Feeling the road through the pedals
Discussion
Having driven a 2009 Vauxhall Astra for years, I was recently fortunate enough to be able to lease a new car through work. Having a family who enjoys camping I was looking for something a bit bigger and when a deal for a Kia Ceed SW fell through, I went back to the estate/SUV drawing board.
In the end, I settled on a Hyundai Tucson (the manual, non-hybrid version). It's a great car, but my main criticism is the feeling of road feedback it gives through the clutch and brake pedal. On rougher road surfaces, when slowing and stopping, it's like I can feel almost every road imperfection through my feet. I even drove another Tucson as a comparison to check it wasn't just mine, and it felt the same, with the salesman confiding that he felt the same about the ride quality.
My question is, how often do you find this in cars? Other than the aforementioned Astra from 2009 we own, I haven't had much experience of newer cars. Do bigger cars with bigger wheels tend to feedback the road surface through the pedals to some degree? Or is the Tucson just particularly bad in this regard?
In the end, I settled on a Hyundai Tucson (the manual, non-hybrid version). It's a great car, but my main criticism is the feeling of road feedback it gives through the clutch and brake pedal. On rougher road surfaces, when slowing and stopping, it's like I can feel almost every road imperfection through my feet. I even drove another Tucson as a comparison to check it wasn't just mine, and it felt the same, with the salesman confiding that he felt the same about the ride quality.
My question is, how often do you find this in cars? Other than the aforementioned Astra from 2009 we own, I haven't had much experience of newer cars. Do bigger cars with bigger wheels tend to feedback the road surface through the pedals to some degree? Or is the Tucson just particularly bad in this regard?
Cheaper cars tend to show this more, more premium cars will have internal standards about how much harshness/earthiness is transferred through the pedals (and steering column). It's driven both by the stiffness of components and the bulkhead structure, but also by de-coupling or isolation within the affected components.
It does often involve engineering measures within the bulkhead, pedals/hinges etc. (inevitably leading to additional cost/weight and development).
It does often involve engineering measures within the bulkhead, pedals/hinges etc. (inevitably leading to additional cost/weight and development).
SuperPav said:
Cheaper cars tend to show this more, more premium cars will have internal standards about how much harshness/earthiness is transferred through the pedals (and steering column). It's driven both by the stiffness of components and the bulkhead structure, but also by de-coupling or isolation within the affected components.
It does often involve engineering measures within the bulkhead, pedals/hinges etc. (inevitably leading to additional cost/weight and development).
Yes, that makes sense. I don't get the same feedback in my 2009 Astra, assume the bigger, stiffer wheels don't help on the Tucson!It does often involve engineering measures within the bulkhead, pedals/hinges etc. (inevitably leading to additional cost/weight and development).
sherman said:
Have you tried checking your tyre presures are correct for your load. Check your handbook for the correct pressures. You could try lowering your pressures a bit? A bigger contact patch may help smooth the ride
It probably is down to more mechanical reasons though.
Thank you, yes, the tyre pressures are the lowest recommended. I did test drive another manual Tucson after getting mine and it felt exactly the same, so I think it is just a quirk of the model. Just wondered how often people find it with other cars too!It probably is down to more mechanical reasons though.
maurice28 said:
sherman said:
Have you tried checking your tyre presures are correct for your load. Check your handbook for the correct pressures. You could try lowering your pressures a bit? A bigger contact patch may help smooth the ride
It probably is down to more mechanical reasons though.
Thank you, yes, the tyre pressures are the lowest recommended. I did test drive another manual Tucson after getting mine and it felt exactly the same, so I think it is just a quirk of the model. Just wondered how often people find it with other cars too!It probably is down to more mechanical reasons though.
maurice28 said:
Yes, that makes sense. I don't get the same feedback in my 2009 Astra, assume the bigger, stiffer wheels don't help on the Tucson!
I have a 2018 Insignia that wears 20" wheels with heavy 245 low profiles and I get no vibration at all, also Continentals. It's often hard to even know the (petrol) engine is running.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff