Are you listening, Hyundai Genesis? Cadillac CTS? Pontiac G8? Subaru WRX STI, and every other Subaru I've driven lately?
This is how you do a dead pedal.
The angle: pleasantly upright, similar to the angle of the throttle (CTS, G8, Genesis all fail on this front).
The depth: on the same plane as the throttle, so I don't feel like my left leg's out straight and my right leg's bent (CTS: epic fail).
The height: ample even for my size-12 sneaker (or "Al Austria," as I affectionately call it; don't ask), with no Subaru-style lumps on top to prevent me from resting my foot flat on the pedal.
Result: I feel like I'm in the ready position on a basketball court. Balanced, stable, confident, comfortable. The dead pedal may seem like a minor feature, but it really makes a difference when they get it right.
Oh, and don't tell me the Jetta has an advantage over the STI because there are only two other pedals down there. Our '05 Jetta TDI has the same number of pedals as the STI, and its footrest is just as good as the '09's.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @11,991 miles
zcalvert says:
02:34 PM, 03/20/09
I agree... same setup as the GTI (minus the pretty but crappy-in-the-rain metal/rubber pedal covers).
Bonus points for a bottom-hinged accelerator; a major plus in my opinion, perhaps not a big deal for most people.
g8gtnorth says:
02:44 PM, 03/20/09
I guess it takes all sorts.
I was thinking about this stuff driving yesterday and I decided I rather liked the angle on the G8's dead pedal. Then again I sit farther back than most people and I angle the front of the seat up; the dead pedal gives me just enough support without being obtrusive, when I even use it.
dalaw says:
02:44 AM, 03/21/09
The worst footrest I'd experienced was a rented Chevy HHR. It was angled close to 90 degree with the floor and seat height was very high, causing extreme angles to my ankle.
billybobbovine says:
07:58 PM, 03/21/09
I heart my bottom hinged loud pedal
cwmoo740 says:
09:36 PM, 03/21/09
Those are the exact same shoes I have. Except two sizes too small. By the way, it looks remarkably like a Honda dead pedal. Perfect. How does the one in the fit stack up?
1487 says:
05:45 AM, 03/22/09
do people really use the dead pedal that much? I surely dont and rarely pay attention to it in any car. I most certainly would not buy a car because of the placement of the dead pedal.
crowb says:
08:05 AM, 03/23/09
"do people really use the dead pedal that much?"
Everytime I drive my car. And a good dead pedal is something you appreciate when you have it.
"I most certainly would not buy a car because of the placement of the dead pedal."
Me neither, but it is a valid area of ergonomic observation.
Path_Tech says:
08:44 PM, 03/25/09
You know, I've only had my car for under two weeks but after reading this article I (tried to not think of it during driving) checked the location of my left foot and found it on the "dead pedal". Volkswagen has tapped into my sub-concious!!!!!