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In reply to: New Cars
I’ve often thought that it would be good if they offered cars that were returned early at a discounted rate (when I had company cars this was something that we could do as an alternative to ordering a new car) but, for reasons best known to Motability, they have never considered it.
Logistics and cost was what used to be quoted.
Motability do not have a fleet of transporters and staff to ferry around ‘early terminated’ cars. Nor even a customer facing website to advertise them.
Hence, if ‘Mr Gloucestershire’ wants a vehicle previously returned to a dealership in Scotland or NI, how does the vehicle ‘marry up’ with the potential customer?
If Motability did transport it down to Gloucester, what if ‘Mr Gloucestershire’ then finds it unsuitable? However, someone back up in Scotland now wants to look at it!
The costs of all this would have to be added to the scheme costs and most likely make it prohibitive.
Or, if it is upto Mr Gloucestershire to personally go and check out a returned vehicle in Scotland, what happens if Mr MacBagpipes, just down the road from the vehicle, steams in whilst Mr Gloucestershire is travelling north?
It is far easier (and cheaper) for Motability to let BCA or whichever auction house collect all returned vehicles to dispose of at auction.
In reply to: EV tarif vs hybrid petrol cost
My mum has a Kona electric @Rene mentioned, but the base model AP is equivulent to the Enyak so I omitted it based on the Enyak being superior, along with being a decent size familiy car (also being larger than the other 2 mentioned)
Indeed. Unless you can get a deal from your Hyundai dealer, for the money, the Enyaq is the best offering in my opinion, with the EV4 (despite being cheaper) being a close second.
Part of that is that i kind of find the EV4 weird looking, whereas the Enyaq in my opinion is one of the best looking EVs out there still. It’s not an efficiency blob. But that, of course, is subjective. The (still ongoing) ICCU issues with Hyundai Motor Group cars (Hyundai, Kia and Genesis) is the more important reason though.
As MickC stated, extension is also an option if the main issue on the current car is the missing two seats. If you can’t have those two seats, might as well stick with the car you currently have and wait out a few new quarterly lists. You never know, might get lucky and the Peaq gets added with a decent AP.
APs for “higher end” cars are hard to judge, you get a Vauxhall PHEV for £7000 on one hand, and the Ioniq 6 top spec for as low as £500 when we ordered.
Or, it could always be that the e-5008 comes down in price. Now, with all the new MB “issues” (VAT, PayperMile etc) coming soon, that probably is wishful thinking, but.. you know. One can cling to hope.
edit: one other rather long shot, you can always hunt for deals. In the pinned “Deals” thread recently, a dealership in York offered £800 off all Peugeots. You may of course have to travel to where the discount is offered, but in almost all cases, the savings outweigh the outlay for travel by magnitudes.
£800 still probably leaves the E-5008 out of reach, but, you know. Browse and see if something works out (i only checked two of the 9 pages).
Prior: SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux 1.5 TSI DSG MY19, VW Golf GTE PHEV DSG MY23
Current: Hyundai Ioniq 6 Ultimate
Next: we'll see what's available in 2028.In reply to: Hyundai Tucson Test Drive Questions
@NosherN Welcome back! I remember our conversations some years back. I almost went for an X5 two cars back, but Harman/kardon wasn’t available at the time so I held back, and I was glad that I did as Covid then happened and it would have sat in the garage for the best part of a year! Fast forward 5 years or so and I’m horrified at how much the prices have gone up. As you say, there isn’t a bad model in the X5 line up, but the one that I would have probably preferred (the 40i) is now discontinued, so I managed to get extended test drives in the 50e (2 days), 40d (1 day) and M60i (3 days), so I did my research thoroughly
I was originally looking at buying a used one (probably an M50i) but when I found out that we could get the VAT and VED off, plus the hefty discounts on offer, it tipped me towards a new one. We are fully retired and now only do around 8-9k miles a year. We are fortunate that we don’t have to worry about running costs and I decided that I wanted a car that put a smile on my face, plus one that sounded like a really nice car rather than a fridge freezer – whilst we still can! Long story short, whilst none of them ticked absolutely every box, the one that ticked the most boxes and delivered my objectives the most was the M60i, so that’s what I’ve ordered. I doubt that the V8 model will appear in Europe with the next generation X5 due late this year / early next year, so this is my last chance for some over indulgence! I also don’t like BMWs new styling direction, so wanted to get the current model, which I think is the best looking X5 to date. The discount that I negotiated got it to within £3.5k of the 40d (my second choice) even though there’s a £14.5k difference in rrp, and I should get most of that difference back at resale, so the extra £100-150 a month fuel cost I can live with for the ‘smiles per mile’ benefits! The dealer has been absolutely brilliant and has actually ordered a 40d as well in my specification which is due in 2 months time, so if the delivery date of the M60i is going to be too long I can opt to take that instead. If the M60i lead time is OK they are going to put the 40d in the showroom!Thats is some hefty incentive and like you said a price you could not refuse.
I am pleased for you and your wife and Im sure you will both enjoy every road trip.
Did you choose the Manhattan Green Metallic paint for your order? Its a very nice colour and was my second choice after Dravit Grey.
Here is my X5……The best car I have owned in 42 years and I have owned quite a few.
In reply to: Hyundai Tucson Test Drive Questions
I read with interest that Glos Guy is now on the hunt for a BMW X5.
If my memory serves me right, we had these similar conversations some years ago when I collected my first Motability X1 2.0i X-drive, X-line. Having not frequented the forum much since then I went on to select another X1 of the same derivative be it in a different colour, however, having owned some nice 6 cylinder BMW’s previously I decided to leave the scheme and order a new X5. Unfortunately, and due to Covid and the parts and chip shortages that bought to the automotive industry most of my options chosen for the X5 were removed so I ended up cancelling my order and subsequently ordered a new and fully loaded BMW X3 M40d which suffered no specification delete issues, although it did take 11 months to arrive!
Moving on to 2025 and still wanting an X5 before my driving days are limited I placed an order for a very highly specced X5 50e M-Sport….and what a revelation it has been. I really thought that there would be nothing to beat the X3 M40d such was its capability in every department, but I am glad I made the move to the X5.
I’m not a high mileage driver as I am semi retired and I have two cars to choose from, the other being a VW ID.3 GTX but to say that I still have not used half a tank of petrol in the X5 is no exaggeration. My X5 was delivered at the end of June 2025 and the battery charge at 80% was providing 70-73 miles of power which was more than enough for most of my journeys hence the reason to not use any fuel. The cost to fully charge the 25Kwh battery using my HyperVolt Pro Home charger costs me approximately £2.50 and takes 3-3 and 1/2 hours.
Specification wise I have nearly £30,000 worth of factory options and M-Sport Accessories which have made for an extremely desirable car, especially in Dravit Grey Paint.
As already mentioned the 50e is no slouch with 489bhp and 700nm of torque the 50e has often completed 0-60mph in under 4.5 seconds. As far as economy is concerned during my extended test drive I used a near full tank of petrol and and full battery charge to cover 650 miles over two days of driving on motorways, A-roads and urban. If I had a disappointment it would be the boot capacity and storage which is 150 litres less than in the other three X5 derivatives, but it wasn’t enough to put me off.
A great car with not many comparators.
I wish you all the best in whatever choice you make.
In reply to: Wow
Times like this you still wish you had E-Power!
I have the Advance, with heated electric seats heated steering wheel,built in wireless charging and an electric opening panoramic roof with an auto tailgate etc etc. I have had 3 Quashqai’s , so a big supporter, but , it is not in the same league as the Ariya. Preheating ~cooling is a godsend btw.
How do you find the Ariya? My order window is open now. I’m going to arrange a test drive, as like you, I currently have a QQ ePower. I have a choice of the standard range with pan roof, or long range without. Only the Advance trim available.
Well, I have now had my 2025 Ariya Advance 63 , with the sliding panoramic roof, for just over 4 months, covering just over 3600 miles.
The car is kept outside all year, so
Pre – heating & cooling are a godsend, getting into a warm frost free car in winter (no window scraping or spraying ) or a cool ( a/c fully on) car in the summer is tremendous – 10 minutes costs about 4-5 miles of battery usage- well worth it.I get around 140-150 miles fully loaded travelling at 70+ on the motorway, and around 250- 300 miles rural/ around Town .
As I use the car, mainly , locally, the 63 is ok for me – it charges slightly quicker and accelerates slightly better than the heavier bigger battery longer range version.
As previously indicated, my last car was a Qashqai ePower, which i had for nearly three years and travelled over 30,000 miles – which until The Ariya arrived was the best of 6 other new Nissan Datsun models.I have owned —- overall, the Ariya is by far a better car than the any of the others, especially good on build quality!
It is quick & stays very flat going around corners, and it has very nippy ‘instant ‘ acceleration surprisingly for a big heavy car, especially in Sport mode’ & it does it all in silence, and loads & loads of space inside.
I have previously owned from ‘new’ , a Volvo XC 90, two XC60’s an XC 70 & a V60, plus Rovers, Fords, Vauxhalls,Triumphs, AustinMorris, WW Tiguan etcetc. And in my humble opinion, the Ariya is the best ‘overall’ of all these.
I am impressed by & fully recommend the Ariya.
I have resurrected this thread as there have been some important updates and, most importantly, I need to make a correction to information posted earlier in the thread, when I said that the disabled person has to be the registered keeper. They don’t, but I’ll expand shortly.
I have commenced discussions with my local BMW dealer about a possible VAT exempt new vehicle purchased. I mentioned that the car would have to be registered in my wife’s name (I am the sole driver, but my wife is the disabled person) and their reply was that they didn’t think that this was correct and the car could be registered in my name but still qualify for VAT exemption as I am the nominated driver. I thought that I’d best call HMRC Charities Helpline again (the HMRC department that deals with VAT exemption for disabled vehicles) and I spoke to them this morning.
HMRC have now confirmed to me that I can buy the car and be the registered keeper (as the dealer had said) and all I have to do is complete the simple 2 page exemption form stating that my wife meets the VAT exemption criteria (she does) and that the car will be used mostly for her benefit (as stated earlier in the thread, it’s not exclusively as some people think). I already have it in writing from HMRC that I can also use the car for my sole purposes, and not always for my wife’s benefit.
Having clarified that aspect, I thought that I’d better call DVLA to check if registering the car in my name would cause a problem with the VED (Road tax) exemption, which my wife is entitled to (as is everyone who is entitled to a Motability car). Thankfully, that’s not a problem either. As with HMRC, they are happy that we can still claim the VED exemption, as it is the car that will be used by my wife when needed and I am her nominated driver. They also confirmed that the VED exemption also applies to the ‘over £40k luxury car surcharge’ of £425 for years 2 to 6 and (most significantly) the first year rate which, in the case of one car we are considering, is £5,490 😱
Finally, although HMRC had previously warned me that some BMW and Mercedes dealers were refusing to do VAT exemptions, my contact at BMW couldn’t have been more helpful and said that it’s no issue for them. They also confirmed that the VAT exemption applies to the base price plus all optional extras, future servicing and maintenance and they will even reduce the delivery and on the road charges to match what they charge Motability. Test drives are booked!
I thought that I’d share this important update, as I know that with the ever increasing APs, the removal of premium brands from the scheme, and the further adverse changes due in July, I am not the only person looking to leave Motability. It’s important to stress though that whilst the VED exemption will apply to anyone who is currently a Motability customer, in order to take advantage of the VAT exemptions on a new car purchase, the disabled person must be a full time wheelchair user who also needs the car that they travel in to be ‘permanently and substantially adapted’. In the case of my wife, we need a person hoist, which is bolted into the car, hence why she qualifies on both criteria.
@kezo Firstly (and most importantly) I’m so sorry to hear about your incident. The fact that you can talk about it is indicative of the fact that you will be able to cope with things, but we all need a pressure release valve, and it’s only human nature that our bodies and minds release it at times.
It’s a very true saying that ‘nobody cares for the carer’. My wife’s disability has ruined her life and is heartbreaking, and everyone we know feels sorry for her. However, her disability has ruined my life too, as we don’t have the retirement that we saved all our lives to enjoy and caring for her is an enormous strain on me, both physically and mentally. People (including close family) can completely overlook this. Thankfully I do have some friends who are as concerned about me as they are my wife, but others are oblivious to the impact on me.
One thing I have learned is that sometimes people appreciate you without saying anything. My wife’s late mother never once said anything about my caring role, or asked me how I was coping, but my Mum told me that she once said to her that I was her ‘hero’ for all that I did for her daughter. One of my wife’s friends told her that she was full of admiration for me as she had no doubt that if she had ended up like my wife has her husband would have left her!
Anyway, back on to the X5. I may not have made a few things clear. The M60i X5 is not a full blown M car. It’s what they unofficially call an M Lite car (like the X3 M40i – now M50i, the M340i, M440i etc). I used to crave a proper M car (probably an M5) but I think they would be too harsh a ride and, frankly, most of the dynamic handling kit would be wasted on me. I was talking to a guy at my wife’s physio centre who bought a brand new M3 Touring and took it back after 6 months, as the brakes already needed replacing and the flared rear wheel arches were constantly getting stone chips from the front tyres! He now has an M340i (M Lite) and much prefers it. The M60i X5 is frankly more like a 7 Series SUV. Very fast and powerful, but refined and luxurious, which is what I’m after, rather than a bruiser that the X5M would be.
I may also have not been clear that the prices I was referring to were for a brand new factory order cars, which I would never have considered were it not for the full VAT exemption, substantial discount on top of that and the exemption on the £5,500 first year VED (and all VED thereafter, including the over £40k supplement). This would give me more confidence than buying a high performance car used, as I wouldn’t have any worries about how it’s been driven or if anything has been ‘masked’ for sale. The other big advantages would be a 3 year manufacturer warranty (used car 12 months), a 5 year servicing plan, brand new components (tyres, brakes etc), so the only noticeable running cost is petrol (I’ve done my sums on assuming 20mpg versus the claimed 23.3mpg. Many users are reporting mid 20s and even 30 on a run due to the mild hybrid technology that the M60i added over the M50i (although this same technology has subdued the exhaust note – the M50i sounds better).
My brilliant contact has today confirmed that I have the 50e PHEV booked out for two full days next week and an M60i is being sourced for me from BMW UK for me to have for almost 3 days two weeks later. Clearly, after all of that I will know if the X5 is right for me and, if it is, the decision will be which engine. It doesn’t help that having watched virtually every YouTube review that exists on the X5, the reviews are all brilliant for every engine variant. As with all PHEVs, some reviewers mention that you can feel the extra mass / weight of the car when cornering, but otherwise they say it’s superb. The issue (again, as with all PHEVs) is that the weight means that mpg is poor when the battery is depleted. In fact, it only delivers a few mpg more than the V8 M60i. I can test all of this next month. If I like the X5 but have doubts or reservations about both powertrains, they have a 30d in stock I can try (unfortunately not the 40d, but that would only be better). Sadly, BMW have discontinued the 40i straight six 3.0 petrol variant, and the only X5 that still has the brilliant B58 engine is the PHEV!
Like you, I am a bit concerned that it might be too big, but I dislike the look of the new X3. I also share your passionate dislike of all the ruddy bings and bongs of the Hyundai (it has single handedly put me off the car too), so if the BMW is as bad it’s a non- starter and I’ll go back to looking at used! I’ll let you know how I get on!
In reply to: Reeves attack on motability
All very well thought through points @Jay but, personally, even though my wife and I have decided that we will be leaving Motability, I don’t see these changes resulting in a mass exodus. As this forum often demonstrates, many Motability customers won’t even entertain other options and plenty more couldn’t, even if they wanted to, due to lack of funds, poor credit ratings etc.
If we look at each of the changes, the biggest ones are the removal of premium brands and the addition of VAT to APs. I read yesterday that 40,000 cars on the scheme are from the now banned premium manufacturers. That’s only 5% of the cars on the scheme. Some of us will indeed leave the scheme because of this, but I’d hazard a guess that only around 20% will, as the other 80% will accept a non-premium brand in order to stay in the scheme, or won’t have the financial means (or confidence) to do anything else. So that equates to just 1% of scheme users leaving due to this change. As I say, it’s a calculated guess, but I suspect not far out.
As for VAT and insurance premium tax on APs, I don’t know the numbers on this one, but I suspect that the overwhelming majority of people pay no more than £1k on APs. Those of us who contribute on this forum aren’t terribly representative of the average Motability punter IMHO, as we are mostly car enthusiasts to a greater or lesser degree, so probably on average pay far more than the average AP. Therefore the average Motability customers will only be hit with an extra AP of a few hundred pounds. If you look at what’s happened to APs over the last few years, they have gone up by way more than this, yet Motability customer numbers have rocketed so, again, I suspect that the numbers that leave because of this aspect will also be very small.
As for the reduced mileage limits, this would only affect a small percentage of Motability customers, as most seem to do exceptionally low mileage, many to the point of where having the car is economically unviable! There will hopefully be options for those who do use the full 20k a year to still be able to do so at a reasonable cost.
Keeping in mind that the 20% VAT exemption on the basic lease is remaining, the scheme will still be cost effective for the vast majority of people, even with these adverse changes, and still cheaper than other options (if people insist on having a brand new car – a used car will obviously be cheaper).
The issue that I believe is far more likely to have a big hit to Motability is the benefits review due next year. There seems to be a lot of talk about reverting Motability to a scheme that caters for people with physical disabilities only. This is obviously a minefield, not least due to the fact that in recent years mental health issues were deemed to be disabilities, in the same way as physical disabilities, and that would take an awful lot of unraveling, even if there was an appetite to do so, and would be subject to countless legal challenges. What could be easier (and is probably far more likely) is changing the questions and criteria for the higher rate mobility component of PIP, as this alone would remove access to Motability for many. However, it may be that yesterdays changes take the focus off Motability completely, and there may be no changes as a result of the benefit review!
My final point is that even if the benefit review cuts large numbers entitled to Motability, and this adds to the comparatively fewer numbers who leave due to yesterdays changes, the scheme will still have more than enough customers to avoid the scenarios that you describe. Keep in mind that just a few years ago the scheme had 200,000 fewer customers, yet choice was far better and APs were considerably lower than they are now!
In reply to: First time renewing
Hi, so the restrictions on ordering came up before the dealer put any of your details in? It could be the manufacturer has put restrictions on that particular trim,due to long delays, the dealership group has placed on that partivular model or the computer link has a problem etc etc. Are there any other Ford dealers within eady reach of you, you could visit and try and place an order. You can then revert back to your local dealer for servicing etc. Are there any other cars that take your fancy?
the restriction came up as soon as the dealer clicked “new application”. None of my details or the car details had been entered. The next nearest Ford dealer is at least half an hour away and I need my husband with me to order so that means I have to leave my autistic daughter with my 15 year old so is a lot more hassle. I like the Honda CRV (but can’t afford the £7k upfront payment) and the Toyota Rav 4 (which is no longer on the scheme )
We have the Suzuki Across on the Mobility scheme it is an excellent vehicle, however we paid the upfront AP £6999 as we tow an caravan and most importantly intended to extend the lease to 5 years, unfortunately even with low mileage. I very much doubt they Mobility Operations will allow us to extend the lease the further 24 month, yes we feel a bit mislead, £6999 for a 3 year lease no chance, the scheme seems to be falling apart at the seams, if they lose the VAT exemption well that another nail in the coffin.
Unfortunately I have suffered a brain injury and occasionally I get confused and often say the wrong thing.
In reply to: First time renewing
Hi, so the restrictions on ordering came up before the dealer put any of your details in? It could be the manufacturer has put restrictions on that particular trim,due to long delays, the dealership group has placed on that partivular model or the computer link has a problem etc etc. Are there any other Ford dealers within eady reach of you, you could visit and try and place an order. You can then revert back to your local dealer for servicing etc. Are there any other cars that take your fancy?
the restriction came up as soon as the dealer clicked “new application”. None of my details or the car details had been entered.
The next nearest Ford dealer is at least half an hour away and I need my husband with me to order so that means I have to leave my autistic daughter with my 15 year old so is a lot more hassle.
I like the Honda CRV (but can’t afford the £7k upfront payment) and the Toyota Rav 4 (which is no longer on the scheme )
In reply to: Hyundai Tucson Test Drive Questions
Currently we surrender £335/month for the cars. Motability does offer the cheapest option. You can get something very different on leasing, you pay not a lot more for some good vehicles. The thing is…motability will always be there….so why not go off track and get a shiny new toy for a while, it wont break your bank.
Same here RE the scheme being the cheapest option. However, I’m currently looking to replace my personal 220d GC, with something better suited for a family, we also have the Tucson on the scheme, but in reality don’t really need 2 vehicles. Like GG, I’m looking at possibly nearly new or a car a couple of years old and will buy outright.
As your aware, for various reasons, I’m not ready for an EV. The choice of vehicles on the scheme is dwindling, whils’t at the same time AP’s are sky rocketing. I hope, I’m not commng across as a snob, but there are much better vegicles I’d rather have, than whats currently available. I looked at Range Rover over the weekend with my brother, as he has ordered a new one, though I’d have to be brave to consider one again, but the last gen say upto 2024 BMW X series. The other benefit of not going new, is the level of bing bongs under GSR2 is vastly decreased and believe me, they annoy the sh!t out of me!
If you read through the forums, you will see I picked up an excellent Rover 75 V6 a few months back and it was a delight to drive, with various mod cons being the top spec and no bings what so ever, but a car approaching 20 years old, may not be reliable for a daily driver, so I gave it to my daughter who loves it to this day lol.
In reply to: Put my order in today
Hope it goes well! Put my first order in last Friday. Got a phone call to say the Q3 was coming off and I had till midday to make my decision. Strangely, it’s still available looking online. Originally I was looking at the A3 saloon. Didn’t like the Q2 when I tried 3 years ago but I like how everything in the ‘cockpit’ on the Q3 is difference. I hadn’t even tried any other manufacturers this time round but with my father recently passing I was encouraged to get something soon. I went for the black one edition (manual) Q3 and just got the lighting inside added. Quite a big AP!
Thanks,
I have the pack from Motability , with the PIN number etc, although it was already on ‘ My Online Account ‘ as was my mutually agreed appointment to collect the new vehicle, at 10.00 on Thursday.
Ohme have made an appointment to fit the home charger and the wheelchair has arrived at the dealership – I have a wheelchair at home, which I use a Couple of times a day – my legs get very weak sometimes as a result of losing an argument with a parachute back in 84!
It just made sense to me to take advantage of the Motability lightweight wheelchair offer of leasing an Excel G Force wheelchair for £100 , which I shall keep in the car ,in a bag ( £14 Amazon) , in case I need it ‘ on my travels’ ?
In reply to: Mechanical termination being processed
Cars can come on and off the list anytime. It’s just the AP’s that change quarterly. In my experience cars I’ve been looking at but couldn’t order, always went up and never down. There is always winners and losers.
Why not try and bag a bargain there is often some dealers offering discounts on AP’s some are often listed on here and or on a Facebook group MOTABILITY SPECIAL OFFERS where dealers list offers. Peugeot Barnsley have some even available now. I know some who have travelled to them and even they have paid for a hotel for the night if you travel pretty far. Or on the motaclarity site. Might have deals closer to you. The are limited though not like years ago. When you could extend your lease and wait for a good deal to arrive. So in your position, it almost like your a new customer again and could be in a new car in 4 days, rather than a hire car that might not be ideal for 3 months. Ie if it not an ev.
As for having to order, I guess its the same as if your car is written off. You need to place an order to remain on the scheme one the car is handed back. Technically your no longer a MB customer. So a hire car for 3 months or till any new car arrives is imo pretty good.
EX30 SMER Ultra
In reply to: Long Term thread – Options for my next car
I’m just over 1/2 way through my Enyaq lease but still looking for what’ll be next. Realistically it’s about 15 months until I can order so around October next year. I’m fairly limited by my height and mobility issues, I need something tall enough to get into so at least 1.6m or better. I’m definetly staying with a full EV so another Enyaq would of course fit, the Elroq as well or maybe the ford Explorer. The Toyota BZ4x and Nissan Ariya are non-starters, couldn’t even get into the toyota due to the height/shape of the opening and floor height, the Nissan was far too cramped inside with the steering wheel hitting my legs and my head hitting the roof lining!, weirdly both of those are 2 or 3cm taller than my current Enyaq!
I had a look around the new shape Enyaq today, it’s much better spec’d and still rather comfortable a place to be. We sat in the standard Edition, with it’s driver’s electric/massaging seat and electric tailgate it’s got a lot of what we see as essential from standard, the addition of the Advance pack brings in the HUD which I’ve gotten really used to having.
I still like the Ariya but the version with everything we need is rather expensive. The Toyota isn’t a viable option, purely because it’s a Toyota. There’s too many manufacturers who seem to think offering the base model at a huge AP is perfectly acceptable. They should understand the benefit certain features have on those with mobility and movement issues. Not reaching to pull down a heavy tailgate is a life saver when you’re barely able to stand after being in the car too long. Having large and comfortable seats for those of us who take up that little bit more space but also have lower back/leg issues can make the difference between being able to get around town, just, and being able to travel longer distances, forget the hassle of charging, there’s the hassle of having to get out of the car every hour because you’re back has been complaining for the last 10 minutes.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
In reply to: Hyundai Tuscon PHEV (plug in hybrid) 4X4 1.6
The running costs and range combined is what outtme of my order so I cancelled, I have a home charger etc but at 380 ISH miles per tank and charge it simply isn’t good enough for a “new” platformed car, for it’s sheer size they could easily of fitted a larger battery ( VW etc manage it in smaller cars )
You can’t expect a big heavy car do what a small car does, but never the less, yesterday I filled the tank and charged the battery before travelling 185 miles back home from visiting family. I stopped around halfway to get a drink out the boot and snapped a quick pic for the other thread. I have also just took a pic this morning showing the fuel guage and range left, which you have to minus 21 miles, I charged this morning!
In reply to: Everything Enyaq
There was stop put on Enyaq 85x factory order from 21 May due to battery supplier change. It is also expected that this may also eventually affect the Elroq.
Translated from Elektroauto.net
Škoda Elroq 85 gets CATL battery
Tobias StahlMay 5th, 2025
Reading time: 3 minutesHome News
Škoda plans to equip the Elroq 85 with battery cells from the Chinese manufacturer CATL from June. This will reduce the charging power of the electric compact SUV. Some interested parties and customers are therefore sharply criticizing the manufacturer – although the charging time is to remain unchanged.
“All Škoda Elroq models produced from calendar week 24 in 2025 will receive different high-voltage batteries due to a change of supplier,” the Edison news portal quotes from a statement from the manufacturer. This leads to a “slight differentiation of the maximum charging power” – meaning a reduction of the charging power from a maximum of 175 kW with the current battery cells from the manufacturer LG Chem to a maximum of 135 kW.
Despite lower peak performance: Charging times of the Elroq 85 should remain unchanged
A Škoda engineer had already raved to Edison at the end of 2024 about the new cells from the Chinese battery giant CATL, which are already being used in the smaller Elroq 60 variant. Now the Elroq top model is also to receive the cells. Due to a new cell chemistry, these can no longer achieve the same peak charging performance as LG Chem’s cells, Skoda explains in the press release. However, the average charging power is better, so that raising the charge level from 10 to 80 percent does not take longer than with the LG battery. Skoda has therefore also opted for the CATL cells for the Elroq 60. However, the engineer also admitted during the conversation in December 2024 that the CATL cells were a tad cheaper to buy.At the fast charging station, however, the Elroq 85 with its net 77 kWh battery should still be charged to 80 percent in a maximum of 28 minutes. Škoda cites the “optimisation of the supply chain to ensure a smooth production process and delivery to our customers” as the reason for the change. The change could therefore also be related to the delivery times of the Elroq 85, which can last several months in Germany.
“135 just sounds less than 175”: Some Škoda customers are very displeased
E-mobility YouTuber Matthias Speicher addresses the change in a LinkedIn post and tries to appease critics on social media. Many customers are unsettled by the announcement, because “135 just sounds less than 175”. When charging, however, it is not the peak power that counts, which is only a snapshot, but how much energy can be charged in a certain time. “And this means that in more than 90 percent of all fast charging processes in everyday life, it is completely irrelevant whether 175 or 135,” says Speicher. “What counts is the average charging power. And this is the same for both batteries at about 120 to 125 kW”.According to Speicher, the LG battery with 175 kW charging power only has a time advantage up to a charge level of about 40 percent, which is 2 minutes, according to the YouTuber. At a charge level of 60 percent, the lead is only one minute, and from 70 percent charge level there is no longer any difference. “And that’s only if you infect at 10 percent,” Speicher points out. “Those who infect earlier (e.g. 25 percent) gamble away a lot of the supposed lead even before the store.” Speicher says it has tested both battery variants extensively, both need around 28 minutes for a charge from 10 to 80 percent battery level, exactly as communicated by Škoda.
Škoda has already adapted the online vehicle configurator accordingly, as vehicles ordered now are not expected to be delivered until after the changeover to the CATL cells. Representatives of the Škoda dealer association want to discuss with the German importer in Weiterstadt at the beginning of May how to deal with the change in vehicle specifications, after the manufacturer had advertised quite aggressively with the peak charging power of 175 kW. The change in specifications should not be at the expense of the Škoda dealers, Edison quotes from the sales organization.
In reply to: Skoda Elroq
Translated from Elektroauto.net
Škoda Elroq 85 gets CATL battery
Tobias StahlMay 5th, 2025
Reading time: 3 minutesHome News
Škoda plans to equip the Elroq 85 with battery cells from the Chinese manufacturer CATL from June. This will reduce the charging power of the electric compact SUV. Some interested parties and customers are therefore sharply criticizing the manufacturer – although the charging time is to remain unchanged.
“All Škoda Elroq models produced from calendar week 24 in 2025 will receive different high-voltage batteries due to a change of supplier,” the Edison news portal quotes from a statement from the manufacturer. This leads to a “slight differentiation of the maximum charging power” – meaning a reduction of the charging power from a maximum of 175 kW with the current battery cells from the manufacturer LG Chem to a maximum of 135 kW.
Despite lower peak performance: Charging times of the Elroq 85 should remain unchanged
A Škoda engineer had already raved to Edison at the end of 2024 about the new cells from the Chinese battery giant CATL, which are already being used in the smaller Elroq 60 variant. Now the Elroq top model is also to receive the cells. Due to a new cell chemistry, these can no longer achieve the same peak charging performance as LG Chem’s cells, Skoda explains in the press release. However, the average charging power is better, so that raising the charge level from 10 to 80 percent does not take longer than with the LG battery. Skoda has therefore also opted for the CATL cells for the Elroq 60. However, the engineer also admitted during the conversation in December 2024 that the CATL cells were a tad cheaper to buy.At the fast charging station, however, the Elroq 85 with its net 77 kWh battery should still be charged to 80 percent in a maximum of 28 minutes. Škoda cites the “optimisation of the supply chain to ensure a smooth production process and delivery to our customers” as the reason for the change. The change could therefore also be related to the delivery times of the Elroq 85, which can last several months in Germany.
“135 just sounds less than 175”: Some Škoda customers are very displeased
E-mobility YouTuber Matthias Speicher addresses the change in a LinkedIn post and tries to appease critics on social media. Many customers are unsettled by the announcement, because “135 just sounds less than 175”. When charging, however, it is not the peak power that counts, which is only a snapshot, but how much energy can be charged in a certain time. “And this means that in more than 90 percent of all fast charging processes in everyday life, it is completely irrelevant whether 175 or 135,” says Speicher. “What counts is the average charging power. And this is the same for both batteries at about 120 to 125 kW”.According to Speicher, the LG battery with 175 kW charging power only has a time advantage up to a charge level of about 40 percent, which is 2 minutes, according to the YouTuber. At a charge level of 60 percent, the lead is only one minute, and from 70 percent charge level there is no longer any difference. “And that’s only if you infect at 10 percent,” Speicher points out. “Those who infect earlier (e.g. 25 percent) gamble away a lot of the supposed lead even before the store.” Speicher says it has tested both battery variants extensively, both need around 28 minutes for a charge from 10 to 80 percent battery level, exactly as communicated by Škoda.
Škoda has already adapted the online vehicle configurator accordingly, as vehicles ordered now are not expected to be delivered until after the changeover to the CATL cells. Representatives of the Škoda dealer association want to discuss with the German importer in Weiterstadt at the beginning of May how to deal with the change in vehicle specifications, after the manufacturer had advertised quite aggressively with the peak charging power of 175 kW. The change in specifications should not be at the expense of the Škoda dealers, Edison quotes from the sales organization.
In reply to: So Grateful
Ah mine is based on the new vw Multivan not the VW Transitporter :). And yes it is the new Hybrid with 4Motion so me and wee dog will travel about. Order books opened on 24th and i placed order on the 25th. In this colour as well
Cars On Motability
2009 Citroen C4 Grand Picasso
2012 Vauxhall Antara
2013 Skoda Superb Estate
2016 Seat Alhambra
2020 Seat Tarraco
2021 Ford Kuga
2024 Nissan X-Trail left in Sep 25In reply to: Here we go again.
As far as I remember (can’t find the link), Motability would allow upto £750 for what is essentially a straight forward stand install, anything else required on top would be down to the claimant to find.
Ohme themselves charge £949 (E-Pod) and £999 (pro), based on the criteria for their standard install, which Motability adopts. Based on what figure Motability allow for a standard install suggests there is an element of VAT reduction or bulk order discount.
Based on initial installs going forward untill recently Motability/Ohme would allow at no cost, an upgrade to 8mt’s of Type 2 charging cable, if the scheme customer ticked the appropiate box. This then changed to become a chargeable upgrade, at a standard price of £99 and most recently, the option, I believe has been removed altogether.
Again more recently Motability have brought on board Bumblebee EV charging, a Glasgow based company. I know of very little about this company, other than they sell branded and rebadged chargers with their name on. @Wonky has recently posted that he is to have Bumblebee contracted to install his charger and was told, it was because Ohme was struggling to cope with all the work. I can’t say for definate or not whether this is the case, but news normally travels fast in the electrical industry.
I’m also aware, that Ohme has been having scheme customers who live in rented accomondation tick to say their for a grant to be applied for. I’m not 100% sure if this has been done above board, as the landlord should normally be the one giving the permission, not the tennant.
As for Drive Electric, a little due care, diligence and research, they or anyoneone else could have easily looked up the charger use by Motability and acertained a ceiling price of £999, as the Maximum Motability would allow, before any tax rebate or bulk order discounts were given. But, this isn’t about honesty, but rather some hair brained figurers to make calculations look bloated.
A rather pointless post bur, hopefully it will give you an idea 🙂
Topic: Tyres
How do you go about tyres with mobility ? we’ve done 45,000 miles (mostly Motorway) in 3 yrs 4 months on the original tyres and are waiting for our new car order which we ordered 7 months ago but due to a mistake with our order will probably be waiting another 3 months. I had to brake a bit suddenly a few days ago on a normal main road and felt a slight short slide/skid although I wasn’t travelling fast it was wet, the car passed its MOT 4 months ago but am a bit worried being on the motorway. Do I have to contact Mobility or go straight to Kwik Fit ?
Thanks
Jim
In reply to: Motability question? We can answer it.
Thanks – that’s perfectly clear and exactly what I needed to know! We’ll try and make a tour of our shortlist today or tomorrow.
Hyundai are pretty good however, if your dealer won’t let you order in advance of your order date, you could always ask if they have any in the pipeline or availability at Tilbury docks you can put your name to, when your order date comes round. This typically speeds up delivery, as your not placing a new factory order and can be even quicker if there’s availability at the docks. The other option is look on Autotrader at dealer stock within a range you are prepared to travel. Having more than one colour choice also helps,
We were impressed with both the Ioniq5 and the local dealer.
It was a useful afternoon as we’ve managed to rule out the MG-ZS, Astra, and Megane eTech. We’ve still got a few more on the ‘long list’.In reply to: If you’ve ordered recently, what did you order?
We also ordered a Lexus UX 300e Takumi pack 11 days ago and just had a call to say we can pick it up next week 😀
The power chair just fits in the boot, might get a towel in there as well if we unfold it lol
Our 5 years is up in Jan so we’ve been looking for a while, we’ve got a RAV4 atm which has been flawless but the AP has risen £5k since then…
The Takumi pack is an extra £5150 over the Premium+Pk/18Alloy (which has an AP of £3349) if we were to buy it outright so seems like a bargain to us at £995
We’ll never get the hoist in but rarely use it now and charging is going to be a pita but we don’t go far
We also considered the Kona N-Line S which was at the top of the list for a long time.
In reply to: Hyundai Tucson Test Drive Questions
I’d ignore my range figures @kezo As mentioned previously, petrol range is based on fuel remaining divided by the most recent economy. I’ve only driven 150 miles so far. Most of that was in EV mode, and the tiny bit in petrol wouldn’t have been terribly economical as some of the petrol was being used to charge the battery (HEV mode). Your figures will be far more accurate as you have driven much further, a lot of which has been using the engine, so the computer will be basing your range on more factual driving history. I’d expect mine to get closer to yours over time. Your range is assuming around 52 mpg. However, as we know, mpg is overstated by the cars computer due to the miles travelled in EV mode still being counted within the calculation.
I’m not going to attempt any new cost calculations until I refuel, as there’s an element of guesstimation in it due to the above issues. However, if I do journeys in EV only, I know that each 1% of battery usage costs me 3p (a 15-100% charge costs me £2.60). Taking yesterday as an example, I drove 25 miles and the battery dropped from 100% to 23%, so I used 67%. 3p x 67 = £2.01. This cost divided by 25 miles = 8p per mile. Where I live petrol is now £1.389 per litre, which is £6.31 per gallon. If you divide the 8p into £6.31 that gives an equivalent ICE mpg economy of 79 mpg. Yesterday I had a stop and also had the car up to 85 mph, all in EV mode, so my economy wasn’t as good. I’m sure I’ve had runs at about 6p per mile, or even slightly less, which would be an ICE mpg equivalent of over 100mpg.
The way I’m going to do my cost calculations is as follows;
1) Record all charging costs. I’m logging them all as 3p per % below 100% when I plug them in, so if I plug in and the battery is at 50% then the cost to charge that time is £1.50. In total I’m up to around £6 in charges so far, but it will be around double that by the time I refuel with petrol at the end of next week.
2) When I fill up with petrol, add the £ cost of the petrol to the £ cost of all the charges made since the car was last refuelled
3) Divide this total cost by the miles driven since the car was last refuelled, to get a total pence per mile running costs
4) Divide the resultant pence per mile into the current £ price of a gallon of petrol in order to get an ICE mpg equivalent. This stage isn’t really necessary as the pence per mile is the most relevant, but as a PHEV requires charging after each use, whereas an ICE car doesn’t have to be touched between refuels, I just want to satisfy myself that the faff of having to charge is worth it 😂
The widely respected Harry at Harry’s Garage does this same calculation when looking at charging costs of BEVs, as referenced in this video
In reply to: Hyundai Tucson Test Drive Questions
Well we have taken the plunge and ordered! A bit like you @kezo, we got fed up waiting for anything better to come on the scheme and we didn’t want a full EV, which is the firm direction of travel with Motability, so we are getting something that hopefully suits us whilst we still can. Ideally, I would have left the scheme and bought a 3 year old BMW X5, but as we now need a hoist it makes sense to have it drilled in to a lease car and we can get the hoist for £795 through Motability rather than £3k privately. Also, whilst the scheme is no longer the ‘no brainer’ that it once was, due to the eye watering APs, once you’ve swallowed the cost of the AP, and accept that it’s also costing over £12k in benefits, at least it’s worry free motoring thereafter. I don’t think it makes sense for cars that are say £30k or less, but the car we have ordered is almost £46k and the AP (less the £750 new car payment) is 8% of that, rising to 34% of the purchase price when you factor in the sacrificed benefits. That’s a much higher % than we’ve paid in the past, but we can get a PHEV which we’d never get privately as the price premium as a private buyer wouldn’t make financial sense, whereas the additional cost over the much less desirable Hybrid is negligible through Motability.
Unlike BMW (which builds cars to order, as almost all customers add options), Hyundai thankfully stock pile their cars (as you can’t add options and, in the case of the Ultimate, wouldn’t need to anyway as it has absolutely everything you can think of as standard), so the dealer said that there were 3 Cypress Green Ultimate 4WD PHEVs with Moss Grey leather interiors and 2 with black leather (none with the black with Cypress Green trim) waiting at Tilbury to be called off, so he’s taken one of the 3 for us and he expects it to arrive at the dealership next week. I doubt that we will have it next week, as the hoist has to be fitted first and there may be a few weeks lead time on that, so I suspect that we will take delivery early August. If it’s much later than that we will probably delay until 1st September.
The sun was out today and the Cypress Green Tucson that the dealer has on site looked really nice. Sadly we couldn’t see a Moss Grey interior, but I’ve seen it on a pre facelift Tucson and liked it. My wife is concerned that it will be light grey, but I’m sure it’s more a cream colour. As you said @kezo the dealer confirmed that the cars now come with a set of velour carpet mats and if for some reason it doesn’t come with a granny charger he will give us a new one out of an EV. No deposit was mentioned.
I’m relived that we’ve made a decision at last, but I’ve always said ‘order in haste, repent at leisure’. I’ve had 3 days in BMW iX1s (20e M-Sport and 30e xLine and M-Sport), more than enough time to know that an EV isn’t for us (and that BMW has gone backwards with its latest iDrive systems). It was very easy to rule out the new Tiguan and facelifted Kuga as neither of us liked the former and the latter was very low rent. The CX-60 could have been a contender but for the eye watering AP, the need for costly options and poor reviews. My wife absolutely refuses to even consider anything French (🙄) and there were a number of cars that I’m sure would have been good but I simply couldn’t live with the looks of them (e.g Kia Sportage). The Tucson ticked every box spec wise (both essential and desired items were all standard) and it will be the first Motability car that we’ve not had to add a single option to.
Having tested 3 different Tucsons it was really interesting to see the phenomenal improvements that have been made with the facelift. Frankly, the level of improvement is as much, if not more, than you’d often get with an all new model. In fact, the all new Tiguan has less standard kit than the outgoing one! I reckon I must have spotted a good couple of dozen improvements between the pre facelift and facelift Tucsons. I wasn’t at all impressed with the Hybrid model and can’t see the point of it as the mpg wasn’t that good and pretty much comparable to a decent ICE engine, which would cost far less and be much lighter and nimbler.
I shall be very sorry to see the BMW X1 go. It’s been an absolute peach and driving it home after 2 days in 3 different Tucsons I instantly realised how much quicker the BMW is and how the PS figures of PHEVs are misleading, as the extra weight saps so much of it. However, it wil be fine. Conversely, we also instantly noticed how much extra road noise there is from the X1, so the quieter Tucson will be a treat in that respect.
Finally, a big thank you to @kezo for all the help, which has come on top of all the help you gave with my home electrics issues! Actually, some final quick questions that link both issues! You mentioned charging at 10 amps rather than 6, and said that there would be no issues with my electrics. The 3 pin socket I shall be using for charging is a double socket which has one of my two electric garage doors plugged in to it. Will that still be OK? Also, will it cost the same to charge at 10 amps versus 6 amps, the only advantage being that it’s quicker? Other than speed, are there no other cost or safety issues to consider when deciding whether to charge at 6 amps or 10 amps? Many thanks 👍
In reply to: Hyundai Tucson Test Drive Questions
@kezo Just got back from my nighttime drive. I wanted to test the matrix headlights for three reasons. Firstly, I thought that the headlights on the pre facelift Tucson I had yesterday were poor. Secondly because they are absolutely brilliant on my BMW and I would miss them and finally because the last VW that we had with them frustrated me because the VW ones were too slow to react. Well I’m pleased to say that I was very impressed with them. Whilst they weren’t quite as bright as the ones on my BMW they were still great and reacted just as quick. Having gone through every option and setting on the infotainment (blimey there’s a lot) and configured everything, I was impressed at how much you can programme. The system is far more user friendly than the latest BMW iDrive. I could find everything very easily, whereas the latest BMw systems are far too complicated. I’m still not overly keen on the Sat nav but I discovered that the round dial on the right zooms the map in and out, which I like to do (and couldn’t fathom earlier). I like the fact that it gives you speed camera alerts (the PDI hadn’t enabled that, but I did
). As you said, the Krell system isn’t as good as I’d hoped, but is better than the standard system in my X1. The Tucson is definitely a quieter ride than my X1 in terms of road noise, although there’s a bit more wind noise around the door mirrors than the BMW. The engine in the Tucson is noisier and doesn’t sound good when revved, but with the PHEV I’d try to drive mostly in EV. I can’t see the point of the normal hybrid model. The 20 mile round trip that I’ve just been on (motorway and A / B roads) achieved 42mpg. Thats no better than my 2.0i petrol BMW would have done at the same speeds. The PHEV is the way to go I think, having attempted some maths. I reckon that the miles travelled on electric will cost around half (in terms of pence per mile) than my BMW. That will constitute most of our mileage. On longer journeys I suspect that it won’t be much cheaper than the BMW but we don’t do as many of those now so, overall, I think there will be a decent saving. Having chatted it through with my wife, on the basis that we have to have a new car to have a hoist fitted, we don’t think we will get anything more suitable, so we are going to order tomorrow. It will be a Cypress Green Ultimate PHEV with Moss Grey leather interior. There are a few of them at the port available for delivery within weeks, whereas the Cypress Green interior version isn’t and would be a 4 month lead time. I think it will be a nice contrast with the dark exterior and, as you say, it looks classy. The only niggle is the seat comfort, which I’m still struggling with a bit. I’ll just have to hope that with a lot of fiddling with the (thankfully electric) adjustments I can find a position that is OK.I’m sure both of you will be pleased, whilst at the same time its no BMW its one of the better cars in the class (as I think you discovered). Its also extremely practible with a roomy cabin and boot and you won’t be wanting any expensive options and a decent AP to go with it.
My initial thoughts when having a PHEV was, if I could safe 50% on the majority of my journey’s I’d be prepared to take a hit on a long journey. However, I’m very pleased that its proving more economical on a journey than my previous ICE Tucson. If I can get 55-60 as the other two commentors I’ll be even happier. That said I’m happy to help/share my calcs on economy.
I don’t think the hybrid gets acoustic glass like the top trim PHEV’s!
Ultimate also gets you memory seats with easy access which I think you liked and I’m missing if I’m honest. I’m also starting to be unsure about a dark headlining but, hey ho not to worry lol.
I’m glad you got your wish of moss grey seats and it’ll be interesting to see Cypress grean when you get it.
As said there’s a few people on the net who have mentioned seat comfort issues but, have found fine adjustments generally make them happy or rather comfy.
