Back in the 1990s, if you wanted a CD changer in a car it would have to be in the glove compartment or even the trunk. Then in 2000 someone figured out how to fit a six-disc changer in a standard-sized head unit, and in-dash changers became a popular feature. Well, in Asian and domestic cars at least; the Germans never saw… More →
Category: Car Features
Car Features
Two things car owners often complain about
For just about any car, if you visit forums you’ll find complaints about two things: The tires The audio system Most recently, I’ve found claims that the optional Harman/Kardon system in the Mercedes-Benz GL 450 doesn’t sound nearly as good as the Bose systems in some competing vehicles. And complaints that the Bose system in the Infiniti M. A common catchphrase… More →
What makes a car “loaded” these days?
An insightful blog entry over at Autosavant.net asks, “What makes a car ‘Loaded?’” I was just thinking the other day that only a small minority of cars had power windows back when I was growing up in the 1970s, and many cars lacked air conditioning. These days it’s hard to find a car without power windows, power locks, cruise control,… More →
Fold-flat front passenger seat: every vehicle with a hatch should have one
My wife keeps buying books, so every once in a while I must buy another 84×30-inch bookcase. The last time around I avoiding paying delivery by taking her car. Which happens to be a Chrysler PT Cruiser. The store employees took one look at the car and suggested that I’d better pony up for delivery. No way a seven-foot bookcase… More →
A nation of torque junkies
Back in the Golden Age of Detroit, owners of imported sports cars viewed the drivers of big block domestic “muscle cars” as unintelligent unsophisticated knuckledraggers. After all, true connoisseurs of the automobile knew that the real joys were in skillfully working the pedals, shifter, and steering, not in being able to deprive one’s frontal lobe of oxygen through the simple act of putting one’s… More →
Third row functionality and the appeal of capability
An increasing number of vehicles are available with a third row of seats. Some reviewers, myself included, often evaluate these vehicles based on the suitability of their third row seating for adults. And mahy car buyers will make the same evaluation. Should you? When I take a step back to think about this question, it becomes clear that the answer is… More →
Another feature I’d like to see in more cars: head-up display (HUD)
Back in 1990 General Motors started offering a head-up display (HUD) in the Pontiac Grand Prix, and within a few years the feature was available in a number of its products. Though other automakers including BMW have started offering the feature in recent years, for the most part the world has yet to take notice. I’d personally like to see HUDs… More →
Floormats and bodyside moldings
On an increasingly large number of cars, bodyside moldings are becoming optional, or ceasing to be available at all. The reasons: clean bodysides are in fashion at the moment, and it saves a few dollars.
Another nail in the coffin of the manual transmission?
The percentage of cars bought with a manual transmission has been declining for decades. The United States led the world in the shift to slushboxes, but the world has been following, and over half of all cars worldwide are now built with automatics. In the United States, most models aren’t even offered with a manual anymore, and even when a… More →
2008’s many new infotainment features: the implication for depreciation
The 2008 models are starting to arrive. I’ve driven two so far–the Dodge Avenger and the Ford Escape–and just uploaded pricing for these and five other early 2008s. The big news is that infotainment systems are gaining many new features. Satellite radio is a few years old now. OnStar is even older. Navigation and Bluetooth are now available in cars the… More →