Personal vehicles shouldn't exceed 120 hp, amirite?

I dont think it would have a significant impact on accidents or street racing, you can have a lot of fun in a 120HP car.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Ebay turbo and 300% power gains = blown motor before you get outta the driveway.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

There's plenty of clapped out civics driving around perfectly fine.

by Montehuel 2 days ago

Perfectly fine feels like a stretch.

by Michel25 2 days ago

I had a gutted civic hatch that I slapped an ebay turbo on and that thing would SCOOT

by Gerholdcaesar 2 days ago

Some of the craziest stuff I ever did in a car was in a Ford Escort.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I want a Crosstrek so bad but God damn it takes a year to hit high way speeds in my area.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Lol I have the 2.5 and honestly it's not bad if you love somewhere flat which I do. It's honestly an amazing lil car. I've took it on some trails I had absolutely no right being on and it handled it like an absolute champion.

by Diligent_Mouse_8857 2 days ago

Yah, I test drove the 2.5 and it wasn't terrible. Much, much better than base lol. But I'd love if the 2.5 was manual, rather than cvt. I have a 2.0T accord, so I have zip zip juice currently. But the paint on it is a nightmare and frustrating with how bad it's peeling and they say I'm not covered by the recall that matches my issue. (Hence why I often take a look at what's out there. Lol)

by Anonymous 2 days ago

The 2.5 is peppy; the 2.0 is anemic

by Anonymous 2 days ago

My Corolla has 169 HP, it is certainly no high performance car

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Part of that is the AWD, horsepower doesn't go as far when it's going to four wheels at once But still you've got a good point

by Anonymous 2 days ago

in the 80s that would've been considered quick. we base our expectations on what is possible, not what's necessary. people will always want more hp.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

CVT? We had the 1.6... jeezus

by Anonymous 2 days ago

It's a cvt and 2.5 engine. It's really not that bad but I am not winning any races lol

by Diligent_Mouse_8857 2 days ago

So I guess I'm just not allowed to tow my boat?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

OP merges onto the highway at 40 mph.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

OP is the guy in the Chevy trax that thinks they're driving safe but is actually a danger to everyone behind him

by Anonymous 2 days ago

That's generous they do it at 20

by Spare_Lime2715 2 days ago

That's being generous

by Fair-Apartment 2 days ago

Where does torque come from?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Wtf is a lb ft

by Kuphalgillian 2 days ago

Or drive up a mountain lol. I remember trying to drive a 130 HP Corolla up a hill, with 4 people inside and 2 kayaks on the roof. Couldn't go more than 35 mph with my foot to the floor.

by LongjumpingTree1288 2 days ago

Driving at altitude is so wild. Like, thats it? Thats all the power I get?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I was discussing hp loss with a friend from Colorado Springs and at that altitude you lose 30% of your hp

by SeriesAccording2885 1 day ago

My truck runs like garbage as soon as I get into the mountains on I-70. I guess I'm used to how it runs in the foot hills but that extra altitude is a killer.

by gaythompson 1 day ago

That's what turbos are for!

by macey44 1 day ago

Or my mom's 2001 vw beetle best it could do with only me in the car was like 40 up a hill with a speed limit of 55 It is also 90 hp but still

by Marilouosinski 1 day ago

I have same car. Even with just me in it the hills can be brutal.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Or my trailer for camping.

by Extension-Try 1 day ago

Get a unimog. 150hp and it will pull your house along with your boat all day long.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Torque and power aren't unrelated. Towing 5000kg up a 10% slope at 60mph requires a certain energy/time by physics.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Would have to put a Governor on it to limit it to 120 hp though.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I used to have a 64hp 2l diesel. Could have towed anything.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

You'll be able to tow the boat because OP is going to restrict that to 20HP! lol

by Anonymous 1 day ago

How would you tow stuff? Like a caravan.

by Away_Hat7848 1 day ago

Maybe a caravan or towing large loads should be rated as a different classification of vehicle. It's always amazed me that some 16 year old can get their license driving a Toyota Corolla and then the next day start driving a 40+ foot motorhome that weighs 26,000 pounds. I don't have issue with people owning or driving motorhomes and large trailers but perhaps extra testing is needed to ensure that they actually know how to handle a large vehicle.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

And kids with zero real world experience.

by Slow_Presence 1 day ago

And people that cant afford or who have never tried things and have no idea what theyre talking about.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I mean it's kinda one of the central themes of the website.

by No_Interaction2804 1 day ago

That would arguably make things more dangerous. If you're driving a larger car, that weighs a lot, how on earth are you supposed to merge onto the highway with 120hp?

by Anonymous 1 day ago

No, we should require people to take longer courses for licensure and have stricter penalties for on road violations.

by InvestigatorOne 1 day ago

You think people can't crash a 120 hp car? HP is not the common denominator you think it is. You'd have better luck with speed governors of say 120 kph

by gottliebkelli 1 day ago

I wonder what OP will think of next once they realize a bicycle can also exceed the speed limit.

by gottliebkelli 1 day ago

Eww. My motorcycle has more than that.

by haleylacey 1 day ago

Well, this is definitely unpopular, because you can have my 400+hp Mustang when you rip it from my cold, dead hands. What else can I get to compensate for my tiny penis?

by PrideInside9992 1 day ago

You can still run over pedestrians at 120hp, but it's probably not as fun.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Won't make it as far into the crowd with a measly 120hp.

by No_Awareness 1 day ago

Me in my Crosstrek with 195 ho struggling to merge lol

by Diligent_Mouse_8857 1 day ago

I'm a 40-something dude with a 395 HP truck so that I can calmly bring my boat to and from the river.

by claire30 1 day ago

Tell me how I am going to tow 30,000lbs at highway speeds on long inclines with a <120hp engine.

by BraveKey 1 day ago

A cummins 4BT, absolutely howling is about the best chance you have here. Good luck

by ToothPotential 1 day ago

That engine is designed for half that weight

by BraveKey 1 day ago

You think illegal street racers will care about a hp mandate?

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Kei trucks for all

by Anonymous 1 day ago

My truck is 157 and some days I feel like pushing it would be faster lol

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Out of curiosity are you American? All cars in general are bigger here and most weigh a ton with all the electronics. 120 hp on a 4000 lb sedan would give you a nice and fast 20 second 0-60. And yes there absolutely is a need for bigger vehicles. America is a very large place. People need to drive here. Imagine throwing a family of 5 in a Fiat traveling for vacation. If you're driving a car like an MX5, it makes sense. But a 120 hp SUV would be completely inefficient. What we need is limiters. The highest speed limit in the United States is 85mph. You want safety? Program the cars so they can't go faster than that. This is coming from someone who has a 526hp Shelby parked in his garage.

by Montehuel 1 day ago

Disagreed. The engine on my car made 148, it was a hatchback, and it struggled with ordinary highway driving.

by Winfieldwunsch 1 day ago

I like the way the argument is "People aren't following the laws, so let's make more laws!"

by claire30 1 day ago

That would cause terrible gas mileage and just shows how little you actually know

by Fuzzy-Cellist 1 day ago

Yes. Let's put a 25k pound trailer behind a 120hp pickup that also weighs 6000 lbs. You will be going up hills at single digit speeds. My 300hp truck struggles with hills as it is. This is not unpopular as much as uninformed.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Nah, when I have over 1000 lbs in my bed I need at least 150 hp to even get up to 60 in less than 10 seconds

by Economy-Text6325 1 day ago

Try merging onto a highway with a 115 hp Honda Fit and tell me how safe it feels.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I think all personal vehicles should have a speed governor that maxes them out at like 90-95mph.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

laughs in german

by aturner 1 day ago

One my motorcycles has 150hp and I've driven bikes with less power just as quickly they just didn't accelerate as quickly,governing vehicles would have more of an impact in my opinion even though I still wouldn't agree with that.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I always say you should start with whatever you want, but if you get pulled over for speeding or racing or otherwise being dangerous then you get demoted to a small, slow car.

by Sudden_Scientist 1 day ago

I got a visual of racing in Mario kart at 50cc

by Anonymous 1 day ago

The problem isn't speed or horsepower. It's decision making. Every day I see many people (10+) texting and driving. Then add in cutting people off, tail gating, being unaware of their surroundings, etc and the problems become clear. Street racers are probably better drivers than average. Limiting HP won't help reduce accidents much if at all. We need to teach people to take driving seriously. It's a problem of ignorance and complacency, not going too fast.

by murphyeloisa 1 day ago

A Toyota Corolla wouldn't even make it on the list

by Enoch11 1 day ago

Bro has never had to pass a line of RVs on a country road

by Anonymous 1 day ago

This is just dumb. There are many reasons to have more than 120. Hell mini vans are pretty heavy by themselves then throw in potentially 5 or 6 people and you will be screwed trying to merge onto highways. Also when a car is running at near max capacity it wears everything out faster. A horse power limit is a dumb. If you wanted to say a speed restrictor then maybe at least that has genuine benefits

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I drive an 86hp 3300lb car. It's dangerous. I won't even let my kids drive it, pulling out requires pre planning and an excellent sense of timing.

by CricketLeading2247 1 day ago

Most people do not need such cars Let's just pretend this is true for a minute. Do you think we should ban anything that isnt strictly necessary?

by Pleasant-Switch 1 day ago

Well goodbye EVs! Even a Nissan Leaf has 147hp

by Anonymous 1 day ago

OP is definitely the guy going 15 under in the passing lane

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Neither of my cars have under 120 and I'd never buy anything that low, other than a motorcycle where thats pretty good for them.

by Emotional-Rub 1 day ago

Aside from all of the tangible / functional problems with only having 120hp, suddenly restricting vehicles to this would be an economic disaster, because there are millions of jobs across the world that rely on people being able to purchase high powered vehicles. The economic viability of Formula 1 would be in question, as most of the sponsors would lose the incentive to sponsor a racing team when they can't sell high powered vehicles to consumers.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Going after HP is a weird take when there's weight and height right there. Heavy vehicles are significantly more dangerous for whatever they happen to hit and excessive height often creates excessive blind spots. Lighter vehicles would damage the streets less, require less maintenance, use less fuel, be cheaper to make, easier to park, etc...

by Apart-Discount-9298 1 day ago

Yes people love having more restrictions placed on the things they own lol very unpopular opinion indeed homeslice

by LongjumpingBadger 1 day ago

What if you live near the mountains where there is a lot of snow? Actually, what if you use your car for anything except driving to the nearest store and try to do something useful with it?

by Stunning_Car 1 day ago

Ah yes. Dangerous minivan street racing clubs must be shut down.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I'm on board with the sentiment, but why not just say " why make cars that go more than 80 mph"? Horsepower doesn't equate to speed. A Cummins diesel in a pickup isn't a race car, it's meant to carry loads and haul trailers.

by Intelligent_Side 1 day ago

Bro just wants everyone else to slow down so that his kei car can compete.

by Ok_Attitude 1 day ago

Lmao what a dog water opinion based on no data from actual reality. It's the moms in full size SUVs that are the largest contributor to the increasing rate of lethal accidents on the road, not people in 150hp Honda civics

by Optimal-Sherbert 1 day ago

Damn, my 240k Ford Ranger has 138.

by gibsonryann 1 day ago

Tailgating, distracted driving, and impaired driving cause the majority of accidents. Let's work on those instead.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I disagree. More powerful cars can be safer when accelerating to join a motorway. You'll already be at motorway speed and not doing 50 mph with a HGV coming up behind you. More powerful cars are safer for overtaking too as you'd spend less time overtaking on the wrong side of the road. And a car only does what you tell it to. It's as safe as the driver. If a car crashes, its usually the drivers fault and not the car engine. Bad drivers will still be bad drivers in a 75 bhp yellow Fiat Cinquecento with a red door.

by ernie50 1 day ago

So, the sentiment is understandable, the application is terrible. As others have pointed out, reducing engine power isn't the way to go. That power is needed for things like towing and acceleration. Also, as safety features have increased, so have car weights, so more power is needed just to move the damn thing. There are such things as speed governors, that cap the speed a car is able to travel. They have been advocated by various safety groups for many years, and bringing them up in a conversation with car enthusiasts will get you flayed alive. That's the idea you're looking for, OP.

by Zprosacco 1 day ago

120hp isn't even enough for a bike

by InformationLast 1 day ago

Most people handle them just fine. Humans are pretty damned good at avoiding traffic accidents. We're not perfect, but pretty damned good.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

lets put you in a half ton truck with 120 hp and go haul around some stuff or merge on the interstate. Its dangerous not having enough power you cannot get out of the way of stuff. I drive a van often that has 131 horsepower and its terrible and noisy

by Acceptable-Tap7227 1 day ago

My son uses a power wheelchair that weighs 400 lbs. We're just supposed to transport that in a Hyundai Accent?

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Remember when the Japanese tried that? And all the manufacturers made suspiciously overbuilt engines for the HP they were expected to output?

by Anonymous 1 day ago

lol no

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Give me 200hp because American roads are scary with less. If everyone else had smaller cars it would be fine. I miss my little JDM 80hp Pajero it was a perfect daily but I sold it because I felt unsafe with others around me in giant heavy fast hunks of metal and plastic.

by alphonsowisoky 1 day ago

My dangerously-slow Jeep Cherokee has 190. I shudder to think of what it would be like with 120.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

So do city dwellers just forget that there is more to the world outside of their concrete jungle?

by Anonymous 1 day ago

If you are going to set an arbitrary limit, make it something reasonable like 300hp. There are a whole bunch of vehicles made now with 500+ hp, which while I think they are cool, and I want them, that type of power is totally unnecessary.

by Ok_Opening2767 1 day ago

How would you enforce this? Not only would you need to regulate auto manufacturers, but also the aftermarket industry. Then, how would you expect law enforcement to determine when a car is over horsepower?

by Anonymous 1 day ago

120 HP works fine for my little Accent but that's because it only weighs like 2300lbs You couldn't even climb a hill on 120 in a bigger car

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I'm supposed to haul my 5000lb trailer which we use for work occasionally with 120hp?

by Ok_Algae 1 day ago

90% chance OP has never driven a car before.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

My guess is OP owns a 49cc Vespa and lives in a small European village that has roads the width of two horse asses

by Anonymous 1 day ago

If cars were limited to 120 hp they'd need to be lighter and more space efficient and aerodynamic and use less resources and would end up safer all around for everyone which are all very good ideas. Second tier license for folks who want big vehicles that use more resources and present a bigger risk to everyone else.

by Top-Adagio 1 day ago

Counterpoints: Most crashes happen in cities at slower speeds most crashes are the result of drivers not paying attention, not excessive speed you would prevent more crashes by disabling cell phones for drivers

by kendrickmertz 1 day ago

A decade ago I made a speech in philosophy class arguing that this mindset is the death of society … if we only prescriptively have what we "need" decided by someone else we live a bleak existence indeed

by Anonymous 1 day ago

It should be 90mph. Thats the real unpopular opinion.

by Disastrous-One 1 day ago

My truck is 400hp but would lose a race with a honda civic, because its heavy (10k lbs). Power to weight ratio is what matters.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

We don't need you either, OP. Yet, here you are.

by Soggy_Web4655 1 day ago

Damn that's a horrific take never go into law please

by stromangreg 1 day ago

What a horrible take, lol.

by First-Educator 1 day ago

You know you can race anything, regardless of hp? And that hp on it's own is meaningless unless you take the weight and the design of the vehicle into account? Besides, snap oversteer to which you are actually referring to, is much more prevalent in RWD cars. If snap oversteer is your primary concern, you are far better off banning RWD cars. That said, I'd rather you didn't do that though, as that's how my current car is configured :p

by Anonymous 1 day ago

It's called freedom and you should probably go kick rocks if you think this way

by Old_Description 1 day ago

These are rookie numbers. Clearly op just decided to make up silliness for clickbait.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

So my motorcycle can still have 120hp tho right?

by Anonymous 23 hours ago

Really? How many accidents are caused by having more hp? Or are you assuming it's a factor?

by Anonymous 23 hours ago

The Mazda Miata in 1990 only had 86 horsepower. More horsepower is necessary to properly more a heavier vehicle.

by Anonymous 23 hours ago

300ish HP allows good highway merging due to being able to get up to speed at times. Also allows you to accelerate away from possible accidents. This is just a brain dead take from someone that doesnt understand cars.

by Anonymous 22 hours ago

Makes no sense. You can go fast in a slow car.

by PhysicalPerformer 22 hours ago

You have never pulled a trailer or hauled equipment have you?

by jaqueline02 21 hours ago

I have 119hp, we get to 65 eventually

by abrahamgerhold 21 hours ago

99.5% of cars in India qualify for your requirement. The exceptions are luxury/expensive cars, but they sell so low volume that it doesnt count. The few cars that have higher horsepower also have higher weight, thus negating any extra acceleration. Almost all cars here do 0-100kmph in 9-12seconds. And I think you are better off mentioning the acceleration rather than raw horsepower, because a 8 seater have to have more power.

by ryleighkertzman 21 hours ago

Allow me to disagree. The problem never is the car but the driver.

by Anonymous 21 hours ago

Another opinion that isn't unpopular so much as completely illogical and only looks at a single measure of engine power. Your opinion would essentially eliminate all suvs and trucks on the road today.

by carrolljanelle 20 hours ago

It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than to drive a fast car slow.

by Hot-Record 20 hours ago

120hp? Lets just give up on going up hills shall we? Try going up a hill in a large vehicle with 7 occupants and luggage in a 120hp car. You'll have to ask 6 of them to get out and push.

by aliya97 20 hours ago

This is just idiocy. I suppose it's an opinion but it's so unfounded in la-la land that it doesn't count. Op is legitimately just stupid

by Anonymous 20 hours ago

I absolutely need my V8 530bhp beast, thank you very much!

by Anonymous 19 hours ago