DRIVEN TO DRIVE

How can one compare a high-end sports car with a small economy runabout? Both vehicles could be excellent within their respective categories but it is futile to even attempt to compare them side by side. So what we do is look at each vehicle objectively and evaluate each according to its individual merits. That way, the sports car and the economy car can both achieve appropriate ratings. Don’t forget that these ratings are somewhat subjective – however we do strive to be fair. Therefore readers should not get themselves in a tizzy if their opinions differ from ours.

Vehicles are rated in the following categories –

Exterior Styling – We all like to drive a vehicle that makes us look and feel good. In other words – a vehicle that reflects our personality, or at least, one that lives up to our ego. Of course, what one person sees in a car may differ from what others may see, but most of the time there are common grounds upon which people can readily agree. And most people will agree, good styling in a vehicle plays an important part of any vehicle design.

There are certainly some “fad” styles in automobile design – styles that capture attention today but end up as tomorrow’s regrets. Frequently we see an exciting new design come along, and others jump on the styling bandwagon overwhelming the market with copycats to the point where the style becomes so common place, it suddenly becomes un-cool.

What we look for in this category is a design that is impressive, attracts attention for all the right reasons and has the ability to remain stylish at least during the lifetime of the ownership.

Interior Styling – We all like to surround ourselves in comfort – even luxury, and so the interior styling needs to cater to our desires. Some peoples like kpd (knobs per dollar) and are therefore are attracted by consoles that are closely related to that of a cockpit inside a jetliner. Others prefer the “keep is simple” approach, with large controls that are easily accessible and easy to control.

But it’s not just about the controls – a pleasant combination of fabric, leather, and other materials that make up the interior provide a visual experience. The interior styling has to befit the character of the vehicle in question. For example, it is only right that the interior of a luxury vehicle should exhale an air of elegance, whereas a similar interior would look out of place in a work truck.

Passenger Comfort – It’s all too easy to centre about the driver, but passengers are also important. Passengers need accessibility and a certain amount of roominess, which includes leg room, elbow room and headroom. Also, they should not be subjected to seats designed for theatres – the type that can numb all sensation from the waist down within a 15 minute period. Similarly the seats should not be so “sofa-ish” that passengers are rolling all over the place at every turn in the road.

Entertainment is also an important when it comes to passenger comfort – whether the vehicle is equipped with a sound system that can create a reading on the Richter scale, or a no nonsense system that can adequately provide a pleasant background music experience to all occupants of the vehicle.

Included in interior styling is the ventilation, heating and air-conditioning. It is not always practical to test some of these systems. When it’s 40 degrees C outside, 50 degrees, inside, who wants to test the efficiency of the heating system. Similarly, the air-conditioning when it’s minus 30 degrees C outside.

The Driver’s Seat – It is of vital importance for drivers to feel comfortable behind the wheel of a vehicle, not just from a safety aspect but also from a comfort standpoint. There are vehicles where some drivers have to lean forward to reach the gearshift, especially 5th gear. Some people have the steering wheel too close, but need it there so as to reach the pedals.

While all vehicles have their little quirks when it comes to the layout of the various controls, these controls should be within reach of all drivers regardless of their physical statue, and should be easy to use. Visibility is also very important and here we cover the visibility though all windows, the size and position of mirrors, the wiper and wash pattern, as well as the front dash reflection.

Performance and Handling – Not every vehicle is expected to do 0-60 in less that 5 seconds, however, every vehicle needs to perform according to its purpose. Performance is not just about horse power – it includes the all-important torque, the transmission and how well that power is transferred to the road surface. We examine the complete power-train from engine responsiveness, power and torque curves, transmission smoothness and versatility, as well as the final drive differential.

But performance is nothing if a vehicle is next to impossible to handle. Handling includes the steering responsiveness and accuracy as well as suspension and brakes. Today’s cars also come with ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) and traction control and so we look at these features (if possible) and how effective they are.

Practicality and Versatility – Vehicles have to do what they are designed to do. If a pick-up truck can’t carry a load, or if a sports car can’t corner without getting out of shape, then neither of these vehicles are particularly suited to their intended design.

With today’s family demands, vehicles need also to be somewhat versatile. We’re not talking about 7-seater sports cars or mini-vans that can double as a pickup truck – we are looking for a certain amount of flexibility within the class of vehicle.

User Friendliness – This covers a whole host of aspects such as under the hood maintenance items, spare-wheel accessibility, practicality and access to the cargo space, as well as ease of access to the various seats. We also look for lighting, including dome lights, map lights, access lighting, as well as lighting in the cargo area and engine compartment. We also evaluate glove compartments and ease of access to various other storage areas and compartments. We even evaluate the owner’s manual.

Quality of Materials and Workmanship – Some mistakenly confuse quality with quantity and some manufacturers add an array of frivolous items in an attempt to exploit the misconception that those who appreciate quality usually pamper themselves in frivolities, and therefore these “decorations” are an indication of quality. Quality can not be mistaken and cannot be disguised.

Active and Passive Safety – While none of us wants to be involved in a motor vehicle accident – accidents happen and we need to be assured that we will able to walk away from whatever mishap we may encounter. Most vehicles today have a whole array of passive and non-passive safety features, but vehicles that offer certain safety features as an option will not score as high as those that make all safety features as standard.

It irks me to no end that a vehicle manufacturer has a safety device available and then puts a price on it. This is tantamount to putting a price of a life. It can be argued that the owner is at liberty to decide to what level of risk they wish to protect themselves and their passengers, but since no one cannot predict the risk, everyone should be protected to the same maximum degree available.

Explanation of Ratings

10 -	Perfect – an impossible score unless of course we are talking about the Olympian gold medallist – Nadia Comaneci or perhaps the character, Jenny Hanley, played by Bo Derek. But I digress – this perfect score is here just to set an upper limit to the scale.
9 -	Exceptional – this is about as perfect as it gets while leaving some room for improvement. Not many vehicles fall into this category. However, many vehicles do have categories that can be rated as exceptional.
8 -	Excellent – there is a lot of excellence in the automotive industry these days, so look for a lot of excellent scores.
7 -	Very Good – sometimes something may fall a little short of being excellent and so we give it a very good rating.
6 -	Good – when it’s above average it’s considered good.
5 -	Acceptable – this is the average mark which ironically is unacceptable when it comes to vehicle design because all designers strive to achieve somewhere between very good and perfect.
4 -	Fair – once in awhile someone will experience a period of creative lack luster, a desire to create something unremarkable. What’s more, this mediocrity may get approved for production. Perhaps it’s due to bureaucracy, a low budget or a tight deadline – who knows, but somehow, a less than acceptable category managed to find its way in a vehicle to be given a less than acceptable rating.
3 -	Poor – with all the quality controls and market research undertaken by today’s industry, it’s hard to imagine something falling into this category or even below, but just in case something ridiculous does get approved, we need these lower ratings to let the manufacturers know they have made a real boo boo.
2 -	Bad – to score here you have got to wonder just what were they thinking.
1 -	Very Bad – if it’s badder and than bad, stupider than stupid or worser than the worst, and your only reaction is to think, “They can’t be serious?”, then this is the rating to fit that situation.
0 -	Unacceptable – A vehicle would have to come with a wheel missing or have cushions instead of seats for it be this unacceptable – a zero. In other words – this just does not happen.

SCORE

The final score is and average of the individual ratings.
Remember, these rating are subjective – not exact science!