-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
-
On today's TMC Podcast, we ask the question "What is the Tesla Cybercab?". Join us on YouTube live at 1PM and participate in the chat.
What makes a car "fun to drive"?
- Thread starter MikeRTX
- Start date
Yes it does tip the calculus. If you don't think so, then maybe you need to go out and drive something other than a Camry.....
As far as your "5.8" again, my MDX achieves the same and is a lot more fun to drive than your Camry......
Why would I ever want to own a Camry? And if a mid range pseudo luxury SUV is your metric for fun, I suggest *you* try driving more cars.
Rwd can be great, but it is not by itself enough to make a car fun. There are plenty of fwd cars that are more fun than many rwd cars. Slow with poor suspension and in inability to take advantage of the rwd perks does not make a compelling package
There is a point in discussing it so everyone knows what it is capable of to see if it fits their particular needs. There just isn’t much point in trying to make an all encompassing statement about what is “fun” and what isn’t.
The 4 cylinder base model Camry does 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds? That is news to me. Do any of the Camry cars exceed 125 mph?
Last edited:
A really funny thing is that Camry XSE V6 with options will be some 2k+ more expensive than Tesla Model 3 SR. At this point we can at least that EVs are now beating ICE cars on cost.
Also, if you were driving a Toyota (except for Supra and alike I guess) long enough you know that anything Toyota is a perfect quintessence of a boring car. I had a Camry ... it's boring. I know that V6 can be more fun, but usually enthusiasts (in the past at least) replaced some good chunks of suspension with aftermarket shocks and springs. But that's not what is discussed here comparing stock cars.
Last edited:
You have to compare the base model Tesla with the 4 cylinder Camry.
TRD Camry isn’t an appliance car at all. People pay an extra $10k for the look and the perceived difference of that package because they think it is fun. That has been my point all along.
You may look at the Camry TRD and say “that isn’t a fun car at all because it isn’t as quick as I want it to be. The “TRD” bits add nothing for performance and it still handles like a Camry”. While someone else might think it is the most fun car ever simply because they like the looks of it.
For the record I literally was going for the Camry TRD look when I built my car. I simply don’t care what other people think. I like this look and I think that is fun.
To each his own.
I find that the definition of fun for experienced ice drivers consists of noise, smell and the feeling that you (and only) can control the beast, muscling it and knowing that the slightest lapse and the back end will spin out of control.
To an EV driver, ease of use, lack of drama while out performing everything else on the road...is fun
To an EV driver, ease of use, lack of drama while out performing everything else on the road...is fun
scalbert03
Member
A Metric is a measure that is quantifiable. What is quantifiable?
Is it response on turn-in? Or time to settle the suspension after a transition on a road course? Or is your measurement just throttle pedal response? If just the later, I agree., this vehicle is great on acceleration response. If either of the former, I very much disagree.
I would still consider the TRD an appliance car. Lipstick on a pig, polished turd, etc.
i also disagree with comparing a base model 3 to a base Camry. I’d compare on price if I was doing a direct comparison. But this isn’t even that, it’s a question of what the makes the model 3 less of an appliance than a Camry. And I would argue nothing. It is in fact known as the California Camry for a reason.
E90alex
Active Member
Acceleration and responsiveness to throttle inputs is one factor of “fun”.
Handling and responsiveness to steering is another factor of “fun” which is typically hand in hand with being light and tossable.
And there’s the intangible “feel” of the car which contributes to how fun it is as well. The smoothness of an EV definitely takes away some of that.
I would say the Model 3 is fun to accelerate with but the suspension and handling makes it not very fun to drive at the limit. The weight of the battery both helps and hinders it. When not pushed to the limit the low CoG makes it feel like it handles well but when pushed hard it likes to understeer and it also very easily power oversteers (especially low traction conditions like rain) thanks to EV torque.
Suspension and body motions just don’t feel as well controlled to me as German cars I’ve had in the past which felt planted and glued to the road. I can’t really put it into words but I just don’t feel as connected and confidently in control of the car as I did with others I’ve had before.
Although my 3LR+AB is the quickest accelerating car I’ve had, it’s not the most fun. It’s an appliance that just happens to be fast.
Handling and responsiveness to steering is another factor of “fun” which is typically hand in hand with being light and tossable.
And there’s the intangible “feel” of the car which contributes to how fun it is as well. The smoothness of an EV definitely takes away some of that.
I would say the Model 3 is fun to accelerate with but the suspension and handling makes it not very fun to drive at the limit. The weight of the battery both helps and hinders it. When not pushed to the limit the low CoG makes it feel like it handles well but when pushed hard it likes to understeer and it also very easily power oversteers (especially low traction conditions like rain) thanks to EV torque.
Suspension and body motions just don’t feel as well controlled to me as German cars I’ve had in the past which felt planted and glued to the road. I can’t really put it into words but I just don’t feel as connected and confidently in control of the car as I did with others I’ve had before.
Although my 3LR+AB is the quickest accelerating car I’ve had, it’s not the most fun. It’s an appliance that just happens to be fast.
I've driven the 4 cyl mustang V6 challenger, and even a kia stinger base model. My model 3 SR is more "fun" to drive than those.
Now, you could make the argument that we need to compare, say a Mustang GT, Challenger Scat Pack, or Stinger GT2. Then you'd also want to compare to a Tesla Model 3 Performance...
Now, you could make the argument that we need to compare, say a Mustang GT, Challenger Scat Pack, or Stinger GT2. Then you'd also want to compare to a Tesla Model 3 Performance...
This is basically how I’d describe my prior model 3 performance. 0-30 was fun, but as an overall package kinda fell apart. Especially when pushing it through corners as you note.
My (admittedly heavily modded) e46 m3? Heaven. Nothing quite like snaking through corners while banging through the gears at 8k rpm. The chassis tuning is just heavenly and nothing quite like the induction noise.
Plaid… very different type of fun. The acceleration is simply brutal. It’s like owning a roller coaster. Does it handle well? No not really. It is a 4800 lb car at the end of the day. Though the dampers are at least better than the model 3, so I do find it to feel more predictable.
Absolutely correct. That responsiveness allows me to put the car where I want it... right now. My wife doesn't care for it much when I do with her in the right seat, but I freakin' love it when I'm solo! I have a friend that flies Vipers in the Air Guard. He says his F-16 and M3 are similar in that one respect; it will go where you tell it in an eye blink; it's just the Viper is a f**k ton more fun!
As far as Doug's write up... opinions are like a**holes... everybody has one.
