The Joy of Slow

[demon666]

Automobile Magazine has an article in their March 2009 issue titled, "The Joy of Slow" describing how slow cars can be more enjoyable than fast cars as the driver tends to use more of the cars capability on a day to day basis versus the performance of a faster car. The car they view as the embodiement of the modern Slow Car is the Honda Fit.
I tried to find a link but was unable to find one . The article begins on page 58.

[Goodguy-Fly]

Perfectly slow is what they mean to say.

[Whats A Fit?]

This car is great and all, but part of me misses having that performance there when you want it. I came from a supercharged EK to the fit. Not a huge difference in hp, but very noticable.

[kenchan]

like i mention often, driving a slow car fast is fun vs driving a fast car slow.

this is one of the many key reasons why i chose the FitS as my dd. it has the feel most car enthusiasts would enjoy (nice steering response feel, nice manual gearbox, etc) at a bargain price and nice fuel economy. and if you know how to drive MT well, this car is not slow at all.

im mean, there are many great things about the FitS...that's just part of it.

[BakedCookies]

Originally Posted by kenchan

like i mention often, driving a slow car fast is fun vs driving a fast car slow.

this is one of the many key reasons why i chose the FitS as my dd. it has the feel most car enthusiasts would enjoy (nice steering response feel, nice manual gearbox, etc) at a bargain price and nice fuel economy. and if you know how to drive MT well, this car is not slow at all.

im mean, there are many great things about the FitS...that's just part of it.

Yep you pretty much nailed it, and the exact reason I sold my Cobb Stage 2 STi, what good was 350+HP and 380+TQ when all i did was set the cruise on 60 and drive to work. Sure the car was a rocket ship, but I would go weeks without even going over 5 lbs of boost!

I actually got to where I enjoyed the handling aspects of a vehicle way more than the power. This is why I very much enjoy my Fit, and hope to even more so with the suspension changes and wider tires that are about to go on

And just for reference a quick run down of the "power" cars I had before the Fit

2000 Civic EK hatch with at first a Turbocharged B16a, than a fully built B16b with spoon bottom end, and Skunk 2 valve train, ITR cams, etc. Chipped OBD1 ecu, Spoon Cluster, would rev to 9800 RPM
2002 Subaru WRX Cobb Stage 2 Deadbolt Turbo upgrade
2004 Subaru STi Cobb Stage 2
2006 Subaru WRX motor completely stock, with almost every suspension bit upgrade (most fun Subaru I ever owned)

[CrystalFiveMT]

Though the most fun car I've driven/owned was my 94 Integra GS-R which was fast. 0-60 in 6.4. But what makes it fun for the Fit and the GS-R is the low gearing so you can rev it high without needing to accelerate to triple digit speeds, the shift action/clutch and the sounds. Certain Honda cars like the GS-R or S2000 for example have this down that most other cars just don't even come close to. It's the closest thing to piloting an F-1 car. (which is a quote from a car mag about either an S2000 or Integra)

[BakedCookies]

Originally Posted by CrystalFiveMT

But what makes it fun for the Fit and the GS-R is the low gearing so you can rev it high without needing to accelerate to triple digit speeds

This is a good point, anytime I did this in my STi I would be in triple digit speeds by 3rd

[Committobefit08]

Originally Posted by BakedCookies

Yep you pretty much nailed it, and the exact reason I sold my Cobb Stage 2 STi, what good was 350+HP and 380+TQ when all i did was set the cruise on 60 and drive to work. Sure the car was a rocket ship, but I would go weeks without even going over 5 lbs of boost!

I actually got to where I enjoyed the handling aspects of a vehicle way more than the power. This is why I very much enjoy my Fit, and hope to even more so with the suspension changes and wider tires that are about to go on

And just for reference a quick run down of the "power" cars I had before the Fit

2000 Civic EK hatch with at first a Turbocharged B16a, than a fully built B16b with spoon bottom end, and Skunk 2 valve train, ITR cams, etc. Chipped OBD1 ecu, Spoon Cluster, would rev to 9800 RPM
2002 Subaru WRX Cobb Stage 2 Deadbolt Turbo upgrade
2004 Subaru STi Cobb Stage 2
2006 Subaru WRX motor completely stock, with almost every suspension bit upgrade (most fun Subaru I ever owned)

I had a 95 Acura Integra LS...full suspension and rims. I sold it to get an Acura CL-S. Even though the CL-S was a ton faster and I even lowered it..It couldn't compare to the lightness and handling of the integra. The CL just felt like a heavy tank around the corners (~3500 lbs). Plus half the time I was in the city so I couldn't even use the power of the CL-S. Thats why I decided to buy the fit-s. I love how nimble the fit is...and I haven't even put suspension on yet. I can't wait till then.

Bigger is not always better at least when it comes to cars.....

[tobey457]

Originally Posted by BakedCookies

This is a good point, anytime I did this in my STi I would be in triple digit speeds by 3rd

Man do I miss those days!! But kinda like you said in your post above, any time I touched the gas in the Sti I was basically breaking the law... lots of fun though.

The Fit is a great car, and every day I like it a bit more. If this car had 150 - 160hp it would be perfect, but even at 117hp it's peppy enough to be fun.

[JDMxGE8]

Sometimes I wish the GE8 came with a K20, but I don't mind having the L15.

[Tork]

You can drive a Fit at 90% of it's capabilities and you might get a ticket.

Drive a Lambo or even a STI or 370Z to 90% of it capabilities and you'll get crappy meals delivered to you thru the little horizontal slot in the metal bars

[kenchan]

tork- hahaha! true

[Climatologist]

Originally Posted by demon666

Automobile Magazine has an article in their March 2009 issue titled, "The Joy of Slow" describing how slow cars can be more enjoyable than fast cars as the driver tends to use more of the cars capability on a day to day basis versus the performance of a faster car. The car they view as the embodiement of the modern Slow Car is the Honda Fit.
I tried to find a link but was unable to find one . The article begins on page 58.

It's quick enough...anything faster frankly becomes a matter of ego and short comings in certain areas of the body. It's not coincidence BMW drivers and the like have some bigtime insecurity issues.

[gaby_scan]

well i love my fit and like some of you have said, 117hp is fairly ok to have fun, althought i have lots of fun on this car i still think my 1990 RX-7 Turbo II is the funnest car ive ever own and will never sell, 300+ whp out of a small compact engine and the sound of the rotary engine, man i love rotaries.

[Committobefit08]

Article found by CrystalfiveMT...

Slow Cars - Tweaked Economy Cars - Slow Is The New Fast - Automobile Magazine

[OEMfit]

A slow car supercharged is even better!