Apollo City 2022 vs TurboAnt R9 - Plush Commuter or Budget Hot-Rod?

Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)

The Apollo City 2022 is the more complete, grown-up scooter overall: better weather protection, more polished design, lower maintenance and a calmer, confidence-inspiring ride that suits serious daily commuters. The TurboAnt R9 fights back with punchier speed for the money and surprisingly capable suspension, but feels more like a budget performance toy than a long-term commuting tool.

Choose the Apollo City 2022 if you rely on your scooter as real transport and care about refinement, durability and riding in all weather. Go for the TurboAnt R9 if price is critical, you want speed on a tight budget, and you are willing to live with rougher edges and a bit more tinkering. Keep reading if you want the honest, road-tested story rather than just spec-sheet promises.

Both look tempting on paper - the real differences only appear once you've done a few weeks of commuting, a handful of wet rides, and at least one "why is this making that noise?" moment.

Let's get into it.

Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?

These two sit in the same broad "serious commuter, not a toy" bracket, but they approach it from opposite ends. The Apollo City 2022 is a mid-range, design-driven commuter that wants to replace your bus pass or second car with something slick and low maintenance. The TurboAnt R9 is the classic budget upstart: big motor, big speed, big promises, small price tag.

On the street, they will often be cross-shopped by people who've outgrown the usual rental-style scooters and want more power and comfort, but don't want to drag a 40 kg monster into their flat. Both have real suspension, both can comfortably exceed typical bike-lane speeds, and both are heavy enough that you'll only carry them if you absolutely must.

In essence: Apollo sells you a commuter vehicle; TurboAnt sells you thrills at a discount and insists it can commute too.

Design & Build Quality

Park them side by side and the design philosophies clash immediately. The Apollo City 2022 looks like something an industrial designer obsessed over for months: smooth, flowing chassis, almost no visible cables, integrated lights, a rubber deck that wipes clean in a second. It feels cohesive and kind of "Apple-ish" in scooter form - not perfect, but clearly engineered as a whole product rather than a parts bin special.

The TurboAnt R9, by contrast, wears its budget roots openly. The matte black frame with red suspension and cables is classic "performance scooter cosplay": it looks tough, slightly aggressive, and functional rather than elegant. The welds and castings are fine for the price, but you don't get the same sense of refinement when you run your hand along the stem or pivot points. There's more exposed cabling, more obvious bolt-on bits, and the front fender looks like it came from a workshop rather than a design studio.

In the hands, the Apollo's controls and touch points feel more sorted. The folding latch snaps shut with a purposeful clunk, the display is integrated flush in the stem, and the rubberised deck and grips give a subtle "premium commuter" vibe. The R9's cockpit is simpler: a generic LCD, standard clamp, wider bars and more utilitarian feel. Nothing wrong with that, but nothing that screams longevity either.

If you care about a scooter that still looks respectable after a year of daily abuse, the Apollo's integrated, cable-hidden approach is miles ahead. The R9's build is decent for its price, but it's more "value hero" than "object of pride".

Ride Comfort & Handling

Both brands shout about suspension, but they deliver very different experiences once the road turns ugly.

The Apollo City 2022 rides like it actually was tuned for real city streets. Its multi-point spring suspension, combined with large tubeless tyres, filters out the usual potholes, cracks and manhole covers with a soft, controlled feel. On broken asphalt and the classic European cobbles, you get a gentle bob rather than sharp hits. After a long commute, your knees and wrists aren't writing angry emails to your brain.

The TurboAnt R9 has that eye-catching "quadruple" spring setup and big pneumatic, slightly knobbly tyres. On the first ride it feels impressively plush, especially if you're coming from a stiff, rental-style scooter. It takes the sting out of kerb drops and rutted bike lanes, and it absolutely destroys cheap solid-tyre scooters for comfort. But push the pace and you notice more pogoing and less composure than on the Apollo; the springs are a bit bouncier, and the chassis doesn't feel quite as tied down when you start carving harder.

In fast corners, the Apollo's more planted geometry and calmer suspension tuning inspire more confidence. The deck is long enough to stance up properly, the grip is good, and the wide bars give reassuring leverage without twitchiness. The R9 also benefits from wide handlebars and a generous deck, but its all-terrain tyres and softer suspension can feel slightly vague mid-turn at higher speeds, especially on smoother tarmac where you don't actually need all that give.

Comfort verdict: both are genuinely comfy compared to the ultra-portables, but the Apollo feels like a sorted commuter platform, while the R9 feels like a budget performance scooter that happens to ride softly.

Performance

On paper both are "500 W" class, but that's about where the similarities stop. The Apollo City 2022 in its single-motor form has enough shove to get away from lights briskly and sit at a pace that keeps up with urban cycling traffic and light car flow. The throttle mapping is smooth and predictable; you can roll on the power delicately in crowded bike lanes, and it never feels like it's trying to yank the bar out of your hands.

Step up to the dual-motor City Pro and it wakes up properly. You get that strong, insistent pull off the line and far more authority on hills; it will keep climbing while many budget scooters are already wheezing. Crucially, it stays composed at its top pace - the chassis doesn't start doing interpretive dance just because you twist your thumb a bit enthusiastically.

The TurboAnt R9 has a different personality: it feels keen, almost overeager. The 48-volt system gives the rear motor a healthy punch: it surges forward with more enthusiasm than you'd expect at its price, and it hits its top speed with a grin-inducing rush. Going from a capped, rental 25 km/h scooter to the R9 feels like someone took the limiter off your commute. The flip side is that the throttle feels more "binary" - it's zippy and fun, but less refined when you're trying to feather it at walking pace or in crowded shared paths.

Hill-climbing is decent on both. The Apollo single motor will cope with typical city gradients without drama; the Pro version barely notices most urban slopes. The R9 manages hills respectably for its class - you won't be pushing, but you'll feel it slow more than the dual-motor Apollo when the incline gets serious.

Where the Apollo pulls ahead is braking and overall control. Its dual drum plus dedicated regenerative thumb brake allows genuinely smooth, one-finger style deceleration. You can scrub off just a bit of speed or come to a firm stop without unsettling the chassis. The R9 also has dual drums and regen, but the electronic brake bites harder; it stops you, yes, but modulation takes more practice, and panic grabs can feel a bit jerky.

If you want polished, confidence-inspiring performance, the Apollo has the edge. If your priority is "maximum shove per euro" and you don't mind a more raw, budget feel, the R9 will certainly put a smile on your face.

Battery & Range

This is where marketing fantasy meets your actual commute.

The Apollo City 2022, especially in Pro guise, offers a battery that supports comfortably medium-length daily rides. In the real world, ridden enthusiastically, you're looking at a commute and back with some juice in reserve, or one longer one-way trip at full fun mode before it needs a drink. Ride more gently and it stretches noticeably further. The regenerative braking, used properly, does claw back a bit of energy during stop-and-go city riding; it's not magic, but over weeks you notice you're not bottoming the pack as quickly as you might expect.

The TurboAnt R9 advertises a generous claimed range, but community reports rapidly bring that back to earth. Ridden the way most R9 owners actually ride - i.e. fast, because why else buy a 45 km/h budget scooter - you're realistically getting something in the "most commutes, but not quite all-day" territory. For a typical city return trip it's fine; for long Sunday adventures you'll start watching the bar graph with a bit more concern.

In terms of efficiency, the Apollo's slightly larger pack (on the Pro) and smoother power delivery make it the calmer, more predictable partner over distance. The R9's smaller battery and eagerness to sprint mean you'll be visiting the charger more often if you habitually ride it flat out.

Charging is another difference in feel. The Apollo's relatively brisk charge time is genuinely practical - plug in at the office, and by home time you're basically reset. The R9 is more "overnight or full workday" territory; acceptable, but you're not topping it quickly over lunch. Also, the Apollo's battery and connectors feel more robustly integrated; the R9's arrangement is typical budget fare - serviceable, but not confidence-inspiring in the long, long term.

Portability & Practicality

Let's be blunt: neither of these is "one-arm on the stairs while drinking a coffee" portable. They're both in that mid-20-something-kg zone where you can carry them... but you won't be thrilled about it.

The Apollo City 2022 is especially honest about this: it's built as a ride-everywhere scooter, not a carry-everywhere one. The folding mechanism is solid and fast, the stem hooks into the deck for lifting (when the latch behaves), and it slips into car boots and under desks without drama. But hauling it up several flights daily is a gym membership in disguise. The upside is that everything feels sturdy enough to cope with daily folding and unfolding without loosening into a rattlefest.

The TurboAnt R9 is slightly lighter on paper, but in the real world the difference isn't exactly life-changing. The fold is straightforward and familiar - stem down, hook onto the rear fender - and it also fits fine into most car boots. Its wider bars make it a bit more awkward in narrow hallways, and the overall packaging feels bulkier despite the similar weight. The big downside is the integrated battery: you must bring the whole scooter to the plug, which is fine if you have a garage or ground-floor storage, less fine in a fifth-floor flat with no lift.

For everyday practicality, the Apollo's IP rating and focus on low maintenance matter more than the kilo here or there. You can ride it in messy weather, hose off the muck lightly, and not spend evenings fiddling with brakes and flats. With the R9, you save money up front but potentially pay with a bit more hassle over time.

Safety

Safety is more than just brakes, but that's a good place to start.

The Apollo City 2022's combination of sealed drum brakes and that dedicated regenerative thumb lever is genuinely well thought out. In daily use, you do most of your slowing with regen, which is smooth and predictable, and save the mechanical drums for the last bit of stopping or emergency grabs. Because the drums are fully sealed, they're indifferent to wet grit and don't go out of adjustment every other week. It all adds up to a very "set and forget" safety package.

The TurboAnt R9 also runs dual drums plus regen, but the tuning is less polished. The regen is quite aggressive and can surprise you if you're ham-fisted, especially at higher speeds. Effective, yes; confidence-inspiring, not always. You'll likely spend some time getting the lever feel and your braking habits dialled in.

Lighting is a mixed bag. The Apollo has a nicely integrated light suite, with decent frontal illumination for city use and built-in rear indicators. The headlight could be brighter for pitch-dark countryside riding, but in urban environments it does the job. The TurboAnt's headlight is surprisingly strong for a budget unit, and the audible beeping turn signals are hilariously effective at reminding you they're on. From a pure visibility perspective, the R9 doesn't embarrass itself at all, especially given its price tag.

Where Apollo pulls ahead clearly is weather protection and overall stability. That higher IP rating isn't just a logo on a box; you feel the confidence to ride through drizzle and puddles without worrying about frying something. The chassis feels more rigid at speed, with less flex and less tendency to wobble when you're flat out. The R9 is stable enough, but between the softer suspension and lower water resistance, it nudges you towards "dry-day enthusiast" rather than all-season workhorse.

Community Feedback

Price & Value

On sticker price alone, the TurboAnt R9 plays the trump card. It costs notably less than the Apollo City 2022, and for that you're getting real suspension, a proper top speed that will keep up with local traffic, and a ride that's much nicer than most "first scooter" options. If your budget is tight and you crave speed, it's an understandable temptation.

The Apollo, however, starts to justify its premium when you look beyond week one. You're paying for a bigger, better-protected battery (on the Pro), a higher water resistance rating, self-healing tubeless tyres, more robust folding hardware and a level of integration that usually only shows up on more expensive machines. Maintenance costs, hassle, and risk of downtime should be lower over time, and that absolutely counts as value if you depend on it to get to work.

If you only ride occasionally and love bargains, the R9's value proposition is strong. If you're riding daily, in all weathers, and you'd like your scooter to feel like a piece of transport rather than a bargain toy, the Apollo's higher price begins to look more reasonable.

Service & Parts Availability

Apollo has spent real money building a brand, and that shows in the ownership experience. There's an active community, decent documentation, and a company that - while not flawless - generally tries to solve issues and ships parts in a reasonably sane timeframe across Europe. Early production glitches were irritating, but they were acknowledged and addressed, not swept under the rug.

TurboAnt, like many direct-to-consumer budget brands, is more of a mixed bag. Some riders report quick, friendly support and painless parts shipments; others write long forum posts about slow replies and confusing warranty processes. It's a smaller, leaner setup. You save money but accept a greater chance of spending your own time chasing answers or improvising minor fixes.

For a scooter you'll ride hard and rely on, that difference in after-sales ecosystem matters more than most people think when they click "buy now".

Pros & Cons Summary

Parameters Comparison

Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?

If you ride every day, in real weather, on real roads, the Apollo City 2022 is the safer bet. It feels like a commuter first and a toy second: better weather sealing, calmer handling at speed, more refined braking, and a design that clearly considered daily life from the outset. It's not spectacular in any one metric, but it strings together comfort, control and durability into a package that makes sense for serious use.

The TurboAnt R9 is the opposite: it's spectacular in a couple of very obvious ways - speed and price - and then asks you to live with everything else. For the money, its ride and performance are impressive and it absolutely will make ex-rental-scooter riders laugh out loud the first time they open it up. But if you're the kind of rider who notices cable routing, long-term parts support and how a scooter feels on its thousandth kilometre, some corners are clearly cut.

So the choice is simple: if you want a reliable, rain-friendly workhorse that happens to be fun, lean towards the Apollo City 2022. If your budget is tighter, your rides are mostly dry, and you're chasing maximum thrill per euro, the TurboAnt R9 will do the job - just go in knowing you're buying the exciting shortcut, not the fully polished solution.

Numbers Freaks Corner

These metrics strip emotion out and look only at what you get mathematically: cost per battery capacity and speed, how much scooter you carry per unit of energy or performance, and how quickly the pack fills. Lower "per something" numbers mean you're getting more for less, while higher ratios in power or charging speed mean stronger punch or less time tethered to the wall. It's a useful way to see where each scooter is objectively efficient - even if that's not the whole story.

Author's Category Battle

Overall Winner Declaration

In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the APOLLO City 2022 scores 5 points against the TURBOANT R9's 5. In the Author's Category Battle, the APOLLO City 2022 gets 34 ✅ versus 5 ✅ for TURBOANT R9.

Totals: APOLLO City 2022 scores 39, TURBOANT R9 scores 10.

Based on the scoring, the APOLLO City 2022 is our overall winner. For me as a rider, the Apollo City 2022 simply feels more like a scooter you can build your daily routine around: it's calmer, more grown-up, and inspires trust when the weather and roads stop playing nice. The TurboAnt R9 is undeniably entertaining and astonishingly fast for the money, but it always feels like the bargain performance option rather than the polished long-term companion. If you want something that just works, day after day, the Apollo is the one you'll still appreciate six months in. If you mainly want cheap speed and you're happy to live with a few compromises, the R9 will keep you grinning - just with a little more noise, wobble and "budget" showing through the cracks.

That's our verdict when we try to stay objective – but hey, riding is mostly about emotions anyway, so pick the one that will make you look forward to your commute every single day.