I test drove a RWD Y on 19" wheels today, after having had my SR+ since November and came away surprised at how similar they are.
Getting behind the wheel the first thing that noticed was the slightly higher seating position in the Y. It requires less of drop when getting in and on the road provides slightly better visibility than the 3. The way the driver is positioned gives the 3 a more sporty feel as you feel lower to the ground (not Mx-5 low but along those lines), whilst the Y is more like a Subaru XV height rather than a large SUV.
Despite the slightly higher ride, at street speeds the handling dynamics felt very similar to the 3, and it's impressive that they kept that same planted feeling that the 3 gives you in the Y. The big question mark that I had was on the ride, and I found it to be slightly firmer to the 3 on 18” wheels, but it didn’t feel like there was a lot of difference. It's firm, but rides way better than a Lexus NX for example, and the handling is much more car-like.
Acceleration was interesting as it comes in differently to my Unicorn 3. Off the line the Y in Standard mode was like a Unicorn in chill mode, it's willing and has enough to hold its own in normal traffic conditions. What was interesting was that after the initial launch it feels like it comes on slightly stronger than the initial launch, say from around 30 km/h it gets a second wind. Unless you need something to beat the baseball cap on backwards set at the traffic lights, it's fast enough, and certainly feels far more nimble than it's 0-100km/h time suggests.
The front feels identical to the 3 except that you notice you're perched higher, the rear seats in the Y will be more comfortable for any teenagers and above on long trips mainly due to the higher seat base offering more under thigh support. There's no contest in the boot size, however I noticed that the cavernous rear in the Y produces a slight boomy sound on rough roads that you don't get in the 3.
The minor differences between the two surprised me in that they were so close. The 3 will always be the more rewarding drivers car, with plenty of practicality. The Y makes the perfect swiss army knife for accommodating whatever I need it to do. The Y feels more like a hot wagon than an SUV, and doesn't feel like it's given away much in the pursuit of space and practicality. I'll likely end up keeping the 3 when the Y is delivered and end up alternating the cars between my wife and I, but strangely this conclusion feels almost too practical.
Getting behind the wheel the first thing that noticed was the slightly higher seating position in the Y. It requires less of drop when getting in and on the road provides slightly better visibility than the 3. The way the driver is positioned gives the 3 a more sporty feel as you feel lower to the ground (not Mx-5 low but along those lines), whilst the Y is more like a Subaru XV height rather than a large SUV.
Despite the slightly higher ride, at street speeds the handling dynamics felt very similar to the 3, and it's impressive that they kept that same planted feeling that the 3 gives you in the Y. The big question mark that I had was on the ride, and I found it to be slightly firmer to the 3 on 18” wheels, but it didn’t feel like there was a lot of difference. It's firm, but rides way better than a Lexus NX for example, and the handling is much more car-like.
Acceleration was interesting as it comes in differently to my Unicorn 3. Off the line the Y in Standard mode was like a Unicorn in chill mode, it's willing and has enough to hold its own in normal traffic conditions. What was interesting was that after the initial launch it feels like it comes on slightly stronger than the initial launch, say from around 30 km/h it gets a second wind. Unless you need something to beat the baseball cap on backwards set at the traffic lights, it's fast enough, and certainly feels far more nimble than it's 0-100km/h time suggests.
The front feels identical to the 3 except that you notice you're perched higher, the rear seats in the Y will be more comfortable for any teenagers and above on long trips mainly due to the higher seat base offering more under thigh support. There's no contest in the boot size, however I noticed that the cavernous rear in the Y produces a slight boomy sound on rough roads that you don't get in the 3.
The minor differences between the two surprised me in that they were so close. The 3 will always be the more rewarding drivers car, with plenty of practicality. The Y makes the perfect swiss army knife for accommodating whatever I need it to do. The Y feels more like a hot wagon than an SUV, and doesn't feel like it's given away much in the pursuit of space and practicality. I'll likely end up keeping the 3 when the Y is delivered and end up alternating the cars between my wife and I, but strangely this conclusion feels almost too practical.
