WRITE TO autocar@haymarket.com
LETTER OF THE WEEK Gone for a comfort break
Having enjoyed your feature on the most comfortable cars (24 May 2023), I would love to hear some opinions on affordable comfortable cars, as the article featured premium models. I’ve noticed that some car reviews tend to skip over ride quality, as it’s so subjective, but it would be interesting to rate each car on a scale of some sort on how the car rides over various surfaces.
The UK roads are pretty appalling but particularly in my area. I sadly sold my Skoda Octavia vRS TSI Estate earlier this year, as I was finding less enjoyment in driving it due to the poor state of our local road network. How I managed to avoid tyre and wheel damage, I really don’t know.
Since I sold the Skoda, I’ve been looking for a replacement, but having tried one or two cars, I found the ride quality far too firm for my ageing spine (Ford Focus ST springs to mind… sorry for the pun). Not being an SUV fan, I had discounted these, but having listened to the Autocar podcast every week, Steve Cropley’s comments about his Dacia Duster set me thinking: could I live with one of these?
So I took a test drive of a 1.3-litre petrol Comfort (16in wheels) and I was sold – or rather the car was, to me. I was impressed by the ride quality especially and will keep it until the roads improve (if and when is anyone’s guess), when I might buy something a bit more engaging.
Andy Gulliver
East Sussex
Expensive cars do tend to come with higher-quality suspension components. In the lower segments, try the Citroën C3, Skoda Fabia, MG 3, Toyota Corolla or Volkswagen Golf. Just stick with small wheels – IV
Stop being so sensitive
I was greatly interested by Matt Prior’s article on the automatic emergency braking function on the Kia EV9 he has been driving (Tester’s Notes, 29 May), not least because it brought the car to an unnecessary stop in the centre of Bakewell, near where I live.
As I read on, I realised that Matt was experiencing the issues I also have with our Volvo XC40, which regularly decides to slam on the brakes to avoid collisions with a car driving past our house, but when we are reversing into the driveway with said car passing in front of us.
I’ve also experienced the shock of the collision warning lighting up the dash when a truck is approaching on the opposite side of the road with plenty of room for us both to pass.
I fully appreciate that these devices are usefu
