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Waymo's Ojai, made by Zeekr, a Chinese car company, started passenger service in May 2026. Today, when I ordered a Waymo, instead of the Jaguar I-PACE I expected, a Waymo Ojai showed up. It might as well have been from a different company, given how different the product and service was.
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Right off the bat, I noticed how cheap the design looked and felt. The seat material was scratchy and uncomfortable, instead of the smooth leather in the Jaguar I-PACE. And while the front seat reclined, it didn't recline as much as the front seat in the Jaguar I-PACE, so it was distinctly more comfortable for the entire ride.
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The back seats, as in the I-PACE, don't recline at all.
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Cup holders:
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Another aspect of the Ojai's cheaper design is that the suspension is terrible. And since San Francisco roads seem to be perpetually under construction, yet the city apparently doesn't know how to repair roads so that they're smoothly paved, I felt every bump and pothole. This is a huge reason I never want to ride in an Ojai again: in a Jaguar I-PACE I can look at my phone or laptop and get work done, because the ride is quite smooth. In an Ojai I can't, given the awful suspension and my motion sickness.
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Audiophiles will also noticed a distinct degradation relative to the Jaguar I-PACE. I enjoyed listening to music in the I-PACE, whereas the Ojai's sound system is worse. After a couple songs I turned it off, given the tinny sound.
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The alerts, such as the “Almost There” and exhortation “don't forget your phone, keys or wallet,” are of course the same in the Ojai as in the Jaguar I-PACE.
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The Verdict
I found the Waymo Ojai extremely disappointing, compared to the Waymo Jaguar I-PACE, in terms of seat comfort, driving comfort (given the car's poor suspension and jerkier movement), and audio system. I won't be taking many more Waymo rides unless Waymo gives me the option to guarantee the Jaguar I-PACE and avoid the Ojai altogether. It's honestly strange how Waymo doesn't give riders a choice, given how different these products are.
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