Ultraviolet Thunderpussy's View: Commentary, Vintage Male Photos, Videos.

So Much Technology.

So little comfort.

I drive a car that has been paid for for over a decade.

It fits me like a glove, it super fuel efficient, it is as dependable as any Honduh pretends to be, and it cost $10k new.

I'm not really in the market for a new car, but my Ford has over 173,000 miles on it.   I want to be prepared in case something happens to it - like being taken out by an idiot in a snow storm or by someone who thinks a 55 mph speed limit is really a 70 mph one.

So I happened to go to a local Virginia Car Show to see what things are like in the new 2018 model vehicles.

If my sampling of time my butt spent in the driver's seats of cars is any indication, there are more truly awful vehicles to sit in than are good.

Let me qualify my perspective - I loathe vehicles that sit low.   My Ford is at the absolute limit of low seating I can tolerate, yet it also has a window belt line that is low so it is not like I am looking out of a mail slot installed into a front door.    I can sit upright and have excellent visibility.

I am 5 foot 10 inches tall and about 185 pounds.   I am in my mid 50's.   I am looking for something with a nice h-point - that is, something that I can step into, not drop down and sit into - a high hip point for the seat.   If I wanted to contort to get into a vehicle, I'd already own a brand new Ford Mustang.

With that said, most cars are complete garbage - dashboards too close to the occupant - belt lines so high when you put your arm out the window that you have to reach up, and seats so low and so hard that it is like sitting on lumber.

I shall also preface I hate SUV's, CUV's, or big pickup trucks.   I did not sit in one of these monstrosities and didn't care to waste time.

THE WORST

Hondas and Toyotas.

I am no fan of these brands - yet I actually set out to sample products in the subcompact and compact class of cars to see if there was anything I'd consider.    Without equivocation, the new Honda Civic is a piece of shit to sit in.   It is low, uncomfortable, the interior is second rate, and the visibility outward is accident-causing bad.    I didn't consider sitting into a Honduh Fit.   I couldn't stomach looking at it.   And the one on the floor was barf brown.    So I meandered over to the Toyota display and was amazed at how horrific the Prius was to actually sit in.  Seats were hard.   The overall feel was like in most vehicles I sampled - you sit down in the vehicle, not on the seats.   The Corolla suffered from one of the least attractive interiors in any modern vehicle - as if it was carved out of a plastic railroad tie where everything was tacked on.   The seats were awful and hard and very synthetic in materials.   The feeling was like a 1970's disco outfit but you were sitting on it.   Needless to say that there are no Honda or Toyota vehicles that I'd accept even if given to me - I'd trade them in immediately.

I had read some good things about Mazdas, but these cars are simply junk to sit in - once again you sit down in them - the fabrics felt so synthetic, and I was so amazed at how horrible the interiors were to see out of that I immediately scratched that brand off the list of potential purchases.   This hurts.  I kinda wanted to like Mazdas.

Subaru is starting to make near normal vehicles so I tried their smaller offerings.   Each one suffered from the poor seating and bad dashboard syndrome that either had me sitting down into the seat or the dashboard was at an odd relation to the seat.   Belt lines were also too high.    Subaru was removed from my list.

I decided to try Hyundai and Kia.   I wanted to like them.  I really did.   These were also sit down into and look out of pieces of shit except for the Hyundai Ioniq, their hybrid.   This was a nice car - superior in every regard to that piece of shit Toyota Prius that was weird at all levels and was rancid to sit in and which had visibility issues like few other vehicles I sampled.   The Ioniq would be something that I would definitely consider.

Kia had nothing of value - even the Niro was kinda odd in its seating and visibility.

Over at the land of GM was a collection of some of the absolute worst in offerings.   The Chevrolet Cruze was a disaster - cramped and simply awful - high belt line.   The VaporVolt was equally horrible.    The Bolt was almost acceptable but the seating felt weird and the dashboard was not well designed.   I sat in a turd of a Buick, their pre-crashed CUV that was a joke - a complete joke - it was tiny, felt smaller, and was outrageously priced.     I sat in a Chevrolet Sonic - it was barely roomy enough to carry one Sonic Tot (their version of french fries composed of cubed potatoes smashed together in a cat turd like shape).     

I didn't sit in any Chrysler product.   Not one.

THE BEST

Nissans and Fords 

Pictured Nissan Versa Note

I then tried Nissan.   I've sat in Nissans before and they are remarkable in the cheap end of their product line for having the roomiest vehicles you can buy per dollar spent.   I simply loved the Versa and Versa Note - roomy and simple instrument panels.   And if I could get one with a manual transmission, I'd not have to worry about their industry worst CVT (continually variable transmission).    The interiors were a bit cheap and the seats weren't the best, but the visibility in the Versas was outstanding.   Even the Sentra was nice.   

I then went to Ford (though not Lincoln).    I have had great experience with my Ford so I am a bit biased.    I didn't sit in a Mustang since I have in prior car show visits and I'm too old to fold myself so that I can get into one.   I'd love one.   But I'd never be able to get out of one if I managed to crawl into it.    I sat in a Fusion which I'd buy in a heartbeat - not the  best sitting position, but overall experience was above anything mentioned to this point.    I sat in a Focus and it was comfy and logical and roomy and it fit like a glove.   Not pretentious.   Just right.    

Pictured Ford C-Max

Then I sat in a Ford C-Max.    Not much of a vehicle to look at - sorta shaped like a Conch shell.   Oh, my Lord!   This vehicle sat upright - was well contoured - great visibility - everything a Prius will never be.   It was like wearing a glove - absolutely the best seats and interior of anything I tried on today.    This is an older design and it shows - it is simply the best.   It is practical and well thought out.

So, based on today's visit, I'd fall back onto vehicles I already knew were great from an interior perspective    The C-Max and Versas were the best in show.

Of course you will likely disagree, but I am never swayed by technology and gimmicks.  I want something that I could own for another 20 years.   I am never swayed by style or by leather or pretense.   

And I never think Honda or Toyota are good at anything other than deception and conning fools with parting of their money.