Cars.com Experts List the Top 10 Most Annoying Car Features

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Mar 24, 2015, 06:00 ET

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.

SOURCE Cars.com