Cars you've driven that have impressed you

[Mr Hardware]

So most of us here like to try different cars every now and then. I want to know what cars you've driven lately that have impressed you - IE you didn't think they'd be much chop, but they have been actually rather good.
I'm not after modified or abused cars - i'm after impressions of cars that are entirely indicative of the usual one. Cars made in the last decade or so are preferred.

For me? The 2006-2009 CM Hyundai Santa Fe. Having previously driven the 2005 Tucson, i was expecting an unpleasant bucket of bolts. Instead I got a refined and comfortable car, with a meaty steering wheel, excellent seating position, nice ride for an SUV, competent transmission and well presented and appointed cabin. I was impressed!

[Jock260]

My brothers VY SS. Deal with it flamers.

[DJM83]

JWR tuned Focus RS
Also a few years back an Audi S4

[Grippy]

Nissan 370Z, really impressed by the sweet V6 and the sounds it made.

[GTP owner]

Au T series owned by John Bowe around a race track.....at least sitting inside it I didn't have to look at the outside!
And Tex's Scud before the supercharger.
Both were a perfect balance of power and handling

[Ringo]

I get drive a bunch of differntc cars in my line of work. The new Kia and Hyundai's are as good if not better than Toyota's and Nissans now where as a few year back everything about them was cheap and nasty.

Mondeo was devine as well - what a driving position.
Falcon LPI - OMG Taxi Drivers will have that much power underfoot...scary
Audi Q5 - Its so quick its like a computer game..and this isn't the sports model.
VW GTI - Its reputation is well earnt, for the money it is a bargain.

[JPFS1]

in no order of preference..
F6's, and GT's, especially when I had access to prototypes because I never knew exactly what had been done to them.
Focus RS, although I expected it to be quite good.
Stock VW Golf around Europe, great little chassis.

[graham_h]

Mk 1 escort with cossie motor pumping out 400hp ish. Guy lived near us back in pommy land. Maxed it everywhere he drive it. blatted past us once doing at least 140 mph

[-RADICAL-POSTURE-]

reliant robin 3 wheeler, quite impressed I survived.

[Halfmo Rocks]

had hyundai accent loaner a few years back...decent power delivery, handled quite nice, great vision (almost zero blind spot)...even a capable automatic, certainly much better than the falcon's BTR

i was very surprised...and give more respect to hyundai nowadays

[Bearman]

*** Puts on flame suit***

VE SS-V. Was talked into a test drive and I really, and I mean REALLY liked it!! Comfortable, plenty of grunt and the sound of that V8 goodness. I felt very much at home in it as it felt like a refinement of the old skool cars I used to drive.

I was very suprised.

It's a bit like finally talking to the girl you've ignored for years and years and found she's realy something!!

Flame away!!!

[boss54]

My brothers TRD hilux I was very impressed with. I was thinking of getting one after I drove it.

[Scott]

Holden Cruze :( Just had one as a hire car and when expecting the worst, I had to eat some hat. Drivers seat was a little snug but that was the worst I found.

Skoda Superb - I could never own one because the 7spd was an awful, awful bloody thing and it was damned ugly. Re the tranny, you'd be in a carpark after just reversing out of your spot and about to head off. You put it in drive, press the juice and the bloody thing would just sit there! You bury your foot to the floor and it would still sit there.... then HOLY CRAP we're not really trying to run you over Sir :( All that said, I have not seen rear leg room like that since the glory days of Citroen DS. The rear seat really is epic. The boot is also epic - apart from the option to open like a boot OR a hatch, it is enormous. You could easily fit 4 large suitcases in there by just throwing them at the rear of the car.

It had everything that could possibly open, shut, beep or probably break at the worst possible time and cost a motza to fix.... but was I impressed? Hell yeah.

[kocho]

VW Golf. It was a few years old and I wouldn't get one for myself, but I actually like the way it went. Sounded quite good too.

[Bossxr8]

AU T2 TS50 being driven by Kent Youlden around Winton, seemed to stick to the track like a leach with a pro at the wheel.

A MkI Focus my mum used to drive, gutless as all hell and not that attractive to look at but damn did that thing steer and handle like a beauty, its no wonder the Pommy journos raved like loons about its steering and chassis, and they sold them in droves in Europe.

Merc E350 I drove for my brothers wedding, wasn't that impressive to drive really but the build quality was astounding, its the little things that suprise you, like how beautifully damped the little pop out storage trays in the dash are, and how solid it all feels. Feels like it would go a million k's without anything breaking or wearing out inside.

[GUTLES]

Originally Posted by Bearman

*** Puts on flame suit***

VE SS-V. Was talked into a test drive and I really, and I mean REALLY liked it!! Comfortable, plenty of grunt and the sound of that V8 goodness. I felt very much at home in it as it felt like a refinement of the old skool cars I used to drive.

I was very suprised.

It's a bit like finally talking to the girl you've ignored for years and years and found she's realy something!!

Flame away!!!

I've been driving a Crewman SSZ lately, can see why people like them..

[351capri]

mercedes w126 500sel , mercedes 500sl , bmw 735il , porsche 928s , porsche 928s4 ,ford c-max turbo diesel wagon (in italy) ,ford nc fairlane ghia, ford fg falcon xr6.

[Franco Cozzo]

I was passenger in a Honda S2000, that thing was nuts above 6000 RPM.

Shame I couldn't fit in the drivers seat, lol.

Also my mate just got himself a 6sp manual VE SV6 SIDI, its quite comfortable, visability outside the windscreen sucks though because of the massive A-pillars.

[Stagg]

Before I got my Monty I test drove some Toyota Soarers.

The 1UZ-FE V8 was smooth as, a lot smoother but not as responsive as the windsor. The feel was incredibly luxurious though, I could have driven that thing for days.

I also drive one with the twin turbo 6, and testing the power accidentally left some nice black marks behind me with the car dealer sitting in the car... that thing picked up faster than the fairmont I just don't like to admit it lol

[tex]

2011 Mustang GT, handling tuned more for comfort, but the little Coyote engine matched to its automatic transmission was a sweet driveline combo.

Mates TD Landcruiser, offroad ability, effortless way it tows just under 4 tonnes of trailer boat. Defies air resistance, mass and inertia at highway speed.

F6T's Typhoon. Thrusts harder than it's 'power' would suggest.

Steve's VE R8, nicley balanced, suspension, engine power / torque, chassis ablity to use all the engine. Brakes. Better package than my stock BF2 GT by a fair margin. I enjoyed it more on the track than pretty well anything Ive cut laps in. Maketh a hero out of a novice.

BF Cobra, a bit slow, but a nice way to travel, looked good standing still.

Work colleagues Toureg. Properly built, nice V8 engine and gorgeous yellowish orange leather interior. Felt very very solid.

The girly car, our Audi S3. Bomb proof construction, sweet changing manual transmission, wet weather grip, handling a Falcon driver could hardly fathom. More sure footed than the WRXs weve had. Proper sound system.

My dads Mercedes C class is very nice to travel in, but too grand pa for this brown cow. If I had to drive an extreme distance in one session however, I'd borrow his.



And, the only car that's been able to genuinely make me feel intimidated driven at 10/10ths,Track speed, and I've driven more than a few on the track, don't mean just street quick, but at the limit...

Me 'ol Scud. Verging on over powered on a tight circuit, chassis very close to being maxed out. Actually, it is maxxed out. Always fun, in a challenging kind of way. But just tootling around the burbs, it's perfect, the torque, that's what makes it the car it is. I've not driven anything that can combine those two traits - fear when turned 'on', comfort and effortless travel when turned 'off'.

All the 'old' cars Ive had have been, well, old. That's being too kind, they were rubbish. Lot's of Fords, a few ricers, boxers, rubbish.

Cars have improved greatly in the 22 years Ive been driving and buying.

Never driven any supercars, can only dream

[Psi-Pop]

Mates AU2 TE50, had so much grip and balance

My work Toyota Hiace Diesel. Stalled up it will light both tyres up and corners way better than I thought a Cab-Over would.

[NX74205]

1. 2008 Honda Accord Euro, manual. Very slick gear shifts, handles absolutely brilliantly, quiet, plush interior, punchy engine ... if I had a spare $45K I'd trade in my Fairmont for an Accord Euro Luxury with manual transmission. I miss driving manuals.

2. Volkswagen Golf (V) GTi. Sticks like glue, pretty damn quick, steers brilliantly. Not keen on the firm seats, though - but it is meant to be a performance car. It's nice, very impressive, but I can't see myself owning one.

3. FG G6E Turbo. I defy anyone to drive the I6T and not be impressed. It still sounds and feels like a Falcon, though.

[Nikked]

G6E...such a nice place to be...sorta began to think i was in something euro...

[Bud Bud]

When I was in Europe in 2009 we had a non turbo diesel VW Passat manual and it was fantastic. It did not lack bottom end grunt but you could feel it if your up shift gear was selected too early though. It was smooth and very very economical. The fit and finish was of very high quality.

But last year in the US was my favorite! I upgraded from an appalling Chevy Impala V6 for a 6 liter V8 Cadillac Escalade for our drive from LA to San Fran. Apart from the Caddy being a tad thirsty, around 20 odd mpg at 80 mph on the open road, the comfort levels were extremely high. The power on tap in an AWD of that weight and size was incredible, even the factory exhaust note was worth noting. While the fit and finish still suffered a little like any typical US built car even at Caddy trim levels, it was still a real nice rental.

Bud Bud

[Thornie]

Originally Posted by Scott

Holden Cruze :( Just had one as a hire car and when expecting the worst, I had to eat some hat. Drivers seat was a little snug but that was the worst I found.

Same,my brother has the turbo diesal model i found it to be not a bad car to drive really, only thing i didnt like was the feel of the steering wheel felt like cheap reject shop plastic

[chevypower]

Some of these are recent and some are not. I am going to put the ones at the top of my list only.

2011 Mustang 5.0 (puts a massive smile on your face at all times)
2011 F-150 EcoBoost (so much power, torque, refinement, and economy)
2011 Chevy Duramax (like a 2006, but 10x better)
2006 Duramax (so easy to do massive burnouts, accelerates very well)
2010 Ram 2500 Cummins (one word: torque!)
2003 Falcon GTP (would love to experience Miami version)
2003 Range Rover 3.0 I-6 diesel (would love to drive the 4.4 V8 TDI)
2003 Touareg V10 TDI (why this is engine is no longer made is beyond me)

[vanman_75]

Other than my prado which is just a very comfy fourby with no vices , all been hire cars .corolla,Hyundais, and must say I can't see the revolution in em all junk noisy slow shocking build , with zero driver Interaction .....
Hopeing to drive some euros when I go for our euro trip ...nurburgring here I come

[Till_Lind]

Mum had a Hummer H3 that I got around in quite a bit and I was impressed, and had a lot of fun with, this vehicle.

Good ride and handling, excellent build quality and comfortable interior.

[ChrisCE]

Test drove an 04 BAII XR6 back in september, after being a Nissan driver for decades (Pulsar, Patrol, Maxima) I was so impressed by its comfort & power that I bought it straight away & that is now why im a member of these forums with all you fine people!

[TZENU]

2004 Black SL600.... I had never driven anything of that calibre and possibly will never again... Thanks to the FIL for letting me drive his mates one... I still remember turning onto Western Port Hwy from Hall rd and standing on the throttle. It was like being shot out of a cannon; and within a blink of the eye we were at 100ks... But it wasn't just about the performance and handling (which was like sailing over the road); seating in it was like seating on a lounge chair about to watch a movie... So so so comfortable... Unfortunately I only got to drive for a couple of ks before I had to give the keys back to the FIL for the trip home

To this day I am still gobsmacked that I got a chance to drive it.