What's the most 'soothing' car you've had..?
Discussion
2008 V10 S8. From the fantastic armchairs to the whisper quiet double glazing..even the milled aluminium gearstick felt just right and moved with a smooth yet precise and very satisfying tactility. In the dark the interior lights are spread through the cabin like clusters of galaxies. Very relaxing. One trip to Liverpool on the Mway for a gig we remember more for the car journey than the music itself, which was actually pretty good. 
Torn between two, no surprises they’re both Volvo d5s. I think I’d say the xc60 because it has more suspension travel for waft and more tyre wall. Other option was an s60 but it was a lot younger then and it was all about using the 185bhp all the time
Least relaxing car, my wife’s Renault wind 1.6
Least relaxing car, my wife’s Renault wind 1.6
4.0 Daimler XJ40 would be top of the list for me it was a top wafter with that lovely smooth straight six. Beyond that I ran a Citroen C5 Aircross as a company car for six months or so, most comfortable seat/suspension combo I’ve ever encountered the rest of it was s
te but as a motorway hack doing 800 miles a week perfect. It loses points for the maddening touch screen infotainment and the lane assistance that you couldn’t permanently turn off.
te but as a motorway hack doing 800 miles a week perfect. It loses points for the maddening touch screen infotainment and the lane assistance that you couldn’t permanently turn off.Lester H said:
Lester H said:
Predictably, elderly French cars. However the thread is also interesting, even ironic, in this era of ultra low profile tyres,, run flats, and the emphasis on a sporty I.e. hard drive. Others will disagree on this forum but I think we have gone too far down this drivers’ car road if the driver is then uncomfortable.
A later post suggests that you have to have owned the car than ridden in it. When in the trade I chose to use a Peugeot 406 Executive. Bells and whistles, and huge proper leather memory seats ( not pleather as in Jet 2) oil contents gauge, oil temp , rear window blind, etc.... Diesel turbo, no DPF. Not fast but just lovely in everyday use.Fat hippo said:
l354uge said:
It's surprisingly close between a 98 LS400 and a 99 rover 75 2.5 conni SE
Both utterly excellent
I see you had a Saab 9-5 aero before. How did that compare to the Lexus in terms of comfort, build quality and performanceBoth utterly excellent
Engine and ride quality on the Lexus is next level
This. Bought a few months back following a tough few years to share with Mr C snr, he had big Volvos and Jags in the 80's/90's and missed the comfort. Just done 730 mile roadtrip with no effort.
No silly tyres helps, just smile when I drive it!!
A £500 2000 reg Volvo S80 was also up there for me personally.
No silly tyres helps, just smile when I drive it!!
A £500 2000 reg Volvo S80 was also up there for me personally.
Stuck 150Kmles on a Saab NG900 turbo only bought at 5yrs/100kmiles old as a stop-gap beater for a remote project. I'd had an 'original' 900 2litre previously and utterly loved it, so why not.
Anyway - for the 'new' 900 I'd planned on 12-18months with it: then fitted the Abbott rack brace, a Whiteline rear ARB upgrades and wound up the boost 40% -it was not the slightly-soggy thing as reported any more, it was bloody /awesome/: not just because it was deceptively quick /if /you wanted, could behave like a big 'mini' in handling - but the way it just endlessly-delivered soaked-up roads, useand abuse yet delivered a very comfy, very smooth & quiet drive everywhere, the rest of the time.
Actually I kept it five and a half years, for these reasons: could not think what to replace it with, even though at the end- better than owe me nothing- it had more than paid for itself. At 260K I gave it away to a member here
PS: its replacement - a BMW e34 540: waft-tastic smart-suit on iron fist charisma. /Loved/ that too, kept it 7 yrs....
Anyway - for the 'new' 900 I'd planned on 12-18months with it: then fitted the Abbott rack brace, a Whiteline rear ARB upgrades and wound up the boost 40% -it was not the slightly-soggy thing as reported any more, it was bloody /awesome/: not just because it was deceptively quick /if /you wanted, could behave like a big 'mini' in handling - but the way it just endlessly-delivered soaked-up roads, useand abuse yet delivered a very comfy, very smooth & quiet drive everywhere, the rest of the time.
Actually I kept it five and a half years, for these reasons: could not think what to replace it with, even though at the end- better than owe me nothing- it had more than paid for itself. At 260K I gave it away to a member here
PS: its replacement - a BMW e34 540: waft-tastic smart-suit on iron fist charisma. /Loved/ that too, kept it 7 yrs....
Probably my current Audi A3 e-tron. Nicely made interior, very quiet even with the petrol motor on, utterly silent in ev mode.
My old Alfa 147 JTD 16V Lusso was surprisingly comfy as well, especially on long motorway journeys.
Least comfy was my EK series Honda Civic after I ruined it with stupid modifications and made the exhaust really noisy, even worse than my MX-5
My old Alfa 147 JTD 16V Lusso was surprisingly comfy as well, especially on long motorway journeys.
Least comfy was my EK series Honda Civic after I ruined it with stupid modifications and made the exhaust really noisy, even worse than my MX-5
My current Range Rover Sport. It may be harder than a “proper” Range Rover, but to me it definitely feels wafty rather than racy, and with the big engine and the traditional auto box it encourages a relaxed approach to driving.
The “go anywhere” thing helps too. I know that any modern car should still deliver you where you want to go irrespective of conditions, but the RR feels like it’d do it irrespective of floods, or snow, or whatever is thrown at it.
It’s just a lovely car to be in.
The “go anywhere” thing helps too. I know that any modern car should still deliver you where you want to go irrespective of conditions, but the RR feels like it’d do it irrespective of floods, or snow, or whatever is thrown at it.
It’s just a lovely car to be in.
Just wonderful. I bet your really tempted by an SUV 
NotI've had a few cars that are 'soothing' places to be... A Jag XJ, a Range Rover and, the latest, a Tesla.
I'd say the Tesla is probably the calmest bubble to sit in - very easy, very little involvement and yet as quick as you'd want any car to be. It does wafting and commuting in bad traffic very well.
I'd say the Tesla is probably the calmest bubble to sit in - very easy, very little involvement and yet as quick as you'd want any car to be. It does wafting and commuting in bad traffic very well.
Jaguar s type diesel. Useless in icy/snowy weather or on grass field car parks, but the waftiest of waft-barges when you just let it cruise along. Surprisingly enjoyable in sport mode on a bendy road, too.
Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.7 had possibly the comfiest seats I’ve ever sat in, but it was cramped for a vehicle that big and the MPG used to make me laugh hysterically…
Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.7 had possibly the comfiest seats I’ve ever sat in, but it was cramped for a vehicle that big and the MPG used to make me laugh hysterically…
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