The Fisker Ocean Is Way Better Than You Think It Is

You’ve probably read all sorts of negative reviews about the Fisker Ocean — the electric, Land Rover Evoque-ish-looking SUV by Henrik Fisker’s startup “Fisker Inc.” In December, Road & Track wrote that the “2024 Fisker Ocean EV Is Not Ready,” and more recently, YouTube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee called the vehicle “the Worst Car [he’s] Ever Reviewed” But I just drove a production-spec model purchased by a private party, and you know what? It’s actually pretty good! Not perfect, of course, but really novel and cool and fun to drive. And I say that as someone who’s driven some of the best EVs out there.

When I watched the Fisker Ocean leave the delivery truck just outside of Galpin Ford, it was hard to keep an open mind. As beautiful as the blue, loaded-to-the-hilt vehicle looked as it backed down the ramp, I couldn’t get the headlines out of my head. You see, Fisker has been dragged through the mud for a while now, especially lately.

[Full Disclosure: Son of a bitch! Part of me wishes I had found the Fisker Ocean to be a steaming pile. Not only would this article have clicked for days, but you’d actually have believed me. Now I have to somehow convince you that this vehicle, which has clearly had some issues as many outlets have pointed out, and which was built by a company that Autopian cofounder Beau has a financial interest in, is actually good. But it is! It’s not a bottle fly, which is to say that it is nowhere near a steaming pile! -DT].

The latest headlines (including our own) are dire, with Fisker getting a noncompliance warning from the New York Stock Exchange due to the fledgling automaker’s stock trading at under $1 for 30 consecutive trading days. Plus there’s talk of layoffs and delays of future models:

Add to that all the syndication of that singular Marques Brownlee review, and it paints a rough picture of the brand.

And just today, CNN wrote one of the scariest headlines about the company: “EV maker Fisker says it may go out of business.”

So things are a bit rough at Fisker, which is why I wasn’t expecting much as the Ocean rolled into the Galpin Ford parking lot.

 

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But then I got up close, and I have to say: The Fisker Ocean feels special. And I know that’s a vague thing to say, but car buying is often an emotional decision, and that feeling that a vehicle has a little something different — a spark — is often what it takes to win someone over. The Fisker has that.

The Fisker Ocean Feels Special, In Part Due To Styling And Fun Features

Look at those wacky three-spoke wheels, and those turqouis calipers, and those ridiculously thin taillights, and those turn signals up on the D-pillar, and those pop-out door handles. Check out the aero features around the rear glass to get the airflow to “taper” as it separates from the car’s tail.

Up front, the Ocean has a bit of a gaping mouth, but I’m into it. I like the floating Fisker badge on the hood, and I really like the way the front end lights up at night:

Inside, the Ocean feels and looks cool. The understated split-suede (Alcantara) seats are cushy, the glass “SolarSky” power roof is odd but fun, the huge screen is high-res (but a bit slow), the tilted-up dual wireless charging pads are nifty, and most of the materials feel like they’re good quality.

(Quick Note: As much as I liked Beau’s black interior, I’d have preferred this available white one):

Plus, there are fun features that you don’t find elsewhere in the industry, like this tray that juts out of the dash just ahead of the passenger. You can see it just to the right of the big screen here, which is displaying a legitimately cool 360-view of the car:

And there’s even a tray for the driver:

Not to mention, that huge screen spins from vertical to horizontal, the rear seats have power recliners, and I could go on and on about the fun interior features, but it’s best to just show you this clip:

 

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I Enjoyed Driving The Ocean

I drove the Ocean about 100 miles in both stop-and-go and highway conditions, and I enjoyed every moment of it. Sure, sometimes I’d get some kind of collision warning fault (I’m still not entirely sure what that was), and I did wish I had a physical button to change radio stations, but I liked the the HVAC controls at the base of the screen, I liked the screen resolution itself, and more importantly I just liked the way the car drove.

The Ocean has three drive modes. There’s Earth:

There’s Fun:

And there’s Hyper:

Scrolling through those three drive modes is simple and intuitive; you just hit the inboard-most button on the right side of the steering wheel, and you’ll see the mode pop up in the elegant little screen that one can see perfectly between the left and right spokes of the steering wheel while driving straight. Here I am in “Fun” mode:

You don’t have to be in “Fun” to have fun, because all three modes let you blast the Ocean out of the hole with vigor. Obviously, Hyper mode really increases pedal sensitivity, but no matter what, the car will tear your face off if you rest the rightmost pedal against the floorboard. The “One” model that I was driving had the 468 horsepower dual-motor setup (564 when in “boost”) that promises zero to 60mph in about four seconds and a range of 360 miles (thanks to a 113 kWh battery).

I don’t think I ever used boost, and I was still thrilled by the car’s acceleration. I found the ride and overall NVH performance on the highway to be decent, the handing was not something I really tested too much given that this is a crossover but it was fine, the compact size made the vehicle a joy to navigate through tight LA streets, and overall I was just delighted by the car’s overall vibe.

The Ocean Isn’t Perfect

The car wasn’t perfect, for sure. I noticed a bit of a gap in the trim at the car’s beltline, and noted how easy it was to open that gap up (see above)

I also have to mention the sun visors, which may be the worst in the entire auto industry. They fold in half, and then lean forward, which is counter to what most folks are used to. That I don’t mind; what I do mind is the tiny mirror with a fabric flap that drops down and sits flat, and even worse is the fact that the mirror doesn’t telescope when it’s detached from the headliner trim. I had the sun beaming off the side of my head as I drove north on the 405; that’s such a silly problem to have in a $70,000+ machine. (Note: I drove the highest “One” trim. Some Oceans can be had for about $40,000-ish, though with less range and front-wheel drive. -DT].

The Ocean also has a bit of a storage problem, too. There’s no frunk, there’s no glovebox [Update: Actually, there are two under the front seats, though they’re small and hard to see into. -DT], and the center console has two issues: 1. There’s a tray constantly taking up space inside. And 2. It’s been trimmed in order to give the rear center passenger more legroom, resulting in a very shallow bin:

To be sure, there’s good storage at the back of the car, but as a front passenger, where do I put all my stuff? I have the pockets in the doors, a tiny bit of space in the center console, and that’s it.

There is that storage space under the wireless chargers, so this isn’t that big of an issue. I’d just like a little more closable, easily-accessible storage, as I find it always helps to really clean up a cabin.

I also had issues with the key fob, which should be the easiest thing to get to work given that the technology is from the 1980s, but alas, the car sometimes struggled to lock and unlock. [Ed Note: I’m told you have to wait a few seconds after clicking “unlock” for the car to “wake up,” after which you can click the unlock button. Or you can use the fob as NFC over the door handle and it’ll open right up. -DT]. 

I Like The Fisker Ocean

I only spent a few hours behind the wheel of the Ocean, and there were a few issues related to the advanced driver-assist features, the screen was a little slow, there were some fit and finish issues, the fob needs work, I wish the car had more storage, and the visors are pathetic.

But many of these are teething issues, and plenty can likely be fixed over-the-air. What’s most important is that Fisker not only seems to have the fundamentals down, but the brand has built a car that stands out — it feels special, and that’s a difficult thing to pull off. Would I drive an Ocean everyday? Absolutely. It’s comfortable, it feels cutting-edge, it’s beautifully designed, and it’s just the right size. (And I’m not the only one who thinks that. InsideEVs’ story “Fisker Ocean Owners Love The Cars. Just Not The Bugs” talks about how much owners like the car. Reddit threads like this one make clear that there are plenty of fans. And my friend Kristen Lee from Motor Trend seems to agree with many of my above thoughts). Obviously, I can’t really make a full assessment until I’ve driven the car for a long while and experienced all the bugs folks are seeing, but based on what I experienced, the car makes me excited for what Fisker plans to build next, though based on current news, it’s possible they’re not going to get that chance.

After having driven the Ocean, I can say with sincerity: That would be a shame.

 

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