Distance: 120km
Location: Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Date: June 5-6, 2022
Up front: Ergonomics are good, the leather on the steering wheel, armrests, and seat surfaces feel consistent, unlike cheaper Japanese and Korean marques. The steering wheel needs a longer telescoping distance to be comfortable, but it’s workable on a short-term basis. I recommend anyone who has an oddly-proportioned body to rent this car for a while before committing to shoulder pain for years.
The controls are nice to touch and easy to reach but the touchscreen gets hot and unresponsive on sunny summer days. Perhaps placing it in the dashboard instead of tacking it on top would mitigate the situation. I couldn’t get used to the rotating gear dial, I still prefer being able to change gears without needing to look down.
In the back: Rear legroom and headroom are generous for the car’s size and four adults would have plenty of elbow room to be comfortable on longer trips. The trunk isn’t large, but the right size. The wheel wells intrude into the cargo space more than its American and Japanese competitors making it difficult to put in wide loads, like putting a tripod into the back without putting the seats down.
Driving: The poor man’s BMW doesn’t disappoint. The car is quick, turbo lag on the four-cylinder is nearly unnoticeable, and the steering is responsive. However, the brakes bite a little too early for my taste, I wish the deceleration was as smooth as its acceleration. The sporty suspension doesn’t help with the pothole-ridden roads of northern Ontario even in normal mode. Sport mode makes the pedals more responsive, but it doesn’t change the driving dynamics in any meaningful way.
