Comments by "Perhaps" (@NoEgg4u) on "Drivers Only"
channel.
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@8:28
Accelerating:
The camera should be on the road; not on your face.
The viewers should see what you are seeing.
We cannot appreciate the acceleration, by looking at your face. We can, if we were looking at the road.
@9:26
"The head's up display tells you you're going too fast."
That is called a nag -- not much different than having a backseat driver in your car.
99% of drivers exceed the speed limit, even if it is only by 2 MPH.
If the speed limit is 35 MPH, most people do 40 MPH.
If the speed limit is 55 MPH, most people do 60 MPH.
Etc.
Do we want our head's up display constantly alerting us to the speed we are driving, when we are doing so intentionally?
So the questions are:
Can that "nag" be disabled? and
Can that "nag" be configured to trigger a notification at "speed limit" + "number we fill in". For example, MPH + 5, so that no "nag" appears until we are 6 MPH over the speed limit?
@10:15
"The bad"
-- "Econ" mode:
You will save gas. But on drives where you are often changing speed, you will feel like you are fighting the car -- it is frustrating.
When you step on the gas, the acceleration is not much. So you press harder, and almost nothing happens. So you press harder, and almost nothing happens. So you press harder, and BOOM!, it takes off. "Sport" mode is the opposite. The default mode (which is when neither "Econ" nor "Sport" is enabled), is dialed in perfectly. It is the mode that is set when you start the car. It makes for a pleasant drive, where the car is responsive, yet somewhat tame.
"Econ" mode is best for highway driving, where you can cruise at a constant speed, and it is also good for heavy traffic, where you are inching along.
-- The door sills are painted. If you do not tape over them, you will scuff and scratch them. Your feet (especially your left foot), is going to hit it, especially while entering the car. Yes, you can avoid doing so. But sooner or later, you or someone else will scrape it.
-- The stereo is so-so.
You can enjoy it. But it does not let you forget that you are listening to a mechanical device.
A better stereo makes the speakers disappear, where you hear a wall of music (not individual speakers), and your ears cannot identify the location of the speakers.
A better stereo throws a realistic soundstage and has excellent imaging.
-- Reverse camera:
There is a dotted line, which is almost useless. Typically, that line would be where your rear bumper is located. Yet, if you stop when the dotted line reaches the end of the parking space, your rear bumper will still have 1 or 2 feet left to go.
Also, there is no linear view. You have a choice of "wide angle" and "very wide angle". But no "non warped, actual and accurate" view.
-- The push buttons:
Let's say you are backing up into a tight spot, and the weather is bad, and your camera is blocked or blurry. So you look in the mirrors and turn your head. But that might not be good enough. So you crack open your door, lean your head out, and slowly creep backwards into your spot. No Sale! (says the push buttons). As soon as you open your door, the car puts you into park.
-- Auto high-beams are not always timely. So do not be one of those drivers that blinds other drivers. Fortunately, Honda does provide a procedure to disable the auto high-beams, that takes 40+ seconds of holding a lever. Unfortunately, virtually every Accord owner is not going to know about this. So they will have their high-beams annoying other drivers, because the car turns them on and off according to its (not always accurate) sensors.
-- There is no simple way to turn off all lights on the front of the car.
So, if you are waiting in spot in a crowded parking lot, and it is cold outside, you will probably want to keep the engine running to stay warm. Well, that means that some lights will be on, no matter what you do. There is a procedure to have all lights turn off, but it is a small hassle, and one that most people will not even know exists, and might not remember how to set it up. It is not something you will stumble across. You have to either read it in the manual, or have someone show you.
-- The Good:
It is a fantastic car.
Reliable, fuel efficient, and a blast to drive -- especially in Sport mode, where the turbo boost is increased, the suspension tightened and lowered, and the transmission holds lower gears longer for excellent throttle response.
Those 19" wheels, with the low profile tires (little sidewall), and firm (yet comfortable) suspension, translates to a sedan that can whip around turns with ease. Not as good as a mid-engine Corvette. But better than you think. It really holds the road. Not suggesting anyone drive like a nut (even a million dollar Ferrari will lose control if pushed too hard).
And the brakes are silky smooth, and have fantastic stopping power, which translates to a valuable safety feature. Those brakes will probably save many people from accidents where they had to stop short.
Cheers!
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