Sporty Handling - what does it mean to the average Juan?

[jut703]

We always throw around the phrase "this car has great handling" or that "it's a very engaging drive".

Personally, I like it when care possess such qualities, because every now and then I take my car through spirited drives when out of town or during a late night run home when the metro streets are empty.

But for 99% of the buying public out there, what does it mean?

What the hell does it mean to them if the Mazda 3 has responsive steering and a balanced suspension, if they only drive it around the gridlocked metro roads or on straight, boring highways?

All of the cars with great handling (Suzuki Swift, Mazda's entire lineup, Ford Focus, etc etc) have been eclipsed in terms of sales by cars such as the Vios, Altis, Camry (practically the entire Toyota lineup) which have soft rides and generally un-sporty handling.

In fact, does handling really even matter?


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[1D4LV]

imho, depends on your route, your priorities and your driving style.

[foresterx]

imho, depends on your route, your priorities and your driving style.

nope, just because that's your choice doesn't mean it's sporty. sporty handling means a car that is stable on high speeds and cornering plus the power to weight ratio and the balance of the car. from experience your average sporty handling cars are the mazdas and subarus. just because a car goes fast on straights or suits your driving style doesn't mean it's sporty. people often mistake my explorer saying it's handling is sporty, but the truth is it isn't. yes the new explorer handles like a sedan and handles pretty well for an SUV, but it's not anywhere near sporty handling.

[jhnkvn]

Even if you drive around in the metro it doesn't mean you won't appreciate such qualities.

Does handling really matter? To some yes. But maybe not to most. Try persuading your mom on the basis of handling and see how she takes it

[viper888]

A sporty car should have an enjoyable sensation of confidence with its handlingwhile travelling quickly. A sporty regular car (BMW 3 series, Mazda 3, Subaru Impreza, etc) tend to give the driver confidence by communicating through the steering while being pushed whereas a wallowy non-sporty car (Camry, old Altis, etc.) tend to give less feedback and confidence. Sporty cars are enjoyable to be driven quickly because their accuracy and feel, that is why BMWs are marketed as the "The Ultimate Driving Machine" because a bog standard 316i is actually enjoyable to drive.

A point we thought of before is a theory that sporty cars are safer in the right hands. Of course, a boy from Pampanga is not one of those right hands. A sporty car can change directions well and brake quickly, giving the driver more of a chance to evade an accident. A sporty car would be able to make a drastic maneuver such as changing multiple lanes with precision rather than a heavy, wallowy car which will just understeer straight into an accident.
Here is a Porsche dodging an accident


A simple point that needs to made is there is non such thing as a sporty suv or pickup. An explorer or cayenne is probably going to better than its rivals in terms of handling but it still isnt a sporty car because its handling is massively comprised by its design and no amount of engineering can mask that fact.

This is a great article by Autocar
What exactly is a driver's car? | Autocar

[jut703]

Yes, yes, we all know what a sporty car is. Because we're the 1% of the market.

To the 99%, I don't think it matters. Which is why Mazda will never hit the mainstream. Closest they got was the gen1 Mazda 3 but more because it looked good rather than because it drove well.

I just find it a pity since the market's preference for comfortable wallowy cars will eventually drive to extinction the mainstream driver's cars.


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[Walter]

A good handling vehicle does not necessarily mean it has sporty handling. It could mean a well balanced suspension between great handling and comfort. Sporty suspensions usually compromise comfort over handling.

[Walter]

Notice how the Honda Civic became "boring" over the years. It needed to keep pace with the Toyota Corolla in their race to the top of the sales chart. Most car reviews rave about the new Mazda 3 but look at where it is in the sales charts compared to Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.

[non-vtec]

Cars nowadays (at least in the PH) are a necessity. See how the sales of subcompacts rise compared to the 90's and early 2000's. An iphone/ipod ready is more preferred than sporty handling. Fuel efficiency over horsepower. Aesthetics, than performance.

You have to admit, with all the heavy traffic, where else can you appreciate the power and handling of your car?

As for me, I'd stick with my gas guzzling but comfortable mid size sedan, and an old underpowered but great handling entry German level sedan for now.

[oliver1013]

Its a factor when choosing a car to buy, but it gets trumped by, perceived durability, availability of parts, perceived fuel consumption, warranty duration, size, price and promos and of course resale value.

I mentioned perceived because the general public has already formed a general opinion on things. O basta -------- matibay yan madami piyesa sa banawe..(kahit puro recall). O kaya, O basta dos litros takaw sa gas yan, wag ka bibili niyan. Tama lang 1.6 o 1.5. Kahit naman kalaki ng kaha at kabigat.

And most of the time they end up buying what others want them to buy, not what they really want.

[vermicelli]

"Handling" as I understand :

Oversteering------Good handling------Understeering

or can do both on depending on drivers input.

And yes I often see the term used inappropriately



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[non-vtec]

For me a good handling car has the ability to stay on its lane at speed without too much leaning on either side and yet provide decent cushioning from bumps.

[GTi]

For a normal male daily driver like me (though probably with a heavier foot than many others ), a car that doesn't exhibit huge amounts of body roll (personal experiences include the Revo and Trooper) is already considered having good handling. I hardly ever drive hard enough to experience the effects of oversteer and understeer.

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[miked]

hehe....basta magaan ang pagsteer left and right sa steering wheel lalo na kung parking ay ok nako dun....i therefore conclude na ako ay isang average Juan.

[SiRbossR]

For a normal male daily driver like me (though probably with a heavier foot than many others ), a car that doesn't exhibit huge amounts of body roll (personal experiences include the Revo and Trooper) is already considered having good handling. I hardly ever drive hard enough to experience the effects of oversteer and understeer.

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Wow napaka sporty, revo at trooper

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[uls]

your car doesnt lean too much when changing lanes or going into corners at speed

[red_one]

share lang..

WHAT IS HANDLING?
Handling generally refers to how a car responds when it turns. A car with better handling can go around corners or turns at higher speeds and is less likely to lose control in a sudden panic swerve. How well a car handles is largely a function of the car’s suspension — the bits and pieces that attach the wheels to the car and allow them to move up and down — but the steering and tires as well as the vehicle’s weight also play major roles.

DO I NEED A VEHICLE THAT HANDLES WELL?
Many people equate good handling with sports cars, but in fact, handling comes into play in emergencies. If you have to swerve to avoid an accident, your car’s handling comes into play.. A car that handles well will respond more crisply and predictably to your inputs (steering and braking). A car that does not handle well will be quicker to lose its grip on the pavement and either slide straight ahead or spin out.

IS THERE A TRADE-OFF FOR A GOOD HANDLING CAR?
Yes. The suspension setup not only determines a car’s handling characteristics, it also affects the ride comfort. Better handling requires a stiffer suspension, which makes for a harder (and often less comfortable) ride. Some manufacturers handle the ride-handling trade off better than others; for example, German automakers like Volkswagen and Audi are known for designing cars that handle well while maintaining a comfortable ride.

WHY DO CARS HANDLE BETTER THAN SUVS AND PICKUPS?
Weight plays a major role in handling because of inertia. When you turn the steering wheel, the body of the vehicle wants to go straight ahead. The heavier the vehicle, the stronger the inertia, and the more the vehicle will resist turning. Because SUVs and pickups are larger and heavier than cars, they have greater inertia to overcome. SUVs also have higher centers of gravity, which makes them more prone to body lean; excessive lean makes the vehicles feel as if they are going to tip over. (Most vehicles won’t actually tip from simply taking a corner to fast; only in the movies do cars take corners on two wheels.) Crossover utility vehicles (CUVs) use car-like construction methods that cuts weight and lowers the center of gravity, giving them handling characteristics that are more car-like.

CAN I CHANGE THE WAY MY CAR HANDLES?
Absolutely! The easiest and simplest way to change your car’s handling is to change the tires. Fitting tires with better traction will improve your car’s grip on the pavement. For sports and performance cars, it is often possible to buy upgraded suspension components (springs, shock absorbers, sway bars) that improve the car’s handling, though ride quality will usually suffer.

GEEKY STUFF: WHAT IS HANDLING BALANCE?
Handling balance (or bias) refers to the car’s behavior when it reaches the edge of its handling envelope. If a car is taken around a corner at speeds beyond which it is capable, it will slide. Handling balance refers to which end of the car slides first. Most cars are set up for understeer — the front tires lose their grip first, and the car tries to go straight ahead. Some cars will oversteer — the back end of the car loses its grip and the car fishtails. Cars that lose traction at both the front and the rear at the same time are said to be neutral. Regardless of a vehicle’s handling balance, a skilled driver can take a car to its limits of handling and balance the car between understeer and oversteer.

[GTi]

Wow napaka sporty, revo at trooper

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Yes. Two of the cars I've driven that exhibit the highest amount of body roll, leaning heavily on the corners.

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[SiRbossR]

Yes. Two of the cars I've driven that exhibit the highest amount of body roll, leaning heavily on the corners.

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I read your post and you referred to the 2 as not having much body roll.

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