‘Space availability is good, there was plenty of room in the front and I can sit behind myself with 1.91 meters’
Lynk & Co’s sales figures don’t lie, since the car appeared on our market in 2021, the new brand has put just under 16,000 cars on the road. Although, sales figures? The car became best known for its private lease concept that promised ‘a lot for little’ and also facilitated easy car sharing. How do users like this car and the concept?
It’s hard to blame early users. Such a large plug-in hybrid for €500 per month is a bargain that makes every Dutch heart beat faster. Subscription prices have now risen considerably, to just under €680, and there are more than 800 used Lynk & Co’s for sale that will not be rented out again.
In addition to the rental model, the implementation is also interesting. You choose one of the two available colors and whether you want a towbar, that’s it. There have been a few minor updates over the years. For example, from 2022, cars will be equipped with acoustic glass, a 360-degree camera (instead of 90) and a faster on-board charger. From 2023 there will be a luggage compartment cover instead of a parcel shelf and the steering wheel and gear lever will no longer be made of leather. As of May of that year, the steering wheel can also be heated.
Ease of use and seating comfort
The Lynk & Co 01 shares, in addition to its Chinese parent company, a large number of components with Volvo’s XC40. However, the 01 is considerably longer. This pays off in a more spacious interior, but is it also spacious enough? The next driver previously drove a much larger Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, and the Lynk does not hold up in that comparison. “I personally think the use of space is a lesser part of the car,” he writes. “Although the space in the front, rear and trunk is reasonable, it is less than the Allspace, which is of course not a shame.” No, the real complaint is of a different nature. “What I really don’t like is the seating comfort. The rear seat is significantly lower, so your lower legs are not properly supported. I also think the front seats offer slightly less support than I had in the Allspace.”
Another rider thinks the comfort isn’t too bad. “The space available is good, there was plenty of room at the front and I can sit behind myself with 1.91 meters,” he says. “With my size 47, I can simply fit my feet under the front seat and the thighs do not make an unnatural angle.” This space does have a disadvantage, as at least the next rider experiences. “The passengers on the back seat have a lot of space, which is at the expense of the trunk, which is not overly large.”
The former Allspace driver also opens up about the front seats. “I think it offers a little less support than I had in the Allspace. The seats are otherwise fine, and seem to come from Volvo. But I think they are less than the VW, while Volvo in general is known for their excellent seats.” A fellow Lynker experiences the following: “Seats are good, both front and back. I measure 1.89 meters myself and can sit relaxed behind the wheel. The seat may be a bit on the short side, but because you can adjust the chair well, I have sufficient support for my thighs.” Something that a third rider cannot fully agree with. “I think the chair seat is a bit too short. I am quite tall and lack some thigh support.”
Infotainment and controls
The reactions to the space available and the seats are therefore variable, when it comes to the ease of use and the infotainment system, drivers are more unanimous. To start on a positive note: “There is a large screen in the middle, but fortunately many functions can be operated with a button. You can arrange the instruments to your own taste, so you have the most important information right in front of you.” This driver is moderately pleased with the software itself. “The standard navigation is not great. I always use Android Auto in combination with Google Maps and it works perfectly. Also starts up quickly,” he adds.
The message about the fast start-up is striking, because almost without exception other users say that it is the slowness of the system that irritates them. “The software is sometimes a challenge,” writes the driver of a 2022 Lynk & Co 01. “The radio then does not start up or starts up slowly; the standard navigation is very poor, quickly connect your Apple or Android.” That is no easy feat, according to the driver of an 01, also from 2022. “The electronics are quite slow,” is his experience. “Getting in and driving away takes half a minute, the entertainment console in the middle is then connecting to the internet and the user is charging and Apple CarPlay still has to start.” Still, it turns out to be worth it. “Once that’s done, everything works smoothly, especially in combination with Siri.”
The problem still seems to be present in later years of construction, according to the driver of a 2023 model. “If we have to mention a disadvantage, it is the system in the Lynk & Co for your radio, media, etc. It always takes a while before this is fully started up. And you are not always logged in, so your preset setting does not load. Or sometimes suddenly logged out after half an hour. So the system is not really reliable yet.”
This is how this plug-in hybrid drives
People are also unanimous, but more positive, about the handling of their Chinese Volvo. We kick off again with the former VW driver. “The suspension/damping is a lot better than with the Allspace. It is quite comfortable, handles the speed bumps very well.” A point of criticism, which other drivers also express: “short bumps are a bit harder than I was used to, this is probably due to the 20″ wheels. In addition, I also think the sound insulation is better than in the VW. This is noticeable. also that this is just a Volvo underneath, so great!”
Other drivers are quicker. “How does it drive now? Well just fine,” writes one of them. “Whisper quiet, even on petrol. Steers very neutrally, car does exactly what you ask of it.” Another experienced it this way: “The drive is comfortable, but bumps are a bit hard. The steering feeling is a bit ‘soft’ and I still have to find out how tightly I can steer the car.”
The following driver is positive about the hybrid drivetrain. “Engine, electric motor and transmission simply work very well together. You will notice/hear the combustion engine starting when it ‘needs’ to step in. But it is not that there is a shock through the car, this all goes very smoothly.” The next rider doesn’t think it’s perfect yet. “Switching between battery and engine is sometimes a bit slow and there is also a small delay when pressing the accelerator pedal. If you set the driving mode to power, the entire car turns into a cannon. You can reach 100 km/h in no time, overtaking or being the first to leave the traffic light is absolutely no problem in power mode.” A third driver is also not completely satisfied. “Now that electricity costs are skyrocketing, it was no longer profitable for us to drive electric. That is why we have mainly driven on petrol in recent months. Then driving in a cold condition on the normal petrol engine is somewhat disappointing. It looks like a lawn mower engine under the hood. It revs a lot and drives a bit jerkily.”
Electric range Lynk & Co
The Lynk & Co 01 is, as the driver above emphasizes, a plug-in hybrid with which you can also drive electrically. The next director explains what is promised. “The Lynk and Co is a hybrid that can drive approximately 69 km purely electrically with its 17 kWh battery. You can actually achieve this distance,” he experiences. And he’s not the only one. “The battery has performed very well,” says one rider after a year. “Especially in the summer, with the climate control in ECO mode, we easily drove 80 kilometers on pure electricity. In winter, and ECO mode off, this quickly dropped to 40 to 50 km. Still very neat,” is the conclusion. A third driver also achieved decent values. “Our actual electric range is usually about 65 km from a 17 kWh battery, which is decent for a big SUV. On petrol (in hybrid mode) our consumption is also not too bad, we are often around 1:15.”
Maintenance, breakdowns and… customer service
The Lynk&Co 01 is quite young, so owners have little to report in terms of structural problems. The issues they report are therefore hardly technical in nature, although there does appear to be one more common problem. “Unfortunately, my Lynk did not escape the well-known coolant problem,” says the driver of a 2021 car. “Around 37.xxx km it started reporting that I needed to top up the coolant. Before I knew it I was consuming 1 liter a week.” The car was then picked up for repairs, but unfortunately the review does not report how the story ended. Another rider was also stranded, but in this case it turned out to be caused by a defective starter battery. The communication surrounding the shutdown and the repair could not satisfy the owner. “Communication with Lynk&Co is severely lacking, and they prefer to let you call other Lynk countries yourself so that they don’t have to arrange it internally.”
Because that is, surprisingly enough, the biggest point of criticism that users have. The online and telephone services, due to the absence of a dealer network. “A negative point is the service,” writes one user, “which is downright bad. The telephone accessibility of the service desk was very poor in the beginning, I was sometimes on hold for 45 minutes. The staff is friendly and helpful, but making an appointment at a dealer can sometimes take weeks. The cars are maintained by Volvo, but you cannot go without an appointment, which is scheduled by L&C.”
Tow bar is car change
Another notable issue: “This is our 2nd Lynk,” writes one user, “because at one point we wanted a tow bar. Unfortunately we had to order a new car and one could not be set up.” The cars were supposed to be exchanged at this driver’s home, but the practice turned out to be more difficult. “Long story short, nothing had been arranged yet for the handling of the old Lynk. After 2 weeks I took the car to a dealer after contacting Lynk & Co by telephone, because it took a very long time.”
The service also appears to be a stumbling block for other drivers. For the next one it is even the reason for a rigorous decision. “The ultimate reason for me to get rid of the car is the terribly poor service from Lynk & Co. Had several minor issues during the year and they were never resolved.” A second user also returned his car. “Reason: the monthly amount has been increased, which will happen again, which means that the cash flow will be too much for me.” An otherwise largely satisfied driver encountered the same problem, but opted for a striking solution: buying a used Lynk & Co 01 himself. “The subscription car will be picked up on Monday, December 11, and we will continue driving with great confidence, with our Lynk, at our own expense,” he concludes.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl