The 5 worst new-car features of 2013
Member's, what features do your like or not ?

<cite class="byline vcard">By Bengt Halvorson | High Gear Media – <abbr title="2013-09-05T18:48:44Z">Thu, Sep 5, 2013 </abbr></cite><!-- yog-5u -->

<meta content="2013-09-05T18:48:44Z" itemprop="datePublished"> <meta content="High Gear Media" itemprop="provider"> <meta content="The 5 worst new-car features of 2013" itemprop="headline"> <meta content="Bengt Halvorson" itemprop="author"> <meta content="For better or worse, automakers and suppliers are getting inventive, pushing some innovative features into new vehicles. Some of them hit the mark, making our time in vehicles easier, safer, or more efficient, while other features leave us asking, “Seriously, why?”" itemprop="description"> <!-- google_ad_section_start -->


MORE AT HIGH GEAR MEDIA

• » Twin-Turbocharged Saleen S7 Turns 2.200+ HP On Dyno: Video
• » Semi-Truck Driver Goes For Jump Record, Winds Up At A Yard Sale: Video
• » August 2013 Car Sales: Summer Ends On A Hot One
• » Will Tesla Alone Double Global Demand For Its Battery Cells?

For better or worse, automakers and suppliers are getting inventive, pushing some innovative features into new vehicles. Some of them hit the mark, making our time in vehicles easier, safer, or more efficient, while other features leave us asking, “Seriously, why?”

Today, convenience items like air conditioning and power windows are almost a given in the market—even on the most inexpensive models. Even in the miserly 2014 Mirage DE, which costs $13,790, Mitsubishi plans to offer automatic climate control.

While singling out features as the 'worst' might be a semantic stretch, it serves to point out that not every feature is a positive, in our opinion. Some are frustrating, distracting, or redundant—and what we’ve done here is merely separate out five features that at least some of our editors think have missed the mark for usefulness.

We’ve tried to include a mix of general and specific features, and as you click through our list—or are out on a test drive—ask yourself this: If a feature feels more like a novelty, you have trouble understanding its net benefit, or it doesn’t necessarily make your driving experience simpler, easier, or better, why bother? [Hint: Yes, we have trouble saying that capacitive 'buttons' are any better than the real thing.]

These are just a few. And of course, let us know which new-car feature you’d rank at the bottom in your comments below.

Foot-operated tailgate releases. Fundamentally, the idea here is great: that you use one of your legs to activate the hatch while you teeter on the other leg. But the reality is that, while loaded up with groceries, you balance on one leg to activate it, then shuffle backward so that the hatch doesn’t hit you as it’s opening. Even after trying this feature in a number of new vehicles that have it, we don’t see it as fully fleshed out. We’d love to see it return, in a way that doesn’t make us feel like we’re courting disaster.


(Photo: Scott Robinson | Flickr)Low-rolling-resistance tires. A number of so-called ‘eco’ or ‘green’ models eke out an extra mile or two per gallon through some focused efficiency improvements. While aerodynamic tweaks and things like grille shutters are effective, impressive solutions, low-rolling resistance tires are often also part of the package. And we’ve found a number of these tires to be noticeably inferior in the wet. Is their seemingly negligible gain in mileage worth the potential loss in safety for an emergency maneuver? These are the kind of face-value tradeoffs that make any safety-conscious shopper shake.

2013 Lincoln MKSCapacitive 'button' replacing buttons. Driven in part by the whims of designers, who want more cleanly styled interiors, automakers have been subbing in smooth capacitive 'buttons'—essentially special sensitized areas along the smooth surface of the instrument panel. Yet based on our experience with these types of controls, they’re simply too unreliable. They don't work in the cold; they get laggy at times; and they inexplicably work better with some people's fingers than with others. The ones in the Toyota Avalon are the best we've used so far, but why not rotary *****? Likewise, capacitive sliders aren’t doing a great job yet in replacing dials and *****. In the words of one of our other editors, “What's the point of losing buttons if you lose total control of the vehicle while trying to mute Mariah Carey?”

2013 Hyundai Santa FeHello and goodbye chimes. Over the past several model years, a number of vehicles (yes, Hyundai and Kia, we’re especially looking at you) have started to include special chimes, or even what sounds like song bits, when you start up and/or shut off the ignition. It’s kind charming the first few times you start up the vehicle, we’ll give them that; but it could get unbearable for years of vehicle ownership. Yes, you can turn down the volume of the jingle, how about having this one default off?



(Photo: James Hamel)Oddly located USB ports. Too many new vehicles offer USB ports for connecting smarphones or charging devices, yet position them in odd, barely useful places such as just ahead of the cupholders. Will you spill your coffee first when your passenger uses their iPhone? Check with Siri on that one, but we think USB ports belong near where you might safely put phones—like in a tray, or inside the center console. <!-- google_ad_section_end -->


<!-- yog-llu -->

<!-- END article --> <style type="text/css">#dmRosAdWrapper-south iframe{width:100%} </style>
<noscript> &lt;iframe id="dmRosAd-1-south" width="630" height="260" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://dmros.ysm.yahoo.com/ros/?c=4f563b90&amp;w=630&amp;h=260&amp;ty=noscript&am p;tv=test&amp;tt=The+5+worst+new-car+features+of+2013+-+Yahoo%21+Autos&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fatt.yahoo.com%2 F"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt; </noscript> <iframe id="dmros-load-iframe" src="about<b></b>:blank" style="display: none;"></iframe>1 - 6 of 30
prevnext

<!--[endif]-->

•  
  • <!--[if lte IE 7]><![endif]-->
    <!--[if lte IE 7]>
    <![endif]-->McLaren P1 beats the heat
    
    
  • <!--[if lte IE 7]><![endif]--><!--[if lte IE 7]>
    
    
    
    
    <![endif]-->5 tire rotation myths explained
  • You already know that tires can lose one pound per square inch every month. Yet did you know that there is a more sinister threat lurking around your tire treads? A wealth of old wives' tales has sprung up around the practice of tire rotation. Here are five myths, debunked.
    1. There is one way only to rotate your tires. In fact, there are at least two appropriate rotation patterns. For a front-wheel drive car (Monte Carlo), move both front wheels to the back, and then put the right rear wheel on the left front position. The left rear wheel goes to the right frontal place. If you drive a rear or four-wheel drive car, move the rear wheels to the front, and install the front left tire at the right rear position. The front right tire finds its new spot at the rear left.
    2. Okay, so there are only two ways to rotate your tires. Wish that this were true. Yet if you put radial tires on your car, you must rotate the same side from the rear to the front. This is due to the 90-degree design of the cord plies. If you drive a classic car, you may still use the bias-ply design. These tires must be rotated across left and right, front and back.
    3. Don't worry about the spare tire. On the contrary! If you have a full-size matching spare tire, put it in the right rear position while the front right tire becomes the new spare (for a front-wheel drive car). If you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the spare becomes the new right rear tire while the left front tire becomes the new spare.
    4. Rotate tires after every oil change. While this is not a bad idea, the Utah State University Cooperative Extension pinpoints the sweet spot for tire rotations at 6,000 to 8,000 miles. A second rotation must take place at 18,000 to 24,000 miles. Of course, if your tread patterns show uneven wear, it is a good idea to do a rotation a bit sooner - preferably after an alignment.
    5. Air tools ensure a snug fit. The experts from Motorweek beg to differ. If you opt for the air impact wrench to reinstall your tires after moving them around, there is a good chance that you end up with a warped brake rotor. The tool to use is the torque wrench. 4-SURE
    Now that you know the difference between tire rotation myths and facts, treat your treads the right way.
    
    
  • <!--[if lte IE 7]><![endif]-->
    <!--[if lte IE 7]>
    <![endif]-->Smart Fourjoy concept
    
    
  • <!--[if lte IE 7]><![endif]-->
    <!--[if lte IE 7]>
    <![endif]-->Drivin' Dirty; Torque.TV
    
    
  • <!--[if lte IE 7]><![endif]-->
    <!--[if lte IE 7]>
    <![endif]-->Off-Road Gymkhana; Torque.TV
    
    
  • <!--[if lte IE 7]><![endif]-->
    <!--[if lte IE 7]>
    <![endif]-->Performance Driving at the CHP Academy
    
    

 

Featured Editorial


Auto shows, news, reviews, and all things Motoramic.

What's New?



See: Motoramic


Derived from GM's Motorama, the word "Motoramic" came from the ad wizards at Chevrolet in 1954 to describe their '55 models. Motoramic—fresh, bold, fast, fun, and just a bit nostalgic—covers the world of cars and the people driven by them.
<!--Presented by--> <!-- blank --> <!--QYZ 1885628551,3699114051,98.139.227.188;;LOGO2;964329 00;1;--><noscript>&lt;img width=1 height=1 alt="" src="http://csc.beap.bc.yahoo.com/yi?bv=1.0.0&amp;bs=(1341jcap8(gid$dzLD3Tk4LjH4fo7i UixYiQJ1MTA3LlIsWnL_7qpY,st$1378638450058717,si$44 07051,sp$96432900,pv$1,v$2.0))&amp;t=J_3-D_3&amp;al=(as$12rjdrk7b,aid$DLOVGmKL4Mw-,bi$1885628551,cr$3699114051,ct$25,at$H,eob$gd1_ma tch_id=-1:ypos=LOGO2)"&gt;</noscript>



Going Green



900 mph Hyperloop


Tesla Motors co-founder Elon Musk revealed the Hyperloop, an elevated, solar-powered train-in-a-tube that could whisk riders at supersonic speeds up to 900 miles per hour.


News to Use



17 worst cars to buy


For those who remember earlier eras, the cars on this "worst" list will seem laughable. But the bar has soared higher with progress, and cars that are otherwise safe and reliable end up among the least desirable to own.