What are the best handling front wheel drive cars ever?
Discussion
MJK 24 said:
Ford Puma is very highly rated, Ford apparently spent millions making it handle well. Although I've never driven one...
They do handle really well and you don't need the (in some peoples opinion) obligatory 1.7 to enjoy that part.
Fiesta Zetec 'S' ('00-'02) has the Puma chassis and handles brilliantly. Good traction control, too. Loads of fun and cheap to run with a lowish insurance rating and 38mpg (45 0n a long run). One of Ford's best.
robdickinson said:
How does a Fiat Coupe Turbo hold up? Just curious as a test drive had me very impressed by the handling on some twisty roads, better than some other cars I've recently driven.
Wow, there rated terrible to dangerous....
Not sure why you think that as there's a *lot* worse out there! Personally, I think the handling is good although there is a tendancy towards a lot of torque steer. I prefer my non-turbo to my turbo, however IMO one of the main problems of the coupe is that the build quality varies from car to car so every one you drive feels completely different.
I don't think I'd go as far as saying that it's one of the best handling front-wheel drive cars though
robdickinson said:I totally agree. Having driven both quite hard (playing with lots of lift off oversteer
No Focus?
), the Puma is far more involving and responsive. Currently, honours must surely go to the Clio Trophy. It's very different from the base models, which seemed terrible to me, but the Trophy feels excellent.
As a summer job many years ago, I worked for National Car Rentals at Gatwick Airport - I moved cars between north and south terminals. We 'tested' many of the cars there on the dual carriageways and roundabouts linking the two terminals. Almost all the cars were FWD.
My top cars:
Peugeots - In fact almost any Peugeot from the 90's. Someone at Peugeot knew a thing or two about suspension and handling then (don't know about now). 106gti was a terrific car. Even the 406 had a wonderfully fluid chassis, way better than other FWD cars at the time.
More recently, Ford Focus and Mondeo. Both very good.
The Honda Integra Type R is meant to be one of the best sports FWD cars ever.
My top cars:
Peugeots - In fact almost any Peugeot from the 90's. Someone at Peugeot knew a thing or two about suspension and handling then (don't know about now). 106gti was a terrific car. Even the 406 had a wonderfully fluid chassis, way better than other FWD cars at the time.
More recently, Ford Focus and Mondeo. Both very good.
The Honda Integra Type R is meant to be one of the best sports FWD cars ever.
Think the best FWD cars i have driven for real hooning it fun whilst always retaining that cool calm exterior of control (
believe that of me and you will believe anything )
But seriously ...
1 - "New" Elan - sticks to the road like
to a blanket
2 - Old mini - most any
3 - Alfa 33
4 - Mk1 Astra (engines were but the handling was a pleasant surprise)
5 - Renault 21 - for a big car, it is surprisingly sporty yet well behaved
My A2 is not bad for a FWD err ... .think (never figured out exactly what car catagory it falls into) It inspires confidence, has never given scary understeer etc ... but it has all these modern driver "aids" that constitute cheeting, and its not realy a throw it into a corner type of car anyway!
believe that of me and you will believe anything ) But seriously ...
1 - "New" Elan - sticks to the road like
to a blanket 2 - Old mini - most any
3 - Alfa 33
4 - Mk1 Astra (engines were
but the handling was a pleasant surprise) 5 - Renault 21 - for a big car, it is surprisingly sporty yet well behaved
My A2 is not bad for a FWD err ... .think (never figured out exactly what car catagory it falls into) It inspires confidence, has never given scary understeer etc ... but it has all these modern driver "aids" that constitute cheeting, and its not realy a throw it into a corner type of car anyway!
Boosted LS1 said:
Classic Saab 900 is meant to be pretty good. Saw tests years ago where it matched some 4wd's in the dry.
Boosted.
Rally-bred double wishbone front suspension and an engine that sits over the front wheels rather than in front of them. Dead-beam rear axle with four longituidinal links and Panhard rod is set up afford a small degree of passive rear wheel steering. Early Turbo's and the T16S pretty well sorted out of the box - rare combination of crisp turn-in and rock-solid stability, still a bit too understeery though. Throw in a set of good single-tube gas shocks (springs optional), set alignment at -1.5 deg neg camber, 2.5-2.75 deg positive castor and as little toe-in as can be registered on the measuring equipment without it being zero, throw away the front tostion bar on a T16S or add the rear bar on the other models. Other ones that are stored as FWD benchmarks on my mental road testing hard drive, in no particular order:
Peugeot 106 GTI
Honda Integra Type-R
MINI Cooper (as long as it's not on those 17" run flats)
Still yet have to drive:
Peugeot 306 GTI-6
Clio 182 Cup/Trophy
Focus RS
Focus ST
>> Edited by 900T-R on Thursday 13th April 08:58
xjsjohn said:
Think the best FWD cars i have driven for real hooning it fun whilst always retaining that cool calm exterior of control (
But seriously ...
1 - "New" Elan - sticks to the road like
2 - Old mini - most any
3 - Alfa 33
4 - Mk1 Astra (engines were
5 - Renault 21 - for a big car, it is surprisingly sporty yet well behaved
My A2 is not bad for a FWD err ... .think (never figured out exactly what car catagory it falls into) It inspires confidence, has never given scary understeer etc ... but it has all these modern driver "aids" that constitute cheeting, and its not realy a throw it into a corner type of car anyway!
Renault 21 - you've got to be joking! My dad had one of these and it was dreadful. In fact all my dad's cars have been like this: Morris Marina, Morris Ital (OMG I can't tell you how crap that car was - one of the worst cars ever!!!!), Renault 21, Citroen ZX etc etc.
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