13 Reasons to Buy or NOT to Buy the GoTrax G4
The G4 is an interesting addition to the GoTrax lineage. Why? Well, not only is it a great example of GoTrax’s ability to deliver well-rounded performance at a reasonably low price, but it’s bigger, faster, and equipped with far more extra features than the rest of the scooters that came before it.
But does this mean it's the right scooter for you? It certainly represents good value for money, but there’s no denying that it’s operating in a competitive field where some of its most fierce rivals have the edge.
To help you make the right decision, we’ve compiled 3 years of experience riding the GoTrax G4 into 13 reasons why you should and shouldn’t buy it.
8 in total
5 in total
8 Reasons to Buy the GoTrax G4
1. Despite its budget price tag, the G4 bestows a tank-like quality when it comes to its build. From weekend rides to running errands, we’ve been riding the G4 for 3 years. During this time, we’ve dropped it and bumped it into things, yet it continues to perform with no fuss.
2. To reinforce its build quality spurs, the G4’s IP54 water-resistance rating ensures it’s protected from light rain and splashes.
3. Often, cheap electric scooters tend to have a misdistribution of weight across their frames (i.e. some can be top-heavy, while others can be bottom-heavy). In the case of the G4, its weight is distributed evenly. As a result, it’s extremely easy to control, meaning balance and handling are excellent.
4. At 36 lbs, it isn’t the lightest scooter, but it’s not the heaviest, either. Thankfully, the G4 folds in a simple sweeping motion. Based on our many years of testing electric scooters, it has the most efficient folding mechanism for a scooter of its price. You simply pull the lever at the bottom of the tiller and then collapse the stem until the latch on the back of the handlebars clips into the hook on the rear fender. To put this into perspective, it takes less than 5 seconds to fold/unfold.
5. Unique to GoTrax’s commuter line of scooters, the G4 brings new security features to the table. Here, the inclusion of a digital lock allows you to set a 4-digit code to prevent a thief from rolling it away. Without entering the code, the electronic brake is applied, thereby causing resistance. If that wasn’t enough, it also comes with a built-in cable lock at the bottom of the stem.
6. Key to ride comfort is a scooter’s tires, and in the case of the G4, it’s equipped with large 10-inch pneumatics. Not only do these provide good shock absorption over poor road conditions, but their profile and tread deliver better ride quality than other GoTrax models. The front-on profile of the tires boasts perfect curvature, meaning they maintain consistent traction while rolling onto their sides. Secondly, the tread wraps around the entirety of the surface area that comes into contact with the road when turning.
7. Typically, the G4 retails for between $499 and $649. Taking this into consideration, it lays claim to the fastest top speed (20 mph) in its price class – whether that’s in the sub $500 or $650 category. It does, however, share this title with 3 other scooters (Turboant M10, Turboant X7 Pro, and Turboant X7 Max).
8. It has the fastest acceleration rate of all electric scooters in the sub $650 category. Based on our performance tests, it takes 6.3 seconds to reach 15 mph. This is 1.3 seconds faster than the Turboant M10, 0.8 seconds quicker than the Turboant X7 Pro, and 0.6 seconds nippier than the Turboant X7 Max.
5 Reasons NOT to Buy the GoTrax G4
1. Sporting a 36V 10.4Ah battery, the G4 puts out a maximum range of 25 miles when ridden slow. However, as to be expected, when you ride fast, this drops to 14-16 miles.
Now, while this performance is certainly worthy of a podium finish, it falls short of two other scooters in its price class, including the Turboant X7 Pro (30 miles max, 16 miles real-world) and Turboant X7 Max (32 miles max, 18 miles real-world). Both Turboant models also have a trick up their sleeves in the form of their removable batteries. This is a feature that the G4 cannot match, and therefore the Turboant scooters are the better options if range is important to you – especially considering that you can replace the batteries with fresh ones on the go to double your range.
2. To engage the motor you have to double-tap the thumb throttle. This can take some time to get used to and is an annoyance that other scooters don’t have. While testing G4 we found ourselves pushing off and slowly coming to a standstill before realizing that we hadn’t double-tapped the throttle.
3. Featuring a front electromagnetic brake and a rear disc brake, the G4 appears to be well-equipped in the brake department. But, after testing the brakes, we found that their performance was disappointing. The G4 took 6.0 meters to stop from 15 mph. This is the longest braking distance of all budget scooters.
4. The battery reader on the display is inaccurate. During our tests, it jumped from three bars to one, then back up to two bars in the space of a few miles. We believe there’s some kind of misconfiguration or miscommunication between the battery voltage reader and the report on the display. The impact on you is range anxiety (i.e. not knowing if you have enough juice in the tank to complete your journey). After all, you don’t want to be left pushing the scooter halfway through your journey.
5. Though it comes with a headlight and responsive taillight (that flashes when you brake), we were left a little disappointed. The headlight seemed to be dimmer than the one we tested on the cheaper GoTrax Apex. We recommend investing in an extra clip-on headlight if you want to ride safely at night.
Bottom Line
With GoTrax being GoTrax, you can be sure of an excellent level of build quality and reliable performance when purchasing the G4. It does everything you’d want from an everyday electric scooter, and with a selection of premium features, there are a few pleasant surprises thrown into what is undoubtedly a bargain.
But it’s also true that there are similarly priced scooters that simply do the basics better. The Turboant X7 Pro and X7 Max both offer a better overall package with superior riding range, stronger brakes, and fully functioning throttles, while matching the G4 for top speed and ride comfort.
