Worst New Car Features

Buying a new car often involves the temptation to opt for extra luxury features. There are so many different new car options and features available today. Some are genuinely helpful, some are not so helpful. Some are also very expensive. Do you really need them? With new car prices already being high, make sure to choose wisely.

Here is a list of what we consider some of the worst available new car features:

1. 1. Self Parking: The self parking feature is an optional addition with the Lexus LS Sedan. It provides computerized assistance for parallel parking. The driver still controls the brake pedal but the cars computer takes over the steering using the power steering system in order to slide perfectly into the empty parking space. Parallel parking may be nerve racking for some people but trusting your cars computer to take control of the steering wheel seems even more nerve racking.



2. iDrive: iDrive is an LCD interface panel on the dashboard that allows the driver or front seat passenger to control the cars secondary systems from one location. For example, the heater, air conditioner, music, navigation, etc. It was designed to replace all of the usual knobs and buttons and have all of the controls in one place. It was meant to make things easier but many people have criticized it for being confusing and not safe to use while driving.



3. Air Conditioned Drink Compartment: This uses cool air diverted from the air conditioning system to keep drinks cool. It only works when the car is running, so it would only be useful for long drives in the summer time. One possible issue is that if the drinks are left in the compartment when it’s turned off, in the summer, they would then get really hot and a canned drink could even combust.


4. Heart Monitor: Volvo offers a system that tells you if someone is in your car when it’s supposed to be empty. It has a sensor that detects heartbeats and alerts your wireless key fob when it detects a heartbeat in the car. It’s creepy, and how often is that really going to come in handy? Unless you live in a really bad neighborhood I wouldn’t bother with this one.



5. Rain Sensing Wipers: These are windshield wipers that can sense rain. They have sensors to detect moisture and can change speeds automatically to adjust to the amount of rain. They aren’t always reliable and could be startling to the driver if they go off unexpectedly. How hard is it to turn the wipers on and off yourself anyway?



6. Turn by Turn Voice Navigation: This provides the driver with verbal directions, including when and where to turn. The pronunciation of street names can sometimes be too mechanical and hard to understand. Some people don’t like to have a strangers voice barking at them either. Thankfully there are lots of choices when it comes to navigation systems, instead of voice navigation you can just have a visual screen guide.

When pricing a new car, consider how much the extra features you want are adding to the overall price of the car. Also look into the possibility that you could buy some of the gadgets separately at a better price. For example a portable navigation system may be less expensive than a built in one.