Xc40 picked up today.

  • This topic has 211 replies, 17 voices, and was last updated 3 years ago by brydo.
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  • #133154
    Brydo

    Viewing 25 replies - 151 through 175 (of 211 total)
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    • #136934
      Glos Guy
      Participant

        Not long back from a 24 mile round trip to my father-in-law who lives alone. 12 miles each way 90% motorway 60 mph most of the time. first journey 33mpg second journey, after an hours visit, 40mpg. Much better but not brilliant, although, after the mpg I’ve been getting, I’ll take it. Ambient temperature at time of journeys 3°C.

        Better but, as you say, not brilliant given that 60mph on a motorway is usually about the most fuel efficient speed for modern cars and most will achieve 50-60mpg in those conditions, but 60mph is slower than most people drive on a motorway. For me, the test of a good engine is the ability to cruise on a motorway between 70 and 80 and not see a massive drop in mpg. I have always found BMW’s to be excellent in that regard (with mpg not dropping much until over 80mph) but our VW drops markedly as speed rises (from near 50 mpg at 60mph to around 38 mpg at 80mph). I would switch the trip computer to another measure other than mpg and just enjoy the car!

        #136936
        Wigwam
        Participant

          I’ve been looking at comparative engine technology, Brydo as the X1 with similar weight and power does so much better. It might be engine mapping or it might be to do with the  Automatic Variable Valve Lift or the Dual Spool Turbocharger which the seemingly much more advanced B48 engine has.

          I checked the fuel consumption today and it’s showing 40.1 mpg since the last fill-up and that’s all short journeys of no more than 3 miles.

          #136942
          Brydo
          Participant

            Wigwam most of the xc40 posts are showing low mpg returns, i think its just a thirsty car, that i will get rid of after three years.

            The only person who got all his work done by Friday was Robinson Crusoe.
            Anything i post over three lines long please assume it is an article lol.

            #136945
            Glos Guy
            Participant

              I’ve been looking at comparative engine technology, Brydo as the X1 with similar weight and power does so much better. It might be engine mapping or it might be to do with the Automatic Variable Valve Lift or the Dual Spool Turbocharger which the seemingly much more advanced B48 engine has. I checked the fuel consumption today and it’s showing 40.1 mpg since the last fill-up and that’s all short journeys of no more than 3 miles.

              Thats excellent Wigwam. I presume your X1 is 4WD as well, in which case doubly impressive?

              #136946
              Wigwam
              Participant

                I’m sure you’re right Brydo, but being of an enquiring mind and an engineering background, I do wonder if Volvo know what they are doing in engine development.

                #136947
                Wigwam
                Participant

                  No, it’s front wheel drive Glos Guy. I would expect 4WD to be a couple of mpg worse.

                  The B48 is a stonking engine. I’ve not known one better.

                  #136950
                  BionicRusty
                  Participant

                    Sif, I wholeheartedly agree. There’s nothing like a torquey V6 diesel. Many happy memories there. 😀


                    @Markymate
                    . 😀 Top man. 👍👍

                    Brydo, that’s more like it mate. 👍 We all know it, I think, but Sif is absolutely correct in what he says. When all said and done, the 2.0L is lugging around comfortably in excess of 2 tons. Exactly twice the weight of my first car (Ford Capri)

                    I think we’ll have to all give ourselves a gold star for any journey over 40mpg ⭐️ 😀

                    🏎 I will be remembered for nothing but had great fun doing it 🏎

                    #136952
                    Brydo
                    Participant

                      Wayne Kerbweight 1735kg but still al lot to ship around.

                      The only person who got all his work done by Friday was Robinson Crusoe.
                      Anything i post over three lines long please assume it is an article lol.

                      #136954
                      Glos Guy
                      Participant

                        No, it’s front wheel drive Glos Guy. I would expect 4WD to be a couple of mpg worse. The B48 is a stonking engine. I’ve not known one better.

                        Wigwan, as you know your engines can I ask you a question? I haven’t driven the current model X1. but I did have a 520i loan car around 18 months ago and was really impressed with the engine. I thought it would seem sluggish compared to the 520d I had at the time, but it wasn’t too far short and I thought it perfectly adequate even for a car of that size and weight. But my question is whether or not this is the same engine as in the X1, as the PS output is less in the X1 than the 5 Series? Also, can I ask how you find the road noise in the X1? A number of reviews seem to suggest it lets a lot of road noise into the cabin. Like many manufacturers, I know that BMW concentrate more on sound insulation the further up the range you go. My 5 Series was near silent and you couldn’t tell it was a diesel from inside, even at idle. Our Tiguan is considerably noisier, both from an engine and road noise perspective, but I don’t know how much of the difference is down to it being an SUV so less aerodynamic.

                        #136957
                        Wigwam
                        Participant

                          Same engine, some different internals for different power ratings, rather than just mapping.  There is road noise, particularly tyre noise on concrete motorway but not too bad otherwise.  No engine or wind noise to speak of.

                          #136958
                          Glos Guy
                          Participant

                            Same engine, some different internals for different power ratings, rather than just mapping. There is road noise, particularly tyre noise on concrete motorway but not too bad otherwise. No engine or wind noise to speak of.

                            Thanks Wigwan. That’s useful info. I look forward to checking it out once we are allowed to!

                            #136964
                            BionicRusty
                            Participant

                              Morning All.
                              Brydo, yeah I used the gross weight of the Inscription Pro. It’s a heavy old Hector when loaded up. My car’s quoted at 2230kgs and is without any packs. I expect a fully loaded one would be quite a bit more.

                              @Glosguy, The BMW engines are nothing short of brilliant. And the 8 speed auto that was in mine was fantastic. I had the 18d which is the 20L but tuned more for economy and it was incredible. It didn’t feel underpowered at all and was so economical.
                              The engine sounds pretty agricultural on the outside but I liked that. Inside, however, it was really quiet.
                              Road noise was pretty good as well. I could hear some on poor roads but on the whole it was amazing.

                               

                              🏎 I will be remembered for nothing but had great fun doing it 🏎

                              #136971
                              Glos Guy
                              Participant

                                Morning All. Brydo, yeah I used the gross weight of the Inscription Pro. It’s a heavy old Hector when loaded up. My car’s quoted at 2230kgs and is without any packs. I expect a fully loaded one would be quite a bit more. @Glosguy, The BMW engines are nothing short of brilliant. And the 8 speed auto that was in mine was fantastic. I had the 18d which is the 20L but tuned more for economy and it was incredible. It didn’t feel underpowered at all and was so economical. The engine sounds pretty agricultural on the outside but I liked that. Inside, however, it was really quiet. Road noise was pretty good as well. I could hear some on poor roads but on the whole it was amazing.

                                Hi BionicRusty. I share your enthusiasm for BMW engines and transmissions having had 3 x 320d Tourings, a 525i, 530d and even a 750i. All were absolutely superb, other than the 525i (3.0 litre petrol) which suffered some engine issues. The X1 is on our shortlist, but when we looked at it 3 years ago it felt very ‘budget’ compared to the BMW’s we had been used to, but I know it’s been refreshed since. Problem is my wife really dislikes the look of the X1 for reasons that I don’t fully understand! The XC40 is also on our shortlist as I once had a Volvo 850 for a few months many years ago and really liked it. Ironically, I really don’t like the look of the XC40 (especially the rear – an issue with all current generation Volvos IMO) but my wife thinks it looks ‘OK’ 😂 Obviously what is beautiful to one person is ugly to another, it’s all subjective, so we shall go primarily on ease of access, space, engine, transmission and seat comfort. Problem is, BMW will probably win on the engine and transmission front and Volvo on seat comfort. If I have one criticism of BMW’s I don’t think that they make the best seats. IMO, Volvo have always been best in that regard, although it’s concerning that some XC40 owners on this site have reported problems with the seats, which really surprised me.

                                #136982
                                Wigwam
                                Participant

                                  Does Mrs Glos Guy also dislike the X2?

                                  #136987
                                  Anonymous

                                    Hi Glos Guy…my missus is the same with the X1…she dislikes the twin kidney grilles of BMW’s…”like a pair of comedy eyes”.

                                    This sort of constructive criticism really helps one in the unnerving search for a vehicle.

                                    #136991
                                    Glos Guy
                                    Participant

                                      Does Mrs Glos Guy also dislike the X2?

                                      A little less so Wigwam, but I think it would be too small for us. To be honest, the X1 and XC40 are both borderline for us, size wise, and we would prefer an X-Line over a Sport, which restricts choice to the X1 anyway.

                                      #136992
                                      Glos Guy
                                      Participant

                                        Hi Glos Guy…my missus is the same with the X1…she dislikes the twin kidney grilles of BMW’s…”like a pair of comedy eyes”. This sort of constructive criticism really helps one in the unnerving search for a vehicle.

                                        That made me laugh, but I think I might be able to beat it! I said to my wife “I think that the X1 is the nicest looking of the cars on our shortlist, so can you tell me exactly what it is that you don’t like about it”? The reply, which I am not making up, was this “well I don’t like the side profile. The bonnet is too long and it doesn’t look like an SUV. In fact, it looks like a boot” (I.e. what you wear on your feet). At that point I gave up 😂

                                        #136993
                                        BionicRusty
                                        Participant

                                          @GlosGuy, With my particular set of issues, I’m probably not the best to gauge things on but for what it’s worth, taking into account your needs, I’m finding the following, in comparison to the BMW, after just over 1k miles in the Volvo.

                                          Ease of access – They are both very similar. The Volvo is a little higher, seat to kerb, but the electric seat settings allow easy access. For me, it feels like the distance from seat pad to the sill of the Volvo is slightly farther than the BMW but it’s not too much. Exiting is as easy as any car in both. A point here is that electric seats are standard on the Inscription Pro. They are an expensive option on the BMW and this was a contributing factor on choosing the Volvo over another BMW.

                                          Space – the BMW claims 505 litres and here’s the funny thing. Volvo were claiming 460 litres but now the B4 Inscription Pro is claiming 578 litres! Perhaps they were not including the under floor space? I’m not sure. I’m not taking a wheelchair, yet, and find the usable space very similar in both. All very good in both cars for our needs.

                                          Seat Comfort – Now it’s here that I may not be a good candidate for the average person. The Inscription Pro has extending knee bolsters and this has a frame under the seat with a solid plate under the middle pad. I’m sitting right on this and it’s uncomfortable. If you press down with a flat hand, you can clearly bottom out on the plate (no pun intended!). I’m hoping there’s a problem with it and it’s waiting to go back. I’ve likened it to sitting on a folded towel on a wooden stool.  Some others are noting the same and I’m hoping it’s a batch issue but in all honesty, with the cost of rectifying this, I don’t think that Volvo will agree to fix. The X1’s standard seats were perfect for me with a short seat pad which suited my frame well.

                                          Also, and this was another major for me and ties in to comfort, the ride in the Volvo is far superior than the BMW. It soaks up the bumps extremely well. In the BMW, whilst the handling was better, the suspension was way too hard for me, often painfully so.

                                          Engine – I’m pleasantly surprised at the power delivery of the B4 in the Volvo. It’s got good torque and is smooth. Not quite a torquey as the 18d but surprisingly close and is a pleasure to drive.

                                          Gearbox – It’s very good on most occasions but can ‘hunt’ for gears at slow, town speeds. For some reason, it’s clunky at roundabouts and can slam into a gear when trying to pull away. It seems like it’s holding on to a higher gear for too long. This may just be me or my car though.

                                          In other areas, the interior of the Volvo is much nicer in my humble opinion and I absolutely love the squared off exterior. The BMW is still very smart, though.
                                          The plus here for the BMW is, that finally, the X1 now has full led lights where the Volvo still relies on filament bulbs for main brake lights, indicators and rear fog lights. A point which many don’t even give brain space to, but it bugs me.

                                          Finally, I do love the higher driving position in the Volvo and find visibility very good. Some have pointed out that the C-Pillar causes a blind spot but I’ve yet to have noticed it.
                                          A good guide, for me, that I’ve made the right choice, is that I spend more time looking at it than I do driving it. 🤣😂

                                          Good luck with the hunt.

                                          🏎 I will be remembered for nothing but had great fun doing it 🏎

                                          #137011
                                          Glos Guy
                                          Participant

                                            Thanks BionicRusty. With showrooms closed it is invaluable to be able to get such robust feedback through this forum. My wife’s disability has worsened since we got our current car, so whereas we opted for electric seats with memory and hand controls, we won’t need either of them next time, as I am now the only driver. Wide sills are a real problem for my wife as she has to drag her legs in, so we will check that out. We need a good size boot for the wheelchair, which may well rule out both the XC40 and the X1, but we won’t know until we can try, so both remain on the list for now. I suffer with sciatica, so seat comfort is critical and I don’t go for sports style seats as they are too firm and cause me discomfort. The Volvo ones may be a problem for me, based on your experience. Interesting that you found the standard X1 seats to be good. It was a major reason that we discounted it last time as they felt way too small.

                                            The X1 is a bit dated now (an all new model is due within a year or so, I believe) and the XC40 is a bit more modern, but I’ve read poor reviews of the touchscreen controls. Personally, I don’t like the look of the XC40 and much prefer the styling of the X1 but frankly, with our needs and requirements, looks have to take a back seat now and are very much a secondary aspect.

                                            Thanks again for your excellent feedback, which is much appreciated.

                                            #137045
                                            BionicRusty
                                            Participant

                                              We do try to be a helpful bunch here 😁

                                              Please remember that I said I’m far from average @GlosGuy. I’m only 5’ 3” on my ‘good’ leg. My other is well over 3” shorter and the deformity of that femur means I need as short a seat pad as possible.

                                              It sounds like Mrs Glos Guy and myself may have similar needs for entry/exit.
                                              I need to reverse myself on to the seat, sit onto the side and pull myself in with the hand rail. Both cars are good for this but I’m leaning towards (puns keep coming) the X1 as being slightly better.
                                              My biggest error when choosing the X1 was that I decided, for the first time in about 20 years, to not have leather (I listened to James Bloody May). Worse thing ever. I had to cover the seat in the end to allow me to get comfortable.
                                              I hope that the sciatica keeps at bay for you once you’re able to get to try them.

                                              Please give Mrs Glos Guy my best wishes. 💐

                                              🏎 I will be remembered for nothing but had great fun doing it 🏎

                                              #137067
                                              Glos Guy
                                              Participant

                                                Thanks Bionic Rusty. Yes, my wife has to transfer from her wheelchair to the side of the seat and she then leans back and lifts her legs in one at a time before pivoting around. We have leather seats at present but they were a crazy price option on our Tiguan. We swallowed the cost as we were both driving at the time and the electric seats with driver memory that came with them was useful, but as I am now the only driver it would be difficult to justify. We will be checking ease of access in every car, so may well be forced to go with a car with leather as standard which both BMW’s in our shortlist have as well as the Volvo, I believe. I am 6ft 2 and dislike seats that are too short under my legs, so that’s another factor. The ones in the 3 Series Touring Sport look the best but the low nature of the car may be a show stopper.

                                                #137105
                                                Brydo

                                                  Starting to look much better, this journey was on the streets round about my area, so no more than 35 mph.

                                                   

                                                  #137119
                                                  Bowly101
                                                  Participant

                                                    I’m still averaging 34.5mpg after 2000 miles of normal driving, so I reckon that’s where mine will stay. Just for reference, Mrs B has an XC60 AWD T5 and that is averaging 30.7mpg after approx 14000 miles so you’d imagine the lighter, less powerful, slightly hybrid B4 XC40 would be at least mid 30’s.

                                                    #139747
                                                    Brydo

                                                      Update on Gazzas performance 500 miles for £100.

                                                      24 miles round trip yesterday 90% motorway @ 60mph, average, 34mpg.

                                                      #139750
                                                      Wigwam
                                                      Participant

                                                        Not great Brydo. Our 2 litre X1 will do over 50mpg on a 60-65 mph mainly motorway journey.

                                                        The last 300 miles of very short journey town driving shows 39.8mpg and an average speed of 29.1.  That includes quite a bit of warming the car up for 5 to 10 minutes before setting off.

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