17-09-2011, 10:46pm
My eagerly awaited test drive took place today, an Evoque prestige 5 door SD4 Automatic from Newcastle dealer.
I think this car looks great, the interior is well equipped and a very comfortable place to be, the road and engine noise are well controlled, the performance is very good, all together it was very close to what I had hoped it would be. But for me some thing spoilt it.
The car wallowed and rolled in a way I was not expecting, when the road was smooth and straight it was reasonably settled but with every bump or pot hole in the road I felt the car became unsettled and the body roll apparent, in corners this roll got worse, a slight flick of the steering wheel induced an uncomfortable wallowing feeling that I am not used to. When I moved into the rear seat so my wife could drive I actually felt worse, I have never in my life suffered car sickness but this wallowing feeling made me feel nauseous.
I so wanted this car to meet my expectations and in many ways it did but the ride is just not acceptable for me.
The salesman said no one else had passed comment on this, (someone has to be first), but I really was uncomfortable with this.
We left the dealers in my Mercedes and drove along part of the test route where I had been commenting on the "wallowing", the Merc was as solid and stable as it always is.
I was gutted, I have never looked forward to a test drive as much as this one before, I was so disappointed I cancelled my order.
Before any one comes back at me with the obvious comments " it's a 4x4, the centre of gravity is high etc etc " I am an engineer, I understand the physics, but I have also driven a BMW X1 and Audi Q5 recently and neither of them act the way this evoque did on the road.
I hope you all enjoy your cars when you get them, whenever I see one I'm sure the thought of "if only" will come to my mind.
For now the search for my next car must start again.
I think this car looks great, the interior is well equipped and a very comfortable place to be, the road and engine noise are well controlled, the performance is very good, all together it was very close to what I had hoped it would be. But for me some thing spoilt it.
The car wallowed and rolled in a way I was not expecting, when the road was smooth and straight it was reasonably settled but with every bump or pot hole in the road I felt the car became unsettled and the body roll apparent, in corners this roll got worse, a slight flick of the steering wheel induced an uncomfortable wallowing feeling that I am not used to. When I moved into the rear seat so my wife could drive I actually felt worse, I have never in my life suffered car sickness but this wallowing feeling made me feel nauseous.
I so wanted this car to meet my expectations and in many ways it did but the ride is just not acceptable for me.
The salesman said no one else had passed comment on this, (someone has to be first), but I really was uncomfortable with this.
We left the dealers in my Mercedes and drove along part of the test route where I had been commenting on the "wallowing", the Merc was as solid and stable as it always is.
I was gutted, I have never looked forward to a test drive as much as this one before, I was so disappointed I cancelled my order.
Before any one comes back at me with the obvious comments " it's a 4x4, the centre of gravity is high etc etc " I am an engineer, I understand the physics, but I have also driven a BMW X1 and Audi Q5 recently and neither of them act the way this evoque did on the road.
I hope you all enjoy your cars when you get them, whenever I see one I'm sure the thought of "if only" will come to my mind.
For now the search for my next car must start again.
