Suggestion For Automakers

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by jayeh

It'll never happen.

People in the US think that the Civic is frighteningly small and underpowered car. In the rest of the world it's a decently powered family car. Americans wouldn't consider it a family car. The opinion of sub compacts gets worse the smaller they get. Social status is a HUGE thing with cars.

As for the 0-60 times, people are dumb. This is why modern cars have their gas pedals programmed be so damn jumpy. If you test drive a brand new car with a touchy electronic throttle and then a much more powerful car with a more linear throttle control most people would say the e-throttle car is more powerful.

People buy cars based on electronic gimmicks, nobody is going to buy a car without a pile of gadgets.Stripping out all the electronic gadgets isn't necessarily going to save much money anyway. Look at cruise control for an example, its already a function of the ECU on the Yaris but they charge hundreds of dollars for the switch to turn it on. Its not like in the 90's when you had a vacuum controlled cruise control system.

The safety features will never be removed. Ever. Especially in America. If they do then it'll open the manufactures up to far too many law suits. It'll cost a lot to insure a car that doesn't have modern safety features. Never going to happen!

Lastly, this car already exists and its called the Tata Nano

Also, IMO, We don't need more cars. Urban sprawl isn't good, insisting on building communities where everyone needs to drive isn't sustainable. Public transit is the way to go. As a car/driving enthusiast the last thing I want to see is more people on the road.


Agreed. People also need to realize that power and speed don't get you out of trouble, only in to more trouble.


Is that related to your driving style? I'm usually first off the line in my 1.8L Corolla here in Ontario and it takes everyone a bit to catch up. I'll usually accelerate up to 10 over the speed limit and lock in my cruise control and then a few seconds later everyone who was stopped next to me will pass. Albeit the Corolla does have a bit more power than the Yaris.

When I was in Saskatchewan every car that passed me was from Alberta. They would tailgate me until they could pass, and a few times I swore they were going to pass me by cutting through a wheat field. Thankfully they actually know how to pass, unlike Ontario residents who will pass you at light speed just to slow down in front of you, and of course will pass you again once you pass them. It's not about passing cars that are travelling slower than you, it's apparently a race and you need to come in first.

I found Albertans to be friendly, but (in other Canadian provinces) I found a somewhat negative and ever so slightly envious attitude about Albertans from other Canadians.....kind of like how other Europeans (especially other Scandinavians) feel about Norwegians.

Re the 'pass you at light speed just to slow down in front of you' OMG...In the U.S. I have only seen drivers in Texas do this and they do it ALL THE TIME, and to make it worse, many do this 1 block or 1/2 a block before they are going to turn off the road! This 'pass you at light speed just to slow down' maneuver is the worst and most irritating thing drivers do in Texas....worse than the 'Speed Racer' types on the freeway.

Earlier today I was having a conversation about the difference between traffic in Houston and L.A. with both of us being familiar with both. The other person said that in a way Houston is worse because someone will be driving along at normal speed or too fast and not expecting traffic and then will encounter just about instantaneous gridlock, isn't paying enough attention, and causes an accident. He said this happens a bit less often in L.A. because there is more gridlock or near gridlock at more times of the day than in Houston, and I'd have to say that I agree.

Re 'social status is a HUGE thing with cars' (in the U.S.)....I would say only with insecure nouveau riche people.

We used to have more public transportation in SOME areas in the U.S., but 50 plus years ago some auto manufacturers and tire companies bought out some of these systems and shut them down.

Re 'apparently it's a race and you need to come in first' .....these drivers are childish.