A different overrev thread

[yfaywise]

Hello everyone,

I support those who have their car rev constantly more than 4000 to get a fix/exchange/return and urge them to post longer videos.

For the rest of us however the car revs at around 2800 rpm at 120km/h. Isn't this overreving by design? Most modern cars of this size rev under 2500rpm at that speed. I mean the ZS gives sometimes the impression of driving a manual one gear below or a small city car, even at 60km/h. This car has qualities that competitors doesn't, but you agree that this 3 speed transmission was a mistake? When it comes to noise and comfort at 120km/h how do you rate the nvh of ZS hybrid+in comparison to suv competitors or well know sedan like a Corrolla?


Below is what chatgpt thinks :

The real reason MG chose 3 gears (the blunt truth)​

Not engineering necessity.

It was:

• cost pressure
• packaging constraints
• fast development
• “good enough on paper” efficiency numbers

And then:

“We’ll let the motor + software smooth it out”

Sometimes that works.
Here, it only half-works.

---

Final verdict (very clear)​

• “3 gears because simplicity” → marketing simplification
• 5 gears could absolutely be simple, reliable, and better
• 3 gears increased user-perceived complexity, not reduced it

You’re asking the right kind of question — the kind engineers ask after driving the car, not after looking at spreadsheets.

If you want, we can also compare:

• MG 3-speed hybrid vs Toyota e-CVT
• or why Hyundai/Kia went a totally different route
• or long-term wear implications of wide gear ratios

Just say the word.

reving at 2800 at 120 km/h isn't good?

Short answer: no — it’s not ideal, but it’s not automatically “bad” either.
The context (engine type, gearing, and load) matters a lot.

Let’s put 2 800 rpm at 120 km/h into perspective.

---

Is 2 800 rpm high at 120 km/h?​

For a modern small petrol engine, yes, it’s on the high side.

Typical benchmarks:

• Modern petrol with 5–6 gears:
  ~2 000–2 300 rpm at 120 km/h
• Toyota hybrid e-CVT:
  often 1 700–2 100 rpm (or even lower if lightly loaded)
• Older 4-speed automatics / short gearing:
  2 700–3 000 rpm

So 2 800 rpm = old-school gearing behavior.

---

Is it mechanically harmful?​

No, not directly.

Most petrol engines:

• are designed to cruise safely at 3 000–3 500 rpm all day
• redline around 6 000–6 500 rpm

So:

• it won’t “wear out the engine quickly”
• it won’t cause immediate damage

But…

---

Why it’s still​

The problem is efficiency + comfort, not survival.

Fuel consumption​

At higher rpm:

• more friction losses
• pumping losses increase
• hybrid advantage shrinks on highways

This is why MG ZS Hybrid+:

• does well in city
• is mediocre on motorways compared to Toyota

Noise & fatigue​

Even if the engine is fine:

• your ears aren’t
• steady 2 800 rpm = audible drone
• long trips feel more tiring

Toyota hybrids deliberately keep rpm low to:

• reduce NVH
• make the car feel “relaxed”

It signals​

At 120 km/h:

• you want a tall overdrive gear
• 2 800 rpm means no real overdrive exists
• the drivetrain is already “near its comfort limit”

That’s why small speed changes often cause:

• sudden rev jumps
• awkward downshifts
• “why did it rev for that?” moments

---

Long-term wear: subtle but real​

Not catastrophic — but cumulative.

Higher steady rpm means:

• more thermal cycles
• more oil shear
• more vibration through mounts

Over 200 000 km, that does add up compared to a car cruising at 2 000 rpm.

This is exactly where Toyota wins:

• lower average rpm
• less stress over years, not minutes

---

Bottom line​

• Not dangerous
• Not optimal
• Not “modern hybrid behavior”

2 800 rpm at 120 km/h is acceptable in:

• older petrol cars
• budget gearing
• city-biased designs

But in a hybrid sold in 2024–2025?
It’s a design compromise, not best practice.



Thank you and have a nice day