How much horsepower does a car generally need to feel the push-back sensation during acceleration?
2 Answers
Acceleration is more about torque than power. Generally, a car with torque reaching 200 Nm will have a noticeable push-back sensation during acceleration. Here is some related information about car power: 1. Engine power: In the automotive field, the engine is the largest power-generating machine. The power of the engine is calculated from torque, and the formula is quite simple: Power (W) = 2π × Torque (Nm) × Speed (rpm) / 60, which can be simplified to: Power (W) = Torque (Nm) × Speed (rpm) / 9.549. 2. Horsepower: The imperial horsepower (hp) is defined as: a horse pulling a 200 lb (lb) object 165 feet (ft) in one minute, multiplied to equal 33,000 lb-ft/min; while the metric horsepower (PS) is defined as a horse pulling a 75 kg object 60 meters in one minute, multiplied to equal 4500 kg.g.m/min.
Having driven for over a decade, I've realized that the feeling of being pushed back into the seat isn't just about horsepower. Vehicle weight plays a crucial role—a 200-horsepower sports car delivers much stronger acceleration than an SUV with the same power. Automatic and manual transmissions also differ; cars with sluggish gearbox responses feel weak even with high horsepower. My current 2.0T family sedan, with 190 horsepower, pins me to the seat in sport mode when I floor the throttle. In contrast, my friend's old muscle car, despite having 300 horsepower, feels less punchy due to its heavy weight. Temperature matters too—acceleration noticeably suffers when the AC is on in summer. If the tires lack grip, extra horsepower just leads to wheel spin. Ultimately, sedans with over 200 horsepower can deliver decent push-back sensation, but keeping the weight under 1.5 tons yields the best results.
