- Why do we
like loud cars?
Loud vehicles can be obnoxious. But there’s a big
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volume. “A proper-sounding engine and exhaust
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loud noise. We’re getting a better understanding
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cV`PR_NYV[QVPNaV\[\SdUNaμ`b[QR_aURU\\Q- What do those
test numbers
actually mean?
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does the
Sport
button do?
That’s like asking,
“What does exercise
do?” The answer
depends. In decidedly
un-sporty cars, such
as the Fiat 500 or the
Toyot a C o ro lla , th is
button will instigate
minute changes to
things like steering
weight, transmission
shift logic, and
accelerator
calibration, making
the car feel more
responsive. In true
performance-oriented
cars, Sport mode
might stiffen
adjustable dampers,
set the active exhaust
system to loud, or
loosen up stability-
control thresholds.
But for the majority of
vehicles, the effects
of Sport mode are
largely psychological.
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We also conduct tests designed to illuminate the
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little harder to spot people on a street corner.
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What to do?
Some all-wheel-drive
systems operate
without input from the
driver, distributing
torque among the four
wheels as the vehicle’s
sensors deem
necessary. But some
heavy-duty off-
roaders provide more
choices. They drive
only one axle for
efficiency (2Hi, 2H,
or however an auto-
maker might stylize it)
or drive both for
stability (4Hi, 4H,
part-time 4x4, etc.).
Vehicles with a low
range have an extra
gearset that steps
down wheel speeds
while seriously upping
torque at the wheels.
There’s a reason low
ranges are relatively
uncommon: They’re
rarely beneficial,
working best in
extreme off-roading
or in helping another
vehicle get unstuck.
- CAR AND DRIVER. OCT/
SPORT^
BUTTONP
HOTOGRAPH^
BYA
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HOTOGRAPH^BYMARC^
URBANO