The e Vitara is a Suzuki Vitara that uses electricity in some way to help with efficiency. It’s the kind of vehicle people look at when they want an electrified SUV. The podcast mentions it because it’s being reviewed.
They’re talking about the Suzuki Evitara EV. The host says it feels like it was built for off-road use, but on normal roads it’s disappointing—especially its range, charging speed, and overall driving feel.
Term
RD
RD means research and development—basically how much a company invests in new technology. The host thinks some Japanese brands didn’t put enough effort into EVs early on.
Term
ICCU issues
ICCU issues are problems with a charging-control computer in some EVs. The host is saying some Korean EVs have had known trouble in that area.
Air con is the car’s air conditioning. In an EV, running it can use extra electricity, which can reduce range—so they’re saying the test conditions weren’t extreme.
All-wheel drive means the car can send power to all four wheels. The host says the AWD version works much better for off-road than the front-wheel-drive version.
The infotainment system is the car’s main screen and controls for things like music, navigation, and settings. They’re saying this one feels old and clunky.
Term
kW
kW (kilowatts) is a unit of power used to describe EV charging speed. The host discusses charging in terms like “seventy kilowatt” and “sub 100 kilowatt,” using kW to argue whether the car can recharge quickly enough.
Maximum charging is the fastest rate the EV can charge at. They’re saying this car’s top charging speed (around 70 kW) is slow enough to make charging less convenient.
Hill descent control helps the car creep downhill safely and steadily without you having to constantly brake. The host says it mattered a lot on the steep downhill sections they drove.
Millbrook is a test track/proving ground where cars are driven on controlled routes. They drove the EV there as part of an event to see how it handles rough terrain.
The Suzuki Jimny is a small SUV designed to go over rough ground. It sits higher than many cars, which helps it deal with bumps and uneven roads. The podcast mentions it because of how tall and clearance-focused it is.
The Toyota C-HR is a small SUV/crossover meant for everyday driving. It’s designed to be easy to live with—small enough for city use but still offering more space than a typical sedan. The podcast mentions it because the speaker is interested in the newer version but hasn’t driven it.
The Galaxy EX5 is an electric car from Geely’s Galaxy lineup. The podcast mentions it because the host recently drove it and didn’t feel very impressed. It’s part of their ongoing set of EV reviews and impressions.
They mean the car feels like it moves around too much instead of feeling solid and connected. That usually makes the steering and handling feel less precise.
The BMW X5 is a large family-style SUV made for comfort and everyday driving. People talk about it because it’s a practical size and it can be used like a normal car, even though it’s bigger. It’s mentioned because the podcast host has been driving different cars recently.
They’re talking about small problems or weird behavior in the car’s computer system. The host thinks they could be fixed later by updating the car wirelessly.
An over-the-air (OTA) update is a wireless software update delivered to the car, similar to how phones update apps. For EVs, OTA updates can improve charging behavior, fix bugs, and refine infotainment or driver-assistance features without visiting a dealer.
This is the distance the manufacturer says the EV can go on one full charge. Real life can be different because your speed and conditions change how much energy you use.
“Real world” means how the car does in everyday driving, not in lab tests. Your speed, weather, and how you drive can make the results different from the official numbers.
That’s how big the EV’s battery is, measured in kWh. Bigger usually means you can store more energy and potentially drive farther, but it’s not the only factor.
This means the car can charge very fast using a high-power charger. Faster charging power can mean less time at the station, assuming the car and charger support it.
Mercedes is mentioned because it’s involved in a partnership behind the Smart EV lineup. The host is using it to explain why the Hashtag 1 exists when it does.
Company
Julie
The host mentions a partner company in the Smart EV collaboration, but the name in the transcript is unclear. It’s being used to explain where the Hashtag 1 program came from.
The Jeep Compass Electric is an electric version of the Compass. The host tested it on a course and says it felt better on simpler roads than on twisty parts.
A “road test” is an evaluation drive where the car is assessed in real-world-like conditions rather than just on paper or in a showroom. Here, the host uses it to describe trying different parts of the event route to judge how the EV behaves.
The Jeep Cherokee is an SUV made for everyday driving and light off-road use. Some older versions are known for a simple, box-like shape. The podcast mentions it because the speaker is a fan of that older style.
The Dodge Avenger is a regular car (a sedan) designed for daily driving. It’s not mainly built for off-road or extreme performance. The podcast brings it up because the speaker was surprised by how it turned out compared with what they expected.
Stellantis is a big car company that owns several different car brands. The host is saying some of those brands feel very similar, while others feel more unique.
These are buttons you use to choose gears instead of a stick. The host is saying the layout feels similar to another small car’s system, even if it’s not exactly the same.
“5N” refers to Hyundai’s Ioniq 5N. They’re saying it’s an EV that’s been tuned to be more fun to drive, and it feels easier to control than the other N model they’re comparing it to.
Some EVs play artificial sounds to mimic an engine. The hosts are debating whether those sounds are fun or annoying, especially when you’re driving hard.
“Mark seven” means the seventh generation of the Volkswagen Golf. They’re saying the Golf GTI from that era is a highlight and was a lot of fun on track.
The Polo GTI is the sporty, performance version of the Volkswagen Polo. They’re saying it’s a fun little hot hatch that doesn’t get enough credit.
Term
N62 time
It’s basically a lap-time benchmark from the Nürburgring race track in Germany. People use it to compare how quick cars are, but the exact number can vary depending on who tested it and how.
The Volkswagen up! GTI is a small sporty hatchback. It’s made to be fun to drive and easy to handle, especially in tight spaces. The podcast notes that it isn’t very quick, but it’s still enjoyable.
The Volvo V60 is a wagon (station wagon) that the host is reviewing. They’re talking about how it drives and how the screens/tech feel, especially in the T8 plug-in hybrid version.
A plug-in hybrid is a car that uses both electricity and gas. You can charge it by plugging it in, but it also has a gas engine for when the battery runs low.
The driver information display is the screen behind or near the steering wheel that shows key driving info. The host likes this part more than the main infotainment touchscreen.
Term
Google Maps baked into the infotainment screen
They mean the navigation app (Google Maps) is built into the car’s screen. So you don’t always need to set it up through your phone.
Android Automotive is the software platform that runs the car’s main screen. In this Volvo, it means things like Google Maps are built in and you can use apps.
Electric range is how far the car can go on battery power alone. The host says they’re seeing around 50–60 miles, and driving style (especially accelerating) affects it a lot.
MPG means how far the car can go on one gallon of fuel. With plug-in hybrids, the number can look very good when you’re driving on battery power, but it can get worse once the battery runs out.
Home charging means charging the car at your house, often overnight. If you can do that, you’re more likely to start each day with a full battery and use less gas.
The Volkswagen Tiguan is a compact SUV that’s meant to be practical for daily life. It offers room for passengers and cargo without being as large as a full-size SUV. It’s mentioned because the host is planning to review or test it soon.
LIVE
Speaker 2: I'm Alex, he's Jim and this is the Charging Status EV Podcast. How you doing Jim?
Speaker 2: Not too bad, not too bad. It's been a busy old week. been a busy month, I think, really, hasn't
Speaker 1: I must admit I've really struggled this week with the heat. I mean we've if you haven't guessed, we're re recording this on sort of heat wave week in May. And my little office here has been an absolute oven.
And I even had things starting to go wrong yesterday because they were getting too hot. My liquid colour monster PC ⁓ was struggling to render a video because it was simply too hot. ⁓ no. And yeah, yeah, so it was it was a struggle.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's definitely a hot one. It's not too bad today, it's 24 degrees, but it's been close to 30 at some point this week, hasn't it?
Speaker 1: ⁓ it was it was like thirty four the other day.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's been crazy. Yeah, last time we recorded a podcast, we've done quite a few things. We've been to SMMT drive day, we've had various different cars in, we've got some more stuff coming soon, but we'll a little bit of a catch up and see what we've been doing over the past few weeks. So what have you had in for review this?
Speaker 1: So at the Suzuki Evitara, which I don't know if you've seen the video on that one, but I have. I was disappointed with that car in quite a few ways. for one thing, like we've had a long wait to get an E V from Suzuki and I believe they developed it and then Toyota have used it. I I don't I I've always thought it was the other way round. I thought it was a Toyota developed, but then Suzuki
Speaker 1: used it, but I think it might be the other way around. But if so, they equally with Toyota, not all that good at doing EVs at the moment, it seemed. And I guess it's simply because they're so far behind in terms of RD, because they thought it was all going to be a fad.
The Japanese manufacturers all thought EV was going to be a fad and just haven't done the same amount of RD as everyone else. Certainly if you look at where Like the new stuff coming from the Germans is and obviously the Chinese stuff, ⁓ but and and Tesla sort of goes without saying, but the new stuff coming from the Germans is a step on.
Obviously, the Korean stuff has been very, very good for a a a good while now, apart from the ICCU issues. ⁓ and the the Japanese are just behind. I mean, that that was a car that ⁓ delivered massively short of the WLTP figure, which Like I'm not so used to that in twenty twenty six as I perhaps was five years ago.
and it it like in fairly good weather. The week I had it was fairly good. It was like fifteen degrees all week. It was rainy, but it was like fifteen degrees all week. So you weren't blasting the air con one way or the other.
⁓ and it was supposed to do two hundred and fifty something miles of range from memory, and it was more like a hundred and sixty something or a hundred and seventy. Yeah.
Speaker 2: It's supposed to be quite good on paper. Yeah.
Speaker 1: And it felt like a a car that had been completely set up for off-road use. And from what I understand, the all-wheel drive version is pretty brilliant at its sort of, you know, it it it it flexes its off-road muscles fairly successfully.
But I did four wheel ⁓ the front wheel drive version, and that's a car that's gonna the most off-road it might go is if you mount the curb in the garden centre or You know, in in Sainsbury's car park, for example.
And ⁓ so I felt like it didn't drive that well. ⁓ the interior was not that good, the infotainment system felt like it was from fifteen years ago, and ⁓ the EV performance not really good enough.
Seventy seventy kilowatt maximum charging as well. In twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1: I I know the Japanese like to keep everything in house, but I really feel like they need to just go out to market and buy some batteries in from BYD or something and some motors from here and actually kind of sit on this for a while until they've got something that that can catch up. Or do it the Chinese way and and take inspiration from ⁓ other people's work.
Speaker 2: Maybe. Yeah. ⁓ I drove the Evitara at SMMT. So SMMT at Millbrook. ⁓ they've got the off road course. don't know if you've. ⁓ and we went out with the chap and it's basically very similar, but a bit more tame to what you get from a land river experience day. Yeah. So there's very steep, I mean, really steep, ⁓ declines where it has to use all the hill descent control. And it was very important. Like nothing seemed to phase it. The only thing that.
Speaker 2: lets that car down off road is the ground clearance. It's massively tall like a Jimny was. So, but if you take, take that out of the problem, it's, it's incredibly capable off road. Really good. but yeah, it's a shame that when you take it on the road, I haven't taken on the road yet, but, the sounds of things it's
Speaker 1: Yeah. It's just a bit disappointing. If you're going to do that, have it as a drive mode. So everything firms up and but they you know it has been built to a price. It's not a particularly expensive car. so perhaps I'm expecting too much of it. But I think the the really easy way to do it would be to put a few grand on the all wheel drive version and give it a proper all wheel drive mode where it goes you it does change the steering and the suspension and everything else. ⁓
Speaker 1: And for the front wheel drive one, just set it up like a front wheel drive car that's gonna go to Tesco's. You know? Because that's what that car's going to do. That's what it should Yes, not off road. And and the ch the charging speed and the real world ec economy ⁓ I dunno, there's not really anything I can say to properly defend that, I don't think.
Speaker 2: You're gonna go- No, like seven, sub 100 kilowatt now. Yeah. Is just not good enough.
Speaker 1: That's for me, like hundred kilowatt onwards, I'm fine with. And do you know what? I would even be fine with the seventy, because most people are going to use it around town probably. But I'd all I would almost forgive it the seventy if it did four miles per kilowatt hour. But when it's doing two point something, you you kind of
Speaker 1: It's a real shame because I mean, Suzuki makes, I think, some brilliant cars and brilliant value for money cars. And you can look at that one on paper and think it's value for money. And in some ways it it probably is. But for me it felt cheap rather than good value. And Suzuki doesn't usually. It feels like built for a price, brilliant value.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the Suzuki Swift, the new one. Lovely car to drive. that expensive. So, oh, what a shame. Yeah, you're right. They are, they are incredibly far behind. All of them really. mean, from what I understand the new Toyota CHR plus I think is quite good, but I've not driven one. So not sure, but just all the Japanese manufacturers just.
Speaker 1: Hmm. Which I'm I'm gutted about 'cause you know, I've I've had lots of Japanese cars in the past. I I'm generally a Japanese car fan in quite a big way, actually. Yeah. And ⁓ I just think it's a bit sad that we don't have better E Vs coming from them.
Speaker 1: If they if they got behind E V in the way that they've got behind hybrid, you know, fab.
Speaker 2: Hmm. So that was at some point last month. I've had, what have I had? I've had the Geely EX5. I ⁓ wasn't massively impressed with that car really and how it drove. Like it's a very good quality car inside.
I think you're, I've watched your review since as well and you said the same thing. Like it's a, it's a really well thought out. beautiful car to drive, sorry, inside, mean, the interior. The software is really good.
It's really quick. But I just thought the dynamics of its drive is a little bit lacking in quite a few places.
Speaker 1: It's very, very numb, isn't it? I mean it's very very soft and everything. And you know, the steering's super light and all the rest of it, but it's very numb and anemic.
Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean, I took it on some country roads around where I live and at times it felt like the chassis wasn't attached to the body of the car. Yeah. Like it was just a lot of movement. Um, and it makes it feel a little bit unwieldy. Really. That's the way to describe it. It just feels a little bit, you have a little bit out of control. Um, but as I said, the software is really good. Um, like really good software. So.
Speaker 1: I d I particularly don't like the design of it either. ⁓ I think it's sort of everything that's wrong at the moment in terms of just very generic, like real Genero box kind of thing. People reference like the back quarter having a a hint of Porsche about it and stuff.
And that you I know Yeah, you can definitely see like a few things where they've taken more than a glance at at something else. But as a whole package, ⁓ when someone says what's it look like, well it's very sort of carry, you know.
Speaker 1: ⁓ I mean you they do they do not stand out in any way really. But it's the f you it's the first car we've seen from them. But that's b that ⁓ the design thing particularly irked me, I think, because, you know, Gee you've got Polestar and Lotus and Volvo, and they're all cars with quite striking designs. So you think, well if they've got the expertise in house, so why give us a jelly mould?
Speaker 2: Yeah, I found this weird. I've had three GD products in a row the past month. I've had the GD X5, the Smart Hashtag One, and I've got the Volvo V6 on the drive. All of those cars feel completely different, but completely different in a way that makes no sense.
Because if you get in a Skoda and a VW and a ⁓ Cupra, there's lots of elements which feel very similar, which makes sense for their business. There's a bit of part sharing. It seems like there's zero part sharing.
across any of these brands. Like they feel completely different.
Speaker 1: It does feel weird, particularly in the day of, you know, Stellantis and VW Audi Group, etc., where they they almost overshare parts, don't they, between the cars. Yes. where you can get into them and they all sort of feel the same or you know, some some degree of it.
⁓ and yes, it's just odd that I w I wonder if any of the cars were ⁓ I mean, it could be that they've bought in some of those brands with existing R and D and everything else. But ⁓ I almost wonder if some of the brands what are are not like is that G Lee something else in China?
Speaker 1: They own Proton Maybe they bought that as a Proton design or something or yeah.
Speaker 2: It might be the case. Strange. I'm not saying we need more parts showing, I'm saying that it just seems bit odd.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, but you y you would expect like a degree of it for sure, wouldn't you? Yeah. ⁓ the other the other one I've had in is ⁓ actually one that is a different brand in China, it's the IM five, which obviously in China IM is the brand, where here they've called it the MG IM five. A to sort of so they've already got their dealership set up and everything, but B, I think the MG brand has done so well in the UK
Speaker 1: And they think but it will do better being badged as an as an MG IM five. Like maybe Genesis would have been done better if it was a a Hyundai Genesis ⁓ G sixty or who who knows. ⁓ but everything about that car feels different to an MG.
And, you know, n on nowhere on it does the MG logo appear or anything like that. So it is no feels to me like a very different it's like Lexus and Toyota, you know, they There's no reference to Toyota when you're in Alexis.
but ⁓ my word, that was a good car. I thought it was phenomenal. There there are a few software quirks and things and it's on the software side of things, it's not a perfect experience. But it's g the nothing there that I felt was fatal and nothing that an over the air update couldn't just immediately resolve.
But it was a lovely car to drive. Bags of power, ⁓ crazy range, crazy charging speeds. And in the real world, I think I mean I you know, I did loads of driving that week. We went up to Millbrook. That's like that was three and a half hours each way for me.
In fact, I think it was four on the way home. and I'd I'd already been to a another one prior to that, which was like a hundred miles in the other direction, eighty miles in the other direction or something.
Yeah. ⁓ And aside from that, I'd done I'd just done a lot of driving that week. And in my the entire time I had the car, loads of it on the motorway, like probably eighty percent of it on the motorway, I think I ended up on three point nine miles per kilowatt hour in a car that does naught to sixty two in four point something.
⁓ yeah, claimed range of four hundred and forty ish at the long range version, and you know real world, you you're looking at
Speaker 1: 390, so hundred hundred kilowatt hour battery, basically. Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ and then if you do need to plug it in, four hundred kilowatt charging, all by the shouting. I mean put it in a bag, I'll take it.
⁓ the only thing that I could really fault was that the the wheels look a bit poo on the long range and the standard, but they've actually got some quite nice wheels on the performance, so you you could probably do an upgrade if they upset you.
⁓ but that was a very, very good car that ⁓ impressed me way more than I thought it might.
Speaker 2: Hmm. You know, it's a slightly different car, but the it's impressive because the Lotus Ameya that I had in December, it had not amazing efficiency, but the same size battery as that MG. I had a hundred kilowatt hour battery. The efficiency was almost three, quite. Um, and yeah, it's crazy that you sort of hear, you hear a hundred kilowatt hour battery. You think, they're compensating for something.
Speaker 2: like it's got maybe not the great efficiency. they're trying to boost the range by just giving it a bigger battery. But it sounds like what they've done with that IM5 is, is outstanding. I mean, yeah, that's impressive.
Speaker 1: Some people in the comments said that in owners forums and stuff, people have been complaining about the efficiency. And I can only think they're driving them like lunatics. Or perhaps I know the performance one hasn't got such a good figure.
And the standard range I think has got a seventy-five kilowatt hour battery. So perhaps those two are not efficient for whatever reason. But of course it could be down to the user. ⁓ but I I I was expecting like maybe three.
'Cause it's a big car and certainly on the motorway and y I wasn't particularly, you know, taking my time. ⁓ I I thought it might struggle a bit for efficiency. I was I was expecting, yeah, two point eight three, something like that.
⁓ and when you've got a car that can do that in the real world and charge at four hundred kilowatts, nobody ever needs anything more.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean you could almost get away with putting a seventy five kilowatt hour battery in it because you've got that charging capability and the efficiency. And yeah, with a lighter battery pack it would be even more efficient, I would imagine.
Speaker 1: The ⁓ I think it was like forty five grand for the long range. And although it's definitely another I'm not going to say Tesla clone, but they've definitely taken some inspiration from Tesla. I don't think I think they've done what I said X Paint should have done with the G six, which is they've taken a car that's not very good looking, and instead of making it look worse, as X Paint did, they've actually made it look a bit better. ⁓ And size wise, it feels more like
Speaker 1: competition for the Mod S than it does for the Model Three. ⁓ but it's a lovely, lovely thing. You I you should definitely try and get one in, but I I know they're not taking I don't think they're taking press bookings on them at the moment for some reason. ⁓ but yeah, brilliant, brilliant car.
Speaker 2: Sounds good. Yeah. unexpected, but yeah, that's a pretty nice surprise to have a car that did that that week. Yeah.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Especially as I I was so disappointed with the G Lee. ⁓ I just felt that was too much of a a clone not done very well and I thought, ⁓ god, I hope this one's not as well otherwise I'm gonna continually make the same video.
Speaker 2: But yeah, I mean with the, with the GLE, I was quite keen for it to go back. I was quite ready for the next one, if you know what mean?
Speaker 1: I didn't I didn't hate the Gly, I just ⁓ sorry, did I say geely before when I meant X Pang? I d I don't know. But I didn't I didn't hate the Gile where I had a bit more hate in me for the ex pain.
Speaker 1: I just felt that Julie was just too bland yeah. In pretty much every respect, apart from the interior.
Speaker 2: However, one thing that wasn't bland that I had this month was the Smart Hashtag 1.
Speaker 1: ⁓ yeah, you are you're a fan, aren't you?
Speaker 2: I like it's unexpected. So I supposed to have the hashtag five due to unforeseen circumstances. They couldn't get me a hashtag five, which is fine. I'll have that later in the year, but the hashtag one was there.
Was the company's first car, like after this regeneration of the brand, basically. So after they discontinued the four to the all of the cars they had, the way, as soon as they started this new collab between Mercedes and Julie, they launched the hashtag one.
I think. Yeah, it's a. It's unexpected. You don't see many on the road, but I couldn't really fault that car in like there was a one or two things, like there's very, very off. It's not very often these days that you find a car that there aren't at least something wrong with it.
you know, I mean, this was, If, in the market for like a ish electric hatchback, small SUV, definitely go and test drive one because it's It's a bit of a left field choice, think. But I think it's definitely worth considering if you are in the market for one.
Speaker 1: Which is cool. Like what you know, one of one of the things I like least about having a Tesla is that everyone's got one and they're everywhere. You know. It when you've got a slightly different car, that's that's great. Makes you interesting.
Speaker 2: Exactly. Yeah. And people were doing double take sometimes at the car. Yeah. That was because I was driving, but yeah.
Speaker 1: There's a seven year old driving a car, but perhaps that happened. ⁓
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, it was. ⁓ No really nice car. It's, it's, it's weird because it's rear wheel drive. So you get a nice driving experience. The suspension is well sorted. The infotainment is fun.
⁓ like you've got a little mascot as a fox. ⁓ it's quite efficient. ⁓ it, yeah, it's just a lovely car to drive and it feels like they're not cheap. but they feel like they're like a mini, they're like a more premium option in that segment.
And you can tell that someone has been spent on the interior because it just feels really nice.
Speaker 1: That's that's an important thing as well, I think. Rear wheel drive on a sp a small chassis is awesome, isn't it? Yeah, that's that's why the Honda E was so good.
Speaker 2: ⁓ yeah. Yeah, it's fantastic. Yeah. Yeah, it's true. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's good. And then as I was driving, I was thinking about what you were saying the other week, like the, the, the bland, the bland combination of a very square drivers display and a big infotainment screen that's smart has those things, but they're in different shapes and they're a bit more interesting to look at. So, um, yeah, really good.
Speaker 1: ⁓ but something else I drove at SMMT was the new ⁓ Jeep Compass Electric. ⁓ And I took it on the Alpine course, which is completely the wrong place for that car. Like utterly the wrong place.
But on the drive to and fro, I actually did like three loops of the drive there and back. So I drove to the start of the course, as as you know, it's like two, three minute drive. ⁓ took it round the course and thought th this is you know it's boaty and yeah it's really not for that course.
So I thought I'm gonna try and give it a little road test. ⁓ but I didn't want to go onto that twisty little city course. So I just drove between those big roundabouts and and ⁓ yeah the sort of service roads there.
And do you know what it felt? It felt great on those. And it was a really nice design on I thought the outside and the inside that's really garish green one. Yeah, but the the thing I love with Jeep, and I I mean, cars on the table, I am a Jeep fan.
Like I love like an old Cherokee or something where they're just a box. I just think they look so cool. ⁓ The thing I love with a Jeep is no matter how modern they've made the designs, and then this new electric Cherokee really does look ⁓ like a modern car.
It's still instantly you know it's a Jeep. It's just got something about it and it instantly looks like a Jeep. And the interior quality's really quite nice. And ⁓ I th I thought it was a a decent piece of kit.
⁓ interestingly, it's the first Jeep ever that's been designed and developed for Europe and then is being exported to the US. Like every other car's come sort of US first.
Speaker 1: which I was surprised by 'cause I thought maybe the Avenger would have been. Yeah. ⁓ but apparently not. I guess they just developed it in America but with obviously our market in mind. ⁓ and it's there are lo it's one of those things where in the design they've put loads of Easter eggs in.
So ⁓ I love that. There's like a bird that I can't remember which bird it is, but it it it has its summers in Europe and then migrate to the US and so that's on there 'cause it starts in Europe and then goes to the US and ⁓ it loads of like little clever Easter eggs that were quite quite fun without being naff.
And ⁓ yeah, I was I was impressed by that. I'd like to get one in and spend some proper time with it actually, but ⁓ I might try and make that happen.
Speaker 2: I like that. Yeah, go for it. Yeah. So that's good.
Speaker 1: I've had the petrol one in in the US a couple of times. Like Yeah, like the previous incarnation of it. And again, like that's never sort of let me down. It's tot totally fine. ⁓ But it th the E V powertrain really does suit it.
Speaker 2: That was a higher call. ⁓ Yeah, some cars get instantly improved by becoming EVs sometimes. Yeah. It's SMMT. It's difficult because that Alpine course is not suited for every car and some normal road cars are just going to feel horrible. it doesn't always work,
Speaker 1: Yeah. It's great. If you've got a performance car, I think it's brilliant because it does everything. Yes. Although obviously a performance car as well, a flat track would be quite nice. But the fact that it is so undulated and twisty, it's it's it's a dream, isn't it? Yeah. But yeah, for something like that, it's just really not the car to be in.
Speaker 2: Yes, but in No, not really. That's good though. it seems like Stellantis make sort of cookie cutter cars. Yeah. Like they all look quite different, but they, all fundamentally the same thing, but it's quite nice to hear that Jeep is doing something quite unique, I suppose.
Speaker 1: It's it's weird though, there are some brands within Stellantis that have always felt quite different, aren't they? Like Alpha. ⁓ although they like some of the entry level cars are obviously borrowed. Yeah. And they they I've always felt that they share more with Jeep and and one or two others than they do with Vauxhall, for example. ⁓ where Vauxhall and Citron seem to be sort of pretty much joined at the hip on
Speaker 1: It seems like a lot of things, yeah. But it almost feels like there's sort of two camps within Stillantis and when it comes to some of the development and particularly the the slightly more premium stuff, like Jeep and Alpha, for example. ⁓ and of course they had a Maserati there. We can't forget the Mas Maserati at Stellantis as well. Yeah. ⁓ which funnily enough, the 'cause I I took out lovely Josie, your your better half, in the ⁓
Speaker 1: Gran Turismo 'cause she wanted to get in a car with a real man who can drive for once. And ⁓ the gear selector buttons are very similar to what you find in a Fiat five hundred E. Yeah. They're not they're not the same.
Speaker 1: But I could forgive that car for a lot of a lot of things 'cause it's pretty ⁓
Speaker 1: ⁓ what I'm trying to think what else I drove at SMMT. I think ⁓ the INX six N, of course. Of course. what a thing. So I was I was chatting with Robin from Hyundo there, the ⁓ the PR, and he said to me how you know, how did you find it compared to the 5N? Because obviously I've driven the five N a lot.
Speaker 1: and sort of driven it in anger a fair bit. And I said to him, I felt like the six N requires more talent than the five N does. Like the five N seems to just give you talent. And Yeah. But the Six N I felt was less forgiving. And you could feel it switching around a bit more and
Speaker 1: Certainly I didn't feel like I was as good a driver in that as I feel like I am in the five N. But Robin said it's he thinks it's a better road car and I can totally see that. ⁓ it just things even ⁓ the the layout of it, it's as like a grand tourer that you can if I had hair, let your hair down in when the time comes.
It'd be it'd be absolutely fab. And again, you you put it into eco mode or comfort mode, whatever it is, and it it just feels like an INX six, which is a brilliant car, like sps so underrated, I think the INX six brilliant lease deals on those at the moment, by the way, by leasing dot com, who are not sponsoring this video ⁓ or this channel.
You could talk to though, Lisa dot com. So yeah, ⁓ Brilliant, brilliant thing. But I feel like don't think if you've driven the Iron H five N, don't think you then know everything about the the six N because they are quite different.
Speaker 2: That's good. Yeah. It's good to know they've made something a bit different, perhaps. ⁓ That isn't sort of like a different shape, but the same color underneath. Cause that could be quite easy for them to do. ⁓ That's quite good.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. It's quite funny in the comments on that video, by the way, some people are getting very upset with the fake engine sounds and the gears and stuff. Really? But I wouldn't every day. I wouldn't put all that on to go to work or go to Tesco or you know, but if ⁓ you're
Speaker 1: on a track, absolutely I'm gonna turn it all on and I'm gonna giggle every time it pops and bangs and you know and I'm g I'm gonna play about with the gears. I might be slower using the gears but it feels way more engaging ⁓ when when you're driving it aggressively. it's fun funny what upsets people, isn't it?
Speaker 2: It's never like, yeah, it's very different watching a video about something and then trying the car yourself. It's completely different, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. You're not going to realize these things until you drive the car.
Speaker 1: It's not for you, but like why is it evil? Someone said to me if you turn the engine sounds on it's an EV, so it'll use more power, so you won't have as much power. Okay mate, get yourself a biscuit. It's time to go home.
Speaker 2: ⁓ no. ⁓ I dunno. ⁓ dear. Yeah, that's good though. I'm quite excited to see what the standard on X six is like when that arrives. ⁓ Cause I'm under the impression actually that the iron X six in the USA, they're only taking the six ⁓ they're not, they're not taking the standard six.
But we will get the standard six here in the UK later this year, think. So, cause I like, you know, I love the the standard six. I know you did that big Europe road trip in one. I've done a decent amount of mileage in one last year.
I was, I was really impressed with that. So hopefully the new one is just as good.
Speaker 2: ⁓ Sweet. Yeah, SMMT is a whirlwind of just madness, I find. Just driving different cars, talking, running around, getting hot and different things. yeah.
Speaker 1: I only I literally drove three cars that day. Yeah. And I was still talking to PRs at like six o'clock because I hadn't I mean there's there was still I I didn't get to the G D stand. I went past BYD a couple of times and the people I know there were
Speaker 1: busy with other people and yeah that happens a lot. I walk round and if s if they're busy I just carry on and go to the next one until I find someone that's free and then I'll go and talk to them.
And of course I've constantly running into people I know from all these events and things and and chatting to people. and yeah, it doesn't take me a lot to stop and talk to someone for half an hour thinking I've been there for thirty seconds.
So once again I was nowhere near as productive as I would have liked to have been. ⁓ but
Speaker 2: drove quite a lot really. I mean Volkswagen had its 50 years of GTI this year. they brought nearly all of the different golf GTIs from the past few decades. So I had a cheeky go in a, not an old GTI, but like a Mark seven, which was sort of like the pinnacle of the golf, I think. And that was a proper laugh. Like properly good around the track. Same with the Polo as well. The Polo GTI is underrated.
Speaker 1: I like GTI's amazing. That's that's the one I'd have, to be honest.
Speaker 2: Hmm. Yeah, no. Great looking car. Very, very fun to drive very quick as well. So yeah, that was good.
Speaker 1: I qu I quite like these I I made a little video on the prelude yesterday 'cause I've got the preludes this week and ⁓ what's that? Was it yesterday or was it the day before? Yeah, well I think I made it the day before.
I made it literally. I literally dropped the guy at the station that delivered it, went back home, got my cameras and made that video because I was that excited and I'd I'd previously been it looks amazing, but I don't quite get it.
Speaker 1: What I did do though is talk about N62 time in that car, which everyone seems to report as six and a half seconds. And then I've looked at the press pack this morning and it's eight point two. So I don't know if someone's done like a real world test or something and found that it's six point five. It's really weird that it's reported s so widely, seemingly incorrectly. ⁓ but
Speaker 2: Okay. Yeah, Yeah, yeah. Well, maybe one one magazine or one YouTube video would have said this and that's what I having this conversation with someone the other week, like the press packs. Yeah, the people just look at other people's work sometimes. I think so.
Speaker 1: See, I I just Google what's the Nort 62 time and immediately you get like Google AI, don't you now? And yes it literally the first thing and it says it's this and you think, ⁓ yeah, that sounds sounds right. ⁓ Which is quite annoying. So I'll I'll correct that when I do the review video. Yeah, I d the point I'm trying to badly make, much like the Polo GTI, is
Speaker 1: And I think this is something that could be translated to EVs at some point, is that we come up with some cars that are quick and but brilliant fun to drive and look really cool, but you're not going to lose your license in them.
'Cause something like the INA five N, I don't think I could have one of those cars. I know I'm being completely serious. I it would be too tempting all the time for me. And I would really find that mega, mega tempting.
⁓ and like it's not gonna be very efficient and lot lots of other reasons for it. Where something like an electric equivalent of the prelude, which is it feels quick, it looks absolutely amazing, and it handles phenomenally well, which means you can have great fun in it and yes, you're not breaking any land speed records, which for me is a bit of a bonus.
Speaker 2: No. Yeah. I like my up GTI as well. It's not very quick, but it's so much fun to drive. Yeah. And you look down, you're going 55.
Speaker 1: It does. Yeah. Yeah, but it feels quick, doesn't it? And it does it's that engagement thing. And ⁓ I'd like to see some some more E Vs that tackle that. 'Cause like we've yeah, we've got the fake gears and the engine sounds and they're not for everyone. But if we had that in like the equivalent of the new ID polo G T, whatever it's gonna be, yeah. ⁓ that could be really
Speaker 2: ⁓ yes. cool. Yeah, hopefully. I mean, I think that thing's got about 220 horsepower, I think.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. That's a good point. Like you need more engaging stuff, but you don't, nothing needs to be massively fast. So there we go. Good point. This week I've got the Volvo V60. Um, so I've, it's the first Volvo I've driven properly really.
Oh, really? Um, there's still, yeah, there's still lots of brands I haven't driven cars from yet. Um, yeah, it's a lovely car to drive. The one I've got is the T8. So it's like 450 horsepower, like a stupid amount of power.
Plug-in hybrid. But you can, in certain places, you can tell that it's not a brand new car. Yeah. Like you can tell it's probably on its way out possibly. Yeah. But the screen's not massive. There's a few other things, but I think the whole package, what they've done, I think you reviewed one recently, I think.
Speaker 2: It's not going to give you any problems. don't think it's just, it just gets on with a job and just does it. So.
Speaker 1: Like the infotainment and stuff feels very old, doesn't it? But the I think the driver information display, I love that. I think that's great. But the infotainment screen feels a bit and s like some of the interior just feels feels like a used car almost.
Yeah, if someone s said to you that but this car's eight years old. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah, it's eight years old. ⁓ I I had like the just the Bogo standard petrol might maybe mild hybrid. I can't quite remember now.
⁓ but yeah, again, like you say, it's one of those cars that's like a it's like a chisel for a carpenter. Like it's not flash, but it's a tool that does its job and will do for years and it won't let you down as long as you, you know, keep it sharpened or in the case of Volvo, keep it serviced.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know about the car that you had, but the one I've got, it's got Android Automotive. So it's got Google Maps baked into the infotainment screen.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think I think I had that. ⁓ but it just I don't know, it just felt old.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it does feel slightly, but it's the same bit.
Speaker 1: laggy and like screen res and stuff really great and it might be I had an older system or something. You have to watch my video to find out.
Speaker 2: Maybe. I will have to. Yeah. ⁓ yeah, the one I've got, it's running Android automotive, ⁓ same software you find in the red F5 and the, think the poll stars as well. just maybe just means it's running, ⁓ Google maps natively and all that sort of stuff.
And you can download apps and things. So, you're right. The driver's display is great. It's, it's really well done. ⁓ you've got the maps on there as well. yeah, very good. But it's such a sleeper. You don't, you look at that car and you don't think it's got.
Speaker 1: Yeah. What's the ⁓ electric range on it?
Speaker 2: Apparently it's 60 miles. I've been seeing 50, but it does seem to drain its battery quite quickly. I mean, that's, it just seems to, it's very intelligent and it tells you a lot of information. So if you don't accelerate past a certain level, it won't use the engine and different things like that. But if you just do town driving, you'll burn for that battery. Not quickly, like that's what it would do.
Speaker 2: you'll see like 70 MPG, but once the battery's dead, you'll see like 20. ⁓ yeah, strange. I'm always a bit confused about plug-in hybrids because I just think, I don't know.
Speaker 1: Right, okay. I am utterly. And I think it's it's actually hard to gauge the MPG as well, isn't it? Because you don't know how much of the journey you've been on battery or both or and I I don't see them that regularly where it makes enough difference for me. Yeah. To because they're you know, they're usually way more expensive than getting a mild hybrid or a petrol car. And sometimes even more than the EV.
Speaker 1: Or and I sort of feel like just one or the other is I did a video, it was like, is it the w the worst of both worlds? And for some people I get it. But for a lot like for me, I think it would almost be the worst of both worlds.
Not don't get me wrong, if I had one on a two year lease or something, I wouldn't give a monkeys. But If I'm thinking about a car that's perhaps eight years old, ten years old, you know, long term ownership, do I want something with a battery and some electric motors in it?
Or do I want something with a battery, electric motors and an engine and a gearbox potentially? for me that there's too much there going on. And yes, you could plug it in and do your local journeys cheap perhaps if you can charge from home.
Speaker 1: I don't know. And obviously you're lugging all that extra weight around. And I think it's just there'll be a lot of people that buy one of these new plug-in hybrids. Like the the German stuff now is is doing really decent all electric range.
You've got the MGHS with really decent all electric range. the Chinese stuff's okay with the all-electric range. And there'll be a lot of people in those cars now that have got access to home charging that end up doing so much of their so many of their journeys using the battery, but they're plugging it in constantly every day that I think we'll their next car will probably be a full E V.
Yeah. ⁓ and there'll there'll obviously also be the other side of that, which is people that just don't get it at all. ⁓ and they're like, well I have to plug it in. Yeah. You know? But fair fair play to them.
Speaker 2: This seems a bit complicated. Like I'm having to think about, I'm thinking about, okay. If I'm doing this journey, I know that the MPG is going to fall off a cliff as soon as the battery is dead. Is that, I don't know. It just seems a bit too complicated. I know it doesn't, it's not complicated, but it just seems a bit unnecessary.
Speaker 1: That thing I I say about a lot of things. Like I bit I I was in curries with a mate last night and he was looking at these coffee machines and I know you're a bit of a coffee snob. Yeah. But like I and he said said to me, ⁓ would you ever get one of these?
And I said, No, because at the end of the day I want a coffee and not a new hobby. And I I don't want making a coffee to take ten minutes or whatever or five minutes. I want to put the kettle on. Get some quite nice instant, put it in a cup.
Stir it, put some milk in and drink it and get on with my life. You know, I don't need to go and buy some challenging glasses, ⁓ perhaps start wearing a cravat, ⁓ or braces and a bow tie and talk about the foothills of the Andes where my coffee beans didn't grow because it would probably be too cold.
⁓ but y and there's a lot of that, like I th I think it's like early E V adoption. Like a lot of those really, really early E V adopters, it it almost became a job for them, didn't it? Because they'd have spreadsheets, they'd have folders, they'd have, you know, everything possible and it became like a hobby.
And my dog's doing something strange in here. Hello. Come on.
Speaker 2: Britain's one and only EV podcast. keep the forecast.
Speaker 1: podcast. I could use it as a a hair piece. Shall we try that? I don't know. ⁓ So yeah, I d like I don't want to hobby with these things. It's like solar panels. I'm looking into solar panels quite a lot at the moment.
⁓ yeah. ⁓ and and my my friend Gary's got, you know, the Gary Does solar channel and he's sort of made a a career of it. But I very much don't want to. I want the things to go on the roof, a battery to go somewhere, and I want They all to just magically work in the most efficient way possible without me ever needing to get involved and I never want to see the data and y I d I just want to see a a hundred pound less on my electric bill every month.
Speaker 2: Yeah. No, it just seems like, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. But the, the week I'll be driving the hype, the Volvo, it just seems like, okay, I've got to plug in every day. It's charging for 12 hours because that's how long it just sits there for.
And then, you know I mean? Like it just seems a bit, and then you've got to worry about how far you're driving. And as soon as the battery is dead. Yeah. At that point you might as well just get an EV really.
but it's, yeah, we've, we've gone around around sort of the circles, but the, The Volvo is very good to drive as you'd sort of expect. So yeah, very good.
Speaker 1: didn't expect a coffee machine anecdote in there, did you, when talking about the Volvo?
Speaker 1: This is why this this podcast is so unpopular. ⁓ sorry, popular. Because people never know quite what to expect.
Speaker 2: Before we disappear, what have you got coming up in the next few weeks, mate?
Speaker 1: ⁓ what have I got? Well, next week we've got a Kia Day and we will definitely record a podcast. Because we need to ⁓ we need to be getting the podcasts out a bit thicker and faster. Yes. ⁓ very true. So we'll definitely record one at that. And we've got ⁓ we're we're both members of the Western Group of Motorwriters and we've got our annual drive day the following day, haven't we? So ⁓ which is like a a little
Speaker 1: miniature SMMT. So lots of manufacturers turn up, all the members turn up, manufacturers turn up with a few cars each and we get to take them out for, you know, little test drives and stuff.
And ⁓ hopefully make some new contacts and ⁓ hopefully get access to some more cars in the future. And I'm finally gonna get to speak to Renault. If they don't lend me a car after that, I'm going to I don't know.
Do something horrible. Put put a hex on them or something. I might do a little video in a Renault five because it's about time, isn't it? Obviously you might want to watch it now because everyone knows everything about the Renault five, but
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. I know if I was good. Yeah. Yeah. Um, I've got the, Volkswagen Tiguan next week. Oh yeah. I'm quite looking forward to it because I think that actually did quite well. Um, I think last time I drove on was about two years ago.
Right. Must be. Yeah. Yeah. And then the week after that, I've got, uh, one, two, three, four days in a Morgan super sports, which is quite cool. So, I'm not too far away from Morgan. So it's not, not a massively.
long place to get long way to go. So yeah, looking forward to that. Be quite good.
Speaker 1: Okay. Yeah. I I wouldn't be I'm not too fussed about a morgan to be honest, but
Speaker 2: It's quite cool. Like it's so special. think, I think it'd be quite cool to. ⁓
Speaker 1: Right, so let's just end this with a bit of a bit of sage like wisdom. I think the cars are cool and they're different and they're strange, but I think that a lot of their owners buy them because it they think it'll make them cool. And possibly. ⁓ I think a lot of their owners are really not very cool.
Speaker 1: There you go. Much like our listeners. Hmm.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ that's a fair point. I think, I think, yeah, this one's going to be, this one's different. I think, I think it's the first Morgan with a boot. Not sure if that's correct, but we shall see. Yeah. Yeah. Be good. Yeah. Apart from that, I think that's pretty much it for this episode. ⁓ thank you so much for watching everyone. Thanks for listening as well. Cause obviously this is an audio podcast as well.
Speaker 2: If you like what we do, please subscribe to the podcast on YouTube, Apple podcasts, all the different platforms. Be greatly appreciated. Share it with your friends if you want them to suffer too.
Speaker 2: Yeah, sure. Where can people find you online, Jim?
Speaker 1: Not a guru.co.uk or my YouTube channel, which is definitely not a guru. What about you, Alex?
Speaker 2: TheInterface.uk ⁓ for some regular-ish news. I haven't really had time lately for that. And then also my YouTube channel, The Interface Cars, for weekly car reviews and weekly entertainment guides and all that sort of jazz. Exciting times. All good. Thank you, Jim. ⁓ And I guess we'll see everyone next time.
About this episode
Hosts bounce between EV and PHEV real-world impressions, starting with the Geely EX5: strong software and interior, but a numb, soft driving feel that can be improved via OTA. They compare efficiency and charging claims, then talk test-route fit with the Jeep Compass Electric and the “N” models’ driving difficulty. The conversation turns to artificial EV sound effects and simulated crackles, before reality-checking plug-in hybrid MPG drops once the battery is depleted. Teases upcoming reviews like the Volkswagen Tiguan and a Morgan.
Alex and Jim look back at the last month of trips, driving EVs, filming videos and much more. Jim has been testing the Suzuki eVitara and the surprisingly impressive MG IM5, while Alex has been behind the wheel of everything Geely, including the Geely EX5, Smart #1 and the Volvo V60. They also share their highlights from the SMMT Test Day, discuss why the Hyundai Ioniq 6N feels so different to the 5N, and talk about whether plug-in hybrids are the best or worst of both worlds.
