What makes a car nice to drive?

[Scrubworks]

Depends a lot on what kind of car it is. Suspension feel and engine noise is wonderful in a sports car, in a soft saloon, not so much.

These really are the fundamentals for me though, in most cars:

• Quietness - keep road noise out, or at least, keep the resonant frequencies down. What can be achieved with modern sound-deadening is amazing. Reduces stress and fatigue, so is very important.
• A good ride - unless you're on a track or in a deliberately raw sports machine, a bad ride just upsets everything. Part of this is down to the car's suspension design, but a lot is also down to choice of good quality tyres.
• Confident handling - doesn't have to be razor sharp, but should be reassuring for the driver. Again, tyre choice is so important here.
• Responsive brakes - not so sharp that you headbutt the steering wheel, but should only require a fairly small push to get a decent amount of stoppage.
• Comfy but supportive seats - goes without saying really. If you're sitting on a wooden-like chair, or sliding out of your squashy beanbag on every corner, it's uncomfortable.
• Good quality speakers - they don't have to be loud, but should be nice and clear. A good stereo helps a lot with sound quality too.
• Power steering(?) - a little bit undecided on this. The steering feel on unassisted cars is generally very good, but a proper, low-assistance power system allows for a quicker steering rack, which is much nicer to corner with, and also helps with parking.
• Popup headlights.

[TMartin]

On 8/18/2021 at 2:45 PM, Asimo said:

Cup holders only matter when you have stopped driving.

I beg to differ! Long road trips and you gotta be able to reach for your drink. I know this cause I've taken quite a few, and being able to grab the bottle without taking your eyes off the road is super convenient.