Feel.

Yes feel. My entry today will be talking about this rather odd subject. Just what does this term mean when put into automotive contexts?

Well it means how does the steering react to the road. Is it heavy? Is it say jittery over bumps to let you know they're there? It means how much can you tell about the road through your seat? Can you feel the car getting sideways, running out of grip? It means how does the gearbox feel? Is it crunchy and stiff or smooth, precise and light? Do the pedals feel connected? How easy is it to detect the cluches biting point and can you sense how strongly the brakes are working to slow the car?

These are the questions that you ask when you ask how does a car feel to drive. You also ask a few more questions. How fast does it feel? Can you hear lots of wind noise as speed picks up and can you see the road disappearing under the bonnet (or hood if you are American)? Does the engine roar at speed or quietly go about it's business of moving you down the road? How much G do you feel in the corners? Ultimately what emotion does a car evoke?

You thought I'd finished earlier didn't you? I do apologise about the questiony nature of this entrybut I think that by aksing all these questions, you now understand exactly what feel means in an automotive context and that is what I set out to do. Next time I'll air my grievances about the new Nissan Micra. Until then have a nice day.