Xpower as a hot hatch

Tried to drive the XPower as a hot hatch over the weekend and it behaves like all hot hatches and drinks fuel like no tomorrow when pushed. achieved around 2.2 miles per kW and left all the Sunday drivers in my wake. Then just a couple of miles in eco and it was back to 2.7 miles per kW
 
Anon70 said:
Tried to drive the XPower as a hot hatch over the weekend and it behaves like all hot hatches and drinks fuel like no tomorrow when pushed. achieved around 2.2 miles per kW and left all the Sunday drivers in my wake. Then just a couple of miles in eco and it was back to 2.7 miles per kW
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Aye, ye canna change the laws of physics, Cap'n.
 
Put simply is the MG 4 a hot hatch well YES but also a resounding NO ..

I think it depends on what you class as a hot hatch a true drivers car or just a fast car ..

I realized that last night after i thrashed my 2012 volvo s60 T6 awd thought the streets in the wet .. ( by no means is my volvo a true drivers car BUT )

Sadly but not that bad the paddle shifts on the s60 t6s didnt come to 2014 i think but it does come with Tiptronic shift so sports mode drive like a manual ..

To me a true drivers car needs gears so you can regulate speed though corners if you lose traction ( last night it was super wet and i was losing traction and stability at times even with all them things turned on so i was pushing super hard for a bit of fun ) so you can correct it and feel more engaged with the car as a whole

I just dont see Ev's being like that 1 speed fast in a straight line okay it goes around a corner and depending on chassis suspension setup your rubber and skill it varies from car to car but i think in general you feel disconnected to the whole experience without the gears and shifter be it paddle or older Tiptronic / manual box

By no means do i think the volvo is a better car otherwise i would be keeping it but i do think that im going to be losing that fun factor by going to a EV over a car you can actually drive ..

YES

Im very interested on other peoples take on this subject so comment away !!
 
To be honest I've never really understood this "driver's car" rubbish. The X Power is a VERY fast car, it's a Hatch, so therefore by definition is a Hot Hatch. As for the handling, it handles way good enough for the average driver, which most of us are.
Also don't agree you need a Manual gearbox to really enjoy a car. Why?
Manual gearboxes are good, but these days much prefer autos. 🙂👍
 
Gearboxes are required on ICEs because they are so inefficient. They have power bands that need to be used to extract any form of performance and a gearbox whether manual or auto is required. Those that claim using a gearbox os more 'pure' or 'fun' are simply averse to change and progress and are insecure with new developments and defend outdated technology as a result. You see the same pointless 'defending' in the motorcycle community and those that do this have invariably never ridden an electric bike or driven an electric car.
 
ilukey77 said:
Put simply is the MG 4 a hot hatch well YES but also a resounding NO ..

I think it depends on what you class as a hot hatch a true drivers car or just a fast car ..

I realized that last night after i thrashed my 2012 volvo s60 T6 awd thought the streets in the wet .. ( by no means is my volvo a true drivers car BUT )

Sadly but not that bad the paddle shifts on the s60 t6s didnt come to 2014 i think but it does come with Tiptronic shift so sports mode drive like a manual ..

To me a true drivers car needs gears so you can regulate speed though corners if you lose traction ( last night it was super wet and i was losing traction and stability at times even with all them things turned on so i was pushing super hard for a bit of fun ) so you can correct it and feel more engaged with the car as a whole

I just dont see Ev's being like that 1 speed fast in a straight line okay it goes around a corner and depending on chassis suspension setup your rubber and skill it varies from car to car but i think in general you feel disconnected to the whole experience without the gears and shifter be it paddle or older Tiptronic / manual box

By no means do i think the volvo is a better car otherwise i would be keeping it but i do think that im going to be losing that fun factor by going to a EV over a car you can actually drive ..

YES

Im very interested on other peoples take on this subject so comment away !!
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Personally I believe people need to adapt their driving style to the new technology. For instance on the approach to a corner instead of pedal braking, (traditional in an ice, or dropping a gear= engine braking) simply set regen to MAX & lift of the accelerator allowing the car to coast, it will then enter the corner at the correct speed (with practice) and the throttle can be applied to carry you through. I watched the nurburgring so called hot lap & the driving was awful? Tyres fighting too much throttle etc. I then came across an instructor coaching someone round a track with the above technique & it was remarkable. Ive tried it on an empty A6 & it worked!! We are simply used to gears, the reviewers hadnt adapted to EV driving & are trying to drive it like a golf R & then blaming the car ?? As we all improve & relearn corners without gears the X Power & cars like it will be appreciated for what they are. Is it a hot hatch? YES provided you can drive an EV. I am certainly NOT claiming I can, I simply believe we need to re learn cornering & substitute regeneration for the gear box.
 
I think more track focused EV's are just beginning to evolve and a number of "petrolhead" car reviewers are now beginning to adapt to them and start giving them praise. A number of YouTube reviewers who are normally quite critical of how cars handle are now starting to give certain EV's good reviews.

IMHO in a few years time there will be even more good EV drivers cars.

One example here (I never thought I'd hear Chris Harris heap so much praise on on en EV😁) :-

 
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So we are lucky enough to have a MK8 Fiesta ST as our other car (owned from new 2019) which is widely regarded as up these as one of the best hot hatches of the past 6 years and it is brilliant at what it does.

The chassis just comes alive the more you push on and the car just rotates around you in such a fun & controllable fashion. It's involving and fun in a way that a 1800kg EV simply can't be (mainly thanks to the laws of physics!).

But, love the X-Power. When we went the EV route back in early 2020, there was little choice, certainly for a vaguely entertaining car, so the Tesla was a clear winner. The X-Power is a breath of fresh air compared to the model 3 because it's a bit unhinged once unleashed which makes it more involving the Tesla and actually puts a smile on my face (I honestly never thought an EV would).

You can't drive it like a traditional 'hot hatch' more like tentatively turn into a corner, wait for the front end to grip then fire out of the other side with it's huge acceleration and traction. It's a different way of driving and fun in different way.
 
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ilukey77 said:
Put simply is the MG 4 a hot hatch well YES but also a resounding NO ..

I think it depends on what you class as a hot hatch a true drivers car or just a fast car ..

I realized that last night after i thrashed my 2012 volvo s60 T6 awd thought the streets in the wet .. ( by no means is my volvo a true drivers car BUT )

Sadly but not that bad the paddle shifts on the s60 t6s didnt come to 2014 i think but it does come with Tiptronic shift so sports mode drive like a manual ..

To me a true drivers car needs gears so you can regulate speed though corners if you lose traction ( last night it was super wet and i was losing traction and stability at times even with all them things turned on so i was pushing super hard for a bit of fun ) so you can correct it and feel more engaged with the car as a whole

I just dont see Ev's being like that 1 speed fast in a straight line okay it goes around a corner and depending on chassis suspension setup your rubber and skill it varies from car to car but i think in general you feel disconnected to the whole experience without the gears and shifter be it paddle or older Tiptronic / manual box

By no means do i think the volvo is a better car otherwise i would be keeping it but i do think that im going to be losing that fun factor by going to a EV over a car you can actually drive ..

YES

Im very interested on other peoples take on this subject so comment away !!
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I’ve always thought gears, clutches and breaks were thing to use on the straight bits of road and let the tyres do their gripping where they’re most needed on corners. Then you’re all set with the correct ratio to enjoy powering out of the bend and / or up the hill without the ice engine showing asthmatic troubles.
Now I much much prefer the ev and it’s ability to just be there ready, willing and able to just go whether you’re on a track and want past the slower person in front or find a tractor / truck / Above mentioned slower person. Without spending split seconds thinking, clutching, stirring and faffing you can be past and no resultant climbing back through the gearbox to keep the revs up on the “sweet spot” of the ice engine’s rev range. In all those nanoseconds the ev motor has responded and has simply gone.
I’ve never had anything I could call a hot hatch. I’ve tried one on a track and also a single seat car there but the clutch / gear jiggery pockery was always the bugbear however swiftly you could manage it. A single gear ratio on a kart and its ability to handle corners is always more satisfying even if a wee bit slower in actual speed (at a kart track last year this old duffer was second fastest for the day amid a bunch of youngsters)
So now give me an ev set on max regen and I’m a happy chappie.
 
I have had a mix of manual and dsg/auto cars over the years prior to the EV’s. To be honest have always preferred auto box's, due mostly to having knackered knees for over 40 years! I had a Mk7 Golf R dsg and before that an F56 MCS with autobox and JCW power update and both where a great drive. Could use the paddle shifts when required if not just point and squirt as they say.
Thats how I drive the X Power and it is just as enjoyable to drive that way as far as Im concerned.
 
I have spoken in this thread before, but here's my take on my Performance EV experience so far.

The X Power is only a Performance Car when you want it to be.

Let me qualify that.

In a Bonafide Performance car, my Old Escort Cosworth for example, it was a Performance Car the moment you turned the ignition key.

The Noise, The Clutch, The Gearbox, The Brakes, in my 400bhp Cossie, it was all set up to perform, right from the get-go.

Exciting? You betcha.
Tiresome? Eventually.

I remember one track session at Silverstone in 1999, where I came back in literally dripping with sweat.

It was just so very manic from the start of the session, to the finish. (Usually 20 minutes)

Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake Gear, Cooldown lap, then into the pits.

Exhausted just reading it.🤣

So in that regard the X Power is excellent.

Normal, easy, quiet, and relaxing.

But at the press of a button, otherworldly fast, dynamic, engaging and exciting.

And to any X Power owners who haven't really explored the performance of your vehicle, you must trust me when I say this....
This is a very fast car. Very Fast indeed.

Enjoy it while you can because I'm damn sure, in years to come, the cars speed sign recognition system, will be linked to a speed limiter that will electronically stop you enjoying the performance of your car.
(Even when safe to do so)

Some people say " It's never safe"

I disagree.

But that's a whole other thread on here somewhere else.

When that time comes, I will throw in the towel and probably buy something dull and unexciting. (Probably🤣)

I mean here's the daft thing about the X Power.

As a driving experience, It could be classed as dull and unexciting in normal, day to day use.

But just knowing of the forces that can be unleashed with a flex of your right foot....

I find that very exciting indeed. (Probably just me)

The X Power IMO, is the best of all the world's in motoring as they currently exist.

You can have your cake, and eat it.

For now.




(Views expressed by the member are all his own and do not represent anybody or the MG EV forum in anyway whatsoever)
 
Bricktop X PWR said:
I have spoken in this thread before, but here's my take on my Performance EV experience so far.

The X Power is only a Performance Car when you want it to be.

Let me qualify that.

In a Bonafide Performance car, my Old Escort Cosworth for example, it was a Performance Car the moment you turned the ignition key.

The Noise, The Clutch, The Gearbox, The Brakes, in my 400bhp Cossie, it was all set up to perform, right from the get-go.

Exciting? You betcha.
Tiresome? Eventually.

I remember one track session at Silverstone in 1999, where I came back in literally dripping with sweat.

It was just so very manic from the start of the session, to the finish. (Usually 20 minutes)

Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Accelerate, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake, Gear, Brake Gear, Cooldown lap, then into the pits.

Exhausted just reading it.🤣

So in that regard the X Power is excellent.

Normal, easy, quiet, and relaxing.

But at the press of a button, otherworldly fast, dynamic, engaging and exciting.

And to any X Power owners who haven't really explored the performance of your vehicle, you must trust me when I say this....
This is a very fast car. Very Fast indeed.

Enjoy it while you can because I'm damn sure, in years to come, the cars speed sign recognition system, will be linked to a speed limiter that will electronically stop you enjoying the performance of your car.
(Even when safe to do so)

Some people say " It's never safe"

I disagree.

But that's a whole other thread on here somewhere else.

When that time comes, I will throw in the towel and probably buy something dull and unexciting. (Probably🤣)

I mean here's the daft thing about the X Power.

As a driving experience, It could be classed as dull and unexciting in normal, day to day use.

But just knowing of the forces that can be unleashed with a flex of your right foot....

I find that very exciting indeed. (Probably just me)

The X Power IMO, is the best of all the world's in motoring as they currently exist.

You can have your cake, and eat it.

For now.




(Views expressed by the member are all his own and do not represent anybody or the MG EV forum in anyway whatsoever)
Click to expand...
I’d have cake crumbs everywhere 🤩🤩
 
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