Joined
·
38 Posts
For the last 2 years I've been driving a Renault RS Megane. I'd not had a fast car for a while and, having got the car on a ludicrously cheap lease deal, felt why not? Don't get me wrong it is a great car; it's fast, relatively rare and indeed I like driving a little bit of history knowing this will be the very last Renaultsport ICE car before every performance car from Renault goes electric and branded as an Alpine.
But for those past two years I've also realised several things. Firstly, my driving habits have changed. Apart from the fact I no longer have a desire to, ahem, hoon around like I might have used to - having a wife and young daughter has changed all that - I also realised that there are increasingly less and less opportunities to really stretch the legs of a fast car. Tighter speed limits and hugely increased amounts of traffic on the roads has, in my opinion, made owning such a car pretty much redundant. It looks good on the drive but is a constant frustration on the road. It also attracts the wrong sort of attention both on the drive and at traffic lights.
I've been looking into electric cars for over a year now, investigating the practicalities of ranges, of the charging network, of home charging etc and just generally taking in the whole culture.
The MX 30 is something of an ideal fit for me. I've realised I want a drive to work that is satisfying but not raucous. I want a pleasant interior. I like the raised driving position, and also have a particular need for this as I have a mother fast approaching 80 who I transport regularly and for whom getting in and out of the RS bucket seats is a struggle. The Mazda is the perfect solution for this. The rear doors are also of huge benefit here. (I've seen many reviews weighing up the various pros and cons of those doors but never showcase the huge help they bring in accessing the FRONT seats for those less able). My commute, maybe 2 or 3 days per week, is around 25 miles. I have family within 10 miles. Charging from home I see no need for further range on my car. Holidays and trips further afield will be done in the wife's ICE car. Also, I will no longer wake my wife with popping exhaust when I leave for work at 5.30am
I have never driven a Mazda before but am extremely taken with the thought put into making this a pleasing space to be in and a satisfying car to drive. I like the exclusivity of it, and I think the looks of it are superb. I've gone for SEL-Lux spec in the standard white. The standard kit on the base model is just soo generous and having had heated seats previously on cars I just never use them no matter how cold it is. SImilarly with electric seat adjustments. I also prefer the quick pull tag on the standard seats rather than the slow electric operation for the better rear seat access. As for colours, I think the black/grey seats are better than the stone colour on the higher spec cars. As for exterior, well, I just really hate paying for paint. The white contrasts well with the arch trims etc and my last four cars have all been white...
Have just placed my order for delivery around June/July. Just the wait now. Ordering just last week has meant that I have stumbled into the scrambling race to get the EVHS grant before the 31/03/22 cut-off. I feel this has been very poorly publicised. Funny how the Govt widely promote their actions when putting funding in place and say little when withdrawing it... So far this has involved nagging emails and calls for the correct paperwork.
But for those past two years I've also realised several things. Firstly, my driving habits have changed. Apart from the fact I no longer have a desire to, ahem, hoon around like I might have used to - having a wife and young daughter has changed all that - I also realised that there are increasingly less and less opportunities to really stretch the legs of a fast car. Tighter speed limits and hugely increased amounts of traffic on the roads has, in my opinion, made owning such a car pretty much redundant. It looks good on the drive but is a constant frustration on the road. It also attracts the wrong sort of attention both on the drive and at traffic lights.
I've been looking into electric cars for over a year now, investigating the practicalities of ranges, of the charging network, of home charging etc and just generally taking in the whole culture.
The MX 30 is something of an ideal fit for me. I've realised I want a drive to work that is satisfying but not raucous. I want a pleasant interior. I like the raised driving position, and also have a particular need for this as I have a mother fast approaching 80 who I transport regularly and for whom getting in and out of the RS bucket seats is a struggle. The Mazda is the perfect solution for this. The rear doors are also of huge benefit here. (I've seen many reviews weighing up the various pros and cons of those doors but never showcase the huge help they bring in accessing the FRONT seats for those less able). My commute, maybe 2 or 3 days per week, is around 25 miles. I have family within 10 miles. Charging from home I see no need for further range on my car. Holidays and trips further afield will be done in the wife's ICE car. Also, I will no longer wake my wife with popping exhaust when I leave for work at 5.30am
I have never driven a Mazda before but am extremely taken with the thought put into making this a pleasing space to be in and a satisfying car to drive. I like the exclusivity of it, and I think the looks of it are superb. I've gone for SEL-Lux spec in the standard white. The standard kit on the base model is just soo generous and having had heated seats previously on cars I just never use them no matter how cold it is. SImilarly with electric seat adjustments. I also prefer the quick pull tag on the standard seats rather than the slow electric operation for the better rear seat access. As for colours, I think the black/grey seats are better than the stone colour on the higher spec cars. As for exterior, well, I just really hate paying for paint. The white contrasts well with the arch trims etc and my last four cars have all been white...
Have just placed my order for delivery around June/July. Just the wait now. Ordering just last week has meant that I have stumbled into the scrambling race to get the EVHS grant before the 31/03/22 cut-off. I feel this has been very poorly publicised. Funny how the Govt widely promote their actions when putting funding in place and say little when withdrawing it... So far this has involved nagging emails and calls for the correct paperwork.
