Test drive today

[nernm]

We went for the 4h and managed to get a good second hand deal.
As mentioned by others this market is expanding as the model has become established.
Ex demos; end of lease; people for who it doesn't really suit their personal driving habits.

The main reasons for going 4h in order of priority were:

(1) electric pre-heating: it can be warmed up and defrosted while still connected to the charger, so you start off with the full electric range. If your commute is short you may even make it without putting the heater on at all! It can become a bit of challenge or obsession. You find yourself putting on jacket and gloves and watching that electric range closely - feeling a great sense of achievement if the ICE hasn't fired up!
It is also essential in these colder climes, here North of the border! We are also at quite a high altitude, well outside the city centre and get frost and snow when other local areas don't.

(2) reversing camera : We have one on our Auris Hybrid and like it and would miss it, especially on a much larger and more expensive car.

(3) electric sun roof : We were trading in our Freelander with detachable top and would have missed the fun/fresh air feel of open top motoring. Albeit used only rarely, but a sun roof will be used much more often. Its a shame they went out of fashion with the spread of air con. On the save energy/money front, apart form the pleasant fresh air experience, on hot summer days you will be able to reduce your use for air con.

Number (1) was the real clincher.

Whatever your decide, good luck.

 

[offyoutoddle]

I had a test drive at the weekend of a Gx4h. Very nice car indeed, really couldn't fault it in the short time i drove it.

My impression of the suspension was it seemed a nice compromise - not too hard but didn't wallow in the corners or anything either - can any owners comment if that seems a reasonable comment based on their longer time with the vehicle?

I am considering this vs a Vauxhall Ampera at the moment. The advantage of the ampera is the greater EV range and greater efficiency of the petrol engine when you do run out of battery power. The advantages of the Outlander seems to be its greater practicality, space and build quality - it is like night and day between the two to my mind.

Also the Ampera going out of production now gives me concerns about its long term maintenance, as the level of expertise on the cars in the UK may not be that great, and now will not increase much. This is a concern that seems far less of an issue with Mitsubishi who seem committed to the technology.

The only concern I have which could be a deal breaker for this and potentially any EV at the moment is the heating system. Watching video reviews of both vehicles, reading comments in various forums, it seems people comment on the electric heaters a lot. I currently have a diesel car that takes well over 10 miles to heat up and even then the heater never seems to heat up the whole car the way I'd like it in the long UK cold spells. I really hate a cold car. Preheating sounds a must, but based on sheer size of the cabin as well are these typically cold cars to use? There seem so many comments about people driving around with scarves and gloves on to avoid hitting their battery range unduly, is that a valid concern? If you want the heater on for a journey, how bad does it hit your EV mileage?

 

[maby]

...

The only concern I have which could be a deal breaker for this and potentially any EV at the moment is the heating system. Watching video reviews of both vehicles, reading comments in various forums, it seems people comment on the electric heaters a lot. I currently have a diesel car that takes well over 10 miles to heat up and even then the heater never seems to heat up the whole car the way I'd like it in the long UK cold spells. I really hate a cold car. Preheating sounds a must, but based on sheer size of the cabin as well are these typically cold cars to use? There seem so many comments about people driving around with scarves and gloves on to avoid hitting their battery range unduly, is that a valid concern? If you want the heater on for a journey, how bad does it hit your EV mileage?

I think it is more the case that the lack of an electric heater impacts on your ability to run in EV mode. A GX4 is able to stay toasty warm under some pretty cold conditions - particularly if you pre-heat while still connected to the mains. A GX3 without the electric heater can only warm the car by running the engine. That said, even a GX4 will resort to petrol heating when the temperature gets below something like 7 degrees. The people that are driving in multiple scarves and sweaters are doing so in order to avoid burning any petrol at all.

 

[offyoutoddle]

thanks for the reply - I think I've already ruled out a Gx3 for that reason. Do you know how much the electric heater hits the battery range then?

 

[maby]

thanks for the reply - I think I've already ruled out a Gx3 for that reason. Do you know how much the electric heater hits the battery range then?

No easy answer to that, I'm afraid. It is going to be a sum that takes into account the ambient temperature, your selected temperature and your driving speed - look at it like this:

1) the heater running full power draws about 4kW
2) the battery capacity is about 10kWH
3) the motors draw up to around 30kW, but cruise at closer to 10kW
4) range on a full charge at around 30 to 40mph will be around 25 miles without the heater, possibly a bit more.

so, if you don't move the car at all, the battery can run the heater on full power for more than 2 hours. With the heater off, cruising at a moderate speed, you will run the battery flat in half to three quarters of an hour. In half an hour, the heater running flat out will consume around 2kWH - about a fifth of your total charge - reducing your range by perhaps five miles...

OK - all those numbers are approximations - but not wildly wrong. If you are cruising around 40mph with the heating running high, it could reduce your range by 20%; if you are moving slowly in heavy traffic, there could be sufficient time for the heater to consume a lot more of your charge.

 

[greendwarf]

It depends on your typical journey. Short ones, even in a Gx3, I don't notice the lack of heating - especially below 30 mph. On long journeys you will be running the ICE anyway - we were toasty warm in the Alps at half-term

The problem is on trips of around 10 miles or so at higher speed. You would then notice the "draught" around your feet without supplementing it.

 

[offyoutoddle]

thanks for the figures. Not what I was hoping to hear, but I think it rules this vehicle out for me, and I'm glad to know now. The range is already pretty low, and the compromises with heating are not something I'd want to pay that much money for a vehicle for and stomach. Its too cold here for the majority of the time.

Finding this out here rather than in the real world is something that I appreciate though. many thanks guys

 

[nernm]

We considered the Ampera about a year ago [before the Outlander PHEV was on sale here]. There were also some pretty good deals going, I think partly because it was not selling {Maybe a message there too] and also a new model on the horizon, rumoured at that time to have a shorter range.
I think I've seen about two Ampereas on the road. Seen loads of Outlander PHEVS - I look for the second flap on the drivers side, for the plug-in bit.

The Ampere also has a model with preheating. I think I also downloaded a handbook.

We test drove a number of electric and hybrid cars at an eco show at Ingliston, near Edinburgh last year.

The Ampera was very much a compromise. Four seater was a big drawback for us. A gap between the backs of the two rear seats. Small boot, no parcel shelf. (Neither has the Outlander I know, but it has a roller blind thingy and a huge boot). Low ground clearance - test reports talk about a rubber skirt at the front dragging on speed bumps.
My wife did not like the car at all either to sit or drive in.
We can get quite bad snow here in the winter and our street a nightmare to get up from when snowy.

We feel the Outlander has served all ,our needs without compromise.

Please don't take the people driving with scarves and gloves on too seriously (I'm a self confessed one, really just for the hell of it and trying to use as little fuel as possible, as a point of principle.)

Preheating sets you off with a warm defrosted car and I'm sure additional use of the car heater on your journey wouldn't be too detrimental to the pocket.

At the end of the day is horses for course and only you know what suits you.

 

[offyoutoddle]

thanks for the advice nernm. Regardless of the vehicle and what I end up doing, its nice to see so many people willing to help you inform your choices.