What is your car budget?
Below 500,000 RMB.
How much did you spend on it in total?
459,800 RMB plus approximately 8,400 RMB for insurance, without additional paid options.
How long did you wait for your beloved car?
“ Within one month “
I placed the order on January 15th, and picked it up at the delivery center on February 10th, including the Spring Festival holiday. This speed is very fast.
Is this your first car?
“ No “
I have also owned a C and an X1. The previous generation C-class is not elongated, but it is very flexible to drive. However, the gearbox is not smart enough and will kick you from time to time. The sound system is excellent. The elongated X1 has extreme legroom in the second row, which is no less than that of X5L. However, the seat cushion is short and the leg support is insufficient. ZF’s 8-speed gearbox performs excellently and is silky smooth.
Is this your first time purchasing a new energy vehicle?
“ Yes “
With the rise of new domestic automakers, I was determined to choose between NIO and IDEAL for my next car. To quote my wife: electric vehicles from BBA, Volkswagen, and Toyota are all poor-quality products.
Do you have an at-home charging unit?
“ Yes “
One of the reasons that hindered me from choosing a new energy vehicle before was the lack of a charging unit at home. It was not until the end of last year that the community agreed to install a home charging unit. I didn’t win the first draw but was lucky enough to install it recently.
Why did you want to change your car?
- The old car is starting to have more small problems, and the maintenance fees for Mercedes and BMW are not cheap.
- With the easing of the epidemic, there are more opportunities for outing, and the uncertainties are reduced.
What type of car have you considered before buying it, since your second baby was born and you need a car that can accommodate two child seats and comfortably fit the whole family for travel?
- NIO ES8, 1st generation platform, new version not yet available.
- ET7, I personally love this car, it handles very well, but unfortunately, the space is too small.
- IDEAL L8, 13.8CM shorter than L9, easier to park, but with fewer options in terms of configuration, not as comprehensive.
How would you rate its exterior? Could you provide some pictures of your car?
” Plain and ordinary“
I have a low requirement on its appearance, as long as it is acceptable. I even chose a conservative color of grey exterior and brown interior mainly because it is dirt-resistant.
Are you satisfied with its space?
” More than enough“
With a body length of 5.2 meters, it can easily accommodate a family of four and an aunty with the child seats installed. With three rows of seats, the luggage space is a bit tight and the luggage has to be piled up. The toolbox is placed under the trunk cover, and there is no additional storage space. The space under the central armrest can hold many miscellaneous items, and there is a slot next to the wireless charging pad to store small items without any problem.
How do you feel about its power system?
” Sustained output“
The official acceleration time is 5.3 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h. I saw many media reviews testing between 5.5 to 5.8 seconds, and the actual driving experience matches my expectation. Its electric drive characteristic makes it respond quickly under 100 km/h, but it is not as efficient as the same power class petrol vehicle beyond 120 km/h.
How do you rate its advanced driving assistance system?
” Basically usable“# Translation
- The high-speed NOA often switches back and forth between LKA when entering and exiting tunnels due to its reliance on high-precision maps, which results in poor user experience.
- The distance of the LKA to the following vehicle is too far, making it easy to be cut off. In traffic jams, it behaves like a cautious novice.
- The most suitable usage scenario is a less crowded long-distance highway. Once the traffic volume increases, the user experience drops sharply, which is even worse than driving by oneself.
How is its energy consumption and endurance performance?
“ Generally acceptable “
Currently, at around 10 degrees Celsius without air conditioning, it can travel at 25 mph on the highway and 22 mph in the city, which is acceptable for a vehicle of this size.
Are you satisfied with its car system?
“ As expected “
There are just over ten applications that can be installed in the car system, which cannot be compared with the standards of an iPad. It can meet daily requirements such as music and navigation, and children in the back seat can watch dramas.
How often do you usually charge it?
I haven’t traveled long distances recently, and the fuel in the tank is still the same as when I picked up the car. All city driving is done in pure electric mode, and I can plug it in to charge as soon as I get home.
Share three areas where you hope it can be improved:
- The layout of the tools under the trunk cover panel can be optimized to increase storage space.
- The convenience of getting on and off is too slow. Frequently, the user has already gotten out of the car but the chassis has not yet lowered.
- Automatic parking is not so user-friendly. Some parking spots can be recognized, but automatic parking cannot be activated. Some spots require several attempts before parking is successful.
Share three areas where you are most satisfied:
- Spacious interior.
- Comfortable seats.
- Good sound insulation.
Share your driving experience:
- Large vehicle size brings spacious interior, but parking is not as convenient. Parking in mechanical parking lots in malls is impossible. If cars are parked in the neighboring spaces of small parking spots, getting in and out must be very cautious.
- Electricity from valleys, which is less than 3 cents per kilowatt-hour, results in a near-zero cost of use. After charging, I hope to use as little petrol as possible. Pure electric charging is better, but under the current circumstances where charging stations are not widely available, extended range can take me to more distant places.3. For most people, a car is a tool that safely and comfortably brings family to their destination. Choosing the one that suits oneself is the best option.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.