[rameshnanda]

Why is it necessary to look for the bonnet? It may be difficult for a beginner, but I don't think its best practice to drive based on bonnets visibility. We should be able to make own judgement without looking at the bonnet.

[sajo]

Originally Posted by arunsasi

Guess this would depend on your height too to some extend. Swift no chance for me to see the bonnet, but may be different for a 6 foot+ person

I cant see the Swift's bonnet either, even with the height adjust. Heck, I couldnt even see it in the 800, unless I sat uncomfortably upright.

[greenhorn]

i think the nissan micra has a visible hood.

[rajushank84]

I too often wonder, why people want to see the bonnet! It seems to be from a false perception that they are able to see the left & front most edge of the car, when in fact that is not the end - the bumper is, and in some cases the wheel arch is. So even if they are able to see the bonnet, if they calculate space based on that then it may not be a good idea.

The driver should have a "judgment" of the car's width & length and drive based on that.

Cab drivers are able to see the bonnet in almost all cars, by moving the seat as close to the steering wheel as possible .

[suhaas307]

I'm 6'2" and I've been able to see the hood of every car that I've sat in, apart from a Nano

On a serious note, It depends on the height of the driver and the position that he sets for himself.

You can see the bonnets of most SUVs and older sedans. Cars that one might have a problem with are cars like the Civic, City, Jazz, etc. It's attributed to the cab-forward design.

[lucifer1881]

My two cents. I feel having a visibly bonnets helps much during those tight U-turns. I agree that the bonnet is not the front-most part of a car, but one can usually guess the additional overhang of a few inches beyond it better than guessing the entire length of the bonnet itself.

I remember this once incident when I had to make a sharp U in the NHC in the middle of the afternoon. To judge the distance of the tree, I switched on the headlights. It worked well. But it would have been much more convenient if I could see the bonnet.

[Gansan]

Cars that immediately come to mind are the Ambassador and Padmini.

BTW I can't see the bonnet of my Alto, unless I lean forward and look for it.

[StarrySky]

I have a feeling that sedans are better in this respect compared to hatchbacks. For eg: I can't see the bonnet from the driver's seat in my Punto, but I can in my brother's Linea.

[avisidhu]

Originally Posted by StarrySky

I have a feeling that sedans are better in this respect compared to hatchbacks. For eg: I can't see the bonnet from the driver's seat in my Punto, but I can in my brother's Linea.

Now that's an interesting observation, but how can it be possible since both are practically the same in terms of seat height adjust as well as the front design?

My mom always cribs while driving a zen that the Maruti 800 is so better, she can clearly see where the bonnet is. For her, that's the most important criteria in case we dicide to buy a vehicle for her

[sunishsamuel]

Most SUV's
Sumo, bolero series, jeeps
Ambassador, padmini, m800 (to some extent)

I struggle to drive without seeing the bonnet, and often wonder why car manufacturers design cars with bonnet not visible ?

We can use judgement and drive a car when bonnet is not visible, but makes life easier when the bonnet is visible, not just the edges, helps tight spot parking, turns, distance between my car and the one in front etc

However, the scenario is different in US, because there everyone leaves lot of space between cars and parking slots are wide and most roads idiot proof.

Best eg:- i felt really comfy driving a honda civic in the US compared to India, where i was scared everytime i go on to busy roads with a civic or NHC in Bangalore.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by sunishsamuel

I struggle to drive without seeing the bonnet, and often wonder why car manufacturers design cars with bonnet not visible ?

There are a lot of reasons for this. Pedestrian safety is one of them. That's why, most modern cars come with pedestrian-friendly front-ends, and more often than not, they cannot be seen that well from the driver's or the passenger's seat.

[fz_rider]

Gone those good old days , where we used to see the high bonnet cars .For me , the bonnet visibility really matters at tight parking slots . It really depends on the seating position and height of the person . But still some design's don't allow the bonnet visibility what-so-ever ! The flat and long bonnet SUV'S are the best in terms of bonnet visibility . Even the UV'S , irrespective of design , have better visibility due to higher seating .
Can we give the humble 800 and alto some rest , they've had enough discussion (And for the record , I drive an alto , and can't view the bonnet in my normal seating position ).

Originally Posted by StarrySky

For eg: I can't see the bonnet from the driver's seat in my Punto, but I can in my brother's Linea.

Really ?

[samarth.bhatia]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Cars that one might have a problem with are cars like the Civic, City, Jazz, etc. It's attributed to the cab-forward design.

I agree. The cab-forward design of modern cars do not generally allow you to see the bonnet.
I am 6'1'' and I can not see the bonnet on my M800. If I bend forward, I can. So this has to be attributed to my seating position. If it were higher/closer to the windshield, I would see the bonnet. This would not help with a cab-forward stance.
Personally, I feel that there is no requirement of seeing it. Judgement of the car's shape and size are key factors, and are usually supposed to come automatically. Just give it time to get used to the car. Until used to it, just keep some safety margins with the proximity with surrounding objects.

Cheers and drive safe.
Sam

[wanderhermit]

I think, the question is that in what cars you can see the bonnet easily while driving in normal seating position (without leaning forward too much). Although I have no problem driving any car whether I can see the bonnet or not, I still love the cars in which I can see one!

I may not be able to explain this feeling properly. And may be, somebody amongst you can/will, down the thread. Seeing the bonnet while driving gives me immense pleasure while driving. It has a unique feel. I wish I had words to articulate this feeling!

I can see the bonnet of Maruti 800 while leaning but not in while my back resting on the back of the seat.

In zen, I can see it lot more than M800.

But my top favourites are:

Ford Endeavor (awesome: from edge to edge)

Pajero (Nice:from edge to edge)

Gypsy (awesome: from edge to edge)

Fortuner (ok but not really awesome)

MM 5X0, Thar, CJ (can't see the front mud guards, so these are not in awesome category)

Fiat 1100D /Premier Padmini (awesome: it even has a centre alignment ridge)

Ambassador (awesome: it has a big centre alignment ridge)

Maruti 800 old model (awesome)

OHC (pretty cool)

Esteem (pretty cool)

Grand Vitara (ok)

Trax, Gurkha, etc (awesome)

Range Rovers / Land Cruisers (awesome)

Tata Safari (pretty nice)

The views in brackets will vary from person to person, as these are just mine.

My personal favorites are Endeavor and Gypsy. Driving both of them is a massive thrill. And I guess those who have driven them may agree with me.

[ghodlur]

Does not anyone think that they can see the bonnet on the Fiesta, I can see it. It basically depends on how you adjust the driver's seat. For my adjustment, I can.