RedLeader wrote:I've noticed that the chassis feel of the Leaf has a lot to be desired of. The steering in particular makes me want to vomit.... at first. After driving the Leaf for several days w/o driving anything else it all seems to come together and the soft, spongy, numb feeling starts to feel comfortable, light and pleasant.
Tom, I hadn't appreciated how over-boosted the steering feel on our LEAFs is until I got a Z4 roadster as a longer distance ICE based car; I wonder if the Active E has a more connected feel.TomT wrote:I guess a year of driving it is not yet enough... It still sucks to me, with a capitol S... I'll give it some more time and see what happens!
Granted, it is not a sports car, so it's hard to criticize too much. But considering the LEAF's sporty acceleration, it likes to be driven like a sports car when the family is not in tow. Many of us bought a LEAF not only for the environmental appeal but because we love cars, and this is one of the coolest cars on the road right now.IBELEAF wrote:I seriously don't see what's the big deal with the steering, unless of course you are driving Leaf like it's a sports car, perhaps it's a wrong car choice?
Yep, it probably comes down to different driving styles. I liked the steering from day 1, but I don't accelerate into turns either. I usually coast before them to slow down some, and generally always try to get the lowest consumption possible. The only times I have used the full 80kW is when doing test drives with others, otherwise the 50kW one get in eco without kickdown is more than enough for normal driving.JustinC wrote:Granted, it is not a sports car, so it's hard to criticize too much. But considering the LEAF's sporty acceleration, it likes to be driven like a sports car when the family is not in tow. Many of us bought a LEAF not only for the environmental appeal but because we love cars, and this is one of the coolest cars on the road right now.IBELEAF wrote:I seriously don't see what's the big deal with the steering, unless of course you are driving Leaf like it's a sports car, perhaps it's a wrong car choice?
My last car was an old Porsche and my wife drives a recent Audi. I can tell you that the LEAF is (a lot) faster off the line than both of them, but when I accelerate into a turn, I've got to be careful and compensate for lack of feel in the steering wheel. As one review said, it doesn't feel like it's connected to the wheels.
Suspension, I agree. I love the ride of the LEAF, and, more importantly, so does my wife.jkirkebo wrote:I would not appreciate harder steering and suspension.
eHelmholtz wrote:Tom, I hadn't appreciated how over-boosted the steering feel on our LEAFs is until I got a Z4 roadster as a longer distance ICE based car; I wonder if the Active E has a more connected feel.TomT wrote:I guess a year of driving it is not yet enough... It still sucks to me, with a capitol S... I'll give it some more time and see what happens!
Nubo wrote:I wonder if a more compliant suspension aids in rolling efficiency?