Those who do read my journal by now probably know of my Honda drivers rants. By today I have now driven 4 different cars. A 1986 Toyota Cressida(mine), a 2004 Toyota Avalon(my dad's), a early 2000 Mazda Protege and now a 2006 Honda Civic. Right away I'll tell you that my 1986 Toyota Cressida is slightly stiffer with the gas pedal and slightly stiffer braking. It essentially communicates to me "if you want more, give me more" and by day 2 I loved the way it drives. The Avalon does not have power assist, it has power steering and that is where I start having problems with steering because I always overdo it. Using the same effort of driving the Cressida in the Avalon meant instead of turning left into the left lane I'd be turning into the center traffic light post. Acceleration the same thing, to move a Cressida your foot has to use enough force to tell the car you want it to go faster. The Avalon's gas pedal isn't quite like that its lighter and because the Avalon is so smoother you really don't know how fast your going unless you look at the speedo. Brakes, neither give me a problem.


My driving instructor's Mazda Protege was similar in feel to the Avalon. The difference however was it felt smaller for obvious reasons but it was slower. That way I'd never really give a jerky ride like I occasionally do in the Avalon. My driving in the Cressida is smooth. As for the Civic...its almost like Honda went and got a picture of me and said "Let's build a car this dork will absolutely hate driving!". The Civic is wonderfully designed in the exterior and the interior looks advanced and even has a digital speedometer like my Cressida! However that was all I truly liked about it. When I touched the gas, I accelerated the whole car so hard that as if my foot was a 2 ton weight. Steering was even less firm than the Avalon, every time I turn I keep questioning did I turn enough. Obviosuly I had no feel of the steering at most times. Braking...an issue I've never really had in any car I drove was so harsh compared to all 3 other cars. The 2006 Honda Civic has got to be the most sensitive car in the world. If I see someone driving this car slow, they must have a foot that weights slightly more than the pedal itself. I had so much difficulty driving the Civic properly I'm now questioning how automobile journalists say that its the best car in its class of 2006. If I drove the civic like I drive my Cressida, the Civic's tachometer will always be at 4000-5000 rpm every time I accelerate, I'd be slamming into traffic lights, I'd brake so quickly that I'm meters away from the white line. All in all, I hate driving a Civic, give me a Corolla at least it won't try to give me speeding tickets on purpose.


After that drive...I must say, that $5000 I spent rebuilding the Cressida's engine was worth it. The Cressida has been the only car I've been comfortable driving thus far. Response from that car must have made a mutal trust because every time I switch to another car...other cars seem more like animals that need taming than a faithful servants that cars should be. This is not just me praising the Cressida's handling, even my dad likes it since the Cressida takes only 2nd drive to trust you. I've never understood why Honda drivers were like the way they were, today I have a much better understanding why they probably are like the way they are.