During the week, Car Whiz’s new long-distance test cars were put to the test in Funäsdalen’s biting cold. “We have learned a lot about the cars,” says Anders Helgesson.
Our test team are out for this year’s big winter test in Funäsdalen – the first challenge of many for the magazine’s five long-distance test cars.
– It has been cold, the cold record during the week was minus 32. It has never been so cold in my five years here, says reporter Anders Helgesson.
When we reach him by phone, he is sitting in the MG 4 electric car, on his way back to Stockholm.
– The test went well, I think everyone is happy with the week. There have been no mishaps and we have found out a lot about the cars, he says.
Surprising behavior
During the winter test, the winter characteristics of the long-distance test cars are put to the test. Everything from the heating capacity of the air conditioning systems to the cars’ acceleration and braking performance as well as road characteristics on slippery road conditions are evaluated.
This week’s exercises have revealed, among other things, that the rear-wheel-drive MG’s braking force recovery can send the car’s rear axle into a skid if the gas is released in a curve, to the great surprise of the test drivers.
– It is an Achilles’ heel. But otherwise the car has worked well, charging is surprisingly fast despite the iron phosphate battery, says Anders.
After the trip home, the reporters must gather their impressions and data points into a report, which you can read here on the website within a few weeks, and in an upcoming issue of the newspaper.
Here you can read last year’s winter test.
We buy five cars each year which are tested and evaluated during winter, spring, summer and autumn.
This year’s long test stable consists of Hyundai i10 (petrol), MG 4 (electric), Toyota C-HR (hybrid), Honda CR-V (hybrid) and Mercedes E200 (petrol).
