I beg to disagree... I have to agree with mr. Clarkson here. I liked the previous Civic more than I like the current one. The current model LOOKS stunning, but the previous model cornered like a puppy Labrador on steroids. The current model corners like a normal family hatchback.
And I don't particularly like the A4. I think it's cramped, expensive, and that a lot more fun per euro can be had in... dare I say it'? Yes I do... a Skoda Octavia RS. Lovely torquey engine, which works much better than the same engine in my colleague's A4. Lovely exhaust note, and great suspension. It's a lot less bland than the A4. Too bad it doesn't have rear wheel drive - but neither has the A4. The A4, of course, has the more prestigious badge, but that feeling of pride of ownership evaporates quickly when you get into the Octavia RS and start having fun with it.
When it comes to sheer driving fun, I am very partial to the MX 5. It's not hugely powerful, it doesn't stick to the tarmac like **** to a blanket... but it is So Much Fun.
But then again, I realise that I would immediately digress -- which is probably why I drive an Avensis, which is rather bland too -- but at least it's bland in a quite comfortable, quite quiet, and quite roomy way. I am one who thinks that any corner worth taking is worth much more when taken on two wheels. I used to be a lover of the UJM, but currently I am veering towards a Transalp.
When it comes to cars, I mainly appreciate comfort, and in that sense the best car I have ever owned was a Citroën CX. That car was positively odd, and beyond comfortable in a way that only Citroën has ever cracked. This car wasn't just comfy... it was luscious. Even on the roughest cobblestone roads that Belgium has to offer, It was the driving equivalent to a copious dinner in a three-star restaurant. The suspension was unparallelled, and the seats were so superbly comfortable that they put many lounge chairs to shame... they embraced you, they cherished you, and they loved you.
And yes, it had speed humps for breakfast.
True... suspension and seats like these don't do much in terms of giving immediate cornering grip feedback. But then again, the steering and handling on this car didn't need that - this was a 15 foot limousine that had tons of roadholding, and that, in the right hands*, would corner with sports cars, and outdo them on late braking. The only car I have driven that might have had an advantage on the CX in the handling department was a GSA (yes, a Citroën, with the same suspension, and an equally able braking system).
"The right hands was rather an odd concept with older Citroëns. The Diravi power steering required some serious getting used to, and so did the brake pedal. One toe nudging it would be normal braking, two toes could constitute a (perfectly dosed) emergency stop... and stomping your foot on the brake would lead to the tarmac being torn to bits, and your eyeballs exiting their sockets. Normal drivers, who would be perfectly capable of expert driving in a normal car, would be driven crazy by the old Citroëns' odd behaviour.
So... when it comes to having fun while travelling, I'd have a bike. When it comes to travelling in comfort, I'd have a CX, or a DS. Or (yes, I'd have to admit it) an XM.
Or possibly a C6, but I haven't tried that one yet.
Come to think of it, my current 2 litre Avensis is not more comfortable, not roomier, not quicker, not quieter, and not more fuel-efficient than my 2.4 litre CX was. Hmmm... what happened to progress?
peter
Man with one watch, always know time. Man with many watches, never sure.
(unidentified Chinese philosopher)
Yes, we get Topgear in The Netherlands, love the show by the way, but they really offended me when they reviewed my Audi A4!!
but then I dont do a big mileage so not a huge concern at the mo!!
