Here's a breakdown:
* Soft ride: This refers to a ride that feels smooth and comfortable, absorbing bumps and imperfections in the road well. It's often associated with a more relaxed and luxurious driving experience.
* Harsh ride: This refers to a ride that feels stiff and uncomfortable, transmitting bumps and imperfections directly to the passengers. It can be jarring and tiring on longer drives.
Ride quality encompasses both the softness and harshness of a vehicle's ride, as well as other factors like:
* Body roll: How much the vehicle leans in corners.
* Suspension travel: How much the suspension can move up and down.
* Damping: How quickly the suspension returns to its resting position.
* Noise and vibration: How much noise and vibration are transmitted to the cabin.
So, while "softness" and "harshness" are important aspects of ride quality, they are not the only factors that determine it.