Driving out of a supermarket I used to work in this afternoon, and then into my street... Places I drive in and out of a lot but also places I'd oddly clipped my alloys on both he Avensis and CT... For some reason, tonight as I drove out and was careful, but a little bit "****, how close was I to that?" I realised that I never had any issues in my Panda's. And whilst someday, I'm sure I'll lose my wits a bit and can blame age... I don't think I'm there yet (turning 29 in a few days).
Made me think... Sure, the CT is 'easier' to drive being an automatic. No gears or messing about like that. But then.... it's hard to see out of, it's hard to get in and out of (by that, I mean, I have to do some weird twists / positions to get in and out, and I've bumped my head any time I've rushed). I also can't remember struggling to fit things into the boot of the Panda's as much as I do with the CT, though maybe coming from the Avensis has me a bit ruined in that sense for boot room.
As manual and basic as the Panda was, it was so practical, and it was easier in the sense that you didn't need to lift yourself up, or lean or guess corners as much because by default, you're always in an upright position, you can always see around you regardless. My 2017 Panda was blacked out with 5% tints, but last I drove my grandmother's 2015 basic Pop, I was a little uneasy at how much glass and light and how easily people could see in compared to again, my 17 blacked out one and my Avensis / CT being so hard to see into and also tinted windows. But man, does it make the car easier to drive.
It's crazy how different the same roads.. experiences and even cars can feel based on what you're 'used to'. After my second or third driving lesson (ever) in 2014 - in a second generation shaped Ford Focus, which felt like a huge tank to me at the time - I got put on my sisters insurance with the 2005 Panda which she owned at the time. When I went between the Focus and the Panda, the pedals were so tiny, and so light and sensitive, but most of all, it felt so narrow that my inexperience of the steering wheel in general meant I'd be weaving left and right inside the same lane. Then, 50,000 miles in it myself, and no issues!
Anyway, I often say to my friends that my next car will either be one of the new Panda's or that Lexus LBX (same length as mine, smallest / cheapest one but taller and unfortunately an 'SUV'). But today, after these thoughts, I'm leaning more toward the new Panda. But will it have the same visibility / ease of driving that the existing models do... or will it be another 208 in how it feels too? Because the 208, like the DS3 and CT were a little bit 'style over practicality' too in enough ways to **** me off!
