For the record, I've been doing a lot of miles in the Cruiser and am getting to know it. The cabin, seats, toys, heating, controls and so on are all nice. It's a pleasant place to be, the sound system is all right.
As a drive it isn't so good. It has two modes, relaxed and strained. The engine is lumpish and noisy in many power bands. Power delivery itself is cammy, with a surge between 3,000 rpm and 5,000 or so, but with a certain raucousness that says: I am drinking fuel. Nevertheless if hammered like that it can pick up its skirts and run, keep up with the home counties mimsocracy.
When not pressed I am quite an economical driver. I like low revs and light throttle. Nevertheless in this part of the country one often has to sacrifice economy for progress, for shaking off annoying other traffic and so on. With quite a lot of London and lots of running up and down it's been doing about 28 mpg. Not great but not terrible it seems to me. I have high hopes that on French A roads it would do low to middle thirties.
|