Driving Impressions
First of all, I must take back the words I said to Ford Malaysia’s MD about how I thought the new Lynx generation looked rather similar to the previous one that I wondered how they could be able to draw customers. I made that observation after seeing a new model from Singapore and I really had to look for a while to see that it was the new generation. Of course, that was a sedan variant but the point is that the new generation is different and noticeably so.
For sure, the new Lynx S with its ‘extended hatchback’ profile is very different from the model it replaces. I like the appearance which is not as conventional as a stationwagon and not as dull as many hatchbacks are.
On the drive to Melaka and then Port Dickson, I discovered how the positioning of the roll axis made such a difference to the handling. The car felt more stable – and we were given the old model to drive as well – particularly on winding roads. It seemed to sit more firmly with less roll… very confidence-inspiring. Steering response was also good and the feel was just right – not too light, not too heavy. As a result, I found that I could chuck the car around and take corrective action with quick response.
Whether there was a difference in ride comfort was hard to tell but I was impressed by the good damping and suppleness of the suspension. It took bumps well and didn’t seem to allow the shocks of potholes through.
The driving position is nice and I liked the seat, not just for the design but also for the good support. It had sporty looks without the restrictiveness of a sports seat . With the adjustable steering column, it should be possible for anyone to get a comfortable and safe driving position.
NVH is indeed lower and this was apparent when I switched to the previous model and found that I had to ‘turn up’ my voice volume when having a conversation. It’s not exactly the sort of quietness you might get in a luxury model but there is a perceptible reduction in noise, probably at the higher frequencies. But when you are driving hard and the engine is spinning at 4000 rpm upwards, then the engine noise gets intrusive – but no one drives at those engine speeds constantly, do they?
The new engine is tuned for low-end performance and pulls strongly even at midrange engine speeds. In spite of its newness, it was free-revving and could zoom up to illegal speeds easily. One thing I noticed in the car I drove was that the transmission seemed too sensitive or “trigger-happy”, as I like to describe it. Even a slight pressure would bring on kickdown which I did not appreciate when I was tracking through a curve. It may have been peculiar to my car and a case of adjustment and I will be able to determine that later on when a full test is possible.
Overall, I found the new Lynx S an enjoyable car to drive and as one who likes practical cars, it certainly gets top marks as far as I am concerned because of its spacious cargo area.
