I briefly test drove a premium E 4X. It was much larger than I imagined. Nice feel, only a few miles of parking lot driving (huge lot at dealer) and some four lane driving down the main strip. Too much traffic to really get a good feel. I like a soft steering wheel, but soft leather over a wheel. This felt like thin leatherette over foam, kind of odd, could be wrong, just stuck as a minor negative thought. I liked it overall. The one pedal balance was nice, closer to Chevy Volt "L" as I expected, less harsh than Bolt.
At first on the Mach E forum, the worst problem was a whine from one of the displays. But, now just a few days and tens of more deliveries, they are having 12V flat battery problems. Apparently the only way in (no mechanical key) is to open a little door in the front bumper, pull out two wires apply 12V to unlock the frunk, then you can get to the car's 12V jump points, kind of weird. Also, there are some traction error warnings, and possibly one or more cases of loss of power. One to a few back to the dealers already.
[Just a quick update, I don't want to make too many Mach E posts, more 12V batteries are failing (evening 2/15/21), one fellow had to leave his Mach E in a parking lot during a blizzard. Many EVs in my experience, have easy to get to 12V battery connection posts away from the actual battery, for jump starting with a Li Pack. Well, apparently in Mach E, it is not just getting the frunk open. You then have to start taking apart plastic body parts in the frunk just to get to the posts, let alone the little 35A battery (small 12V batteries are common in new EVs (no cranking current needed)) (hard to believe, maybe there will be an update).
Some are wondering why these problems were not identified during testing, and one forum member provided a picture of a preproduction car with a trickle charger in the frunk! Other speculation is that some batteries may have sat discharged for several months between build and delivery.
These problems will likely get sorted out, but are not good. The ID.3 12V battery problem was not this bad, and it got sorted out with a software fix.]
Damage wise, at least one shipper was confused by open holes in the battery pack and used them as tie down points for hooks, causing a jagged tear. I think the owner said the box was aluminum.
at $55+ for the 4X (big battery, AWD), they definitely come in about 10kish over the ID.4 1st (I have not priced ID.4 AWD). More comparable price wise to MY if the Fed tax, now said to be $7k comes back.
I am still open probably until my ID.4 FE is at the dealer, for the current options MME, MY, M3DMLR, and possibly new comers (but, not another Bolt or EUV). Even though I have not touched a ID.4, every comparison so far says to me best value right now by about $10k, is the ID.4 FE.
