Xanadu wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:35 pm
Been trying to arrange a test drive but I am being told that I will be accompanied by a member of staff.Is this standard and what about social distancing?
Nothing worse in general than trying to test drive a car peacefully on your own without the accompanying sales person beside you slapping every part of it "this bad boy can do 0-60 got full Bluetooth phone connectivity" I want to be able to fully test the car in varying conditions peacefully without concern.
Or the opposite the awkward silent shy salesperson experience of just not talking throughout the entire drive but him judging every choice you make
Xanadu wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:35 pm
Is this standard and what about social distancing?
Not on any test drive I've been on, they have always been alone. Talking to the dealer it seems standard practive at the moment to allow you to test drive by yourself. I'd flag it on a question to Honda Uk twitter and see what the response is.
Went to cancel and got talked into a test drive. It was only 20 minutes but I did check a few things.
It's a joy to drive, very easy and comfortable, very smooth. One pedal mode works great. Autopilot is one of the best I've tried, it just works. You get in a lane, the display goes green and it's working, no fuss, no button to press, and no cutting out.
It's nice and quick, the cameras were completely natural, and around town it's quiet. I couldn't hear the pedestrian warning at all from inside.
On the motorway it was noisy. Lots of road noise. The boot is teeny tiny, one medium suitcase.
The turning circle is really funny, the 360 cameras are great and the auto parking is really easy to use.
It's put up with the range to drive this every day. Now I'm really annoyed, been waiting a year for one!
Swansway in Bolton are offering 24-hour test drives in the Honda e (unaccompanied, of course), but I'm based in London. Trying to see if any dealers more local to me are willing to offer the same.
RAL7004 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 4:41 pm
Have you actually canceled now ???
I got caught up in the moment and left before asking them to... I'll buy a lottery ticket and if I don't win I'll call them next week. They said I could cancel next week no problem but after that they will need an answer because delivery is due.
dVb9 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 4:46 pm
Swansway in Bolton are offering 24-hour test drives in the Honda e (unaccompanied, of course), but I'm based in London. Trying to see if any dealers more local to me are willing to offer the same.
That would be fantastic. You used to be able test a Leaf for a long weekend, but they ended that ages ago.
dVb9 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 4:46 pm
Swansway in Bolton are offering 24-hour test drives in the Honda e (unaccompanied, of course), but I'm based in London. Trying to see if any dealers more local to me are willing to offer the same.
That would be fantastic. You used to be able test a Leaf for a long weekend, but they ended that ages ago.
I strongly like the concept of being left alone in the car to test drive it. Especially for 24-72 hours, you can drive the car where you want, where you'd usually go with it and do tests on your own with more individual EV tests like having heated seats on? how much does that affect range etc? Do you like right on the top of a sodding hill with a large decline? could you get away with some free regen on the way down I think for a test run of an EV I would always like 48-72 hours but I know that's not always possible
Rei wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 4:29 pm
...I couldn't hear the pedestrian warning at all from inside....
On the motorway it was noisy. Lots of road noise. The boot is teeny tiny, one medium suitcase.
Finally someone tested the pedestrian warning noise - glad that you couldn't hear the UFO sound from within the car did your test car have the 16 or 17 inch wheels? I'd imagine the 16's to (hopefully) be a bit quieter and better on range. Once you put on some wicked tunes I'm sure you won't hear that road noise
Just to save anyone else having to ask, I contacted Hendys (who have Honda dealers in Portsmouth, Eastleigh and Exeter), as their website says they offer 48-hour test-drives - subject to availability.
To be fair, they responded to my web submission within 10 minutes, but could only offer a 30-minute test drive for the e, and not yet as they're still waiting to get their demonstrator registered. I didn't bother asking about using trade plates as it's too far for me to go for a 30-minute jaunt.
Rei wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 4:29 pm
It's nice and quick, the cameras were completely natural, and around town it's quiet. I couldn't hear the pedestrian warning at all from inside.
Is there a video somewhere of the pedestrian warning noise? I didn’t hear ANYTHING when I tested it, even with the windows down listening for it.
Maybe they did it very well and made it sound like an electric motor similarly to the i3. I have a friend who owns one and always thought it was just the whine from the electric motor.
I think for a test run of an EV I would always like 48-72 hours but I know that's not always possible 
