Pickup Today/Tomorrow (10/11 March 2025)

[salty]

Yeah, it’s like two cars in one.

It’s got the things I much prefer about electric cars, like more refinement and ease of use (I like driving but most of it’s miserable going to work and back or stuck in traffic). But it’s fun to drive when you want it to be.

But it’s also got a super car alter ego. The acceleration is just brain scrambling. I expect you get used to it but the rapid change in speed is mind blowing. I love that it’s a bit “fighty” with plenty of torque steer, but not so much it’s hard to control! I love the noise it makes too. I couldn’t care less it’s not engine noise. It’s more like K.I.T.T, which is something I’ve been striving for since I was about 8

All the “Not a hot hatch” reviews I read about it seem really silly now. A Golf GTI or Golf R might well be better to drive around a track or vastly exceeding the speed limit on A or B roads but for most people the XPower is going to be a much faster car for their use case. I’ve had hot hatches before and this is definitely a hot hatch!!

I think reviewers are stuck in the past about what makes one. Giving an electric car fake gears or fake engines sounds just means it’s trying to impersonate what people are used to.

A car that you can happily live with day to day, looks a bit more sporty, can go around a corner fast enough your not terrified and beat most super cars in a 0 - 60 drag race, let alone other hot hatches; is a hot hatch.

Totally agree. Couldn't have put it better meself.

 

[unbornidentity]

Totally agree. Couldn't have put it better meself.

Off topic but your reply reminded me of my favourite advert of all time (apart from the infamous blackcurrant tango one). I emailed Honda saying how much I liked it and they sent me a copy on DVD Fair play to them!

 

[Mickandsej]

Oh yes, the car is ridiculous and matches my smile when I was driving home! Just need to get out when it isn't rush hour.

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The old and the new. No vibration on my motorway stint, it didn't try to kill me and iSmart App worked first time. Entertainment is at R30 though.

Funny that, I did the same swap-up! is there a theme going here?

 

[Nemtex]

Once I have it and have stopped grinning, I will post it.

I thought it would be newer than this, but the build date on my car, according to the document is 02/07/2024.

I'm not sure what the version of the SW is but I haven't had any real issues. The adaptive cruise control is a little aggressive with the breaking and I seem to have updated lighting in the car as it quite bright and definitely not yellow.

I had to wait too long for the car as I had the front and rear painted to match the original X Power design and the painters made a hatchet job of it first time round. Still 300 miles in and lovin it

 

[pjmmk]

Couldn't sleep last night so I took the car out for a run. Took the opportunity of the quiet roads to do a launch, first one. In spite of having lots of fast cars in the past, the thing surprised me when it slammed me back in the seat. Just as well it has a headrest! It might not be the fastest to 60 but it sure is quick off the line, like a scalded cat!

 

[salty]

Couldn't sleep last night so I took the car out for a run. Took the opportunity of the quiet roads to do a launch, first one. In spite of having lots of fast cars in the past, the thing surprised me when it slammed me back in the seat. Just as well it has a headrest! It might not be the fastest to 60 but it sure is quick off the line, like a scalded cat!

Out of curiosity. What was faster to 60
that you've owned?

 

[pjmmk]

Heh, I was actually referring to the MG not being the fastest car to 60, not the fastest I've owned. It's on par with my Model Y Performance. Purely going by the seat of the pants, the Tesla has a much smoother power delivery, it's not as quick off the line (it lacks a launch mode) as the MG but it maintains the power output throughout whereas the MG jumps off the line like some giant gave it a kick but it reduces power pretty rapidly once it's moving. I don't think there'd be much in it tbh

--Edit--
Have to say though, the MG handles our appalling roads better than the Tesla. Those 21 inch Uberturbines make the car really jittery and I have to be so careful around potholes and other defects that the MG hardly notices.