SPLACH Turbo Review

Cockpit

True to the Turbo’s overarching appeal, its cockpit is satisfying.

On the right, there’s an easy-to-read QS-S4 display that not only gives you oversight of your key riding stats – including your speed, distance traveled, and battery level – but also grants you access to the p-settings where you can make small adjustments to the strength of your acceleration and electronic braking.

Attached to the display is a trigger throttle, and while I prefer those of the thumb kind, I did find that if you angle it parallel to the grip it becomes more comfortable to use.

And of course, directly below the display and throttle is one of the scooter’s upgrades: the new NFC card reader. NFC, otherwise known as near-field communication, is the same kind of technology that powers contactless credit cards, as well as the fob readers seen on offices and apartment blocks. To turn the scooter on and unlock it, you need to wave a pre-programmed card in front of the reader. The good news is that you get 3 of these meaning you’ll have spares if you lose one.

Then there are the newly added turn signal buttons that have been seamlessly integrated into the tactile rubber grips for easy reach of your thumbs.

Elsewhere, the handlebars measure 24 inches, making them the ideal width for maximizing your handling of the scooter. It’s worth noting, however, that because they’re foldable, you may find that you need to tighten them every so often.

Frame

The frame certainly looks the part, with explosions of orange bringing the matte-black finish to life. It conveys a sense of elegance – yet, there’s no hiding from the fact that it’s built from the same components as those found on other well-known models like those from VSETT. But, that’s ok when you remember the Turbo’s discounted price.

It’s also worth pointing out that while reviewers of the old model complained of the rear fender rattling, I encountered no such issue with the new model. Everything felt solid.

Add to that an IPX5 water resistance rating, and it’s no shrinking violet when it comes to all-weather durability, either.

Deck

With 18.0 x 5.9 inches of available space, the deck isn’t the largest – but it’s not the smallest, either. Besides, the well-positioned kickplate adds a further 5.0 inches to the equation, meaning you have enough room to find a stance that suits your riding style. The grippy coating ensures your feet remain planted, too.

What’s more important, though, is the angle of the kickplate. By my measurements, it sits at a 17-degree angle, making it extremely comfortable to use. By comparison, some kickplates have acute angles of over 40 degrees, meaning your foot placement can feel unnatural.

You do, however, have to be mindful of what you ride over since the Turbo only has 5.1 inches of ground clearance. As a result, I’d avoid rolling up and down curbs.

Tires

The mix-and-match approach of the tires delivers a balance of both comfortability and durability.

At the front, there’s an 8.5 x 2.0 inch pneumatic tire that cushions your ride and allows you to remain nimble.

The tire at the rear, however, is 8.0 x 2.5 inches and solid. This significantly reduces the risk of punctures – which are more likely to affect rear tires – and therefore reduces the amount of maintenance.

Portability

Weighing 45 lbs, it isn’t a scooter that you’ll want to lug up and down multiple flights of stairs. It does have a couple of tricks up its sleeve when it comes to portability, though.

One is its cantilevered folding mechanism, which makes collapsing the stem super simple.

The second is its foldable handlebars. Just unscrew them and they’ll effortlessly fold parallel to the stem.

The third is its telescopic stem that can retracted to reduce the length of the Turbo when folded. The deck-to-handlebar height measure 30.6 inches in its lowest setting, and 40.3 inches in its highest.

All in, you can have it fully compacted in 15 or so seconds, at which point it’ll easily fit in your car trunk or under your office desk. For context, its folded dimensions measure just 42.9 (L) x 7.9 (W) x 15.7 (H) inches.

Possibly the only improvement in this department would be for the cantilevered mechanism to have a safety latch. This would add a layer of reassurance for when the stem is locked in its upright position.

Load

With a 265 lbs load-bearing capacity, it makes its mark as a good option for heavier riders.

While testing the scooter I weighed 190 lbs (including safety gear), and it performed very well. For optimal performance, I wouldn’t exceed 220 lbs.

Lights

The SPLACH Turbo’s credibility in the lighting department is somewhat patchy. There’s no headlight, though it does have cool-looking front LEDs embedded into the deck, as well as a strip light that runs down the stem.

While this combination helps others to see you, it’s not bright enough to safely illuminate the way ahead. You’ll need to buy an extra clip-on headlight.

At the rear of the deck, you’ll find a couple more LEDs that double up as both your taillights and brake lights, whilst also moonlighting as turn signals. This is a nice feature that you don’t find on many scooters in the Turbo’s price category.

Build Quality

Compared to the vast majority of its rivals – especially the Horizon and EMOVE Touring – the Turbo is a well-made scooter.

It won’t challenge the premium build quality of models from NIU or Apollo – but, if dependability, ride quality, and features are chief among your concerns, then this is a scooter that delivers.

After all, it boasts a frame that’s been built for the masses and it fulfills this role successfully.