When evaluating the handling of a vehicle, how do you place these in order of importance. (traction, sedan)

[TheHurricaneKid]

I'll admit that as one person here said recently that most American car buyers don't care for handling as they do for crash safety, mpg, reliability, and utility. However, one could argue that handling plays a role in safety.


I am interested in what handling means to you.

Given these properties, how would you place these in order of importance

Acceleration
Braking
Cornering
Ride feel
Top speed

For me, personally:
1)Cornering
2)Braking
3)Ride feel
4)Acceleration
5)Top Speed

I'm a city driver, and cars with good weight balance are what I look for.

[Checkered24]

I would place good, reliable feel of the ride and handling dynamics above most everything. By that, I mean good steering, and brake feel. Good communication from the controls and chassis. No matter how much handling grip a car offers, or how fast it is, if it doesn't communicate with me well enough to have confidence in it then I won't be enjoying it as much.

[d4g4m]

You're right that 'handling', 'cornering' is not a priority for American drivers. I was behind a new BMW while entering a right turn cloverleaf entrance for the interstate. The driver was going about 23 mph and actually leaned right in his seat while turning. I had the impression that he thought he was driving a cement truck and very concerned about tipping over.

[M3 Mitch]

OP, "handling" is not just the components you list, it's mostly about how well you can feel what the car is doing and after a while of driving it you can get it to go exactly where you want. Of course you need to know where you want the car to go, and that's a different question.

You are right that most Americans don't put a high value on handling. They are sad sacks who drive a car simply to get from A to B, which to me is about like drinking wine straight out of the bottle just to get drunk.

[Checkered24]

In their defense, most Americans never get to drive on a clear road to really appreciate good handling. Comfort and reliability will trump it in the urban jungle for most.

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

OP, "handling" is not just the components you list, it's mostly about how well you can feel what the car is doing and after a while of driving it you can get it to go exactly where you want. Of course you need to know where you want the car to go, and that's a different question.

You are right that most Americans don't put a high value on handling. They are sad sacks who drive a car simply to get from A to B, which to me is about like drinking wine straight out of the bottle just to get drunk.

Nice analogy, but I would say it is more like the cheap wine in the box...

[Hemlock140]

I can't rate the individual characteristics, it must have them all or I am not interested. With the exception of top speed, since the maximum is 70 here and
I rarely get to a track.

[TheHurricaneKid]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I can't rate the individual characteristics, it must have them all or I am not interested. With the exception of top speed, since the maximum is 70 here and
I rarely get to a track.

Some cars have one characteristic stand out more than others

[ohio_peasant]

My preference is also for "handling", but by "handling" I mean how tossable that car would be, as opposed to ultimate skidpad numbers, or the car's predictability at the limits of traction. Most important are low polar moment of inertia, short wheelbase, small mass, stiff chassis, low center of gravity, even weight distribution, camber gain in the suspension, and of course the tires (or rather, tire contact patch). By this measure, a light and comparatively underpowered car would be superior to a thundering V8 sedan or muscle-car.

I think that Americans are starting to warm to the idea of handling, but mainly in the sense of taking highway ramps at speed, and other tasks where roadholding ability matters, where the car can confidently take high lateral acceleration. For such purposes, a heavy car is OK, provided that the tires are appropriate, the chassis is stiff, and suspension geometry is done right.

[Malloric]

Originally Posted by TheHurricaneKid

I'll admit that as one person here said recently that most American car buyers don't care for handling as they do for crash safety, mpg, reliability, and utility. However, one could argue that handling plays a role in safety.


I am interested in what handling means to you.

Given these properties, how would you place these in order of importance

Acceleration
Braking
Cornering
Ride feel
Top speed

For me, personally:
1)Cornering
2)Braking
3)Ride feel
4)Acceleration
5)Top Speed

I'm a city driver, and cars with good weight balance are what I look for.

1) Ride feel
2) Cornering
3) Braking

Acceleration and top speed have nothing to do with handling. I rank them equal with number of cup holders. For a track car, braking would be more of a concern, but for a street car it's not very important. You're never going to be braking that hard repeatedly on public roads. Anything with half decent brakes can stop once nearly as well. Basically, how the car feels is more important than the absolute numbers. Variable steering on new BMWs doesn't really do anything about the skidpad numbers, but it takes a once fun car and gives it a shot of Novocaine. I'd rather drive something that has road feel but ultimately less grip.

[packer43064]

I'm an American. Handling.....pfft.

As long as the car turns right when I turn the steering wheel right and I don't flip it at 25mph.....we're golden.

In America you need a car to get around. Why the hatred because some Joe Schmoe wants a "point A to B" kind of car is beyond me. It drives....that is literally the only function it has to do....other than that it could drive like a freight train as long as it gets me places.