What is with all these cars that have a giant cock coming out of the dasboard? I absolutely hate the shifter position in that car. (Not to mention I wouldn't buy ANY car with a shifter there)
For a car that they're calling a sport edition, The doors are still VERY high. The wheels are WAY too small and the car's ride height is one of an echo.
Not impressed.
Get up into Altima territory and it's a little better.
ANTHONYD,Mar 9 2007, 09:57 AM Wrote:What is with all these cars that have a giant cock coming out of the dasboard? I absolutely hate the shifter position in that car. (Not to mention I wouldn't buy ANY car with a shifter there)
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I think the designers are caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to shifter placement nowadays Anthony.
Either they leave the shifter in the traditional position and futz around trying to shoehorn in the cup holders/mp3 holders/crap holders that people seem to demand in their cars these days, or elevate the shifter, trying to move it closer to the driver while giving themselves room for the other things...
I mean take the Focus for example... the cup holders in my '05 on the shifter console are friggin' useless because of their positioning, low and to the left & right of the shifter, one false move and you have coffee on the floor <_< (The ones in the door are much less likely to spill, just a bit awkward to reach by feel alone)
Personally, I'd like to try a car with a shifter in that position, it looks to me to be the best compromise for me personally between the "on the tree" and the floor mounted autobox, but of course YMMV
NefCanuck
NefCanuck,Mar 9 2007, 10:55 AM Wrote:(The ones in the door are much less likely to spill, just a bit awkward to reach by feel alone)
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I love those cupholders, but I've grown so used to the centre console ones I hardly use them.
And the high-mount shifter? Unless the seat's set up JUST RIGHT for me, I can't shift it as nicely as a classic centre-mount.
ANTHONYD,Mar 9 2007, 10:57 AM Wrote:What is with all these cars that have a giant cock coming out of the dasboard? I absolutely hate the shifter position in that car. (Not to mention I wouldn't buy ANY car with a shifter there)
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that shifter placement puts it closer to the steering wheel so you don't have to reach as far for quick shifts.
The placement, while hideous, is quite ingenious.
btw.. the review is done by the former editor of Sport Compact Car.
Frumpy goofy tall econobox.
one thing I must point out is almost ALL Japanese brands are doing the shifter in the dash now, Honda & Toyota have been doing that in all their car's since 2001... .and your just noticing it now?
All the Jap Scrap (that isn't a good Nissan or Subaru) I've driven in the last 6 years have been rentals for going to Toronto and Ottawa with. They don't outfit rentals with sticks, just like you don't make friends with salad.
Frost__2001,Mar 10 2007, 06:23 AM Wrote:one thing I must point out is almost ALL Japanese brands are doing the shifter in the dash now, Honda & Toyota have been doing that in all their car's since 2001... .and your just noticing it now?
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No I noticed it on the first SIR and thought it looked stupid then....and I think it looks stupid now.
I mean... I'm all for innovation, believe me. But man... I've seen auto-tragic minvans with the bulbus cock-style shifter in the middle of the dash. If I wanted to drive a subway car, I'd drive a subway car. (Subways are controlled by a centred toggle shifter)
meh it's rally style shifter that makes for less time between the wheel and shifter... I could care less about how lame it looks
+10 for making road head less ackward too!
Drivesthebeast,Mar 9 2007, 04:12 PM Wrote:Frumpy goofy tall econobox.
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Nicely put, I don't like the way it sits neither. It's predecessor was much nicer!