Handling, communication is the key.
Some good handling cars do not actually grip that well but you can find the limit and know how far you can take it. Some cars have massive grip but you cannot go anywhere near it due to lack of communication.
Most cars these days do not communicate. This is why the Toybaru is so liked.
My current car is not a good handler but is not bad, it does communicate. Sits on 2 heavy live axles, permanent 4WD, big heavy Diesel, understeers if you are too fast into a corner and surprisingly oversteers if you boot it in a corner, but from a standstill tries to spin a front wheel which the TC controls. But basically even though it has enough grip, and reasonable suspension you would not choose it for twisty road driving, but despite that it is still fun, (and startles boring cars), because I can tell what it is doing so I have confidence that I am not about to slide off into a hedge.
Others by the same manufacturer vary from big upright sports car, to slow and ponderous and not sure what lane it wants to be in, via 2CV levels of roll.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
