Altis handles better than E90 320i?

[Jipster]

Dudes, sure the E90 has got the altis beat in so many ways but it is after all a .... I dunno .....around rm200-300k(?)..... which makes it twice or 3 times more expensive.

Maybe the guy is thinking for the price and the obvious pedigree of the bmw it should be 2 or 3 times better than the altis but it is simply not.

Such is the quality of cars coming out of Japan and europe these days that there are no longer clear differences anymore.

The argument is that the 1.8 altis can run it close. Lets keep an open mind. ... and member ratchet, we are not talking sagas here ok.... altis 1.6/1.8 is not a cheap car by any measure selling in excess of RM100k on the road. I'm thinking its closer than most people think.

Cheap cars bettering more expensive cars is not a new story..... happens all the time

 

[Zoggee]

Ok true...in some conditions FWD is safer than RWD because of its tendency to understeer at the limit (easily corrected by easing on the gas). FWD cars are the safe choice of many, especially in colder climate areas with snowfall/ice to contend with. That is a reason why Saabs and now Volvos are FWD. Other than this safety characteristic, FWD implies better overall car packaging and since the weight of the engine is on the front wheels, better grip.

There are three thresholds on what a car's tires can do and that is defined by turning, braking and accelerating. To maximize grip, a car really should be doing one of the three at any given time. In a FWD car and in the heat of driving, its easy to overwhelm the thresholds and thus you end up with the dreaded understeer. That is why enthusiasts believe that the front wheels should only be for turning and also why there is an HP limitation for a FWD chassis (some believe not more than 300hp).

But all the above cited advantages of FWD is moot. Modern day RWDs like the e90 is well sorted out and too have understeer dialled in for safety. Of course oversteer is easily induced . The car's electronics like DSC and DTC ensures high safety in slick conditions. RWD cars also tend to accelerate better as the weight transfers to the rear driving wheels when getting off the line. So you get the safety net of FWD with the steering feel, balanced handling and fun factor of RWD.

But really, its up to the driver, would you really prefer to be pushed or pulled into and out of a corner?

Man...you really are very very fair la.

Why ppl stil havent nominate you as a good forum technical advisor.??

 

[Zoggee]

If I have both cars..The Toyotawill be for a daily car. BMWs..?? manyak makan wang oh.....

As for handling wise...it depends on how hard the driver's balls.

 

[wglee]

Dudes, sure the E90 has got the altis beat in so many ways but it is after all a .... I dunno .....around rm200-300k(?)..... which makes it twice or 3 times more expensive.

Maybe the guy is thinking for the price and the obvious pedigree of the bmw it should be 2 or 3 times better than the altis but it is simply not.

Such is the quality of cars coming out of Japan and europe these days that there are no longer clear differences anymore.

The argument is that the 1.8 altis can run it close. Lets keep an open mind. ... and member ratchet, we are not talking sagas here ok.... altis 1.6/1.8 is not a cheap car by any measure selling in excess of RM100k on the road. I'm thinking its closer than most people think.

Cheap cars bettering more expensive cars is not a new story..... happens all the time

There are quite a few Altis owners out there complaining of its wallowy handling.

I once drove a stock Altis 1.8 at Sepang. Sure, it didn't under or oversteer but that was because its stability control (VSC) kept intervening even at cornering speeds which are quite low. And the VSC stability control could not be switched off, which meant that I never did discover the car's cornering limits (and I couldn't bring myself to be purposely ham-fisted with the car so as to overcome the VSC stability control as the car belonged to an office colleague).

 

[Jules]

This story serves to show that....some ppl just dun have it!

Since he drove both cars and he felt more comfy in one of the cars, I could say that his driving skills may not be adequate to extract the intended performance of the other car he has in his hands..... pls note I NEVER say which model.

Yes, driving a RWD and FWD on limit is poles apart.....

guys, the weakest link in ANY car is 90% the DRIVER....believe me.

 

[KL2DC]

Jipster, I agree wholeheartedly, the Altis satisfies/matches just about all the basic requirements of the daily crawl to the office and back (and just about 90% of normal driving) with far better fuel economy and lower monthly payments/insurance premiums. It might be even more nimbler to thread through traffic and easier to park.

I also agree that in the fast years the most extensive improvements could be seen in the lower end of the markets. There are some really good $12k to $20k cars now like the Mazda3, the new Honda Civic, the Corolla in question, the new Hyundai Sonata etc etc. This is really good news for the car buyers as they too can enjoy all the safety and convenience features of premium cars.

HOWEVER, the original poster (and the point for debate) is whether the OP is justified in saying that his Altis handles better than the e90 320i which have been refuted on the basis of FWD vs RWD, personally observed suspension dynamics/capabilities and numerical skidpad rating.

 

[Iqlima]

BMW or any Rear wheel drive will be good handling if you know how to use it, otherwise it just a plain normal car.

 

[KL2DC]

wglee: I hear you about the VSC...US corollas don't have them but I have driven a few Lexii hard like the IS, RX, GS, SC and LS and the VSC kicks in rear hard, nothing subtle about it. In the RX350 especially, you actually lose, for a second, steering input/assist which I thought was a bit disconcerting. Granted I was flogging an SUV on a tight auto-x track but still...

Zoggee: LOL thanks for the kind words. Mana boleh!...I don't have anything on the established sifus on this forum with their rich wealth of experience and information. I am just adding on my humble opinions/contributions. That is all.

 

[viewfinder]

Perhaps the person, by "better handling", the person meant softer suspension which absorbs more road unevenness than UDM and thus feels more comfortable under certain condition?

I once had a new Corolla 1.8 rental car for ~6months. Drove it in many road trips, longest was from California to Wyoming & back (~3200KM). It's a great compact car in its class, all praises & no complains at all. But for sure it's not in the same league as UDM in handling, braking, engine responsiness, etc.

 

[KL2DC]

viewfinder: I hear you...its entirely possible. He seems confused as it is so he could've very well meant ride as opposed to handling.

Just wanted to chime in though that although the e90's setup (RFT and all) allows harsh jarring at low speed, its standard suspension is actually very good in soaking higher-speed bumps, especially mid-corner. So in the high-speed element in which the car is bred for, the e90 actually rides very well. Just wanted to chime in on that. People often dismiss the e90's ride (and RFts) as uncompromisingly hard and as a general one pony show but in different conditions, the ride is very supple/compliant.

 

[dumeort]

Is this some kind of a joke?

Alright, let's go to conclusion and copy the first thread above, then paste in the text jokes thread.

 

[xtracooljustin]

i believe he was not used to the run flat tires that comes as standard, thus da harsher ride.

 

[wglee]

I responded to the pertinent post as follows:-

"This is the first time I've heard that the Altis handles better than the
E90 320i! I have driven both cars, and I beg to differ.

Anyway, why not join www.bmwclubmalaysia.com. You will certainly get a
variety of views and indeed helpful advice regarding anything BMW."

Who knows, perhaps he might just join us shortly!

Now, why hasn't Mr. My-Altis-Handles-Better-Than-The-E90 joined us yet? Maybe he got frightened by our response, haha!

 

[KL2DC]

Alright, let's go to conclusion and copy the first thread above, then paste in the text jokes thread.

+1 LOL

I'll go further and ban poster from membership in this forum...he doesn't meet the profiles of our band of merry UDM enthusiasts

 

[wglee]

Better to convert him into an UDM enthusiast, no?

 

[KL2DC]

Now, why hasn't Mr. My-Altis-Handles-Better-Than-The-E90 joined us yet? Maybe he got frightened by our response, haha!

If I were the original poster, I would be embarassed to defend myself here for that obviously foot-in-mouth remark.

If he does make it here, I'll be ready....with facts of course Need to defend the e90's, BMW and our forum's honor.

 

[David Yong]

what a shame to this guy.... Altis better than BMW e90...... whew...... my toe is laughing.....

 

[Daniel]

mmmm, why all the panties in a bunch, its so obvious the publishers of such magazines manufacture those dumb assed questions to fill up their pages.

Honestly, a show of hands please of those that actually had the time out of their miserable lives to write into such a crap magazine.

The editor who actually approved the question for print really must not be a true driver. Either that or they have been provided encentives from Toyota to brain wash mindless to-be-owners who seek solice and knowledge from again, a crap magazine.

 

[wglee]

Err, Autoworld isn't a magazine. See www.autoworld.com.my.

 

[XXX]

helloo have u all registered for AD...its just 2 weeks away

After AD can do test see Altis better or E90 better I be the judge ...OK