Do all "new" cars drive the same?
Discussion
Sorry, another rant about new cars and they ain't what they used to be but has anyone else found this? I'm of course not talking about sports cars and some of the other higher-end stuff because there are still some great ones of them about but the "normal" mid-range everyman cars that most of us actually buy. I've been trying to find something "sensible" that I enjoy driving but that car is proving elusive. Plenty that I liked the look of. Fiesta, Focus, Civic, Golf, Nissan Juke, Kia Rio etc but they all drive the same, so all it comes down to is price, features and styling. As I usually buy the car that I most enjoy driving , this is a problem! Why is this? Emissions and safety legislation meaning that every car has a similar power delivery and must have foolproof handling? I accept that cars have got better in many respects (safety, standard features, styling in some cases) but 10-15 years ago, there were "ordinary" cars that provided a fun drive as well as doing sensible (I'm thinking of cars like the Peugeot 306, mk1 Focus and mk5 Golf).
To be fair, I've always rated the 1-Series as a good drive but not so much the styling and practicality and they're really not that cheap. I've never got the "hype" surrounding the 3-Series either, as I've found all the ones that I have driven after the E30 utterly dull to drive (but I expect I might like the M3)! Before I get flamed for criticising the 3-Series, I have owned RWD cars and can appreciate a good RWD car! Is there anything out there that I haven't tried that has that spark that I'm looking for (I'm not in the market for a top-of-the-range hot hatch)?
To be fair, I've always rated the 1-Series as a good drive but not so much the styling and practicality and they're really not that cheap. I've never got the "hype" surrounding the 3-Series either, as I've found all the ones that I have driven after the E30 utterly dull to drive (but I expect I might like the M3)! Before I get flamed for criticising the 3-Series, I have owned RWD cars and can appreciate a good RWD car! Is there anything out there that I haven't tried that has that spark that I'm looking for (I'm not in the market for a top-of-the-range hot hatch)?
Depends what you consider "driving" to be and what you are actually expecting. I drove a few cars before I settled on my current car, the difference when sat in traffic or on a fast straight A road wasn't big, mainly comfort and engine responsiveness. I made a point to take them all down a B road I drive every day, that showed the differences in them quite quickly.
I can assure you the a Fiesta and Juke feel nothing like each other down that road. They all had one thing in common though, they all activate the stability control systems when getting air over a humpback
I can assure you the a Fiesta and Juke feel nothing like each other down that road. They all had one thing in common though, they all activate the stability control systems when getting air over a humpback
I guess a lot of the problem comes from the fact that nowadays Skoda is SEAT is VW is Audi, Peugeot is Citroen etc.
I'm pretty sure there's probably not much difference in driving dynamics between an Ibiza and a Polo, or a Leon and an A3 or Golf, or a 308 to a C4. Everything deep down seems to share so much mechanical DNA that there isn't much left other than the styling to distinguish between different cars, driving wise.
If you're really looking for something unique, buy a Land Rover S3.
I'm pretty sure there's probably not much difference in driving dynamics between an Ibiza and a Polo, or a Leon and an A3 or Golf, or a 308 to a C4. Everything deep down seems to share so much mechanical DNA that there isn't much left other than the styling to distinguish between different cars, driving wise.
If you're really looking for something unique, buy a Land Rover S3.
poing said:
Depends what you consider "driving" to be and what you are actually expecting. I drove a few cars before I settled on my current car, the difference when sat in traffic or on a fast straight A road wasn't big, mainly comfort and engine responsiveness. I made a point to take them all down a B road I drive every day, that showed the differences in them quite quickly.
I can assure you the a Fiesta and Juke feel nothing like each other down that road. They all had one thing in common though, they all activate the stability control systems when getting air over a humpback
Which was better? Fiesta or Juke?I can assure you the a Fiesta and Juke feel nothing like each other down that road. They all had one thing in common though, they all activate the stability control systems when getting air over a humpback
davepoth said:
Two thoughts, depending on how much space in the back you need and money you want to spend. Not available quite yet, but will be in the next few months. Obviously I haven't driven them, but they shouldn't feel much like a medium hatchback.
1)Jag XE
2)Ford Mustang.
New Mustang looks 1)Jag XE
2)Ford Mustang.
but yes, that's a bit over my budget at the moment!
Claudia Skies said:
- Over-powered brakes.
I just bought a car for my daughter. I test drove a new 1.0 turbo Polo. I test drove a new 1.0 n/a Yaris.
They should be the same really, size, price, equipment. Like comparing a cheap fridge to another cheap fridge.
They couldn't drive more differently. The difference was shocking. The VW was possibly the worst new car I have ever driven. It was like a boat. Zero body control, super soft suspension yet very poor ride (how is that possible even if you tried), no steering feel, poor brake modulation, uncomfortable, engine was an on-off switch.
The Yaris was an absolute delight to drive by contrast, way too nice for the price point. It should have cost 30% more really. It felt like it had been designed by people who really cared about how the driver would interact with it. We paid £7k for 18 months old one at a Toyota dealer. £7k doesn't buy you much of a (s
tty) Polo.So based on that example alone, the assumption that all mass produced car drive the same is wrong.
nickfrog said:
You mean over-servoed presumably?
I just bought a car for my daughter. I test drove a new 1.0 turbo Polo. I test drove a new 1.0 n/a Yaris.
They should be the same really, size, price, equipment. Like comparing a cheap fridge to another cheap fridge.
They couldn't drive more differently. The difference was shocking. The VW was possibly the worst new car I have ever driven. It was like a boat. Zero body control, super soft suspension yet very poor ride (how is that possible even if you tried), no steering feel, poor brake modulation, uncomfortable, engine was an on-off switch.
The Yaris was an absolute delight to drive by contrast, way too nice for the price point. It should have cost 30% more really. It felt like it had been designed by people who really cared about how the driver would interact with it. We paid £7k for 18 months old one at a Toyota dealer. £7k doesn't buy you much of a (stty) Polo.
So based on that example alone, the assumption that all mass produced car drive the same is wrong.
Interesting. Not my experience with Toyotas (my other car is a Toyota) and I have found them competent but dull, dull, dull. Guess it's worth checking out a Yaris based on your recommendation though I just bought a car for my daughter. I test drove a new 1.0 turbo Polo. I test drove a new 1.0 n/a Yaris.
They should be the same really, size, price, equipment. Like comparing a cheap fridge to another cheap fridge.
They couldn't drive more differently. The difference was shocking. The VW was possibly the worst new car I have ever driven. It was like a boat. Zero body control, super soft suspension yet very poor ride (how is that possible even if you tried), no steering feel, poor brake modulation, uncomfortable, engine was an on-off switch.
The Yaris was an absolute delight to drive by contrast, way too nice for the price point. It should have cost 30% more really. It felt like it had been designed by people who really cared about how the driver would interact with it. We paid £7k for 18 months old one at a Toyota dealer. £7k doesn't buy you much of a (s
tty) Polo.So based on that example alone, the assumption that all mass produced car drive the same is wrong.
I don't think they do, I recently went car shopping with my mum so drovr quite a few "normal" cars. Some perfectly nice ones, but some crap ones too. Prime example being an Audi A3 1.4T - it was horrible. Very light steering, bad driving position, rubbery gear change, and the brakes were crazy sensitive. Not a nice engine either. Even the new Focus was a lot better, and the 1 series better still.
Needless to say, she went home with a 118i.
Needless to say, she went home with a 118i.
i think recent cars are boring to drive, not necessarily the same
it's technology + evolution that makes these cars feel "distant" and efficient, so the driver becomes isolated and redundant, and bored
i'm not really talking about ESP etc., but there's a feel in driving only old cars can give,
i do think bmw 1 and 3 series (until the E90) are one of the better more recent options! i really like my e46 330i, but can imagine older 3series are more pure, i don't have a lot of e30 and e36 experience, my favourite cars to drive were a 2005 Cooper, an E34 525i and a Golf 2 GTI, but like i said lots of great cars i haven't driven yet
it's technology + evolution that makes these cars feel "distant" and efficient, so the driver becomes isolated and redundant, and bored
i'm not really talking about ESP etc., but there's a feel in driving only old cars can give,
i do think bmw 1 and 3 series (until the E90) are one of the better more recent options! i really like my e46 330i, but can imagine older 3series are more pure, i don't have a lot of e30 and e36 experience, my favourite cars to drive were a 2005 Cooper, an E34 525i and a Golf 2 GTI, but like i said lots of great cars i haven't driven yet
Edited by Barvaux928 on Wednesday 28th January 22:46
white_goodman said:
poing said:
Depends what you consider "driving" to be and what you are actually expecting. I drove a few cars before I settled on my current car, the difference when sat in traffic or on a fast straight A road wasn't big, mainly comfort and engine responsiveness. I made a point to take them all down a B road I drive every day, that showed the differences in them quite quickly.
I can assure you the a Fiesta and Juke feel nothing like each other down that road. They all had one thing in common though, they all activate the stability control systems when getting air over a humpback
Which was better? Fiesta or Juke?I can assure you the a Fiesta and Juke feel nothing like each other down that road. They all had one thing in common though, they all activate the stability control systems when getting air over a humpback
Most of the cars I drove over a couple of weeks were simple, middle-of-the-road cars with some false form of excitement (3 door hatch but called a coupe for example) but they all drove differently albeit not always massively.
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