First, let us go through the definition of a fun-to-drive car, since my concepts are screwed up after reading this thread.
Q: What is the fun-to-drive factor in a car? A: Fun to drive is a subjective measure—an intangible quality that can mean different things to different people. From my experience, a car can have a very powerful engine and accelerate quickly, but without the proper chassis and steering, it's not much fun. Case in point being the Hyundai Sonata. You’d expect a car with 198 BHP to be fun while driving. But that isn’t the case. Quoting Samurai from his Sonata review.
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The suspension is softly set up and doesn’t imbibe much confidence when pushing the car on twisting roads. While taking a few long, gentle curves at 80 - 90 kph, I had to be very cautious with my steering control & input.
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In fact, once my friend asked me to drive his new Sonata & he was driving my Ford Classic. 3 kms into the drive, I asked him to swap. He asked me the reason for doing so & I blatantly told him that I’d rather drive an under powered car than a car which makes my hair stand at the end at 3 digit speeds.
For us, fun is a blend of factors such as handling, steering feedback, suspension, chassis and finally the nature of power delivery that leads to smile-inducing satisfaction. In that order.
Now, since the thread is named as "The best enthusiast cars in India 2014", I would expect only the best of the best to be included. But what actually happens is an Indian Film Awards show, with one award for everyone sitting in the hall. No, with Team-BHP, it does not work like that. We need to weed out any contender which has even a small flaw.
1.
Toyota Liva Quote:
The electric power steering is effortless to use at parking speeds, and when pottering about in the city. Unfortunately, it's a major disappointment on the highway for us driving enthusiasts. At 100 kph, the steering is light and feels like a playstation wheel. You need to maintain a firm hand as it reacts to the slightest input. There is absolutely no feedback either. Whenever I wanted to know what the front tyres were up to, I’d roll my windows down.
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This is what GTO had to say about the Liva TRD. So how does a car with a Playstation-like wheel become one of the 'best enthusiast cars' in India?
2.
Maruti Alto K10 Quote:
However, as you start utilizing the extra horses of the K10, the shortcomings of this setup become apparent. The steering is very skittish / light at higher speeds and you will have to back off the accelerator if it’s anything more than a very gentle curve.
There is massive understeer at higher speeds, which I personally found to be the most disappointing of all drawbacks on this car, very likely due to the heavier engine and the larger front overhang. |
And of course, did I miss the K10's safety ratings? It scores a satisfying 0/5 NCAP rating. So here we have a 90 BHP/tonne PTW car, with a bad chassis, light steering, AND a 0/5 NCAP rating coaxing one to drive fast & consequently making its way into the 'The best enthusiast cars in India'?
3.
Mahindra Thar, Gypsy, Isuzu D-max
Since when did we have Jeep's, SUV's, MUV's and trucks in this list? With their high CG, body roll, utilitarian nature, and vague steering, these vehicles do not have anything in common with enthusiast FTD cars. Of course, if you include off road fun in this, then it's a different story altogether.
Now, my replies to some of the posts in this thread.
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Originally Posted by TheQuarterMile Although it doesn't fit the 20lac criteria in India but I think an apt example of a performance car with family benefits would be the Mitsubishi Evo X. |
The EvoX is a great car, but it has been discontinued.
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Originally Posted by PVPal In my opinion, the Fiesta is a big and bold omission, though I take the point that it is not the most powerful of the lot. Although a lot has been said about the Ecosport, it has just not touched that string in me when it comes to driving with its slightly odd steering feedback. |
Agree with your points wholeheartedly. I didn't intend to write a post on this thread, but when i saw that they omitted the Fiesta and included the Ecosport, I decided that it was too much for me to digest.
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Originally Posted by SaNdY_AR And guys, you have left out the I20's!!!! Both old and new(Elite). |
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Originally Posted by poised2drive I was wondering about the absence of Hyundai !! Surprising that none of them make it to the list !! Personally, I felt driving i20 was fun. But I am happy to see Swift retaining its spot [ as I own one ] |
The i20 does not even come close to being a enthusiast's car. It has a wallowy suspension & dead steering.
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Originally Posted by JediKnight How come 4th Gen Honda city does not make it to the list. |
Quoting from Team-BHP's Official Review. This is reason why the City 4th Gen. cannot be considered.
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The light build is obvious and the City isn't as planted as the segment benchmarks. This is especially obvious on uneven highways where (again) the rear end refuses to stay flat. What doesn't help on the expressway is the EPS remaining light & sensitive. You need to maintain a very firm hand over 100 kph. The electric steering does feel like a playstation wheel and there's no feedback to speak of.
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