9 Modern Car Features We All Hate - Unhaggle

Posted by | September 03, 2015 | Commentary, Trends | No Comments

There’s no denying that the cars of yesteryear had their problems, but when it comes to features those old timers had a pretty good grasp on what they were doing! Modern cars may be safer and better-looking (depending on who you talk to), but not all of their updates have been welcomed with open arms. Sorry modern manufacturers! Here’s nine modern car features we all totally hate:

1. Packages Instead of Feature Options

Want soft leather seats, but no sunroof? A manual transmission, but on something other than the V6 base model? When it comes to buying a modern car there’s no such thing as separate feature options – everything comes fully and substitutions don’t exist. So, in theory, car buyers get to choose how to outfit their ride (but in reality, those choices still have to fit into the boxes provided by manufacturers).

2. Touchscreens

There are some drivers that love the idea of a high-tech touchscreen control panel, but most gripe about how distracting and complicated they are to use while behind the wheel. The buttons and knobs of the past allowed a driver to feel changes being made in volume and temperature so that focus was kept on the road instead of the screen.

3. The Electric Handbrake

Oh the electric handbrake, sorry, but there is just zero love for you! Most modern cars have been given the handbrake update that provides a button instead of the traditional lever. The old feature was a one-two punch – pull it up and it’s on, release it down and it’s off. An electric handbrake requires messing with the brakes and clutch AND the response time on turning the thing off is much longer.

4. Low Roof Lines

Manufacturers are all about making cars look sporty, sexy and sleek, but unfortunately those updates have resulted in lower roof lines which affect visibility. There’s nothing worse (or more dangerous) than stopping in front of traffic lights and having to physically bend down in order to see them properly!

5. LED Strip Headlights

Some refer to them as “headlight mascara” while others just call them plain ugly. The LED lights were first introduced on only a few luxury makes (including the Audi), but soon after the strip’s debut, auto manufacturers around the world started adding the feature to their models’ headlights.

6. A Sound for Everything!

The door is open: bing! The lights are on: bing! The key is in the ignition: bing! Modern cars have a sound for literally EVERYTHING and sometimes it can drive a person crazy. The “bing” and “bong” sounds were introduced as little reminders, but there are so many of them now that they’ve gone past helpful and straight into super annoying.

7. What’s with the Weight?

New cars might have a sleeker look, but that hasn’t stopped them from being bulkier! The weight is due to the amount of safety features that are packed into modern cars (which is a good thing), but for drivers that like a lighter ride the heavier weight isn’t at all appealing.

8. Simulated Engine Noise

Believe it or not, there are a few modern cars that pump sounds of an exhaust into the cabin speakers – and those sounds are completely faked. A “genius” design idea meant to fill drivers with glee about their car purchases, synthetic engine noises have become a bit of a joke in the auto community. Sorry modern car manufacturers, you tried, but this one is a fail.

9. All the ELECTRONICS

Remember when fixing a car didn’t require tinkering with one million electronic pieces to find the root issue? Or when the centre console didn’t offer 90 slides of infotainment? Well, those days are gone because modern cars are just that – modern. And with modern anything comes electronic everything. The jury is still out on whether they like that or not!

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About Taylor Marsden

Taylor is an Unhaggle blogger. From finding answers to the car questions you thought were too silly to ask to breaking down the latest happenings in the auto industry, her posts have got you covered! When not writing, she’s dreaming about how she’d look behind the wheel of a 1964 Mustang Convertible (in cherry red, please). But if that’s too much to ask for, she’ll happily take a Tesla Roadster. You can guess the colour.

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