I work part time at a car rental place while going to college. I've gotten to drive a lot of different cars, trucks, and SUVs over the last year. I've gotten some of my own opinions on a wide range of different ones. So I thought I'd put the question out there.
What's the best and worst cars you've personally driven?
Give a little explanation why.
Here's my picks.
Best Cars:
- Ford Flex Limited 2009:
I don't normally like SUVs, let alone something that's trying to be a minivan, but this is the nicest driving car I've seen in it's class. Like driving around in your living room. Handles like it's on rails. Nice, positive steering, no lean around corners due to it's low centre of gravity, and can fit a load of crap in the back of it. Not as peppy as I'd like it to be but it has smooth acceleration curve. Probably the nicest luxury crossover out there. It's not cheap but you do get a lot for what you pay. If you can get past it looking like a hearse, it's definitely the ideal vehicle for families who travel a lot.
Honda Civic (any model year):
The Civic still handles like a dream, taking corners fast even in its stock configuration. I personally own the 2005 model and even for its small engine, it accelerates quickly. These things are also virtually indestructible and low maintenance. Honda still prides itself on reliability. The glass cockpit is a nice touch on the 2006 to present models. Still a good interior though I think I like the pre-2006 a bit better. Maybe not as many features as some other cars but you still get a lot of value. Suits my driving style to a tee.
-Ford Focus 2009 to present:
I'm quite pleased with the new stuff ford is coming out with. If I was looking for a new small car, I would definitely get this. Like the flex, this thing just handles like a dream and the interior seats get top marks for comfort. It drives like a far more expensive sedan than it is. The 2.0l engine is peppy enough for my liking. Also great value. I wasn't a Ford fan before but I'm definitely won over now.
Worst Cars:
Chevrolet Cobalt / Pontiac G5 (any model year):
I never had anything against GM until recently when I started driving these regularly at my job. They are a piece of crap. Compared to other cars in its class and price range, they just feel vary cheap. Junk plastic interior that damages easily, uncomfortable seats, handles poorly, and has numerous reliability issues. GM still hasn't fixed the problem with the wheel bearings that got ported over from the Cavalier. They still rattle at highway speed. They spend more time in the shop than any other car in our fleet. Value on these is ok but you can get a lot better cars for the same price.
Smart Fortwo (any model year):
It's a toy. I didn't really expect too much from this car when I first got behind the wheel, but I was surprised by how poorly it drove. Obviously it's extremely underpowered but it has other problems. The car shifts gears violently causing the whole car to pause then jerk. I've never driven an automatic car that does that. It also handles like a shopping cart.
It has relatively little on it for the base price, compared to the similarly sized and priced Kia Rio 5 or Suzuki SX4. Both of which are still nearly as fuel efficient but don't drive like a go-kart. I can see why people like the concept but the car itself is just not vary good.
What's the best and worst cars you've personally driven?
Give a little explanation why.
Here's my picks.
Best Cars:
- Ford Flex Limited 2009:
I don't normally like SUVs, let alone something that's trying to be a minivan, but this is the nicest driving car I've seen in it's class. Like driving around in your living room. Handles like it's on rails. Nice, positive steering, no lean around corners due to it's low centre of gravity, and can fit a load of crap in the back of it. Not as peppy as I'd like it to be but it has smooth acceleration curve. Probably the nicest luxury crossover out there. It's not cheap but you do get a lot for what you pay. If you can get past it looking like a hearse, it's definitely the ideal vehicle for families who travel a lot.
Honda Civic (any model year):
The Civic still handles like a dream, taking corners fast even in its stock configuration. I personally own the 2005 model and even for its small engine, it accelerates quickly. These things are also virtually indestructible and low maintenance. Honda still prides itself on reliability. The glass cockpit is a nice touch on the 2006 to present models. Still a good interior though I think I like the pre-2006 a bit better. Maybe not as many features as some other cars but you still get a lot of value. Suits my driving style to a tee.
-Ford Focus 2009 to present:
I'm quite pleased with the new stuff ford is coming out with. If I was looking for a new small car, I would definitely get this. Like the flex, this thing just handles like a dream and the interior seats get top marks for comfort. It drives like a far more expensive sedan than it is. The 2.0l engine is peppy enough for my liking. Also great value. I wasn't a Ford fan before but I'm definitely won over now.
Worst Cars:
Chevrolet Cobalt / Pontiac G5 (any model year):
I never had anything against GM until recently when I started driving these regularly at my job. They are a piece of crap. Compared to other cars in its class and price range, they just feel vary cheap. Junk plastic interior that damages easily, uncomfortable seats, handles poorly, and has numerous reliability issues. GM still hasn't fixed the problem with the wheel bearings that got ported over from the Cavalier. They still rattle at highway speed. They spend more time in the shop than any other car in our fleet. Value on these is ok but you can get a lot better cars for the same price.
Smart Fortwo (any model year):
It's a toy. I didn't really expect too much from this car when I first got behind the wheel, but I was surprised by how poorly it drove. Obviously it's extremely underpowered but it has other problems. The car shifts gears violently causing the whole car to pause then jerk. I've never driven an automatic car that does that. It also handles like a shopping cart.
It has relatively little on it for the base price, compared to the similarly sized and priced Kia Rio 5 or Suzuki SX4. Both of which are still nearly as fuel efficient but don't drive like a go-kart. I can see why people like the concept but the car itself is just not vary good.