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4 Fwd EVs: Evolution, EZGO, & Star Considerations & Turning Radius Limitations?!?
We’re looking at a new EV and really wanting as much golf cart for the money so considered the Evolution D5 Ranger, EZGO Liberty, and Star Sirius 4.
We researched and drove all and here is our personal experience/thoughts. 1. We loved the Evolution D5 Ranger (and so do 90% of our neighbors who we see buying them ~90% to other carts here in the new development areas) and dismissed the “Chinese junk” backlash. Still we were informed about the “dumping” lawsuit and have heard from two independent dealers that Evolution will be out of business in 6 months if they lose that federal case. Yikes. 2. We also liked the EZGO Liberty as it didn’t have the full Chinese market dependency, had been in business for generations, and was carried by the Villages (sort of a stamp of approval in our opinion). The biggest issue we had with the Liberty was the back row seemed lot make the cart less stable given the torque. I sat in the back while my wife accelerated and took a corner and we nearly lifted off the ground. We crossed it off mainly for that reason. 3. We also drove the Star 4 - both the Capella and Sirius. We had heard the Villages promoting the later as the “premier” (maybe apart from Club Car?) golf cart. Our concerns with the Star 4 forwards are the length and wheelbase - too much of a bus? Specifically, the Capella is 124.75” long, barely fitting our GCG. And it’s not as upgradable as the Sirius (no hard top enclosure for the Sunbrella, no CarPlay on the same 10” screen, etc.). The Sirius 4 is actually almost 2” shorter but still has a massive 96” wheelbase. (By comparison the Sirius 2+2 is only 6” shorter at 117” but has a 30” smaller wheelbase at 66”). Here’s a great specification sheet from Star. And an “outside the bubble” honest salesman actually cautioned us about using a Sirius 4 for golfing and noted the raised curbs the Villages uses in some golf cart tunnels and roundabouts would be difficult if not impossible to navigate. He encouraged us to consider the Evolution D5 Ranger again even though he sold both models and his sale would be roughly $5k lower. So, we’re now a bit torn and wanted to ask the group (1) for any general comments on the above considerations/analysis across makes and models and more specifically (2) is there any truth the the golf cart curbs in the Villages being too tight for the Sirius 4 to navigate? We know all about the height at the tunnel up north (Saddlebrook?) but hadn’t considered that the developer would be installing barriers that the golf cart that even they sell cant navigate! |
I've recently purchased a Venom Stealth and love it! It's 120" and I haven't had any problems with the length while going through tunnels. However, there are several tunnels that are not high enough for many of the current carts. These are mostly up north, so if that's where you are, it might be an issue.
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Will be moving to TV in a week and pretty sure we are getting the Evolution D5 Ranger with the 210ah battery. Not worried about the lawsuit, I can work on almost anything and there will be enough parts around if you need them.
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The whole "dumping" lawsuit is complete BS. Just a scare tactic by dealers that want to sell you a cart for $10K more - or from uninformed folks. Evolution has been in business for 18 years - they're not going anywhere. Botero is the only dealer in the area that sells Evolution exclusively (so they know this cart better than anyone else), and they have been in business for 6 years in 10 states. There are other dealers, but Evolution is just one of many brands they sell.
Botero is far more likely to stay in business selling and servicing Evolution carts than any other dealer in the area. Talking with the owner in Ocala, they are planning on opening a location in The Villages soon. The chinese content is yet another absurd claim. ALL carts (and yes, that includes Yamaha and Club Car) get the majority of their content from overseas. Evolution has 3 assembly plants here in the US - Florida, Texas, and California. |
I have the Evolution D5 4F. My cart is a bit over 1.5 years old and I'm at 5,000 miles. Love it. With regards to length - it's a bit shorter than a Yamaha with a rear seat and a lowered tailgate for feet. Much shorter than a Yamaha forward 4 seater. Turning radius is definitely a bit more, but I've had no issues anywhere.
I did lower the rear of my roof by 2.25" (any dealer should do this for free - I did my own). Lowering the rear will get you through any tunnel (Saddlebrook is the lowest in The Villages), but it will still be very close. I also had the dealer replace the standard 14" wheels with 12" wheels. This lowered the cart another 2", and now it's about the same height as a Yamaha. |
Did you consider Icon golf carts? There is a dealer on 301 in Wildwood. Don’t know much about them but they are made in the USA since 2017.
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As for "Made in USA" thing .... over 80% of the components of Club Car golf carts are USA sourced and the carts are entirely built in the USA. Beyond question, they are the Cadillac of the main stream golf cart manufacturers. Park an Evolution next to a Club Car or Star Sirius or drive each of one them, side by side ... you'll never buy an Evolution. & no, I don't own a Club Car. BTW, I have never run across anyone who's bought a 4 Seater (front facing) cart, who's happy with the purchase, 6 months later. They're slow, they're unwieldy, wheel base is too long, center of gravity is too high, they don't work at the golf courses ... & hardly anyone needs 4 seats on a regular basis. |
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You should research the lawsuit; it covers more than Evolution and the likelihood of anyone "going out of business" is highly doubtful. If anything, there would be higher tariffs. Read this:
ANTICIPATING THE RESULTS OF THE U.S. ITC INVESTIGATION - Golf Car Advisor |
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Cart they're very reliable. If you're looking for cheap buy the one's made in China. |
Check Venom out as the ride us the best.
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I have parked my Evolution next to Club Car (used to own) and Star Sirius. I own an Evolution D5 after test driving. 5,000 miles in and I'll never own another Yahama or Club Car - at least not at the exorbitant price increase over the Evolution. Note that the Evolution D5 and their older Classic are two completely different models. I would never own the Classic. It is truly a low end cart. The D5 was a completely new design from the ground up and is a far better built cart. I love the 4 forward facing seating. It is what drove me to look at Star, E-Z Go, and Evolution. And when company comes in, they love it too. No one wants to ride backwards. |
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We love our EV. We bought our first 2 years ago, sold it and bought a 4 seater all front facing 4 months ago. There are so many features we enjoy with our new cart as far as storage, sound system, and performance. I would buy one again.
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We went with the EZGo. Have had it for 3 years and love it. We were going to buy outside of the Villages but decided we liked the convenience of going right here to get it serviced and any questions we had, they were there to answer. LOVE the fact that we have rear facing seat but would recommend seatbelts for any rear facing carts. Make sure they put the lift kit in the back so it does not bottom out when going up hill and such with passengers in back. Went through all tunnels so far and no problem what so ever, north was with ease. Also, going over the bridges it is the right width as well so to maneuver through those tight knit areas. That may be what are going to be your tight turn radius. We finally serviced ours after 2 years and they basically made sure all was tight and battery was running great (oh and an 8 yr warranty on that too). The other great things is they are quiet, it will go from top to bottom of the Villages and back on one charge AND you just drive it into your garage and plug her in! Golfing is great in it as well. Its nice to take late night (well I mean after 9pm) drives cause it is so quiet and your neighbors won't even know if your coming home late. We bought ours from Daniel at Brownwood Villages Golf Cars. And we are about ready to purchase another from him soon for a family member too! Stay close and choose easy. ENJOY!!!
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I'm skeptical that "the market" captures relevant information. Number of carts in use will certainly favor the long-time manufacturers. Number of carts purchased for golf course use might be significantly different than number of carts purchased for retirement community use. A minuscule percentage of carts on the street sounds bad but a measurable percentage, even if minuscule, could show a cart making inroads. Yamaha, E-Z Go, and Club Car have the most carts currently in use. However, Star, Evolution, and Atomic have been around long enough now to give some confidence that they won't be going out of business soon. |
I have a 2025 sirius 4. and have no problem whatsoever going around any corner or parking anywhere.
I would not worry about that aspect for your decision |
I've owned a Star Sirius for over three years and have not experienced any problems as described by the salesman. I have driven my cart in both the northern and southern parts of TV without any issues. It is a great cart.
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ONE STOP GOLF CART on 301 a new dealer with Unbelievable Prices And 3 New Brands Quantum is 1 Go Outside the Box |
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I have a friend who bought an evolution from botero and the cart failed a couple weeks after they bought it new. When he called botero, they told him it old be a month before they can pick it up. He argued with them and they picked it up within a couple days, but it sat there for a couple of weeks before they worked on it.
Went over to the dealer on 301 and they didn’t seem they knew the evolution availability and some of the features. I know somebody that bought a cart from this dealer and the week it was supposed to arrive, they called and told him it was going to be delayed till a few weeks |
No thanks. I'm sticking with gas.
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We also drove the Star 2+2 and are torn now since - to us - that drives better and is much easier to maneuver (especially for golf and in town squares/parking), and the back seat of the Sirius 4 was a bit...tight. It's a tough call, but we're leaning towards the 2+2 as we won't have guest that frequently to justify the 80% of the time it will just be my wife and I driving it. |
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As context, the legal basis for the petition filing by the American Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers (basically Textron aka EGO and Yamaha) against Chinese Low-Speed Personal Transportation Vehicles (LSPTVs) is two-fold: 1. Antidumping (AD): Allegations that Chinese carts are sold in the U.S. at unfairly low ("dumped") prices. 2. Countervailing: Duty (CVD): Allegations that Chinese government subsidies are providing unfair cost advantages. Together, these filings pave the way for significant duties aimed at restoring competitive balance for U.S. manufacturers like EZGO and Yamaha. Really, only those too are immune to any final ruling and imposed duties with retroactive effect. In fact, based on Chinese exposure and these looming imposed duties, I asked ChatGPT to rate the risk of corporate insolvency on a scale from 0-100 with 0 being absolutely no risk and 100 being bankruptcy. It scored: Yamaha: 5 (near-zero risk) primarily for its global diversity and importation from Japan over China EZGO: 10 (very low risk) only some parts (electronics?) are sourced from China Star EV: 55 (moderate risk, survivable with adaptation) Evolution: 85 (highest risk, needs radical changes or rescue) It further suggested if Star did go bankrupt, it would likely file Chapter 11 (reorganization) vs. Chapter 7 (liquidation) adding "85 means extreme risk of insolvency, with both Chapter 7 and 11 on the table, but a Chapter 7 outcome is plausible without external help. Star EV (Score 55): Not likely to file bankruptcy at all unless prolonged stress occurs. If it did, Chapter 11 is far more likely—they have U.S. operations, a brand, and partial supply chain adaptability." TIMING Finally - and importantly - the reason we may not have heard about this is the Final Ruling for both the AD and CVD (and immediately following the imposed retroactive duties) that was initially due back April 7, 2025 was delayed. A Federal Register notice issued on May 8, 2025, confirms that USDOC has extended the AD preliminary deadline, and the new final AD deadline is now 75 days after that preliminary, which itself is limited to July 16, 2025. Source: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...2025-08088.pdf And following that ruling next month, the Final AD Determination is expected 75 days post-preliminary, thus around mid-October 2025. And the Final Final CVD Determination will likely be aligned with AD timing, potentially October 2025. Remember there is also the Final USITC Injury Ruling which is planned after the Final USDOC AD and CVD Determinations, probably late Q4 2025 or, more likely, Q1 2026. And only then will duties be issued: If ITC affirms injury, AD/CVD orders will be published immediately again, likely early 2026. Key Dates: * By mid-July 2025: Commerce must issue a public preliminary AD finding. * By October 2025: Expect final AD/CVD determinations. * By Q1 2026: Final ITC injury ruling and duty imposition shortly thereafter. So, yes, they can flood the market with the D5 Ranger and the newer (and super cool, literally, they have a refrigerator built in!) D5 Max, but unless they pivot quickly and/or have outside investment, they're going to be hit with significant duties including on all of the carts they are currently selling and have sold since October 30, 2024 (AD) and as early as September 7, 2024 (CVD). So there's more on my research - please correct me if I am mistaken. And, of course, everything in life involves risk. But I like to do as much research as limit my exposure, particularly when one is considering a $10k+ "investment." And from what I'm seeing, I would rather pay closer to $20K on a cart than risk even $12K on something that the Open AI GPT- 4o model is currently telling me is "highest risk" and "needs radical changes or rescue." The same can be said about EZGo Liberty (very low risk) vs. Star EV Sirius 4 (moderate risk), but the difference - as I see it - is that Star EV is survivable, but the financial burden of that pivot will not necessarily need to be born by any consumer today - and might be part of the reason why The Villages is selling them, and indeed using them as their rental fleet in Middleton, and not any other moderate/high risk brands. Just my 2 cents - or more like $21,000. :-) |
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1) Remove 4 bolts from rear speaker and remove speaker 2) Remove two bolts going through rear supports that hold roof on. 3) Lift rear of roof and support (I used a 2x4 that I put in the rear bag area to hold roof up). 4) Cut both rear supports down no more than 2.5". Note that the support on the passenger side has the cable for the speaker going down through it. I pulled the cable down, cut the supports, then fished the cable back up. 5) Drill new hole in support 6) Drop roof back down and bolt in place. 7) Reinstall rear speaker. |
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EZ-GO is currently in a lawsuit with the US government for attempting to circumvent tariff pricing on many of their parts. |
I've had my remanufactured 2019 / bought 'new' in 2021 Yamaha Quiet Tech 2+2 for several years now. My wife has a newer 2 seater EZ-GO EV and I really like hers so much more than mine; faster, quieter, easier to get around on without the 2+2 hardware hanging off the back. That said there's one advantage to most 2+2's and that's the fold down rear seat. The platform is so useful buying groceries, hauling stuff to club meetings, etc. I'm looking hard at the EZGO Liberty with 4 forward facing seats, but haven't decided if I want to give up what the Yamaha gives me hauling wise.
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The parent company of EZGO (Textron Specialized Vehicles) and Yamaha have jointly filed trade petitions alleging that Chinese manufacturers of low-speed personal transportation vehicles (like golf carts) are dumping products into the U.S. market at unfairly low prices and receiving illegal subsidies from the Chinese government. These filings have been made with both the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission (ITC), but I wasn't aware of EZGO being sued by the US Government for tariff circumvention. |
Sticking outside parking spaces
I would really think hard about if you really need a 4 seater. The length is a real issue parking in the squares since they stick out into the road so much I think they are a hazard to cars especially if they have golf clubs sticking out even further. I'm glad dealers talked us out of them when we were shopping several years ago. More disadvantages then advantages for the very few times you would like to use one.
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If you have a Yamaha with a rear seat and a drop down gate for feet, when the gate is down it's a bit longer than the Evolution. I've had my cart parked at the square many times, and I don't stick out any farther than 50% of the other carts parked. Golf clubs aren't an issue because the well that hold clubs is integrated into the frame with no additional length. On a Yamaha (or Club Car) with a rear seat you do have this issue because the club holder is simply added onto the already long frame. |
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