I’ve been test driving for a new car this week. I can order from 23rd Dec. I wasn’t able to for my first car, so you tube etc., determined the SEAT Ateca experience. Tested the Qashqai Tekna epower this morning, very underwhelmed. Then a spur of the moment drive to Renault in Leamington – purely because of comments on this forum, to test the Austral Hybrid. Iconic a bit too much for me, I wouldn’t miss the extras on offer. I’d rather use the extra money for fuel. SO different. My Ateca Experience has not got great mpg. The one thing I think I’ll have to miss out on, if I go for the Austral, is self parking. Austral is top of my list at the moment, mpg, drive, comfort, AP, electric seat adjustment, heated seats and massage function are swaying me. Plus that big arm rest down the centre would be great. I’m short so fixed arm rests are useless when I’m pushed forward and it creates achy shoulders and tiredness. The display screens are great too. I walloped over every speed bump and pot hole I could and, although noticeable, far less than I was anticipating. Question. Do I order before or on 2nd Jan in hopes that the AP is reduced???
You could order now and request the dealer to reduce the AP, if they fall in January.
However my view is different to yours – The Qashqai E-Power is what Renault hoped for the Austral but didn’t get. Yes the cabin is more modern in the Austral but, the QQ drives more like an EV, with instant power, No dogbox type gearbox to cause a delay (more so than the DCT in the Sportage for example) when accelerating and real world mpg, the QQ will edge the Austral!
