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My honest take on the cars I tried.

Short, plain opinions on electric and plug-in hybrid cars I have seen or driven in Georgia. Every car shows who provided it, what I liked, what I liked less, and what other reviewers say.

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How I review.

Every car has a label

It says who provided the car or invited me, so you always know the context. Payment never buys a positive opinion.

My opinion is separate from other people's

"What I liked" and "What I liked less" are mine. "What others say" is reported by other reviewers and owners, and I did not test it.

If I did not drive it, I say so

A first impression is not a full review, and I will not pretend otherwise.

Independent

Tesla Model Y

The new design, the cabin and the software are clearly better. The materials still let it down.

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My honest take

A clear step forward from the previous Model Y. It looks modern, the cabin feels more premium and comfortable, and the software and the battery are still the best things about it. The weak spot is the quality of some materials.

What I liked

  • The new design is modern and, to me, better than the previous model. The back of the car looks especially good.
  • The trunk is quite spacious, with a lot of luggage room.
  • Beautiful ambient lighting and a new interior style.
  • New seats, now with ventilation.
  • A screen for rear passengers.
  • The car can understand in most cases whether it should go forward or back.
  • The software and the screen are very capable, and the battery is great.

What I liked less

  • Changing gear on the screen felt weird at first, though you can get used to it.
  • The automatic forward and reverse detection needs improvement.
  • The quality of some materials in the car is still the worst thing about it.
What others say

Reported by other reviewers and owners. I did not test these.

Pros

  • The boot is praised.
  • Road noise is more muted than before.

Cons

  • Build quality: some owners report crooked lights, misaligned panels, rattles and scratches found at delivery.
  • The ride is firmer at speed than in many rivals, and tyre noise is still there on the motorway.
  • Few physical controls. Lights, wipers and gear selection are on the screen, and gear selection only appears when the car is stationary.
  • The indicator stalk feels cheap.
  • The rear window is small and shallow, and there is no rear wiper.
  • The cabin feels bare on the cheaper trim.

Sources: r/ModelY thread and Auto Express. Trim, market and factory can differ.

Invited to the reveal by Solar Auto. Not driven.

BYD Shark

A first impression of a premium-feeling plug-in hybrid pickup. I did not drive it.

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My honest take

A pickup with a premium-feeling interior and a clever plug-in hybrid setup. I only saw it at the reveal and did not drive it, so this is a first impression, not a full review.

What I liked

  • The interior feels premium.
  • A 1.5L engine works together with two electric motors, for about 430 hp combined (the published figure).
  • Around 800 km of total range on a full tank.
  • It can power your gear from the car (reverse charging). Take it camping and use the car as a power source.

What I could not judge

  • How it drives, how the ride feels and how it tows. I did not drive it.
What others say

Reported by other reviewers and owners. I did not test these.

Pros

  • About 100 km of electric range, from a 29.6 kWh battery.
  • Three 230V outlets for powering equipment.
  • Comfort and the interior are often praised.

Cons

  • The 1.5L engine gets loud and strained when the battery is low, and the car is heavy at nearly three tonnes.
  • Limited off-road ability, with no low-range gearing or locking differentials.
  • The throttle keeps pushing for about a second after you lift off.
  • Some rear suspension bounce when the tray is empty.
  • The driver monitoring camera can be oversensitive.
  • Weak regenerative braking and no one-pedal driving.
  • DC fast charging peaks at only 55 kW.
  • The tray is small compared with rivals.
  • One Reddit commenter advised waiting 12 to 18 months for software bugs to be fixed.

Sources: CarExpert, ev.care and r/CarsAustralia. Mostly Australian reviews of the Shark 6. The Georgian version may differ.

Car lent by a Lexus dealership

Lexus RZ 350e

A quiet, comfortable cabin held back by dated software.

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My honest take

A comfortable, quiet and well-built cabin, held back by a dated screen and instrument cluster. I would love Lexus to catch up on software. My opinions are my own.

What I liked

  • The interior feels nice and properly Lexus.
  • Very good sound insulation on the road.
  • A great view out.
  • The paddles let you adjust how strong the regenerative braking is.
  • Range quoted by the dealership: about 450 km. I did not test it.

What I liked less

  • The exterior design felt a bit off to me, personally.
  • Some exterior plastics felt less premium than the cabin, and a few moved a little.
  • The software is the weak point. The huge screen is only really useful for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, and on its own it feels outdated.
  • The gauge cluster could be better.
What others say

Reported by other reviewers and owners. I did not test these.

Pros

  • A quiet, comfortable ride at normal speeds.
  • Solid build and a good driving position.
  • Very roomy rear seats and a big boot.

Cons

  • Real-world range can fall well below the quoted number. In one winter test it managed about 256 km, the lowest of 12 cars.
  • DC fast charging peaks at 150 kW, slower than many rivals.
  • Touchscreen-only controls.
  • Weak regenerative braking and no full one-pedal driving.
  • It feels softer than the German rivals over fast bumps.

Sources: What Car? and Edmunds. Mostly UK and US reviews. Range and specs vary by market and version.

Filmed at a dealership. Independent opinion, no payment.

Lotus Eletre R

Good looking and well thought out, but badly overpriced.

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My honest take

Good looking, but badly overpriced. At almost 140,000 euros I expected something special, and I did not get it. The interior is nice and the exterior is striking, but the software is average, and you can feel the Chinese platform underneath. I am not saying that is bad, but it is not what this price pays for. Buying this for the badge means paying a lot for a name, and there are Chinese cars that give you most of this for much less.

What I liked

  • The exterior design, with aerodynamic cuts that carry over from classic Lotus thinking.
  • Real aero thinking, huge brakes and Pirelli tires made for this car.
  • The interior: Alcantara mixed with leather, and Lotus-designed stitching on the seat belts.
  • LiDAR on the roof and sides for driver assistance.
  • Camera mirrors that stick out. It looks different, and I like that.
  • Air suspension that you can lower and raise with a button.
  • A small screen for rear passengers.

What I liked less

  • Almost 140,000 euros is too much for this car. The name is doing most of the work.
  • It is not the Lotus it used to be. It is built in China under Geely and weighs around 2.6 to 2.7 tonnes.
  • The software is regular. For this money, it should be impressive.
  • Apart from the design and the interior, nothing here justifies the price.
What others say

Reported by other reviewers and owners. I did not test these.

Pros

  • Very fast, with premium fit and finish.
  • Smooth, responsive screens.
  • Roomy rear seats and boot.
  • The active air suspension rides better than expected.

Cons

  • The weight is very noticeable in corners and under braking.
  • Standard brakes can fade under hard repeated use.
  • Real-world range is below the claim. One reviewer got about 340 km driving hard.
  • Touchscreen inputs give no feedback, voice control is flawed, and the indicator stalk feels cheap.

Sources: CarExpert and Parkers. Prices and specs vary by market and version.

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