
After reaching 120 km/h on the highway, the Elysion Hybrid tends to struggle a bit. Here is some information about the Elysion: 1. Introduction: The Dongfeng Elysion is positioned above the Odyssey, with its main competitors being the Nissan Elgrand and Toyota Alphard. The new car features a strong business-oriented design and comes with dual electric sliding doors. 2. Features: It boasts a stylish appearance, smooth lines, a well-designed interior, an elegant dashboard, a stable and graceful overall shape, spacious and ample room, comfortable handling, and fuel efficiency. 3. Exterior: The Dongfeng Honda Elysion continues the design of its concept car, with chrome decorations added to many parts of the exterior, giving it a generous and beautiful overall impression.

When I drive the Elysion Hybrid on the highway at a steady 120 km/h, the engine noise becomes noticeably louder, as the 2.0L naturally aspirated engine has to propel such a large body. However, the power reserve is still sufficient, and the electric motor can assist during overtaking. The most noticeable aspects are the wind and tire noise—the MPV's boxy design indeed creates significant wind resistance at high speeds. Fuel consumption rises to around 6L/100km, but it’s still much more economical than the gasoline version. The body stability is excellent, and the chassis handles road imperfections well, preventing excessive sway on undulating roads. For highway driving, it’s recommended to set the regenerative braking to the lowest level for smoother coasting when lifting off the throttle.

Last month, I took my friend's Elysion Hybrid on a long-distance trip and specifically observed its driving dynamics at 120 km/h. The steering wheel becomes slightly heavier, but the handling remains quite precise. At high speeds, the hybrid system primarily operates in engine-direct-drive mode, with throttle response being a tad slower than in urban driving. Noticeable wind noise can be heard around the A-pillar area, while the middle row is surprisingly much quieter. The fuel consumption was quite a surprise, with the display showing a steady 5.8L, nearly half that of my pure gasoline SUV. During rapid acceleration, you can feel both the engine and motor working together, though the engine sound is a bit rough. The suspension handles long-wave road sections remarkably well.

The most intuitive feeling when driving on the highway is that the chassis is quite solid, and there's no floating sensation even when changing lanes at 120 km/h. There's a slight vibration in the steering wheel when the engine kicks in, but it doesn't affect grip. With the air conditioning on full blast, the power feels slightly strained, especially in summer when cooling such a large space. Turning the audio system up to 60% volume can drown out the wind noise. Special praise goes to the fuel consumption—just over 6L on the highway for such a heavy vehicle. It's worth noting that the wind noise from the side mirrors is quite noticeable, possibly due to their design. After accelerating to 120 km/h, pushing the throttle further results in much weaker acceleration force.

The most noticeable change when driving at 120 km/h is the sudden increase in wind noise, especially the whooshing sound near the side mirrors. The engine sound remains relatively muted, with RPM maintained around 2500. The body stability is commendable, as it doesn't sway much even in crosswinds. The energy consumption display jumps from around 5L in the city to approximately 6.2L, but it's still quite economical. During rapid acceleration for overtaking, you can feel the CVT searching for the optimal gear ratio, resulting in a slight power delay. It's advisable to check the tire pressure before highway driving, as a difference of just 0.2 bar in tire pressure makes a noticeable noise difference. The lumbar support in the seats is a great help during long-distance driving.

The most prominent issue at a 120 km/h cruising speed is wind noise, with the A-pillar and side mirrors seeming to leak air. The power delivery is linear, and there's still some reserve for overtaking when you floor the accelerator. The steering wheel filters out road feedback very effectively, making it hard to feel pavement seams. Actual fuel consumption is slightly higher than the manufacturer's claim, reaching around 6.3L with the air conditioning on full blast. Interestingly, energy recovery barely functions at high speeds, with the green bars on the instrument panel hardly lighting up. The suspension is tuned for comfort, keeping body sway over speed bumps to within three oscillations. Switching to a set of quiet tires is recommended, as it can reduce tire noise by about 30%.


