RR Evoque & visibility - when did car designers stop caring?
Discussion
Saw my first un-disguised RR Evoque this morning on the A46. Not a bad looking car, in all honesty - rear looks a little heavy but side is fine and front-end looks good.
BUT - the rear window is a f'n letterbox which starts ~6ft off the ground. The only thing you're going to see in that is white-van man giving you the finger and maybe someone's hat flying up after you've reversed over them.
The 370Z is another case in point - rear-quarter vision is non-existent and the rear-window is shallow and heavily tinted. I can only assume that the designers figure that you're not worried about what's behind you as you'll always be driving so quickly Then you've the CR-Z which is almost as bad, except there's not even the speed excuse. And let's not start on all these "CC" monstrosities...
So what the f*** has happened? Even modern hatchbacks have blind-spots you could hide a small pachyderm in.
BUT - the rear window is a f'n letterbox which starts ~6ft off the ground. The only thing you're going to see in that is white-van man giving you the finger and maybe someone's hat flying up after you've reversed over them.
The 370Z is another case in point - rear-quarter vision is non-existent and the rear-window is shallow and heavily tinted. I can only assume that the designers figure that you're not worried about what's behind you as you'll always be driving so quickly Then you've the CR-Z which is almost as bad, except there's not even the speed excuse. And let's not start on all these "CC" monstrosities...
So what the f*** has happened? Even modern hatchbacks have blind-spots you could hide a small pachyderm in.
Visibility is pretty much inversely proportional to crash safety. Guess which wins the most buyers. 
Couldn't see anything out of the back of my Exige.
Seriously though, the OH's Fiat 500 is terrible also, but active safety overtook passive* safety somewhere along the line. Had a '70's Range Rover a while back and the visibility was amazing.
Seriously though, the OH's Fiat 500 is terrible also, but active safety overtook passive* safety somewhere along the line. Had a '70's Range Rover a while back and the visibility was amazing.
- may have passive and active the wrong way around - due to medicinal single malts tonight.
Negative Creep said:
Most modern cars have atrocious visibility - but hey they've got a 5 star ncap rating so who cares about trivial matters like that? 
It's interesting that until maybe 5-10 years ago, outward visibility was a big issue that the motoring mags liked to harp on about. It's an issue that seems to have been forgotten in the pursuit of NCAP ratings and cupholders.It's a reason why older cars can make surprisingly good daily drivers in town - much better visibility, narrower than most modern cars, taller sidewalls for decent ride comfort etc.
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
I was givn a Corsa as a rental the other week. Shocking rear quarters line of sight !
My MX5 with the hood up is better !
But you'll be perfectly safe when you inevitably do crash into something My MX5 with the hood up is better !
Maybe it's another angle for marketing -
The New Vauxhall Corsa - Same visibility as a Lamborghini Gallardo!
braddo said:
It's interesting that until maybe 5-10 years ago, outward visibility was a big issue that the motoring mags liked to harp on about. It's an issue that seems to have been forgotten in the pursuit of NCAP ratings and cupholders.
It's a reason why older cars can make surprisingly good daily drivers in town - much better visibility, narrower than most modern cars, taller sidewalls for decent ride comfort etc.
Agreed. Find my ITR easier to place than the wife's MkV Golf, despite it being longer and with a lower-slung driving position. The A4s and Insignias at work are bloody awful...no idea where the front of the car is at all...It's a reason why older cars can make surprisingly good daily drivers in town - much better visibility, narrower than most modern cars, taller sidewalls for decent ride comfort etc.
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