AATISH MISHRA

A good engine and chassis is only part of a good car, says Aatish

Porsche does it best. Thin, small wheels usually lined in beautiful Alcantara

IT’S NO BIG SECRET THAT AT EVO INDIA, we’re all about the Thrill of Driving. So much so that we’ve got that very line on our cover page, every single month. We write pages and pages about engines that rev to one million rpm and steering that can be controlled telepathically. And while properly engineered drivetrains and chassis are fundamental to making great cars, there are a lot of non-mechanical bits that are critical to a great driving experience. Here are a few.

A good seat is so important. A seat that is fit for purpose. Putting a Range Rover’s throne in a GT3 RS would be utterly pointless, as would having a pared back bucket in your luxoSUV. Sports cars have a very specific need — good support and proper adjustability, and that's about it. To hell with 30 kilos of down feathers to make it plush. You want to feel what the car is doing under you and your arse is your best friend here. Every other type of car needs something that is comfortable. Too soft or too hard and you’ll be aching in no time. It needs to be the right amount of soft, and the right type of supportive. Zero lumbar support is a cardinal sin. Kushaq, Taigun, you lot are fully guilty of this. The Honda City, on the other hand has the best seats at that price point. Good lumbar support, plenty of lateral support, under thigh support and a comfy headrest. Also important is the ability to get down low. Height adjustment is the best thing to happen to seats since cushions were invented and you need to be able to get low enough to feel like you’re sitting inside the car and not on it.

Then comes the steering wheel. It needs to be the right diameter, with the right thickness and the right material. Porsche does it best. Thin, small wheels usually lined in beautiful Alcantara. AMG and BMW M are guilty of going too fat with their wheels. It has its fans, but I promise you, Porsche has nailed the thickness and size. They must be also be round. Flat-bottomed is as far as I’m willing to compromise there. That hexagon in the iX? No thank you. A yoke? What sort of identity crisis is the car having? As for the materials, leather is always a safe bet. Alcantara is lovely to hold. Wood, well, I’ll give it a pass because I have sweaty palms and ten minutes in, the wheel is as slippery as Charles Sobhraj. And those half leather, half wood abominations? Don’t get me started…

The positioning of the pedals matters too. I remember being super excited to drive the manual M2. I jumped in and found the clutch pedal in line with the steering column and the brake and throttle offset to the right. I had to adjust my seating position to compensate for this oddity, and it felt quite strange. That said, pedal spacing was spot on for some good heel-toe action. Like the steering wheel, these are crucial points of communication with the car and need to be just right to enjoy the car.

Easily modifiable drive modes are an absolute must. I don’t want to be diving into a touchscreen to change my car to a more sporty setting. A physical button within reach is far quicker. Or better still — the Ferrari style Manettino dial that also makes you feel like an F1 driver. Porsche and AMG have picked up the trick with their rotary mode selectors on the ’wheels, and that works. The same goes for air suspension lift / nose lifts. Easy access is important in India where ’breakers are more common on the roads than bikers wearing helmets. You need to be able to lift the suspension quickly, and if you’re scrolling through menus, you’ve probably already hit the breaker. The GLE, and even the X5 has a nice toggle switch on the console. Not that they’re ever at risk of bottoming out. The S-Class? The function was buried so deep in the menus that I drove it around town with its suspension raised the whole time, to hell with what it did to the ride quality.

Great speakers are a must. As automotive journalists, we spend a lot of time in cars, and consequently spend a lot of time listening to music and podcasts. Or audiobooks if that’s your poison. A good sound system may do nothing to the actual driving experience but it significantly elevates the overall in-car experience. No need for something all out like one of those fancy 4D systems like the CBU S-Class got, but a good system just makes every drive better. Particularly those solo ones through the night.

I could go on and on. A physical AC knob is the difference between a happy me and an annoyed me. Cupholders that actually hold a cup are very welcome. A horn that can be pressed by the thumbs without lifting your hands off the wheel makes warning the space cadets on the road much easier. A volume knob is nice, but steering mounted controls all but take care of that. Sun blind extensions that actually allow the sun blind to do what it is meant to do.

I may have gone a bit nerdy with this one, but when you spend enough time in a car, the little things stand out and make a difference. Conclusion? Engine, important. Chassis, important. But there’s a lot more that’s important to having a great time behind the wheel of a car as well! ⌧