>only car I've owned is a 2004 2.4L accord
>brakes smoothly at low speeds
>can comfortably crawl at a snail's pace while navigating tight spaces
>drive 2014 ford fiesta, 2022 subaru XV, 2014 honda crz
>all violently jerk if you breathe on the brake pedal
>horrible lurch as soon as you release the brake
>all the grace of Austin Powers driving that cart in in the hallway

Is this a thing with all newer cars? I want to upgrade to a 10th gen civic, but haven't had the chance to test drive one yet. Is it going to have the same shitty brake response? Do I just have to accept it or do they still make cars with comfy braking? I learned to drive in a 2002 subaru legacy and I don't recall it having spastic brakes, so I know it's not just my accord.

That just means your brake pads were worn out

>>28524163
Nah I've had them replaced.

>>28524159 (OP)
I haven't any experience with new cars but a friend of mine rented a 1 litre Kia Ceed recently and had the same reaction to the brakes. Looked it up and apparently it's a common feature.

>>28524159 (OP)
Unlike you I want my brakes to have a hard initial bite. As hard as possible. My fit was disappointing, I tried a few SUVs and they were wicked.

>>28524185
I don't want the car behind me to fly into my ass. Hard initial bite is horrible when trying to squeeze through a narrow gap.

>>28524196
You can learn to be gentle, but stopping distance could absolutely save your or someone else's life.

>>28524196
You don't use the brakes to slow down. Lift throttle and engine brake.

>>28524159 (OP)
Bullshit. I have a 2014 Fiesta and the brakes are super soft, I can get like an inch and a half of travel and still barely brake.
It's one of the things I like about the car, I can light up the "hey I'm slowing" signal without actually noticeably slowing.

>>28526297
It's been a while since I drove it, so maybe I'm mis-remembering. Does it have travel without braking at all?

>>28524185
grabby brakes drive me insane
also it feels like modern accelerator pedals are really fucked up like if you push just a tiny effort it goes way more than you want it to - so keeping up low speeds REALLY hurts your feet

>>28524159 (OP)
Depends on the car. Out of the new cars I've driven, Cadillac, Lincoln, Audi, and Subaru have extremely reactive braking, which I hate. On the other end, Mazda, Nissan, Honda (specifically 22 Si), and Dodge all seem to have a good gradual brake feel.

OE brakes tend to be grabby, it's cheaper than making something with a deceleration gradient and that improves their profit margins. Aftermarket pads will usually solve this

>>28526779
My brakes aren't grabby but I do wish there was a BIT more stopping force - esp in the rain and bad weather. Would aftermarket pads help with that?

>>28526780
Better tyres, idk if they make sintered pads for cars. Much less passenger cars.

>>28524159 (OP)
It's a new car thing.
New cars have stupidly touchy brakes.
Idk why they overboost brake pedals on new cars

>>28526780
Your breaks can already lock your wheels, you need better tires, not better breaks

>>28524159 (OP)
>Is this a thing with all newer cars?
No, terrible thread. Also all subaru SUVs drive awful compare to sedans.

>>28524159 (OP)
My first and only car for 11 years was a carbureted 80s Datsun with no power steering and mechanical everything. It ruined cars for me because nothing newer compares to the raw feel of driving that car.
The brake thing you brought up is an issue for me as well because that car had a perfect amount of travel in the brake pedal for me to do good heel-toe shifting and no car since has let me do it comfortably.

I feel like for at least the past 10 years mfgs have overboosted the brake systems (ie too large a vacuum booster or master cylinder or something) or just use pads made of contact cement because EVERYTHING has that same binary on/off brake feel that makes your seatbelt lock if you so much as send a brainwave that you intend to press the brake, so the difference between nothing and abs coming on is a literal millimeter of pedal travel.