CHICAGO, March 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Experts at
Cars.com, the premier online resource for car shopping, have listed
the top 10 most annoying features that can be found in today's
cars. The list focuses on a range of features that Cars.com experts
have deemed the most frustrating, annoying and unnecessary to help
shoppers know what features they might want to consider
avoiding.
"Every year, we test hundreds of new cars on all types of roads
and in all kinds of weather," said Dave
Thomas, Cars.com Managing Editor. "During that time we form
meaningful opinions and impressions of each car that influences the
reviews we write on Cars.com. We also have the opportunity to
evaluate the latest car features, not all of which are necessary or
practical. Over time, we've developed some serious frustration with
certain features, even those you might not expect."
The top 10 most annoying car features are:
- Touch-Sensitive Controls—Without an actual button to
press, it makes changing the radio station or temperature
cumbersome and even dangerous because it can require taking your
eyes off the road to tell which button is which.
- Touch-Screen-Dependent Controls—When a car requires you
to use the touchscreen to control simple functions like adjusting
the air conditioning it can overcomplicate things. Not all
touchscreens are poorly executed, but those that turn simple tasks
into a multistep process can be quite frustrating.
- Stereo Tuning Buttons Instead of Knobs—Nothing makes
tuning through stations easier and quicker than a simple knob.
Using buttons would be fine if it didn't mean a single push only
gets you from 101.1 to 101.2. Buttons that are as easy to use as
the old fashion knob would be the perfect resolution.
- Navigation Systems That Lock Out Passengers—In an age of
driver distraction, this makes sense, but what about your helpful
passenger who wants to use the navigation system?
- Giant Key Fobs—We love the transition from traditional
keys to fobs that can electronically start the car, however there's
just no excuse for a giant fob that bulges out of your pocket.
- Square Cupholders—Square shaped bottles are few and far
between, so there's just no good reason for automakers to be
forgoing the traditional round cup holder.
- Auto Stop-Start—No one can complain about saving gas,
but this technology, when executed poorly, can create a truly
annoying driving experience, especially when you're looking for a
quick acceleration off a stop light.
- Voice-Controlled Systems—The concept is great, but these
systems have proven to be largely incapable of understanding what
you're saying, making the experience frustrating and usually not
worthwhile.
- Car Alarms—They serve a specific purpose; they're
intended to shoo away car thieves. However, in today's world, most
people tune out these blaring sirens assuming that the car alarm is
malfunctioning.
- Small Side Mirrors—Not only are these annoying, but they
can be plain old dangerous. They leave you having to rely on the
over-the-shoulder glance.
"Today's cars are better and packed with more features than ever
before," said Thomas. "We might be a little nitpicky, but there's
always room for improvement. When buying a new car, shoppers should
consider which features are a must have, which are a nice-to-have,
and which might end up being frustrating in the long-run."
For more details on this top 10, or the latest car news, visit
www.cars.com/news.
ABOUT CARS.COM
Launched in 1998 and owned by Gannett Co. (NYSE: GCI), Cars.com
is an award-recognized online destination for car shoppers that
offers information from experts and consumers to help buyers
formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay
for a car. With over 30 million monthly visits to its web
properties, Cars.com offers thousands of new and used vehicle
listings, expert and consumer reviews, side-by-side comparison and
build and price tools, photo galleries, videos, unbiased editorial
content and many other resources. Cars.com puts millions of car
buyers in control of their shopping process with the information
they need to make stress-free buying decisions.
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SOURCE Cars.com