Worst Car For Accereration?

What about by 45+MPG hybrid vehicle US standards?

 

In the US, I have owned 5 cars with under 70 HP. All required serious planning to pass. I also owned a 100 HP car with AWD, that too needed planning to pass. Since 2009 I have owned 2 Prius, neither required any of the planning that the Falcon, Mizer, GLCs, Escort or All-Trac did. (all but the 4 speed GLC were wagons)
Ford Falcon (North America) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mazda Grand Familia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mazda Familia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ford Escort (North America) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Toyota Corolla (E90) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Ah! 1980 Mazda GLC, one of my favorite cars! 65mph on interstate and 40 mpg sweet back then.

 

Jimbo, you have nailed the problem on the head. "Thinking required" in my checkered past I owned a 1971 VW Van with a camper conversion in it and grand total of 1600cc and 50 horsepower. Also a 1964 Renault R8 with 950cc and a screaming 48 horsepower. They did require planning (thinking) to pass which made them unsatisfactory for many car owners.

The Prius level of straight line performance is about the same as the average late 1950s-1960s American sedan with the base V8. 0-60 in about 10 seconds.

 

I almost forgot about the test drive I took in a used Smart car - pulling out of the dealership onto a 50 MPH road and realizing that the weak engine and horrible auto-manual transmission was NOT going to keep approaching traffic from becoming very large in the all-too-close rear window.

 

My 1988 CRX-HF taught me more how to drive a car than the 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme I had before it (V8 with 4 barrel carb). Like Jimbo pointed out, I learned all about momentum and timing when trying to pass with the CRX and its ground stomping 60+ horses. 0 - 60 was in the 13 second range.

Top speed:
170 km/h / 106 mph
(theor. without speed governor)


Acceleration:

0-100 km/h (s):
14.1
0-160 km/h (s):
62.9

0-60 mph (s):
13.1
0-100 mph (s):
64.8


Drag times:

0- 1/4mile (s):
19.3
0- 1km (s):
35.3

The biggest dog may have been my sister's 1976 Ford Mustang II. Gawd awful acceleration.

1974 Ford Mustang II (Auto) 0-60 mph 15.5 Quarter mile 19.2

 

I still think that the Smart car is so unapologetic-ally awful that it cannot be anything but a well orchestrated psychological study into exactly how far people will go wasting money if it's marketed in a certain way.

 

^^^
Actually, I found the Smart to be a fairly comfortable urban / suburban commuter car with plenty of room for one or two and no cargo. However, it badly needs a manual transmission to make the driving experience tolerable. I wouldn't want it for my daily 90+ mile commute at highway speeds, though.

 

For me, my first car a 1951 Chrysler Windsor with the Spirfire 6 and Fluid Drive, big car, small motor, and a truly horrible semi automatic transmission. Planning required every time you started the thing. On the plus side the trunk held 4 cases of beer and the back seat was huge and comfortable.

 

The very first Smart ED (electric drive, not the other ED). 22.4 seconds 0-60. 22 seconds at 59.5mph for 1/4 mile

 

I rented a Geo Metro (3 cylinders, 1 liter, 3 speed automatic) in 1990 and I remember that very feeling.

 

Man!!!! you have been a glutton for punishment

 

About the Geo, I remember thinking,

'Amazing, two motorcycles with a cabin in between.'​

​

Someone designed an oversized, enclosed sidecar and mounted motorcycles on each side.

Bob Wilson

 

I remember a rich customer of mine who owned a Smart car. She'd have the chauffeur take her to the shops in it

It worked for her, in a rather eccentric way.

 

I like tiny cars that are big open boxes.

 

The Prius is a rocket compared to my '06 Diesel smart... 0-100 km/h in 35 seconds, baby!

It does have almost 300 000 km on it, though...

-Iain