I’m actually not quite at 1000, but working from home and have time so here is my 1000 mile summary.
Once I am in the car, out of the garage or parking space and driving with my music set, this car is awesome. Fast, quiet, smooth, comfortable, predictable in how it responds. I find the main dash to be clear and easy on the eyes. The mirrors are good, the blind spot detection is good. (I turned off the camera view when you signal) This is my first EV and I was comfortable with one pedal driving almost immediately on standard regen. The seats are very good. Some adjustments are only available through the touch screen. I have not found this to be an issue. Perhaps I slightly favor the seats in the Alpina B7, but no complaints with the Air. Longer drives I find the door arm rest too low and the center console to far back to comfortably rest my elbow with my hand on the wheel. The touch controls on the upper right hand screen are just a little bit of a stretch. I’m 6’2” and have the seat pretty far back. Not all the way back so taller drivers there is still adjustment left.
Here are the things I use every time in the car that are detracting from making the Air an absolute pleasure.
- Locking and unlocking. I’m using the key fob passively. Unlocking can be 6’ away or I can stand next to the car and wait. When your car doesn’t unlock when you want, it’s really annoying.
Proximity unlock should be on/off preference.
Unlock should be able to be set to driver only or all doors
When a locked driver door handle is pressed with a fob detected, unlock. This must work always and immediately. Always immediately. No excuses. No having to get fob out of a purse or a pocket. If I press any handle other than driver all doors should unlock, always and immediately.
Lock. If I press an unlocked handle, lock all doors immediately. Always and immediately. No excuses.
I’m fine with always locking when leaving, providing I can lock immediately as above. Perhaps that should be an on/off feature also.
2. Homelink. Exit garage, park assist activates, press home link (cameras go away), press garage door, press to reactivate park assist. (Park assist = cameras and distance). In every other car I can use homelink physical button without looking to close door. I push one physical button, not 3 touch screen buttons to get to same status.
3. Park distance / cameras. This system presents the driver with bad information and parking is a cacophony of sounds, busy graphics, and false warnings. Today I backed my Yukon into a space with a car on each side and to the rear. The park distance made one soft tone. I was less than 18” from the cars to the sides and about 12” to the rear. Doing this in the Air, would result in so much information being relayed to me, and none of it relevant. I would rather just turn it off and use my mirrors. NO. I don’t want to do that, I want a system that helps me.
4. I’m not going to go into Music / Nav controls interface. Every time I try to do something with the music the car warns me to watch the road. Once there is CarPlay that is what the vast majority will use, second will be android, and a distant third will be the native apps.
5. Can I have an option to press Park twice and turn off the car? Or at least turn off when I open the door. I’m 20’ from the car and my pod cast is still going.
6. Comfort access. I don’t care about this feature. My wife who is 5’0” thinks the car is unworthy of the price we paid because every other vehicle we own or have owned this century had it. She can not exit the car easily from her seating position and can not enter easily because she is too close to the wheel. Pressing P twice to turn off the car could also active comfort access or opening door. The seat goes back and wheel goes forward. Getting in the car shutting the door activates the seat / wheel going to the profile setting. Every Luxury competitor has this standard. Honda has it, GMC has it, Ford has it…..Please, convince my wife this is not a car designed by men for men. Comfort access plus the inconsistent lock/unlock, with no driver door only unlock option, she doesn’t feel safe or comfortable with the car as a driver, she loves it as a passenger.
There are some other items with the interface that could be better, for me, everything else is ok and I’m looking forward to improvements.
I would like more range information like what is my current use of KWh per mile not just the average. If I’m on the highway at 80, perhaps info of how much further I could go at 75, or 70, or 65. A range mode with suggestions and perhaps a flatter accelerator pedal curve.
My commute I don’t care about range, next year I plan to do some road trips where I will care very much.
This car is very close to winning my heart.
I drove my 2013 427, 6 speed Corvette today. Doesn’t feel particularly quick after the Air. It locks and unlocks as requested above every time with the key in my pocket. Everything else is a physical button and I don’t have to worry about touch screens, cameras, or park distance because it doesn’t have them. Homelink is 3 buttons on the visor. No look operation.
Really looking forward to the next few software updates for the Air.
