POPULARITY
With cost-of-living pressures affecting new car sales a sharply priced SUV like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro is sure to gain traction – this small Chinese SUV has been selling up a storm since its launch six months ago. Chery has thankfully already dropped the Pro from its name and revised styling including a full width LED tail-light and revised alloy wheels. Two models – the entry Chery Tiggo 4 Urban at $23,990 drive-away which now also gains front parking sensors and a six-speaker sound system in lieu of four. The better-equipped Tiggo 4 Ultimate at $26,990 drive-away further gains wireless phone charging and ambient interior lighting. Both exceptional value and quickly reflected in sales – having driven both the Tiggo 4 Ultimate is well worth the extra. Power source is a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine driving the front wheels through a continuously variable automatic. The Ultimate grade equipment impressive – LED headlights, twin 10.25-inch display screens, a 360-degree camera, rear parking sensors, wireless phone charging, larger 18-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather trim, dual zone climate control air, a power sunroof and shade, heated front seats, five-star ANCAP safety and many active safety elements. The Chery Tiggo 4 Impressive value for $26,990 drive-away with seven years unlimited km warranty.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Driving the popular Mazda CX-5 SUV today, Mazda’s top seller, it’s been around a long time in ten models, a mix of petrol and diesel and front or all-wheel drive. No hybrid but I’m told its coming. I drove the second tier 2.5-litre six-speed automatic CX-5 Maxx Sport front wheel drive - $43,184 drive-away, which included optional Soul Red Chrystal Metallic paint at $795. A colour that has in many ways become a trademark of Mazda. The CX-5 a good looker, still our fourth best-selling medium SUV, behind Toyota’s RAV4 and getting some strong competition these days from Kia’s Sportage and Hyundai’s Tuscon. I did nearly 900km over the Anzac weekend and it really surprised - well sorted, extremely comfortable for four adults – the Maxx Sport well specified apart from the lack of wireless phone charging and a power rear door. But it has dual zone air-conditioning with rear outlets, a welcome head up display, a rather small 8-inch display screen on the dash but just so safe to use with a rotary dialer to let you scroll through a menu – so much safer than many of the new Chinese SUV’s with their large touchscreens and no active buttons. Warranty 5-years/unlimited km. Drive details next. I’m David BerthonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Further on Mazda’s long standing CX-5 SUV but still highly competitive with ten models in a mix of petrol and diesel and front or all-wheel drive, I’m driving the second tier 2.5-litre six-speed automatic CX-5 Maxx Sport front wheel drive at $43,184 drive-away with optional metallic paint. I did nearly 900km over the Anzac weekend with a lot of highway cruising at the open road limit. The naturally aspirated four-cylinder with 140kW and 252Nm of torque did a workmanlike job but what surprised was the economy, averaging 7.4L/100km on 91 grade petrol with four passengers. This is simply a great allrounder, well shod 17-inch alloy wheels provide a very comfortable ride while the electric power assistance offers good feel whilst parking and on the run. Comfort and convenience items include dual zone climate control, satellite navigation, a head-up instrument display, well bolstered cloth seats, a rear-view camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto plus a good level of active safety elements. Thankfully the warning elements are not intrusive like many of the new breed of Chinese SUV’s. Disappointments – no wireless phone charger and the lack of a power rear door. However, the Mazda CX-5 is still up there as one of our best mid-size SUV’s. I’m David BerthonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the last nine months we’ve seen a number of new Chinese electricbrands arrive on the market and whilst EV’s may be slow sellers at thispoint of time the competition has become intense. I have just finishedtesting the Leapmotor C10, a mid-size five-seat EV SUV, the first productfrom Leapmotor which was formed only in 2015 and majority backed by thegiant Stellantis group – an impressive first effort but spoilt by overlyintrusive active safety elements – lane keep assist in particular, plus aseries of warning chimes that are simply distractive and counter intuitive.Why the Chinese think we need so much intervention is hard to fathom butthe Leapmotor C10 is like driving a computer screen on wheels – designedby tech heads instead of car designers and the experience is simply notenjoyable. I’m David BerthonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Talking further on the intrusive active safety elements of many of the newbreed of Chinese SUVs – the Leapmotor C10 I’ve just driven a case in pointwhich has 17 so called active driver assist features and I understand thatthe local company has already adjusted the software for these active safetyelements three times – heaven knows what it was like first up for its still sointrusive it’s a buyer turnoff to what is otherwise an excellent first effort forLeapmotor. Interestingly, this week I was supposed to be driving theDeepal CO7, another Chinese EV SUV newcomer. However, I was told alltest vehicles have been recalled to make software changes to their activesafety elements – the reason, I’m not the only motoring journalist who hasfound many of these poorly calibrated active safety elements an absolutebuyer turnoff. I’m David BerthonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week, Ginny, Mike and Tom discuss the new Volkswagen Transporter (or is it a Ford Transit?), the arrival of yet another £40k Chinese SUV and the return of the Volvo Cross Country badge. The team also discuss the latest videos going live on the YouTube channel and help listeners with their car buying questions.This podcast is also available on the Electrifying.com YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC29JbxEwr7q5bP7ANJMSqAg) where you can leave comments and questions for the team. We can also be reached at podcast@electrifying.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Driving Hyundai’s latest Sante Fe Hybrid – behind the wheel noticeably larger toits predecessor, now squarer edged, a very roomy seven-seater with exceptionalcargo space but if anything it looks a little tail heavy due to an enlarged tailgate.This latest Hyundai Sante Fe initially available as a 1.6-litre turbo petrol hybrid sixspeed automatic in a base model, mid-spec Elite and top-grade Calligraphy - anddepending on model, front or all-wheel drive. A 2.5-litre pure petrol 8-speedautomatic arrives late this year. I tested the Elite all-wheel drive, now $2,000dearer at $65,000 plus on-road costs. The hybrid power trains 172kW of power,367Nm of torque more than adequate – providing excellent fuel economy – Imanaged 7.7L./100km around town and on 91 grade petrol. Economy aided bythree levels of regenerative braking and in its highest level you hardly need totouch the brakes. Biggest annoyance the speed limit warning and driver attentionmonitor – both features need more development and refinement and are just plainannoying and of no real driver benefit. They can be switched off but every timeyou start the car they renew. Like a lot of the new Chinese SUV’s these warningchimes are distractive, and a turn off to most drivers. I’m David BerthonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Driving Hyundai's latest Sante Fe Hybrid – behind the wheel noticeably larger toits predecessor, now squarer edged, a very roomy seven-seater with exceptionalcargo space but if anything it looks a little tail heavy due to an enlarged tailgate.This latest Hyundai Sante Fe initially available as a 1.6-litre turbo petrol hybrid sixspeed automatic in a base model, mid-spec Elite and top-grade Calligraphy - anddepending on model, front or all-wheel drive. A 2.5-litre pure petrol 8-speedautomatic arrives late this year. I tested the Elite all-wheel drive, now $2,000dearer at $65,000 plus on-road costs. The hybrid power trains 172kW of power,367Nm of torque more than adequate – providing excellent fuel economy – Imanaged 7.7L./100km around town and on 91 grade petrol. Economy aided bythree levels of regenerative braking and in its highest level you hardly need totouch the brakes. Biggest annoyance the speed limit warning and driver attentionmonitor – both features need more development and refinement and are just plainannoying and of no real driver benefit. They can be switched off but every timeyou start the car they renew. Like a lot of the new Chinese SUV's these warningchimes are distractive, and a turn off to most drivers. I'm David BerthonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In episode 5 of the Daniel Drives Podcast, presenter Daniel Achterhuis discusses some of the highs and lows from this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. He runs through the latest cars on display, the legendary people in attendance, and even uncovers an exclusive interview from the archives recorded in 2019 with Goodwood PR Manager Nick Garton. There's everything from Adrian Newey's RB17, the Honda Prelude Concept, and even a new Chinese SUV weighing a staggering 3460kg. If you enjoyed the show, please consider leaving a 5-star review down below, and why not tell your like-minded friends to have a listen? Check out the Daniel Drives YouTube channel here. Follow Daniel on Instagram here. Thank you for listening!
Save thousands on any new car (Australia only): https://autoexpert.com.au/contact Get reliable 240-volt power off-grid @ Bluetti portable power: https://www.bluettipower.com.au/?ref=8xzu1i8qk8 OLIGHT DISCOUNT! (These are awesome.) Get 12% off here >> Use code AEJC Help support my independent reporting, securely, via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=54778969
Advertising expert Andy Rice slams the ever-improving Chinese SUV maker for its cheap and nasty advertising.
Well good morning, good afternoon and good evening, wherever you are in the world, hello and welcome to the Thursday 12th July edition of EV News Daily. It’s Martyn Lee here with the news you need to know about electric cars and the move towards sustainable transport. MINI ELECTRIC LOOKS ALMOST READY Let's talk about the BMW Mini! I had a petrol one for a year in 2008, black, petrol bags of fun even not the Cooper variant. Around that time before I was interested in EVs there was the original Mini E, it was a pilot program and is now discontinued. I'd have another Mini tomorrow as they're great for British roads, small enough to park and big enough for long journeys. So fast forward 10 years and I'm excited about the Mini EV. Carscoops says: "Our sneaky shutterbugs have caught the prototype (both inside and out) undergoing testing out in the wild. The prototype was also spied plugged in to the mains in a dedicated EV charging/parking spot. And the grille is all covered up, suggesting that there’s no internal-combustion engine inside. So unlike the Countryman PHEV, this prototype clearly isn’t a hybrid." Carscoops has 14 pics of the mini in yellow swirly camoflouage and I'll put a link in the show notes so you can see, but they do have just one of the inside. The dash has black cloth covering it, another sign they're getting close. There are three extra screens of test equipment, one that looks like a computer monitor on a large box on the passenger seat with two smaller screens about the size of an iPad mini stuck to the dash. In the footwells of the passenger side are a mass of wires. And how about this, you know on a bus or coach or train, you see those metal hammers often behind glass, with a sign which says "in case of emergency, break glass and smash window to escape"? I can just see one of those taped to the drivers door next to the handle...so are the windows either locked up or are the electric windows disabled? Either way I think it's a sign they're getting closer to production. Meanwhile, India Times reports: "BMW Group and the biggest Chinese SUV brand, Great Wall Motor, announced a partnership Tuesday to produce electric MINI vehicles in China as global automakers ramp up development under pressure from Beijing." Auto brands in China are required to make electric vehicles at least 10 percent of their sales starting next year or buy credits from competitors that exceed their quotas. Later, they face pressure to raise those sales in order to satisfy fuel efficiency requirements that increase annually. The last I heard, Western markets will have the Mini EV made here in the UK in Oxford but given the disastrous process of Brexit and trying to untangle British manufacturing from a tariff free customs union, we're really worried that car markers will find it both easier and cheaper to move production to the European Union. Leaving the EU is currently looking very bad for the auto industry in particular. https://www.carscoops.com/2018/07/mini-electric-looks-almost-ready-plug-ev-market/#lg=1&slide=13 TESLA Q2 VOLUMES ALMOST EQUAL TO JAGUAR The market intelligence company AID has been tracking Tesla sales vs Jaguar: "Tesla is already snapping at the heels of Jaguar. The question now is, as AIDs segment observers have put it most topically, based on Teslas latest sales surge it is not if Tesla will outsell Jaguar on the global prestige sector sales scene, but how soon?" They say:" Figures compiled by AID every month reveal that this second quarter, thanks in large measure to the long-expected but belated sales bounce from Teslas all-new Model 3 in its domestic US backyard, worldwide sales of Tesla skyrocketed to 40,740 units, according to Tesla. In a world were almost everything is relative, that directly compares to the only slightly higher 44,124 worldwide Jaguar sales during the same second quarter." So as I saw on Kyle Field from Clean Technica say today on Twitter, lazy headline writers might have to stop using the phrase Tesla Killer, maybe they need to start calling Elon Musk #JaguarKiller The thing I would like to add is the unknown of the I-PACE sales which Q3 will include. http://www.eagleaid.com/AID-Newsletter-preorder-1813preview-d-Tesla-already-hot-on-Jaguars-heels.htm MUSK GOES TO CHINA, BUT IT IS TOO LATE FOR TESLA I know I'm a simpleton who thinks out loud on a wildly unpopular podcast, but I do get confused. Jim Collins at Forbes seems to think Tesla has missed the boat to sell cars in China. Jim says "It Is Too Late For Tesla To Ride The Chinese EV Boom". Let see what Jim says in this Forbes article: "Tesla's huge head start in the Western markets for high-end BEVs simply does not exist in China. As evidenced by the rash of senior executive departures in recent months, Elon Musk seems to like to do things on his own. But the Chinese market, which has flourished through so many East-West partnerships, is a very different animal, and Tesla simply does not have the capital to compete there." He seems to conclude that because they're dominant in the U.S. they should be dominant in China. I don't think I've ever heard Elon or Tesla say that. Just that they need to build a Gigafactory on every continent in order to make the kind of cars, at the kind of prices, which local people desire and can afford. It's weird, the headline bears little relevance to the article. Has Tesla missed the boat as they say? New Energy Vehicle sales are on target to double, it's a market in massive growth. Unlike in the U.S. where they literally had to CREATE a market for cars, there's an exploding one in China, so that head start which apparently they can't be successful without contradicts the facts that when Tesla launch there wasn't even a race. Let alone a head start. How is it "too late" for Tesla? https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimcollins/2018/07/11/mr-musk-goes-to-china-but-it-is-far-too-late-for-tesla-to-ride-the-chinese-ev-boom/#4fdbaab57a01 ELECTRIC CARS ARE THE FUTURE. HERE'S WHY YOU SHOULD BE AN EARLY ADOPTER Huffington Post say you should be an early adopter, and not just of cars. But of electric bikes too. "Another reason to get on the EV hype early? The chance to try a whole other way of transport. Step up: electric motorbikes. Richard Jordan, director of Super Soco, supplies 22 motorcycle dealers with his brand, which has been dubbed the ’Tesla of motorbikes.′ “Our bikes are legally the same as a 50cc motorbike, so they’re light, nimble and nippy through traffic – the ideal commuting machine. Cost per mile is tiny – around 1p – so commuting into London costs under 10p, compared with a travelcard cost of around £7 per day [based on a weekly card]. The battery is removable, so can be charged from the wall at work, or at home.” https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/electric-cars-are-the-future-heres-why-you-should-be-an-early-adopter_uk_5b337308e4b0cb56051dca58 TESLA HAS 100 MODEL 3 PERFORMANCE CARS FOR TEST DRIVES Elon Musk has tweeted about the Model 3s available for test drives: "Should be very soon. We’ve already made around 100 Model 3 Performance cars for test drives in stores." On last week’s edition of Ride The Lightning with Ryan McCaffrey he was speculating if they would rather you took a base model or Performance model for a test, which would be best for customers, so he tweeted Elon and that was the response. Looks like they've gone down the avenue of letting people rive the P3D and hoping, if they’d planned on a base model, to up sell them. That makes sense, basic business practice is to try and add value to a customer for a price. All that Anti-selling looks over, remember when Elon would tweet Model 3 reservation holders and say they should be buying a Model S?! By the way I've been playing too much with the configurator now it's opened up to everyone - i'm thinking white multi-coat paint with white interior is mine. TESLA REGISTERS MORE THAN 6,000 NEW MODEL 3 DUAL MOTOR AWD VINS Simon Alvarez at Teslarati, who incidentally got a retweet from Elon recently, has been tracking VIN numbers too by keeping an eye on the Twitter use @Model3VINs: "Tesla has registered a large batch of 6,032 new Model 3 VINs recently, with almost all of them corresponding to the Dual Motor AWD variant of the compact electric car. The new vehicle identification filings come at a time when Tesla is actively pushing its deliveries for the Model 3. This recent filing stands as yet another sign that Tesla is well on its way to sustaining its production rate of 5,000 Model 3 per week this third quarter" TESLA PICKUP TIMES ARE THE BOTTLENECK With so many people to get a Model 3 out to, Fred at Electrek has obtained an email to customers where Tesla are moving from making handover a one-hour hoopla, where your car is uncovered from a silk cloth draped over it, to a 5 minute quickie. The email says: "Learn about your Model 3: You’ll be driving home in as little as 5 minutes from your arrival, so please review the following resources below before your appointment until you are confident and ready to drive off: Watch Model 3 Tutorial Videos Review Model 3 Owner’s Manual Visit your local Tesla Showroom for any additional questions Sign & Drive Pickup Appointment Check In Paperwork Signing 5 minute Vehicle Handoff in which we will show you the essentials to enjoy your drive home: Charging Bundle Key Access Vehicle Start/Stop Park/Reverse/Neutral/Drive Tesla has produced 9 short videos to show different features of the Model 3 in preparation for this program." This was inevitable in some way you can't spend an hour making a song & dance over every buyers. Not when you have 5,000 cars to hand over, and 5,000 next week, and 5,000 the week after! You get my drift. I imagine the Model S and Model X buyers still get a more premium treatment. COMMUNITY You can listen to all previous 177 episodes of this podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, YouTube, TuneIn, Stitcher, and the blog https://www.evnewsdaily.com/ – remember to subscribe, which means you don’t have to think about downloading the show each day, plus you get it first and free and automatically. It would mean a lot if you could take 2mins to leave a quick review on whichever platform you download the podcast. And if you have an Amazon Echo, download our Alexa Skill, search for EV News Daily and add it as a flash briefing. Come and say hi on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter just search EV News Daily, have a wonderful day, and I'll catch you tomorrow. CONNECT WITH ME! evne.ws/itunes evne.ws/tunein evne.ws/googleplay evne.ws/stitcher evne.ws/youtube evne.ws/soundcloud evne.ws/blog
This week on the Behind the Wheel Podcast we find out all about Tesla's now famous tow-test. We get the details too on some spectacular cars going under the hammer at a big classic car auction on in Gosford NSW. Listen in for an update on some all-new models from BMW. Joel Helmes lets us know all about the Haval H2, the Chinese SUV brands small crossover SUV. Simon Lai with a review of the new-generation Toyota Camry Hybrid. While Rachel Franco tells us all about her road trip to Tamworth.
Overdrive: Google's Android dashboard; Judging speed; US drivers don't want self driving cars; Clean car sharing; Capturing carbon for fuel; and Bentley's SUV - it has a champagne fridge and a lot of cables. We talk with Professor Corinne Mulley from Sydney University about the science of transport fares - high, low or free? We road test the Haval H9 - a large Chinese SUV that gives you a lot for your dollar. Plus quirky news including: Google's patent to make you stick to their cars; and how electric cars and music mix. Originally aired on 4 June 2016. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au