New Car Reviews

[stui magpie]

Just did the first decent trip in the new ride, thought I'd start a new thread to talk about some of the features and give others a place to talk about new car experiences.

So the new ride is a GWM Cannon X. 2022 model but 2023 complaince plate. Had 5km on the clock when I picked it up.

It's a 2.0l Diesel turbo with an 8 speed auto. You can also change gears manually with the flappy paddles on the steering but that's a PITA so I won't bother.

She has all the bells and whistles you could want plus more. Infotainment screen the size of an iPad. Doesn't come with a Sat Nav but has Android Auto (also has Apple Carplay) which means I can connect the phone via USB and use Google Maps on the car screen if I want to. If I don't want to do that, I just sit it on the wireless charging pad and connect by Bluetooth for calls and texts.

One of the video reviews I read before getting it, the bloke said there was some throttle lag. You put the foot down and the car thought about it for a few seconds before responding. Mine doesn't have that, touch the accelerator and it takes off like a scalded cat.

Seating position is different to what I'm used to in a sedan, less leg room than I'd like at 6'3" but still very comfortable and the ride is great.

Comes with 3 different suspension and steering settings, I just left it on Normal.

This thing has cameras everywhere, likely constantly uploading data to a CCP mainframe. As soone as you drop below 15kmh the screen shows all around you, like an arial shot of the Ute, showing whats on all 4 sides of you. Kept the Grandson very interested when I picked him up in it.

The cruise control is....interesting. I'm gonna have to do some reading on it.

First effort engaged some sort of lane control thing where apart from speed, it self corrected the steering if it started to drift left or right. Tllk the hands off the wheel at one point to test it, after correcting itself twice from drifting left it told me off and put a written demand on the front screen to put my hands back on the wheel.

2nd go I seemed to disable that function, but then realised it has some sort of front collision sensor that doesn't like getting 2 close to other cars. Driving on the freeway, catching up to a slower car, once you get within about 3 seconds behind at 110kmh, the car automatically slows to keep that 3 second distance from the car in front. Annoying on the freeway as you have to then put the foot on the accelerator to manually speed up but once you change lanes to overtake, it kicks straight back to cruise control and all is good.

While annoying on the freeway, it's bloody good in a single lane highway. Set the cruise control and it will sit happily behind a slower vehicle until it's safe to overtake and you just put the foot down.

Another interesting quirk is that it drives 1kmh slower than the speed you set. Very obedient those CCP mechanics, don't want to exceed the limit, set it for 110kmh and she cruises at 109kmh.

finding and saving radio stations is a piece of piss, sound system is great, ride is smooth and quiet. Tbar auto is a little funky. It just sits in one spot. To go from park to reverse, push a side button and nudge it forward twice, to go to Drive, nudge it back twice, to put it in park push a button on top which also engages the handbrake

Interor is very nice, even has a 220v powerpoint connection in the back .

Back seats can be lifted up, I'm storing the shopping bags under one, and backrests can be pulled down to reveal extra storage space and where the jack is.

She came with a full tank, after just over 300km I've used about half a tank.

Very happy with it. At $58k after adding ceramic paint protection, Bullbar, Roofrack, towbar and front and rear dashcams, it's a bargain. To get a ranger or Hilux with all the same features would be around $30k more.

[think positive]

Sounds good, I’m wondering how I’ll be with all the 3sec and lane control stuff -
6 months in the queue now!

[stui magpie]

The lane control stuff is subtle, it doesn't fight you like a work Kia I drove that didn't like me drifting right to see if it was safe to overtake.

What are you waiting for again and do you have an ETA?

[Skids]

I do the salary sacrifice lease thing. Had a Mazda CX9 for 3 years and last year swapped into a CX8.
Slightly smaller than the 9, feels much more like you're driving a sedan than a large SUV. Kelly wanted all the bells n whistles so we went for the top of the range Asaki LE. Has all the stuff you mention in your newby Stui.
Black, with white leather. I was a bit worried about the white, but it's actually awesome. Doesn't get hot in the sun. The seats have a heating/cooling option. Old grandad had that seat heater on taking the young fella to auskick on Sunday.
2.4L twin turbo diesel which goes like a rocket if you want. Averaging around 6.5L/100km which I'm happy with.

The car supply chaos was very profitable with the CX9 and Jess's Jimny.
Jess got 2 grand more than she paid when she pulled out after 2 years, had 50,000k's on it. Did the sums and after paying out the balloon and getting 9 grand cash back, it worked out it cost her $60/wk to have the car. Fuel, rego, insurance, servicing, monthly car wash/polish... the lot. That's insanely cheap motoring.

When we got out of the CX9 the conversion worked out to be $90/wk.

Will definitely be continuing to upgrade the lease every 3 years and it'll have to be a damn good car to get me out of a Mazda again.

[What'sinaname]

LKA and ACC are best.

[stui magpie]

Onya Skids, mine has the heated seat thing to, but I haven't tried it, not sure if I want to. sounds like a good way to cook your balls.

My last 2 cars I did the salary sacrifice thing, both were 12 months old ex lease cars when I got them, then bought them out at the end of the lease. This is my first actual brand new car.

[think positive]

[stui magpie]

So I filled up this morning in toc before driving back. 430km on the clock, 43 litres to fill up.

Got the hang of the cruise control slowing down with cars in front, on the open freeway I just changed lanes earlier and no problems. Once I got into Traffic close to Melbourne it was actually quite cool, set it for 100kmh and it just motors along at the same speed as the car in front, keeping a constant safety gap. Combined with the automatic lane assist, it's bloody near self driving.

[think positive]

id be worried id fall asleep!!


just got my EOS baby back from servicing, 86k on the clock and needed front tyres and the first ever front brake pads! no ones accusing me of over braking!!! at the lights in the Ranger this morning, and there was a RAV4 hybrid next to me, not a bad size at all, coming out of the VW Eos I was a tad worried!

so have you washed it yet???!!

[What'sinaname]

So much easier to use your mobile while driving with lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control.

[stui magpie]

Don't need to touch the phone, it just sits on the wireless charge pad, it's connected by bluetooth. if someone calls me, I answer it with a button on the steering wheel. If I want to make a call, use the infotainment touch screen. If I get a text I can have the info thing read it to me. All cool.

Haven't washed it yet TP, hasn't needed it. that ceramic coating stuff means when it rains the water all beads up and falls off when I take off. I'm taking it back on Monday to get the Towbar installed (they forgot it), they'll give it a clean while it's there.

[think positive]

[stui magpie]

Of course it's an Android, Apple sux.

[stui magpie]

Just dropped the Cannon back at the dealer to get the Tow bar fitted. Minor clustercluck, I pulled into the Service department, they didn't have it booked. 20 minutes later, couple of phone calls (the bloke I'd dealt with was on an RDO) and we're sorted, Cannon going into the Pre-Sales area and I'm in some GWM Haval Hybrid SUV to come home in.

First impression, it's not designed for a driver over 5'4" despite being a largeish machine. Seat back as far as it can go, driving with knees either side of the steering wheel and with hands on top of the wheel I can almost rest my forearms on the bottom. Drive this thing to Toc I'd end up with displaced hips.

I don't think it's a plug in, seems that the battery charges from braking and maybe an alternator? NFI. Fkn quiet, press the start button and no noise, picks up well, drive is basically silent, pretty comfortable and sits the road well.

Gear select is a dial. Twist left for reverse, middle is neutral, right is Drive and push the button on top for Park.


Took me til halfway home to figure out the touchpad Infotainment thing and turn the radio on.

Then when I got home and put it in park, it comes up on the screen with info about the trip and a 3 out of 5 star thing with a heading "Drive Rating". I'm not sure sure if it was rating my driving or if I was supposed to rate the drive but I just turned it off.

Overall, I suppose it's pretty good for what it is, something for short people to ferry short people around in.

[stui magpie]