far from our real world figure of 5.2L/100km with around 70 per cent of city commute.

How does the Honda ZR-V e:HEV drive?

The ZR-V e:HEV drives like what a good hybrid should. It’s smooth, quiet and refined.

At low speeds at up to around 40km/h, the pair of electric motors do most of the propulsion duties before the engine kicks in quietly and smoothly.

In everyday driving, it’s hard to tell which power source is doing the hard yards unless you look at the tell-tale green EV light in the instruments.

Honda has even imbued some surprising driving fun into the e:HEV with the e-CVT dishing up simulated gearshifts when you put your foot down instead of the dreaded drone commonly associated with this type of transmission.

The steering is well weighted and there is decent body control to hustle the ZR-V quickly around the corners like a tall hatchback.

The cabin is well insulated from road and wind noise and the ride is beautifully compliant around the city and over speed bumps.

Out on the freeway, the ZR-V e:HEV feels planted and has enough oomph to overtake slower vehicles and on inclines.

Visibility is good all around, thanks to decent glasshouse. And while some might miss Honda’s Side Vision Camera, the new blind-spot monitor indicator light in the wing mirror is a more user-friendly proposition.

Other driver assist system works well, too. The lane centring system will gently nudge you back into your lane should you stray, the forward collision warning works as intended without being too nervous and the adaptive cruise will adjust the speed of the car smoothly based on the leading vehicle.

Ownership

Like all Honda cars sold in Australia, the ZR-V comes with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

It needs a service every 10,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first with the first five services costing $199 each.

Verdict

The post 2024 Honda ZR-V e:HEV LX Hybrid Review appeared first on ForceGT.com.

Enthusiasts pleaded, Toyota listened. Four years after the initial launch of the GR Supra with an automatic transmission, a manual version is now finally offered. But Supra enthusiasts really have one other car to thank for Toyota’s decision and that’s the Nissan Z. Launched with a manual option in late 2022, the Nissan Z prompted Toyota to rethink their strategy with the GR Supra. And the consensus was to compete.

There’s one problem, however. There wasn’t a manual gearbox that’s compatible with the GR Supra. As we all know, the GR Supra is mechanically a BMW Z4 M40i underneath and that car has ever only been fitted with an automatic transmission. To produce the GR Supra manual, Toyota had to do a bit of tinkering with a ZF-sourced six-speed manual gearbox and spent a considerable amount of time parts swapping, fine tuning and getting everything a hundred percent.

It’s no easy task and we applaud Toyota for the effort and for keeping at heart the demands of Supra enthusiasts. Fortunately, despite the big dollars spent on engineering the manual gearbox, prices for the GR Supra have remained almost the same. The base GT trim costs $87,380 while the upper spec GTS grade is a $10,000 premium at $97,380. The prices exclude on road costs and are identical for both the automatic and manual variants.

Compared against the competition though, the GR Supra is still an expensive option. The Nissan Z, which only comes in a single specification, is priced at $75,800 – a big chunk off the Supra’s sticker. Even the all-new 2024 Ford Mustang is not dearer, with the manual version costing $77,000 and the automatic asking $80,900. Sharing the same engine as the GR Supra, the BMW M240i xDrive Coupe can also be had for around the same money at $96,000.

That said, considering the GR Supra’s actual donor car is the BMW Z4 M40i which changes hands at a hefty $139,800, perhaps Toyota found some justifications in the Supra’s pricing strategy.

Along with the introduction of the manual gearbox, a host of other updates have also been deployed to the 2024 GR Supra. Those include a more refined steering and retuned suspension with improved stabiliser bushings.

It’s also good to see that the updated GR Supra, in the GTS guise as tested here, now has a more Japanese-looking wheel design rather than the previous European styling, giving the sports car a racier, more authentic JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) appearance, despite its German underpinnings. Wheel size has remained the same at 19-inch, but the revised spoke pattern and the Titanium Dark Silver finish really set the car off. Each wheel is also some 1.2kg lighter than before, improving unsprung weight.

Three new exterior metallic shades accompany the new update, they are Volcanic Ash Grey, Dawn Blue and Avalanche White. The latter is what’s on our tester and it looks sensational, like some sort of frosty, glacier-like finish that accentuates the lines and curves of the Supra free from any distortion or reflection.

Disappointingly, the interior of the GR Supra has been spared from any updates other than the availability of the tan trim option. This means it still runs an older version of BMW’s iDrive infotainment system operated via a smaller-than-usual 8.8-inch centre screen. Functionality wise, it’s still good, there’s even wireless Apple CarPlay but the interface is dated. At this price point, the GR Supra can certainly do with a better system, but the reliance on BMW means being granted access to a newer iDrive system by the German marque is a different story.

The digital driving instrumentation panel also measures 8.8-inch and it’s another area where things could have improved further. There’re very little options for customisation here and compared against rival systems from the Nissan Z and Ford Mustang it just doesn’t look and feel sporty enough.

It doesn’t get better with the steering wheel, either. We’re talking about the design – chunky and uninspiring. For a car shaped as sexily as the GR Supra, it ought to have something better designed for the driver to steer with.

The good news is the bad news on the interior ends here. The rest of the cabin is sweet, with top-notch build quality, neat contrast trim stitching and a single unbroken piece of gloss carbon-fibre framing all the switchgear in the centre stack, including the short shifter for the manual gearbox.

The driving position is spot on, too. You sit low and tight and the sports seats wrap around your back like they should in a sports car. Forward visibility is fine but over the shoulder and rear view is not. You’ll need to heavily rely on the sensors and camera to reverse in tight spaces.

Being a strict two-seater (unlike previous generations of Supra), there’s obviously no space behind the front seats, but the 290-litre boot further back is good enough for a couple of grocery bags or small suitcases. And no there’s now no longer room for a set of track wheels anywhere inside the car. In fact, the car doesn’t even have a spare wheel, instead relying on a tyre repair kit.

Apart from the manual gearbox, the GR Supra manual’s oily bits are identical to the automatic version. There’s the BMW-sourced 3.0-litre twin-scroll turbocharged in-line six-cylinder engine up front that pushes out 285kW from 5800rpm to 6500rpm and 500Nm from 1800rpm to 5000rpm. Drive is sent to the rear axle where a limited slip differential sits and manages traction.

The engine is the highlight of the package, packing enormous punch right from the get-go with very little lag. At almost any rev, the surge of torque is colossal, which allows you to gather speed very quickly when you rev it out. The accompanying soundtrack is solid and satisfying, if not lacking a little attitude – an easy aftermarket fix.

The blitz to 100km/h takes 4.4 seconds in the manual, 0.3 seconds slower than the auto version. It’s not that the manual is slow by any means, it’s only because the GR Supra’s auto is a super quick transmission. What the manual lacks in acceleration time, it makes up for in engagement. It’s amazing how a manual gearbox can transform the driving feel of the GR Supra. That wonderful straight-six already feels great with the auto, but with the manual it feels even better, it feels special. DIY shifting allows you to feel more of the engine’s power, to be more in-tuned with the engine’s performance potential.

Granted, the manual isn’t the most precise box out there, but it’s still a joy to shift and the clutch is relatively easy for a high output rear-wheel drive sports car. With a short travel and low pick-up point, it doesn’t take long to get used to the manual box and once familiarised you’d be rowing through the gears smoothly.

The only complain we have about the manual is that it does take quite some force to slot it into reverse. We’re not sure if this had something to do with the fact that the car we drove had gone through a bit of abuse being a press car, or if this is just the way it is. Nevertheless it’s quite a chore putting it in reverse.

As mentioned, the manual dials up the excitement of the car by quite some margin compared to the auto, and this rings even more true when you’re wringing it out in the back roads. You just feel more connected to the car, being in complete control of the throttle and shifting.

The manual has an auto rev-match feature to help you execute the perfect downshifts, which we use quite a lot as the pedal position isn’t that great for heel-and-toeing. For the absolute purist, the feature can be turned off.

The Supra’s handling is almost faultless. It’s balanced, agile and light-footed, infused with a tinge of playfulness at the rear. Cornering is flat and grippy, with slight adjustability through the throttle. It’s so easy to drive the car at the limit. Because you sit so low and close to the rear axle, you feel a lot of yaw and feedback from from the chassis, you’re right in the middle of where all the action is and that’s a great driving experience.

Not that the pre-update model rode harshly, but the revised suspension tuning has improved ride comfort slightly. Rougher road surfaces are better rounded off for a more refined ride quality, without compromising road feel which is so important for a car like this. Adaptive damping is fitted which means you can cruise around in comfort mode or firm things up for sporty driving.

The manual model’s rated average fuel consumption is 8.9L/100km, some 1.4L/100km thirstier than the auto’s 7.5L/100km figure. The higher fuel use occurs mostly in city driving, where the manual’s rated 12.0L/100km is much worse than the auto’s 9.7L/100km. In the real world, we recorded an average consumption of 9.4L/100km with over 600km travelled, including freeway cruising and quite a bit of heavy-footed driving in the hills. It’s still one of the more efficient sports cars out there, especially when compared to the V8 Mustang and Nissan Z.

In terms of safety, the manual misses out on the auto’s adaptive cruise control (non adaptive only). Otherwise, all other essentials are there including lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, autonomous emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert and reverse view camera.

Verdict

2024 Toyota GR Supra GTS 6MT Pricing and Specification

The post 2024 Toyota GR Supra GTS Manual Review appeared first on ForceGT.com.

The latest fourth-generation Lexus LX represents one significant shift from previous models and that’s in the use of downsized six-cylinder engines across all variants rather than eight-cylinder units.

We have already covered all main aspects of the LX in our previous in-depth review, which you can read here. In this review we explore and compare the new crop of petrol and diesel V6s powering the new LX and see if the smaller engines are a good fill for the brilliant V8s from previous generations of LX.

The new LX range now spans five variants with seven-, five- and four-seat configurations available, the latter offered for the first time. The seven-seat LX kicks off the line-up, with the option to up-spec available through an Enhancement Pack. Five-seat models consist of the Sports Luxury and F Sport. The newly introduced Ultra Luxury model is the new range-topper, offering a first-class-like four-seater cabin.

All models are available with either petrol or diesel power, except for the Ultra Luxury which is strictly petrol only. For this review, we tested the diesel LX 500d F Sport and petrol LX 600 Ultra Luxury.

The Lexus LX pricing is as follows (prices exclude on-road costs):

Petrol powered models cost $3,500 more than their respective diesel equivalent. With that you get a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine that develops 305kW of power at 5200rpm and 650Nm of torque between 2000rpm and 3600rpm. It’s an increase of 35kW and 120Nm over the previous 5.7-litre normally aspirated V8 which produced 270kW and 530Nm.

The V6 petrol is the same engine as that found in the LS 500, albeit tuned slightly differently. As with the flagship saloon, this engine is one of the most refined turbo V6s we have sampled. So, the question of whether we miss the old V8 petrol can be answered with a resounding no because the V6 is just as smooth, if not smoother than the old V8.

It’s not just the refinement that is impressive, as the power delivery is just as linear as the previous V8. That’s a big score because the V6 is forced-fed and the lack of lag is most welcomed. There’s a distinct liveliness to the throttle response that’s not like the typical turbo engines.

With the onslaught of 650Nm of torque from low in the rev range, there isn’t a moment of struggle hauling the 2.6 tonne SUV around, even with a full load. That can’t be said with the previous V8 where its peak torque of 530Nm doesn’t arrive until 3200rpm.

The ten-speed automatic transmission that’s paired with the V6 petrol (and V6 diesel) may seem like two ratios too many, but the last three ratios are overdrive ratios and there to aid fuel economy. If you’re used to the close ratios in European eight-speed autos, you’ll need to get used to the longer lower ratios in the LX’ Aisin unit. It pulls a little longer in those lower gears, which is great for city driving as there’s less frequent gear changes. Getting up to speed, the ratios are more closely stacked, keeping revs low and maximising the chubby midrange torque.

Rated fuel economy for the petrol V6 is 12.1L/100km for the combined average. It’s certainly not the thriftiest of engines. For much better fuel efficiency, the diesel LX is the pick and that’s what we’re taking a closer look next.

A newer engine than the turbo petrol V6, the all-new 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel V6 engine makes first application in the current LX and Toyota LandCruiser. It boasts 227kW of power at 4000rpm and 700Nm of torque from 1600rpm to 2600rpm, a hike of 27kW and 50Nm compared with the previous 4.5-litre V8 turbo-diesel engine. Those are some impressive figures considering the drop of two cylinders from the old V8 to the new V6.

Against the V6 petrol, the diesel has a power deficit of 78kW but 50Nm more torque. The latter makes all the difference in the driving experience, not so much with the extra 50Nm but more the case of that peak torque arriving at just 1600rpm. It translates to a solid and persevering grunt that pulls the LX effortlessly right from the get go. Be it full load, uphill or towing, there’s no stopping the V6 diesel and its mighty pull.

It’s also one of the smoothest and quietest diesel power plants out there. In fact, from inside the LX it’s difficult to sniff out the oil burner lurking discretely under the bonnet. It does sing a different tune to the V6 petrol, harder and more mechanical sounding, but other than that it’s just as refined as the petrol unit.

As expected, the diesel’s throttle response is less lively than the petrol’s and its lazier demeanour means it doesn’t rev as hard. Both characteristics evident in the sprint from standstill to 100km/h, where the V6 petrol is a full second quicker at 7.0 seconds compared to the V6 diesel’s 8.0 seconds.

The V6 diesel is also matched to the same ten-speed auto as that used for the V6 petrol. It uses the same ratios as well, but because the diesel revs lower than the petrol the long ratios in the lower gears don’t feel as long. This delivers a more relaxing driving experience.

The V6 diesel is hands down the cheaper engine to run. Its combined average fuel economy figure of 8.9L/100km is over 3L more frugal per 100km compared to the V6 petrol. In urban driving the difference in fuel economy is huge, with the diesel rated at 11.3L/100km against the petrol’s 16.7L/100km. In the real world with over 500km travelled on each petrol and diesel powered LX, we recorded an average of 13.4L/100km for the petrol and 11.5L/100km for the diesel.

We did some soft off-roading in both petrol and diesel LX variants and found that both versions are equally capable on the rough stuff. That said, the diesel is the better mill if there’s towing involved. It’s worth noting that the LX 500d F Sport we drove is fitted as standard with a rear Torsen limited-slip differential which non-F Sport models don’t have. It distributes drive between the left and right rear wheels in response to throttle position and terrain conditions. While we didn’t notice much of a difference between the LX 500d F Sport and LX 600 Ultra Luxury during our mild off-road excursion, more hardcore off-roading should benefit from the added traction afforded by the active rear diff in the F Sport.

Verdict

V8-powered Lexus LXs have become a thing of the past, but the new more powerful, more efficient turbo V6s are so good that they completely overshadow the old V8s. Choosing between the V6 petrol and V6 diesel is a dilemma though. There’s very little in between them in terms of refinement and performance. The V6 petrol is slightly more lively and eager, which would pair well with the F Sport trimmed LX, while the V6 diesel is a better workhorse and much more fuel economical which would suit the Sports Luxury grade. Both deliver their own unique driving flavour, but are more than up to the task in a full-size SUV like the LX.

2024 Lexus LX pricing and specifications

The post 2024 Lexus LX Review – Petrol vs Diesel, which is better? appeared first on ForceGT.com.

The Nissan X-Trail has always been one of the favourites amongst Aussie buyers. But with the previous-generation model getting long in the tooth, especially amongst fresher rivals, the new model can’t arrive soon enough.

Now into its fourth generation, the T33 2024 Nissan X-Trail has big shoes to fill in one of the country’s most hotly contested segments.

First impression has been good, though. Built on Nissan’s CMF-C platform that employs considerably more lightweight materials including aluminium on most body panels along with more high-strength steel than ever before for increased torsional stiffness.

Nissan has also made significant upgrades to the car’s suspension and steering for a much better driving experience than before.

But the biggest improvement reveals itself behind the doors, for the X-Trail’s interior has been thoroughly revamped and look and feel properly premium.

If you have been in the latest Mitsubishi Outlander, you might even spot a few similarities, as both models are built on the same platform and share common parts, including the infotainment and digital instrument cluster, as well as steering wheel design.

That’s not a bad thing as it’s a significant step up from before. It’s also one of a few in its class, along with the aforementioned Outlander, to be available with either five or seven seats.

We spent some time with the non-hybrid 2024 Nissan X-Trail range to find out whether it deserves a spot on your shopping list.

How much is the Nissan X-Trail?

The five-tier Nissan X-Trail kicks off with the front-wheel drive and five seats ST and ST-L, with all-wheel drive and seven seats available as a bundle for approximately $3,000 extra.

Stepping up to the Ti and Ti-L brings all-wheel drive but only five seats as standard. So if you need seven seats, you’re relegated to the entry-level variants.

2024 Nissan X-Trail pricing (excluding on-road costs):

• Nissan X-Trail ST 2WD 5-seat: $37,250
• Nissan X-Trail ST AWD 7-seat: $40,290
• Nissan X-Trail ST-L 2WD 5-seat: $43,690
• Nissan X-Trail Ti AWD 5-seat: $50,490
• Nissan X-Trail Ti-L AWD 5-seat: $53,490

Nissan has also added the X-Trail e-Power hybrid to the range early last year:

• Nissan X-Trail ST-L e-Power 5-seat: $49,990
• Nissan X-Trail Ti e-Power 5-seat: $54,690
• Nssan X-Trail Ti-L e-Power 5-seat: $57,690

The X-Trail is offered with the following colours with all but Scarlett Ember a $700 cost option.

• Black Diamond – Metallic
• Caspian Blue – Metallic
• Ceramic Grey – Pearl
• Gun Metallic – Metallic
• Brilliant Silver – Metallic
• Champagne Silver – Metallic
• Ivory Pearl – Pearl

Buyers can also opt for a black roof for an extra $1,200:

• Caspian Blue/Black Roof – Metallic
• Ceramic Grey/Black Roof – Metallic
• Sunset Orange/Black Roof – Metallic
• Champagne Silver/Black Roof – Metallic
• Ivory Pearl/Black Roof – Pearl

What do you get?

Like most cars these days, the 2024 Nissan X-Trail is well equipped.

X-Trail ST:

• Auto LED head- and taillights
• High-beam assist
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Roof rails
• Auto-folding and heated wing mirrors
• Reverse camera
• Rear parking sensors
• 0-inch infotainment touchscreen
• 6-speakers
• DAB+ digital radio
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 0-inch TFT cluster display
• Fabric upholstery
• 2-way power adjustable driver lumbar
• 5 or 7 seats

X-Trail ST-L adds:

• Rear privacy glass
• 18-inch alloy wheels
• ProPILOT with Lane Keep Assist
• Surround-view camera
• Front parking sensors
• Dual-zone climate control
• Power driver’s seat
• Front seats heating
• Synthetic leather accented seats
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• Sliding rear seats with 40:20:40 split folding

X-Trail Ti adds:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Adaptive matrix LED headlights
• Digital rear-view mirror
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Panoramic sunroof
• Power tailgate
• Tri-zone climate control
• Leather accented seats
• 10-way power front passenger seat with power lumbar
• 3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Built-in satellite navigation
• Wireless Apple CarPlay
• Wireless phone charger
• 3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 8-inch head-up display
• Ambient lighting on dashboard
• AWD

X-Trail Ti-L adds:

• Remote engine start
• Reverse-tilt power mirrors with memory
• Hands-free power tailgate
• Heated steering wheel
• Driver’s memory seat pre-sets
• Heated second row outboard seats
• Quilted Nappa leather upholstery
• Rear door sunshades
• 10-speaker Bose audio system
• Ambient lighting on doors

What is it like inside?

While the previous generation X-Trail was capable, its decade long tenure mean things are looking a little tired the moment you hop into the cabin.

The new X-Trail however changes all that even on the base ST variant, with features and materials that bring the car into the 2^nd decade of the 21^st century.

The 10.8-inch widescreen head-up display, claimed to be one of the largest in the segment, is impressively crisp and colourful, while the Ti and Ti-L’s massive 12.3-inch touchscreen and similarly sized digital driver’s display are equally eye-catching with smooth graphics and crystal-clear clarity.

Away from the pre-requisite and high-tech screens, the interior itself oozes premium feel, especially in the top-spec variants with leather upholstery, LED mood lighting and panoramic sunroof. The soft-touch brown dash top – standard on all variants – is particularly smart and contrasts well with the dark grey colour scheme elsewhere.

Piano black is so last decade and thankfully, Nissan has wisely chosen a black faux timber trim instead which looks and feels great. All switchgear and dials have a quality feel to them and are a big step up from before.

The interior is well thought-out with plenty of bins and storage compartments dotted around the cabin along with intuitively laid out switches and dials. The floating style centre console provides space underneath for things like handbags or iPads and is hidden from prying eyes.

All variants benefit from two USB ports (one USB-A and one USB-C) up front, while Ti and Ti-L also get wireless phone charger and wireless Apple CarPlay (wired for Android Auto).

The rear doors open conveniently wide at an 85-degree angle which makes it easy to climb in and out (especially to the 3^rd-row of seats if equipped) and loading small children in the child seats. There are three child seat tether points along with outboard ISOFIX anchors which allow a centre child seat position.

The rear seat, which can slide back and forth, can accommodate three adults in relative comfort with adjustable backrest recline angle. Leg and headroom are good even with the headroom pinching sunroof installed.

Those with longer limbs might find under-thigh support a little lacking, however.

Rear passengers enjoy amenities such as rear air vents, map pockets behind both front seats, a USB-C and USB-A port each, door bins with bottle holders, and if the middle seat isn’t in use, two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest.

Ti and Ti-L also provide rear seat climate control.

Moving further aback, five-seat variants get 585L of boot space, while the seven-seat configuration sees capacity shrinks it to 465L. The clever ‘Divide and Hide’ storage system (5-seat only) takes no time to set up and allow up to 16 different configurations to hide valuables or store lengthier items.

Ti and Ti-L variants also come with power tailgate although there are no bag hooks or seatback release handles whatsoever in the X-Trail.

What’s under the bonnet?

All non-hybrid variants are powered by a revised version of the old model’s 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine producing 135kW at 6,000rpm and 244Nm at 3,600rpm.

Outputs are up 9kW and 19Nm compared to the superseded model.

The engine is married to the same CVT carried over from before but retuned to provide better response.

Combined fuel consumption is officially rated at 7.4L/100km for front-wheel drive variants, and 7.8L/100km for AWD models.

How does the Nissan X-Trail drive?

The latest Nissan X-Trail shares its platform with the Mitsubishi Outlander and thanks to a complete revamp of the suspension and chassis tuning, drives and rides significantly better than before.

The new platform is also more rigid, with torsional stiffness improving by 27 per cent. As a result, body roll is well contained and turn in more responsive. Along with a more direct and sharper steering, the X-Trail feels confident.

It’s comfortable around town with notably low road noise and a compliant ride quality. However, the Ti’s larger 19-inch wheel, while filling the wheel arches better, does bring with it a more jittery ride over low-amplitude corrugations and road imperfections.

It’s not as dynamically accomplished as a Mazda CX-5 but for most buyers, the X-Trail’s balance of ride and handling is a good one.

CVTs have come a long way and while I’m still not a fan of them, the new generation ones like those fitted to the X-Trail tend to behave much like a conventional transmission if you don’t ask too much of them but can still be drony during sustained acceleration.

And while the carried over engine is mostly adequate, a turbocharger would definitely make the most of the new and capable chassis.

How safe is the Nissan X-Trail?

The new X-Trail gets five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing of its partner model, the Nissan Qashqai which shares its platform.

For the full assessment report, head over ANCAP’s officlal page here.

Safety features on all variants:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with
  • Pedestrian and cyclist detection
  • Junction assist
  • Reverse AEB with Pedestrian detection
• 7 airbags, incl. front-centre airbag
• Blind-spot assist
• Lane departure warning
• Lane keep assist
• Traffic sign recognition
• Automatic high-beam
• Adaptive cruise control

ST-L and above gains:

• ProPILOT with active lane-centring function

Ownership

The X-Trail comes with Nissan’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and five-years roadside assist.

Its servicing interval is slightly shorter than some rivals at 10,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first. For comparison, the related Mitsubishi Outlander which shares the same engine offers 15,000km.

Servicing cost average $498 per service for the first 6 years for the X-Trail 2WD and $509 for the X-Trail AWD.

Verdict

2024 Nissan X-Trail Pricing and Specification

The post 2024 Nissan X-Trail SUV range review appeared first on ForceGT.com.

BMW is no stranger to electric cars. It’s first foray into the world of EV was in 1972 with the 1602e, a concept car that was used to lead a pack of long-distance runners at the 1972 Munich Olympic games. More test cars were produced by the German carmaker in the subsequent decades, but it wasn’t until the 2010s that the company got serious about EVs, with the i3 and i8 becoming some of the first series production BMW EVs.

Today, there’s a whole range of zero emission models in BMW’s portfolio, but the success of the brand’s EV strategy really depends on just one particular model. The iX1 is the smallest and most affordable BMW EV on sale right now. As a compact electric SUV, it competes in the fastest growing EV segment, currently dominated by the Tesla Model Y.

The iX1 comes in two flavours, the front-wheel drive eDrive20 xLine is priced at $78,900 while the better spec’ed, more powerful and all-wheel drive xDrive30 xLine costs $84,900. All prices exclude on-road costs and the latter is also available in M Sport trim at no extra premium.

At the price sensitive end of the EV market, the iX1 is a pricey option. Comparing equal rival models from the luxury space, the BMW is undercut by the Tesla Model Y, Lexus UX 300e and Volvo XC40 Recharge, leaving only the Mercedes-Benz EQA being the more expensive competitor. In the mainstream space, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6 both cost less.

Has BMW got its iX1 pricing strategy right to disrupt the Model Ys dominance and fend off other luxury rivals? The answer lies much deeper below the iX1’s sheetmetal.

But for starters, the iX1’s design is worth some discussion. Essentially, the iX1 is the electric version of the third-generation X1 SUV, which in itself is a good looking vehicle with clean lines and neat detailing. The iX1’s styling is mostly similar to the X1, albeit with a closed off kidney grille which some may find a little tacky and plasticky.

Our test vehicle was xDrive30 xLine variant which came with a more subtle and elegant undertone compared to the M Sport grade. The test car’s San Remo Green metallic colour is quite unique and makes the car look bigger than it actually is.

The interior makes a really good impression the moment you hop inside. Contemporary design shines throughout the whole cabin, with a clutter-free dashboard blending in harmoniously with luxury detailing and sporty touches. There’s nothing excessive, unnecessary or unsightly about the interior. Build quality is exceptionally high, so are the materials used throughout. The Eucalyptus open-pore wood trim feels and looks like it came from a 7 Series flagship and the Mocha leather upholstery gives such a sense of warmth. This is no doubt one of the best interiors in class, and certainly trumps over the Model Y’s.

There’s some seriously clever packaging in here, too. The wireless phone charging pad, for instance, has a near vertical orientation so as to not take up too much space in the centre console. An adjustable flap keeps your phone secured in this position, nice. The dual cup holders in front of the charger are decent in size, so are those bottle holders in the door bins.

Being an EV, there’s no transmission tunnel underneath the centre console and so this frees up space for a large open storage shelf under the front centre armrest. The trade off is that the covered centre storage bin is too shallow and only good for storing keys, access cards and the odds and bobs.

The front seats are cocooning without being overly snug like those found in other small cars. They have massaging functions (optional) and are heated but sadly not ventilated. Both front seats have power adjustment but only the driver seat has memory function.

For a compact SUV, cabin space is generous throughout. We’re pleasantly surprised by the room offered in the back. Even those stretched in the legs have decent leg and knee room to be comfortable back there. Also, the lack of a centre hump is surely welcomed by the middle rear passenger.

Further back, the boot has a capacity of 490 litres, down 50 litres on the engine-powered X1 due to the battery pack and electric motor but still of a decent size. Uncommon in this class, the 40:20:40 split folding rear seats afford good versatility. You can drop just the middle rear seat to carry long items such as a surf board while still keeping the outboard seats usable, or tumble them all to expand the boot space to 1495 litres.

In terms of standard equipment, the iX1 features dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, powered tailgate, adaptive LED headlights with high-beam assist and adaptive suspension. Our tester has been fitted with the optional $3,616 Enhancement Package which brings the aforementioned massaging function to the front seats, a 12-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system and a panoramic glass sunroof.

On the technology front, the iX1 boasts a curved multi display panel consisting of a 10.25-inch instrumentation display and a 10.7-inch centre touchscreen. Both displays offer good customisability including map view on the instrument cluster. Along with the head-up display, the cockpit is one of the most advanced in class.

Satellite navigation and DAB+ radio are standard, so is wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto connectivity. There’re two USB-C ports at the front and two more at the rear. A 12V socket is fitted in rear centre console and another in the cargo area. As mentioned, a wireless phone charger is also featured.

Some may find that BMW has gone a step too far by integrating all climate control functions into the touchscreen but we don’t really mind it. The touchscreen is absolutely superb when it comes to clarity, responsiveness and ease of use. The climate menu and cabin temperature controls are always present at the bottom of the screen, with the buttons placed far apart enough for easy operation. You do, however, have to dive into the climate menu to activate seat heating and massaging functions. Alternatively, you could summon the voice control for these functions, which worked just fine during our test period.

The drive selector and media controls are located in the centre console, while the iDrive system is gone given the move to touchscreen, making this space a lot tidier. It’s also more comfortable to operate than before as you could rest your arm on the padded arm rest while your hand operates the switchgear.

The iX1 xDrive30 tested here is a direct EV equivalent of the petrol-powered X1 M35i xDrive. As such it has all-wheel drive courtesy of two electric motors, one on each axle. They are powered by a 66.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack stuffed in the floor. The electrical drive system outputs a total of 230kW and 494Nm, the latter figure is almost 100Nm more than the X1 M35i.

The sprint from 0 to 100km/h takes just 5.6 seconds, which is more performance than what most compact SUV owners ever need. The Tesla Model Y AWD Long Range is still quicker though, claiming 5.0 seconds for the same feat.

Being quick off the line isn’t what the iX1 is all about, for it delivers some of the best driving experiences offered by any EV. The drivetrain is refined, the steering is beautifully weighted and the pedals are nicely progressive. The AWD puts power down to the road neatly at every launch and once on the move the abundance of traction affords the iX1 with a secured, planted driving feel. Push the SUV further, the taut chassis and quick steering combine to deliver sharp, confidence inspiring dynamics, exactly what you’d expect from a BMW.

More often than not, sporty handling means compromised ride comfort. That’s not the case with the iX1. The SUV still rides with good compliance across varying road surfaces, thanks to the adaptive suspension and expertly tuned dampers. The ride and handling balance is just exemplary.

The iX1’s regenerative braking is also pretty good. In addition to having the ability to adjust the intensity of regenerative braking, it goes a step further by offering adaptive brake recuperation. Essentially, the car scans the traffic and road condition ahead and adjusts regenerative braking accordingly. On a stretch of empty road, recuperation is dialled right down to allow for coasting, and when a car is detected ahead or driving downhill recuperation becomes stronger thus slowing the car down. It’s like an adaptive self-braking feature and it works like a charm. Impressive stuff.

What isn’t is the range. With a claimed range of 440km on the WLTP cycle, it’s down substantially on the Model Y Long Range (533km). It also can’t match the Kia EV6 (484km) or Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin (485km). And when compared to its petrol-powered counterpart, the X1 M35i xDrive, it’s short as well, with the X1 capable of 692km. With nearly 500km travelled over varying roads and traffic conditions during our week-long test, the iX1 indicated an average consumption figure of 19.0kWh/100km. This equates to about 410km of range in the real world.

While the iX1 may require more frequent charging, it supports DC fast charging at up to 130kW. At this charge rate, the battery is replenished from 10 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes. One interesting feature of the iX1 is the ability to precondition the battery before a charge when using the built-in navigation to locate a suitable charger. We did not get to test this feature out, but theoretically the car can accept a charge at 130kW with no ramp-up, shortening charge time further.

Standard 11kW AC charging is also accepted, with an optional 22kW home charger available from BMW at a cost of $1199 plus installation. Owners get three years complimentary ChargeFox subscription for free charging throughout the ChargeFox charging network.

The iX1 is covered by a five-year factory warranty with no cap on kilometres and three years of included roadside assist.

Verdict

2023 BMW iX1 xDrive30 Pricing and Specification

The post 2023 BMW iX1 xDrive30 Review appeared first on ForceGT.com.