Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car?

silverado · 23rd December 2016, 15:46

Reversing a car is an art.
Parallel parking in tight spots with traffic waiting behind you can be nerve-wracking experience if you are new to driving/or not used to particular car.

This is exactly where I feel new age cars don't help much. In most cases people have got habituated to relying on sensors/cameras which I feel do not give 100% correct judgment.

IMO, we should use the above aids but mix it with age-old method of reversing where we would entirely rely on visual inputs.

I feel most cars these days are not easy to reverse due to several blind spots and in general lack of clear view due to improper design.

I have owned 3 cars till now ( Padmini, Nano and Baleno ).
Of the above 3, Padmini has been the best car to reverse, in fact I feel Padmini is the best sedan to reverse without any reversing aids.
I could see both ends of the car and reversing in it was actually fun.

Nano is the most difficult to reverse since rear end is very high.
I had almost knocked down a senior citizen who was short in height and was well concealed behind high set rear window of Nano.

Nano now has rear camera + sensors fitted to it to avoid such situations.

Baleno is only slightly better than Nano, sensors and electric adjustable mirrors make lot of difference when I need to park close to kerb and in tight spots.

So guys,would love to know which is the best and which one is the worst of all Indian cars available as far as reversing is concerned.

deerhunter · 23rd December 2016, 16:11

The older cars will definitely be easier to reverse (in terms of visibility). But with the stringent safety and emission norms, it is no longer possible to make cars with that kind of visibility from the driver's seat. An aerodynamic shape will reduce outside visibility, but is essential for good fuel efficiency. Thicker pillars are fundamental for maintaining chassis stability, but it also reduces visibility.

That era of cars with stick thin pillars and low rear deck is over. Technology is the way to go, with minimal human inputs.

heydj · 23rd December 2016, 16:36

Honda Brio should be easy to reverse as back is just glass. This is subjective view as i have never reversed Brio.

I personally found Ecosport tough to reverse due to thick pillars and rear wheel mounted in such a way that visibility is poor.

I currently own Rapid and Swift, of the two I find Rapid easier to reverse.

Mad Max · 23rd December 2016, 16:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by deerhunter

The older cars will definitely be easier to reverse (in terms of visibility).

The Amby has a really thick C pillar and no outside mirrors. It was just looking around like a maniac while inching your way out of a parking spot. Combined with no power steering, it's an art to drive that.

deerhunter · 23rd December 2016, 16:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Max

The Amby has a really thick C pillar and no outside mirrors. It was just looking around like a maniac while inching your way out of a parking spot. Combined with no power steering, it's an art to drive that.

Most cars from the 70s till late 90s had really thin pillars and good all round visibility. Premier Padmini, Premier 118 and Maruti 800 are some examples from India. Even the 1st gen Honda City had thin pillars and good visibility. Everything changed after that.

Many cars before 70s too had low visibility due to thick pillars and curvy designs. Ambassador being one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by riteshritesh

I have been reversing various cars since the past 22 years in our spot which is a narrow winding lane,so much so that I don't have to twist and look back anymore on any car. I just use the 3 mirrors and I am sorted. But I have to admit that I am at a loss of confidence, if any 1 mirror is missing, which is when I have to twist to look back from the rear window. I have never used a reverse cam( even if there is one) as I am not used to them yet. The beepers are useful to end my reversing spree.

Familiarity of the parking spot is very helpful in reversing. Difficulties arise when we are in an unfamiliar spot. A reverse cam can be very useful in such a situation. A sensor alone may not pick up a low lying boulder.

riteshritesh · 23rd December 2016, 16:59

I have been reversing various cars since the past 22 years in our spot which is a narrow winding lane,so much so that I don't have to twist and look back anymore on any car. I just use the 3 mirrors and I am sorted. But I have to admit that I am at a loss of confidence, if any 1 mirror is missing, which is when I have to twist to look back from the rear window. I have never used a reverse cam( even if there is one) as I am not used to them yet. The beepers are useful to end my reversing spree.

FarPatel · 23rd December 2016, 17:16

My earlier Qualis was such a breeze to reverse, with the tight turning radius (4.9m), huge glass area, three RVMs and a reversing mirror I had installed on the tailgate. I was able to reverse to a couple of centimetres from the vehicle behind me with ease, without turning my head, using the reversing mirror reflected in my IRVM for guidance. Now, my present Ford Classic also has a 4.9m turning radius, but the presence of the boot makes reversing into a tight spot a bit of a fine art even with the reversing camera on the rear bumper.

SmartCat · 23rd December 2016, 17:17

My dad used to find it difficult to reverse our old Honda Civic because of slack-free steering. A small input to the steering would result in disproportionate movement of the car while reversing. To make matters worse, the width of our driveway is not much.

Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car?-img_2556.jpg

He would go back and forth, adjust the steering and then go back and forth again

silverado · 23rd December 2016, 17:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by deerhunter

Familiarity of the parking spot is very helpful in reversing. Difficulties arise when we are in an unfamiliar spot. A reverse cam can be very useful in such a situation. A sensor alone may not pick up a low lying boulder.

I agree sir. Indian parking scenario can have a boulder, a weirdly parked motorcycle, or the kerb itself missing on occasions and many more.
Sensors can fail to detect things which are not in range. They are prone to malfunction at times ( esp after market ones )

Quote:

Originally Posted by heydj

I personally found Ecosport tough to reverse due to thick pillars and rear wheel mounted in such a way that visibility is poor.

I currently own Rapid and Swift, of the two I find Rapid easier to reverse.

Ecosport has blindspots all round, it should have a factory fitted sensor at rear as well as front.
This is interesting, what makes Rapid easier to reverse than a Swift?

Quote:

Originally Posted by riteshritesh

I have been reversing various cars since the past 22 years in our spot which is a narrow winding lane

If you are reversing is a particular stretch for such a long time, I believe you must be very comfortable with any car. The question is how does it feel when reversing at any other place?

New Endeavour now comes with parallel park assist. I hope they have tested this in real Indian road parking scenarios, and hope this feature becomes common in coming years.

sumitdongerkery · 23rd December 2016, 18:15

I believe most of the parallel park assist will not be effective in Indian parking conditions. Especially in metros where we are forced to park the cars in the tightest parking spots and most of the electronics in the car will fail to recognize this space. I strongly believe that reverse parking the car is both practice as well as skill to some extent. I know many who still struggle to park their cars in reverse inspite of having years of driving experience. Safest method i would suggest is to get down and get an idea of the space before you reverse park in a tight spot. Its really worth the effort. Having an experience driving with mirrors will always be a plus here. Once you get a fair idea of the parking space, you will be much better placed to reverse the car more accurately. I have experience of padmini, Omni, Esteem, Baleno, Octavia and now XUV. Octavia appeared to be the most difficult to reverse due to its very high boot and also lack of the reverse sensors, cameras and other gizmos. But then I used reverse it almost an inch close to the wall consistently. It was purely based on judgement.

paragsachania · 23rd December 2016, 18:19

The first and foremost aspect:
On the rear parcel tray, the size of the Teddy bear and Shade of the pillows that often reflect on the windscreen

Everything else like these aspects come later:

The way the rear headrests are placed : Fixed of detachable
The Angle of the rear windscreen - Straight (SUVs, MUVs) or slanted (Sedans)
Design of the Rear quarter panel - Glass of thick Pillar
Whether you reverse relying only on the 3 mirrors or you have the habit of turning back right from the driver's seat and making an assessment
Length of the car and like Smartcat mentions, the resultant movements through the steering inputs
Whether its a Sedan with an invisible boot edge or protruding bumper (SX4) or a hatch with predictable end
What type are your ORVMs - Convex will give you an impression that you are not too close (even if you are) while Flat Mirrors (Marutis of the previous gen are famous for this) will accurately pass you the exact view - I am strictly referring to having tight space on the side of the car while reversing here

Beyond all these, its the availability of gadgets like Reverse Sensors and Camera that aide you immensely during reversing.

On choices of car that I have loved with being the easiest to reverse - Premier Padmini comes first - In this little thing you can actually notice both edges of the boot, precisely. I loved it the most.

The other cars I have owned, WagonR and Ertiga thankfully have hatch doors and haven't been much of a trouble when it comes to reversing.

With Sedans I am bit extra careful always due to the mindset that there is an extra box behind the rear windscreen and I need to account for that when reversing

Torqy · 23rd December 2016, 18:31

Thanks to the 3 RVMs and the Parking Mirror. I can reverse the Bolero into the tightest of spots. The large glass area and the high seating position help immensely. I don't like vehicles with very little glass area, pigeon-hole like windows and small rear windscreen. Some people stuff up the rear parcel shelf with pillows and stuffed toys blocking the already small window. I guess they all depend on the Rear Cams.

deerhunter · 23rd December 2016, 18:49

A very troubling issue is the death of children while reversing. It has happened so many times in India and world over. Even the most experienced and skilled will not be able to avoid this unless there is a reverse camera. Even if you have years of experience parking your car in the tightest spots, you will miss children because they are usually too low to be visible.

Just a google search shows so many examples:
https://www.telegraphindia.com/11310...y_17430458.jsp
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/54388966.cms
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/170666...g-on-driveway/
http://www.emirates247.com/news/emir...08-15-1.639077

The government decision to make it mandatory for all new cars to have reverse cams by 2018 is commendable. Everyone should fit reverse cams in their cars, irrespective of parking skills, especially those with a young family. It is not worth the risk.

CarguyNish · 23rd December 2016, 19:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by heydj

Honda Brio should be easy to reverse as back is just glass. This is subjective view as i have never reversed Brio.

I personally found Ecosport tough to reverse due to thick pillars and rear wheel mounted in such a way that visibility is poor.

I currently own Rapid and Swift, of the two I find Rapid easier to reverse.

Yes, Brio is the easiest car to reverse, despite the lack of Parking Sensors & Camera. Also easiest to turn (U-turn). This is how a city car should be. Well done Honda.

Ecosport, though Compact doesn't have the small turning radius. Those thick C Pillars & small Rear windscreen makes it very difficult to reverse in one go.

Rapid is bit better, light steering helps here, but the problem is that mirrors are small and the rear parcel tray is placed in an incline. This makes it difficult to reverse (Especially in tight spots). But, once you are a bit familiar it is easier.

dass · 23rd December 2016, 19:51

I had an Indica earlier and that neither had the reverse camera nor the sensors. Never ever knocked anyone or anything in the 8 years I had the car. for me, that was the most easiest followed by the Ritz. I now have the Dzire, and its a pain to reverse it. Got a reverse camera fitted for this one and that has made it a little easier.

23rd December 2016, 15:46	#1
silverado Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Mumbai-Pune Posts: 1,783 Thanked: 2,286 Times View My Garage	Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car? Reversing a car is an art. Parallel parking in tight spots with traffic waiting behind you can be nerve-wracking experience if you are new to driving/or not used to particular car. This is exactly where I feel new age cars don't help much. In most cases people have got habituated to relying on sensors/cameras which I feel do not give 100% correct judgment. IMO, we should use the above aids but mix it with age-old method of reversing where we would entirely rely on visual inputs. I feel most cars these days are not easy to reverse due to several blind spots and in general lack of clear view due to improper design. I have owned 3 cars till now ( Padmini, Nano and Baleno ). Of the above 3, Padmini has been the best car to reverse, in fact I feel Padmini is the best sedan to reverse without any reversing aids. I could see both ends of the car and reversing in it was actually fun. Nano is the most difficult to reverse since rear end is very high. I had almost knocked down a senior citizen who was short in height and was well concealed behind high set rear window of Nano. Nano now has rear camera + sensors fitted to it to avoid such situations. Baleno is only slightly better than Nano, sensors and electric adjustable mirrors make lot of difference when I need to park close to kerb and in tight spots. So guys,would love to know which is the best and which one is the worst of all Indian cars available as far as reversing is concerned.
	(10) Thanks

23rd December 2016, 16:11	#2
deerhunter BHPian Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: PGT/PDY Posts: 311 Thanked: 1,004 Times	re: Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car? The older cars will definitely be easier to reverse (in terms of visibility). But with the stringent safety and emission norms, it is no longer possible to make cars with that kind of visibility from the driver's seat. An aerodynamic shape will reduce outside visibility, but is essential for good fuel efficiency. Thicker pillars are fundamental for maintaining chassis stability, but it also reduces visibility. That era of cars with stick thin pillars and low rear deck is over. Technology is the way to go, with minimal human inputs.
	(4) Thanks

23rd December 2016, 16:36	#3
heydj BHPian Join Date: May 2014 Location: Rotterdam/Delhi Posts: 572 Thanked: 898 Times	re: Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car? Honda Brio should be easy to reverse as back is just glass. This is subjective view as i have never reversed Brio. I personally found Ecosport tough to reverse due to thick pillars and rear wheel mounted in such a way that visibility is poor. I currently own Rapid and Swift, of the two I find Rapid easier to reverse.
	(6) Thanks

23rd December 2016, 16:59	#6
riteshritesh BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 574 Thanked: 774 Times	re: Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car? I have been reversing various cars since the past 22 years in our spot which is a narrow winding lane,so much so that I don't have to twist and look back anymore on any car. I just use the 3 mirrors and I am sorted. But I have to admit that I am at a loss of confidence, if any 1 mirror is missing, which is when I have to twist to look back from the rear window. I have never used a reverse cam( even if there is one) as I am not used to them yet. The beepers are useful to end my reversing spree.
	(3) Thanks

23rd December 2016, 17:16	#7
FarPatel BHPian Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Mumbai Posts: 260 Thanked: 362 Times	re: Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car? My earlier Qualis was such a breeze to reverse, with the tight turning radius (4.9m), huge glass area, three RVMs and a reversing mirror I had installed on the tailgate. I was able to reverse to a couple of centimetres from the vehicle behind me with ease, without turning my head, using the reversing mirror reflected in my IRVM for guidance. Now, my present Ford Classic also has a 4.9m turning radius, but the presence of the boot makes reversing into a tight spot a bit of a fine art even with the reversing camera on the rear bumper.
	(6) Thanks

23rd December 2016, 17:17	#8
SmartCat Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 7,246 Thanked: 52,375 Times View My Garage	re: Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car? My dad used to find it difficult to reverse our old Honda Civic because of slack-free steering. A small input to the steering would result in disproportionate movement of the car while reversing. To make matters worse, the width of our driveway is not much. He would go back and forth, adjust the steering and then go back and forth again
	(10) Thanks

23rd December 2016, 18:15	#10
sumitdongerkery BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 165 Thanked: 82 Times View My Garage	re: Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car? I believe most of the parallel park assist will not be effective in Indian parking conditions. Especially in metros where we are forced to park the cars in the tightest parking spots and most of the electronics in the car will fail to recognize this space. I strongly believe that reverse parking the car is both practice as well as skill to some extent. I know many who still struggle to park their cars in reverse inspite of having years of driving experience. Safest method i would suggest is to get down and get an idea of the space before you reverse park in a tight spot. Its really worth the effort. Having an experience driving with mirrors will always be a plus here. Once you get a fair idea of the parking space, you will be much better placed to reverse the car more accurately. I have experience of padmini, Omni, Esteem, Baleno, Octavia and now XUV. Octavia appeared to be the most difficult to reverse due to its very high boot and also lack of the reverse sensors, cameras and other gizmos. But then I used reverse it almost an inch close to the wall consistently. It was purely based on judgement.
	(4) Thanks

23rd December 2016, 18:19	#11
paragsachania Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Belur/Bangalore Posts: 7,147 Thanked: 27,207 Times	re: Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car? The first and foremost aspect: On the rear parcel tray, the size of the Teddy bear and Shade of the pillows that often reflect on the windscreen Everything else like these aspects come later: The way the rear headrests are placed : Fixed of detachable The Angle of the rear windscreen - Straight (SUVs, MUVs) or slanted (Sedans) Design of the Rear quarter panel - Glass of thick Pillar Whether you reverse relying only on the 3 mirrors or you have the habit of turning back right from the driver's seat and making an assessment Length of the car and like Smartcat mentions, the resultant movements through the steering inputs Whether its a Sedan with an invisible boot edge or protruding bumper (SX4) or a hatch with predictable end What type are your ORVMs - Convex will give you an impression that you are not too close (even if you are) while Flat Mirrors (Marutis of the previous gen are famous for this) will accurately pass you the exact view - I am strictly referring to having tight space on the side of the car while reversing here Beyond all these, its the availability of gadgets like Reverse Sensors and Camera that aide you immensely during reversing. On choices of car that I have loved with being the easiest to reverse - Premier Padmini comes first - In this little thing you can actually notice both edges of the boot, precisely. I loved it the most. The other cars I have owned, WagonR and Ertiga thankfully have hatch doors and haven't been much of a trouble when it comes to reversing. With Sedans I am bit extra careful always due to the mindset that there is an extra box behind the rear windscreen and I need to account for that when reversing Last edited by paragsachania : 23rd December 2016 at 18:31.
	(11) Thanks

23rd December 2016, 18:31	#12
Torqy BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 967 Thanked: 244 Times	re: Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car? Thanks to the 3 RVMs and the Parking Mirror. I can reverse the Bolero into the tightest of spots. The large glass area and the high seating position help immensely. I don't like vehicles with very little glass area, pigeon-hole like windows and small rear windscreen. Some people stuff up the rear parcel shelf with pillows and stuffed toys blocking the already small window. I guess they all depend on the Rear Cams. Last edited by Torqy : 23rd December 2016 at 18:37.
	(3) Thanks

23rd December 2016, 18:49	#13
deerhunter BHPian Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: PGT/PDY Posts: 311 Thanked: 1,004 Times	re: Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car? A very troubling issue is the death of children while reversing. It has happened so many times in India and world over. Even the most experienced and skilled will not be able to avoid this unless there is a reverse camera. Even if you have years of experience parking your car in the tightest spots, you will miss children because they are usually too low to be visible. Just a google search shows so many examples: https://www.telegraphindia.com/11310...y_17430458.jsp http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/54388966.cms https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/170666...g-on-driveway/ http://www.emirates247.com/news/emir...08-15-1.639077 The government decision to make it mandatory for all new cars to have reverse cams by 2018 is commendable. Everyone should fit reverse cams in their cars, irrespective of parking skills, especially those with a young family. It is not worth the risk.
	(6) Thanks

23rd December 2016, 19:51	#15
dass Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,392 Thanked: 963 Times	re: Reversing: Which is the easiest & most difficult car? I had an Indica earlier and that neither had the reverse camera nor the sensors. Never ever knocked anyone or anything in the 8 years I had the car. for me, that was the most easiest followed by the Ritz. I now have the Dzire, and its a pain to reverse it. Got a reverse camera fitted for this one and that has made it a little easier.
	(2) Thanks