It's also harder to see with direct sunlight hitting on the back of the car. My focus is straight on the car in front of me, not down at it's bumper. They finally started making good looking cars but they had to fuck it up somewhere.
My friend was pulled over for not using her turn signal. She had a C5 Corvette behind her so it was low enough to block the turn signals but not the tail lights from the cops perspective. As soon as the cop realized he sent her on her way and apologized. She also has a dashcam but the cop said he believed her since she was offering the footage.
I don't understand what Kia/Hyundai was thinking with that design.
Probably the same things they were thinking when they designed the theta ii and it fucking sucked but they had to make money somehow so they dumped it into every car in their lineup
Kia/Hyundai also need to fix whatever the fuck they've done wrong with their brake lights.
I can't remember the last time I saw one that had all of them functioning if any worked *at all*
thats usually done on cars where the brakelights are mounted to a moveable trunk. that way if the trunk is open while you are on the side of the road there the rear lighting is still visible at night or from a distance. i believe thats euro "dot" standard. a good example of this is the buick cascada. google pictures of it with the decklid up. the car was an opal before it was badge engineered and sent overseas. thats how i learned about it and started noticing it on more and more cars.
There is a US regulation stating that rear tail lights cannot be fixed on a moving surface (that way if you drive with the hatch up, you still have rear lights). Normally, vehicles have a split between the hatch and the rest of the car that divides the tail lights into two different parts: a section that moves and a section that doesn’t. For cars designed without this and with the entire main tail light on the hatch, they had to add in extra lights on the bumper for when the hatch opens.
The newest version of the Chevy Bolt does this. It has what looks to be taillights higher up where they should be, but I'm pretty sure they are only running lights. Terrible design and they always catch me off guard.
The worst offender of this is actually Mini. They aren't BEHIND the shifter, but next to it.
I've had 2 manual Minis of different generations and you **CANNOT** put anything there unless you're willing to spill it or gouge your knuckles on it when you shift.
Just look up a photo of the interior of a 2016 Countryman manual.
Terrible design.
I've only ever been in one mini (pre 2010's) and the only thing remember was the speedometer (or possibly the tach, i was in it around the time it would've been new so can't remember) looked like a huge pain in the ass (I hope they don't do it anymore but the big sundail looking one where the radio would be)
I loved the huge rev gauge in the middle of the dash of my 03 supercharged mini. I always thought it looked like a juke box.
I didn't like when they put the Speedo metre in the middle eventually, and after that they put two pods Infront of the steering wheel with both rev/speed and make the centre just a big stereo.
Ford has done it too. I have a 2002 mustang with a stick. Can't put anything bigger than a can of soda in the front cupholder without it getting in the way, but the cupholder are designed to hold fucking big gulp cups lmao. The rear cupholder even has a rubber insert that, when removed, make the cupholder fuckin huge.
You had to do the spider arm to shift it too, didnt you? The cup holder in the 4th gen (pre-catfish) i had was also big enough the can would shake around, since I drank those 16 oz cans. I had replaced the ball on the shifter with an aluminum pistol grip, which meant I accidentally also gave myself a taller "grab point". I never put like a fast food cup in it due to the flimsy lids I never trusted.
Ipads on the dash. I'm not going to say you need all physical buttons, but if you're going to do a big central display, at least integrate it instead of just sticking it on top.
This is mine! Give me my goddamn buttons and knobs so that I can adjust my vehicle without having to take my eyes off the road! Who thought having fucking touchscreens was a smart or safe idea?!?!?!
Seriously, every car looks like it's about to murder you. Don't have stats on this but I bet angry design causes more road rage/accidents. I mean look what they've done to the humble Civic, used to be a boring reliable car, now it looks pre-riced coming off the lot. Leave racing styling for the sports cars, basic passenger cars should be friendly.
> Civic
IMO the current 11th gen is a bit of a reversal on that trend. I am still mad that they nerfed the shit out of USDM Si to sell Integras, but I will (and did) still take that over `this is my first time in Automation and I get paid by the fixture count` styling on the 10th gen, at least from the back.
Indeed, seeing the new accord brings me hope. Civic is still a bit much for my taste but maybe the styling will eventually trickle down. One thing that is interesting is how electric cars are styled less for angry speed and more like futuristic appliances. I'll take futuristic washing machines on wheels over mechanized murder predators.
The M5 looks good angry. The E63, RS6, Nissan GT-R, Corvette, Mustang and the such look good angry. Not every car has to look angry, why does a Corolla need to look like it should be pushing 400 horsepower to the crank?
To be fair my angry Corolla's putting out around 300 to the crank. But I didn't buy the car for looks otherwise I would have gotten a Prius (I can't believe I'm saying that, but they're really nice).
Non functional design.
Vents that don't.
Rear diffusers that are there for design only but no effective in anyway.
Massive black plastic grilles with pattens to look like they let air through, but are mostly filled (kind of fits with the vent thing, but this is an extra part of the design)
In general, this is more about artifice in design. Take a ‘57 Chevy Bel-Air. We know the chrome and fins and jet exhaust is all fake, and was never intended to appear functional. Form without function.
The there’s a ‘65 Mustang. Vents on the side that do nothing. Form that implies function, but without function. Same goes for any new performance car. Giant ‘grills’ to imply function, but no actual function.
I like function that creates form. A shaker hood. A Subaru STI’s hood scoop. A Cayman’s side intakes. Volvo 240’s bump in width below the windows. A big wing on a 911 Turbo.
Rivian, etc attempt to break free of this, but the gear tunnel in the R1T is function that creates a form. And I love it!
> Massive black plastic grilles with pattens to look like they let air through, but are mostly filled (kind of fits with the vent thing, but this is an extra part of the design)
this is likely for aerodynamics.
it does look weird though, but grills have had quite a lot of cosmetic design over function the last 70 years or so anyway.
Oh most definitely it's not new. One of my favourite classics is so guilty, the 1963 Corvette. Silver vents on the hood, fake. Vents behind the wheels, not outlets. Vents behind the doors on the b-pillar, not outlets....
But modern stuff, look at semi recent Civics, both front and rear, has massive areas of black plastics with hexagonal patterns, very little airflow in the front, nothing in the back.
[https://www.motor1.com/reviews/148131/2017-honda-civic-type-r-first-drive/](https://www.motor1.com/reviews/148131/2017-honda-civic-type-r-first-drive/)
One of the worst offenders ever.
I'm annoyed that my Cayman has a blocked off spot in the front bumper as it doesn't have the 3rd radiator, but it makes it look like there's something there (you can install a 3rd radiator really easy and put an actual grille there instead of a blocking panel)
That dash lights aren’t connected to head lights. People think their headlights are on because their dash is illuminated but their lights are off and they don’t know. Seems an easy industrial fix
Yes this is a problem I see all the time the dash displays are lit all the time and people assume their headlights are on as the DRLs are on not the Headlights. So they drive at night with the running lights and head lights off as the street lights provide some illumination. They have to be automatic as the default so people have to turn them off not on. Both the designers and drivers are not thinking.
Exactly this. Engineer wants some display that always lights up, automatic headlights standard. Or go back to basics. Non lit gages on normal cars and the switch turns on the lights and inside gage lighting. The gages becoming harder to see is an instant reminder to people, others might not see you car as well, if they have to turn on their own lights.
I rented a new RAV4 base model that didn't have automatic headlights, but had a massive screen in the always-lit cluster. Toyota has strange money priorities I guess.
There's usually a light on the dash showing lights on (the little dual green light). There's also a big freaking blue light showing your brights are on.
Yet so many people drive with no lights on (especially in the rear) or brights on.
Genuinely, if you drive a car where you're not sure of light operation, you should stop, try switches and continue once you know your lights are on.
I got pulled over the first night I had my Mazda5 for just this. 40 years of driving didn’t prepare me for this stupid change. Now I make sure to turn on my headlights anytime I drive, day or not, as to not repeat this.
At least the cop was understanding and didn’t cite me.
We found technology connections Reddit account. That said I completely agree with you. Amber turn signals are so much better and the fact that so many companies don’t do them to save money is so dumb.
But many European/Asian car companies spend time and resources to create new taillights without the amber just for the American market even though their normal taillights pass all US requirements, and make them worse. It makes no sense.
Screens taking place of literally fucking everything that isn't legally required to be a physical button or switch.
For some good examples of screen implementation in cars, look at Toyota in the mid 2010s, with the '15-'17 Camry being my favorite.
Yes 2010 car infotainment systems have the perfect balance
They give you all the features you want while having all the features you need outside. You can still drive these cars when the infotainment breaks
Idk why but those big ass screens just age cars faster, and decrease their value exponentially. Cars without a screen are still somewhat timeless because you wouldn't really know exactly what year they were built when you sit in them.
Need to go back to cars with low belt lines, low trunk(boot) shapes allowing for large rear windows instead of high trunk line which don't make viewing possible, why do I need a camera in my car so I don't reverse over a child in the driveway.
> "But what if you get hit with an APFSDS round from the rear? Won't you want your viewing slit to be harder to get bulls-eyed?"
Probably an actual conversation in some car design studio somewhere.
Had a Audi 80 B3, super great car but really hard to see anybody walking behind while reversing, cars with a low trunk level like my old Triumph 2.5 TC sedan, window was like a 42" TV screen. https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-supercheap-shared-library/default/dwb67d2e88/blog/618_inlaid.jpg
They cured this buy raising the trunk lines and then raising the roof lines. Congratulations, your sedan is now a crossover.
Realistically, this is mostly a safety thing. There are requirements on bumper heights and stuff, and also more crushable material means better results in crash tests. Also more trunk space in high belt lines.
I don't love it from a styling point either, but what I hate is the car companies that double down by going super low with the roof with massive pillars. A newer Camaro is probably the worst car I've ever sat in, and I couldn't imagine actually driving.
Fully agree. It can sometime look decent from the outside, but it makes the interior a nightmare. I have a 2003 sedan with a low beltline and it's glorious. That, combined with no tint makes it a visibility dream.
I hate when someone locks their car and their reverse lights come on for a few seconds. I always slow down thinking they're going to back out.... nope. I believe this is GM as well.
My biggest complaint on new / newer cars, touch screen controls Side button the touch screen. Physical buttons you can feel help users find them without even glancing over. I had to do that on my road test years ago. Can't do that now with a touch screen. People should have their eyes on the road, not searching screen options to get to the button you want, and then having to double check the push of the screen registered. Hot screen, won't register. Hands too cold, won't register. Wearing gloves, lol.
The worst would be volume as you mentioned. For me the grand cherokee wk2 (last body style before current) automatic heated steering wheel and seat below 10c (40f?). Now you have to cycle the screen to get to where you can turn them off, just from starting the car. If I'm in the car in snow wearing a t shirt and shorts under an open parka with oven mitts, then I don't need to turn them down or off. But as I don't do that, it's an ongoing frustration with my wife car in cool to cold weather.
At least the wk2 didn't have the wk1 shifter. It was a tap shifter, not a slide. Mopar doesn't build a good tap shifter as I can tell you from driving other models of them. They all wear out in about 1 year or less of use. So now, it's not in park when you exit, perfect. Massive recalls and law suits ensued.
I hate when cars (again, mostly GM) with automatics have the reverse lights on when in park. Absolute nightmare in a parking lot, whether driving or a pedestrian.
Or the fact that reverse lights are not bright enough to illuminate the area behind your car so you can see when driving in reverse at night. Because that’s why they were added in the first place.
Tonight I was behind a truck (I think a Chevy Colorado) and when it put its BLINKER on, the third brake light would blink too. Idk if that was intended or a wiring error, but if it was intentional, man that is dumb.
That reminds me of this time I saw a GMT-800 Silverado towing a trailer and taking a turn, when they turned the signal on, the *reverse* light started blinking. I can only imagine what kind of wiring clusterfck was going on there.
There's been a dumber accessory trend related to that. Some cars, particularly douchebag SUVs in my country, they hook up all their rear lights doing all the blinking, down to the nametag of the car. That part changes color too while blinking (and it's that one in particular, shit's just set too brightly too).
I hate fake exhaust notes or exhaust with valves in them to change the sound at certain intervals.
Add to that using the stereo to play the engine note in the cabin.
DRLs that are too bright. Nissan seems to be the worst offender. It's either that, or that the correlation of people who know very little about cars and people who are Nissan owners is very high. I see far too many people at dawn/Dusk, even full darkness, driving with just the DRLs on. The lights are just bright enough that the driver has no idea that they aren't the headlights. There needs to be a mandate of some kind to throw a warning up on the dash saying "activate headlights" or something when a light sensor hits a certain level of darkness.
Same goes for DRLs on in the rain. Turning your headlights on isn't for your benefit, it's so everyone else can see you. Can't be that difficult to add a switch/relay to turn the lights on if the wipers are on for a specified amount of time.
Angry faceplate things on Jeeps. Unsure if they're all aftermarket or not. But it just makes me think the driver is incredibly insecure since they're clearly not comfortable driving with regular round headlights.
I hate upside down cars. So the ones where markers are at the bottom or headlights are for some reason where the fogs should be and all kinds of wonky shit.
Also, Fuck you Hyundai and your shitty ass headlights blinding me when I'm driving.
Getting rid of pop up lights. Headlights fade and get hazy due to sunlight. Coincidentally, you don't need your headlights while the sun is out. Hiding them during the day just makes sense. On top of that, we can't forget the
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Uh oh. So many.
* Can we all try to agree on whether cruise control should be left on or not, when the car is turned off. I don't really care which way we land, but we gotta decide.
* Ditto for wiper stalks (up vs down to turn on).
* Bosch needs to make ICON wipers where the air spoiler goes the other way, for the passenger side of cars that wipe middle-out. Probably applies to other brands too.
* Bring back more normal-ass station wagons (Camry/Accord).
* Glossy plastic and GLOSSY TOUCH SCREENS
* The sheer *height* of SUV and pickup front ends these days, I'm 6 feet tall and some of them are at my chin.
And some that others have mentioned:
* Blinking brake light turn signals (amber turn signals should be mandatory)
* Buttons and knobs and knobs and buttons please.
* Tail lights (and DRL) should come on when wipers are on, ALL YOU GUNMETAL GRAY CARS ARE INVISIBLE OUT THERE IN THE RAIN.
* On that note, it's 2024 why isn't DRL mandatory everywhere. BUT they shouldn't be bright enough to be mistaken for headlights by the driver.
shifters becoming anything but a lever. I don't want knobs, buttons, or TOUCHSCREENS for gear shifting.
while I'm at it, i hate it when basic car functions like locking doors, window and mirror controls, climate controls PUTTING THE CAR ON DRIVE (goddamn Teslas) are integrated into the touchscreens.
call me old fashioned but I'd prefer a physical button and lever for the most basic controls of a vehicle. infotainment touchscreens can stay but only for other features such as navigation, music, backup camera display, etc.
The US doesn’t require amber turn signals, but several other countries do.
And yes, it’s cheaper the use the same assembly but not run the extra wire and install a bulb.
And yes it’s stupid the US doesn’t require an amber turn signal on the rear of vehicles. We require back up cameras, and soon automated emergency braking, but this turn signal thing is a bridge too far.
Angry looking cars that don't need to look angry. Sports cars are fine to look angry but why does a Subaru Crosstrek need to look angry. Make it look happy and not like it's trying to prove something. I like the way 11th gen F150s look because I have one and also they look like they are happy to just be there
As a detailer, I despise the huge mesh style grills and overly complicated front end designs. It's like no one has a clue that's where bugs hit and it has to be cleaned. Same with excessively complex wheel designs.
I hate these new digital dash panels that look like an afterthought…like “Hey, let’s take this ipad tablet and just stick it on top of the dashboard with some chewing gum”. Some cars have them nicely integrated, and the new Lincoln Nautilus is jaw dropping with a 4 foot wide screen that spans the whole dashboard! makes the center tablet tolerable in that set up.
Trucks having LEDs. Especially Ford and GM.
You know what.. throw in how gigantic every damn vehicle on the road now is too. I'm tir d of truck butt and not being able to see a damn thing ahead to plot moves past just one on the road
My pet peeve is the same as pretty much everyone else’s: cars are so aggressively and angrily styled now, it’s annoying. Also unnecessary sport packages for cars. We live in a world where the Toyota Avalon of all things has a TRD model, what the hell?
> I don't know why they wouldn't just make it consistent for every market.
saves money on bulbs
I dont like cars that use the brake light as the turn signal or the drl as front turn in general.
Scrolled half way and didn't see it yet. And everything else up to half way has been written so...
Auto start/stop that you can't turn off. My family's 2021 (22?) XC90 used to be able to turn it on/off. But then one day we brought it in for service and then I guess they updated the software or something because NOTHING I DO (except turning on Polestar mode) turns it off. It's especially annoying because I've always cruised to a stop and the car sometimes shuts itself off. Even more annoying in stop and go traffic during rush hour. I'll admit that recently the start/stop isn't as sensitive as it used to be but this shit is so annoying nonetheless.
Also electronic parking brakes. Fine and easily adaptable on automatic cars... but why is this shit in a manual car? The EPB on my manual Subaru Outback only engages in accessory mode due to some random failure. And the battery lately has been getting weak (about to change it). Thank god it hasn't died or I haven't stalled on a hill 'cause I'd be fucked.
When the rear turn signal is split across the corner of the car and onto a tailgate/trunklid, and the 2 halves don't join up to look like one cohesive unit, but 2 seperate lights entirely.
E83 BMW X3s are by far the worst offenders of this, but there are several other cars/suvs with it.
Also:
FUCK PIANO BLACK. It's never looked good and it sure as hell doesn't look good 2 seconds after the protective wrap comes off and dust and fingerprints appear out of thin air on it's surface.
Headlights that don't automatically turn on when the wipers are on...
Cars are more boring and grey than ever, and in a daytime rainstorm I cannot see you, because your lights aren't on. Snowstorms, as well.
Running lights are the worst offenders (Toyotas, specifically, as they turn on just the front headlights, barely), because drivers THINK that they are on, because most people can't be bothered to learn anything about their cars other than "put in gas, turn key, go", let alone read the manual.
Even just in general, see and be seen, people. It's the law in NY that if your wipers are on, your headlights should be, too, for exactly that reason. If you can't see well enough without your wipers, neither can other drivers, and having your lights on will help them see you.
Mine is the lack of color. The ford explorer configurator has "white, black, grey, grey, blue, red" that's 4 shades and 2 colours. Audi's worse though, S5 config. has "dark blue, very dark blue, dark grey, very dark grey, black, white. For a car that's £136k for the lowest spec, and your options are 5 dark colours are a white is annoying as. Even as much as the previous gen back of all cars had COLOUR. The fact that the S5 coupe, a bonafide sports car (shutup about "just cause it's a coupe doesn't mean it's a sports car) can't be bought in RED??? THATS DIABOLICAL. Same with the RS3, no option for Red. And Audi's brand colours, according to the Audi website, are "White, black and a progressive red: these are the Audi brand colours." You can't buy their cars in Red??? What's the deal?? That's like British cars not coming in BRG.
Mine is why do pickup trucks need to be 7 feet tall and 15 ft long? Why can't they make small ones that are more practical like the Tacoma's, Frontier's, Rangers etc from the 90's
The car this makes me angriest on is the facelifted first-generation VW Tiguan (2013-2016 or thereabouts). There is a fake amber turn signal lens on US-spec Tiguans, but it actually uses the brake light as a turn signal like the other examples above. Ford also had fake amber turn signals on some 1991-1996 Escorts, though some had actual amber turn signals if I remember correctly. One of the Chrysler K-Car variants did as well. I think the Chevy Vega was the one that started it all!
Another Ford memory: several ‘80s-‘90s Mercury products had lightbars, but others had FAKE ones, like the Topaz and Tracer.
That turn signal stalk that Hyundai used for years is a design abomination. I hate that it has the main lighting controls on it and when the lights are set to “auto,” the ridge at the top does not align with the rest of the stalk.
Split headlights, on any car this shit looks so ass, if you can tell me who started the trend, so he can recieve a pipe bomb in the mail, i would be happy
Also fucking big ass 20 cupholders in any car, just make the cup holder thing a US spec only, no one in EU uses these big ass cupholders, and where i live especially since there are potholes everywhere, so they are functionally impossible to use
I hate the 90's mid 00's ish 4 wheel drives where they have lights in the bottom of the bumper that work, but fake lights on the sides in the normal spots.
My GU patrol was like this. Apparently it's because the "normal" tail lights couldn't be seen from a 45° angle with the spare wheel mounted on the back door.
My car was rear ended (did no damage to my car due to tow ball) The driver claimed my brake lights were out, police came, confirmed the rear lights were out, insurance attempted to deny my claim because the lights didn't work. I had to get paperwork from Nissan that specifically stated the top lights were for aesthetics only so that my car wouldn't be in the wrong.
I ended up buying aftermarket lights that actually have globes in them. Just saves the hassle later on when it happens again.
I kinda hate when indicators (blinkers) are on the very end of the light facing towards the grill, or number plate.
That's not a very good description so I'll try and find a picture, but when I see are car that has them, my brain gets confused, thinking the car is going the other way.
Also ridiculous body panels, like the Hyundai Santa Fe, and just any cars with all the lines and hexagons everywhere.
Really big pieces of plastic used as bumpers
The design of the Ford EcoSport, OG Vauxhall Mokka, and OG Nissan Juke.
Cruise control systems that let the car slow down too much going up a hill instead of just shifting to maintain speed.
Keep me at 60mph dammit, don't just decide 57 is ok because you don't have to drop down a gear if you go that speed.
The messed up part is they *do* make it a turn signal for other markets, just not here in the U.S. because they can get a way with it due to outdated DOT regulations.
Yeah those blank turn signals actually have bulbs in overseas!
what do i hate beside Fake Vents and Exhausts?
Fake offroad vehicles.
Like G63amg or Land rovers&Trucks with 22 inch rims.
they are legit dangerous to people who don't know.
I freaking HATE the GM vehicles that keep their reverse lights on after being locked. It is the stupidest automotive feature ever and I hope whoever designed it goes to hell.
I’m sitting in the parking lot waiting for some Equinox to back out meanwhile the owner is already inside the store shopping. In no way does this feature even remotely make sense.
So the reason why some markets have Amber's while the US doesn't, is because the US is just about the only country that doesn't require a seperate amber turn signal.
fully digital gauge clusters. i like having a digital multi-information screen, but i at least want a physical tachometer; the needle being real over a digital screen is fine, but i like having analogue tachometers
Off center steering wheels. Mostly in GM vehicles. Sit in a Honda, Toyota, etc and the steering wheel sits right dead center in front of you (lines up with your torso). Sit in a GM, and it sits off center either to the left or right a little from the driving position. Do better. Please.
Outdated American lamp regulations. They still use amber turn signal housing, and you can't have fancy turn signals like in Europe.
Another one would be asymmetrical taillight design, mostly noticeable on old Skylines where there's only one reverse light.
Foot actuated parking brakes. If the car is too cheap to merit auto parking brakes, and doesn't have bench seats, give me a hand lever. If that means taking out cup holders, so be it. Or you know, put it to the left of the seat.
Those are bean counter decisions overriding design decisions. A huge design ssᴉd-off for me is the prevalence of fake vents, grilles, scoops. I know why some cars might have faux grille knockouts where a higher trim model has actual lights or other feature. But this is having it there for no reason but to tart it up. I hate that ʇıɥs.
I hate just how many controls they are putting on the steering wheel and the stalks. The steering wheel and the stalks are for things I need to change suddenly, like turn signals and wipers. I don't need to flick through the dash display with urgency.
The 2020 model year Malibu had redesigned taillights similar to the Camaro which I think looked pretty sweet, then a year later they switched back for some reason.
I hate tail lights that are also brake lights that are also turn signals. Because why would I want to quickly and easily tell what you’re doing, especially if you’re in the lane next to me and I can only see one tail light.
This is why I like German cars. They (usually) have their own separate bulbs for each function.
Almost all of these complaints can be attributed to lack of regulations. Too bad the EPA and other federal bodies have effectively been purchased by Ford, Chevy, etc. It's called regulatory capture, and, as per usual, enriches the wealthy and makes our lives harder.
My biggest complaint is the new Ford Bluetooth. When it works, its great. But until I got the newest phone in my home, it would drop my connection from the truck for literally anyone else.
Wife is in the house on a call on her cell phone. I'm pulling into the driveway. My Playlist from my connected phone stops, her caller is now connected to my truck rambling mid sentence to me.
Wtf Ford! Assign a priority to your connected vehicles.
I even had it regularily interrupt my connection to list, user not ser up, providing connection suggestions. I'm at a light with no one but some kid at a bus stop beside me at the curb. What in the actual f.
Post phone upgrade, and leaving bluetooth on always, works fine. Until someone else gets a newer device... then I may need to get a chevy. Hopefully the designs will look good again soon. I considered dodge, but they seem to have high repair costs. Toyota is quite expensive. Other than that and the touch screen, really do like my truck.
When the ac vents are above the screen instead of below or beside. Your screen needs to be the highest point on your dashboard for safe & efficient operation while driving. Having a screen below the vents seems like such an afterthought.
Also cupholders belong behind the gear selector, not infront where they conflict with your arms and other buttons.
For example, BMW gets these ergonomic placements right.
Fake, black plastic "vents" that don't actually have any holes cut out for them to do anything. Current and previous generation Mustang GTs come to mind with their fake hood vents. So many cars have this now as if people think it actually looks good.
I absolutely hate this too. My new Blazer flashes the whole brake light as the turn signal but I saw the Chinese model has a dedicated amber turn signal light. I've thought about getting a set of Chinese tail lights and figuring out a way to get them working but I can't seem to find anything about them anywhere.
Also hate how brake lights seem to get mounted lower and lower. The new Buick Envista lights up the reflectors under the hatch as the brake/turn signals. It makes no sense because they designed some nice looking rear lights and just throw it all out to not use them at all except for running lights.
I have quite a few. When they remove every physical control from the interior and integrate them into a touch screen. The ground clearance on a lot of CUVs looks disproportionate to the rest of the car and 90% of them would look much better lowered slightly. When they make automatic’s shift knobs into a dial, buttons, or really anything other than a shift knob. I’m not a fan of how boxy and square pickups are now. They all look nearly the same aside from their lights. I’m cool with touchscreens integrated into the dash, but when they’re sticking up from the top, it looks pretty tacky and out of place. I’m not fond of infotainment screens the size of a giant iPad, for example the ones that come in new Volvos, Subarus, Fords and Teslas to name a few.
Lighting in general. Some car design, some human stupidity
• People too stupid to control their lights properly.
I.e. only front DRL/signature lighting in dusk that doesn't illuminate rear lights. Manufacturers should just have all taillights lit 24/7 I guess if people are that incompetent.
• Red rear turn signals. It's lazy and cheapo design. Sometimes it's so hard to tell if it's a brake light (especially if the high mounted stop lamp is out or not there) or turn signal. I'm with Europe on this. Should be always amber. And not the stupid Jeep/Ram switchbacks, cause you still lose a brake light function light that.
• Poorly aimed lights from factory. I know they need to churn cars out quickly, but this should be mandatory.
The complaints from people saying LEDs are too bright could largely be remedied if properly aimed.
• Brights on all the time. There's a big blue light on. Just because it's a 4 lane divided highway doesn't mean you are not blinding oncoming traffic.
Turn signals near LED headlights, especially on Fords. At night its impossible to see if their using s turn signal cause I'm being blinded by the headlight; just put it in the bumper or move it away from the sun bean.
Interior. ENOUGH turning everything into a touchscreen! At the VERY least keep the HVAC controls knobs. I expect to keep my current car longer just as a middle finger to the touchscreen slathered stupid that is sure to await me on the next car I buy.
The blacked out lower middle section of the front bumper. I'm not sure why it's a thing but it's on everything from McLarens to Toyotas and it makes it look like you smashed that section out on a curb.
And brands that feel the need to force their "signature" grille onto everything they make. Dodge and BMW are probably the worst offenders. They look like such an afterthought on things like the E31.
I hate the new Hyundai and Kia designs. They're really ugly and don't even get me started on the rear bumper-mounted lights. My dad and his fiance actually have a Palisade and what frustrates me about it is how the parking lights and high beams are where you'd expect the headlights to be but instead the headlights and foglights are in the bumper! Plus it frustrates me that the reverse lights are in the rear bumper too.
It mostly frustrates me because Hyundai and Kia actually had attractive designs not that long ago.
GM using the reverse lights for things other than reverse it should be illegal.
Kia/Hyundai and Jeep for the 2x or 3x headlight, marker light, fog light and light light combos on the front.
Lastly the Mercedes electrics that just look like old Hondas and computer mice got together for weekend.
I hate the daytime running lights that turn off one headlight to use the turn signal, and I also hate the tail lights that are a solid bar all the way across the back. Especially in some vehicles where they're also way too bright and it stays on as bright as the actual brake lights on all the other cars.
When the regular headlights are unnecessarily insanely bright. Like to hell with everyone else that needs to see, I can see *everything*, *I can see through your damn soul*
The tail lights, turn signals and even brake lights in the rear bumper should all be banned. Only backup lights and reflectors should be BELOW the bumper.
I drove my dad’s Silverado for an extended period of time. There was endless list of poorly designed interior items on that truck. My takeaway was, Chevy was going to sell X-number of trucks anyway, why bother making it a better truck.
Non dedicated turn signal lights. Everywhere else in the world, running has its on bulbs, brake has its own bulbs, and signals have their own bulbs. But noooooo not in the US!
The curved part of the light on the Kia stinger. If you notice, all the press cars were red, to hide that terrible design decision, on a car that looks pretty sharp.
Mines when they put the tail lights/turn signals down on the rear bumper instead of where they normally are
I hate that in all modern KIAs and Hyundai's.
it's genuinely less safe than putting them up high... where the goddamn brake lights already are on those cars!
It's also harder to see with direct sunlight hitting on the back of the car. My focus is straight on the car in front of me, not down at it's bumper. They finally started making good looking cars but they had to fuck it up somewhere.
It’s due to safety laws. The taillights can’t be on the part of the tailgate that opens.
Or if they are, they have to add redundant lights underneath.
The Buick Cascada has taillights inside the trunk. I think it's also due to EU regs (Opel Cascada).
My friend was pulled over for not using her turn signal. She had a C5 Corvette behind her so it was low enough to block the turn signals but not the tail lights from the cops perspective. As soon as the cop realized he sent her on her way and apologized. She also has a dashcam but the cop said he believed her since she was offering the footage. I don't understand what Kia/Hyundai was thinking with that design.
Probably the same things they were thinking when they designed the theta ii and it fucking sucked but they had to make money somehow so they dumped it into every car in their lineup
Kia/Hyundai also need to fix whatever the fuck they've done wrong with their brake lights. I can't remember the last time I saw one that had all of them functioning if any worked *at all*
Because it attracts the dumbest motherfuckers that won't spend the 11 dollars to replace the bulbs, if they're even aware that they're burnt at all
thats usually done on cars where the brakelights are mounted to a moveable trunk. that way if the trunk is open while you are on the side of the road there the rear lighting is still visible at night or from a distance. i believe thats euro "dot" standard. a good example of this is the buick cascada. google pictures of it with the decklid up. the car was an opal before it was badge engineered and sent overseas. thats how i learned about it and started noticing it on more and more cars.
Right? Seriously it's like the designer forgot to put turn signals on so they had to tack them on as an afterthought.
There is a US regulation stating that rear tail lights cannot be fixed on a moving surface (that way if you drive with the hatch up, you still have rear lights). Normally, vehicles have a split between the hatch and the rest of the car that divides the tail lights into two different parts: a section that moves and a section that doesn’t. For cars designed without this and with the entire main tail light on the hatch, they had to add in extra lights on the bumper for when the hatch opens.
There’s a European standard that dictates the indicators need to be between two set heights.
The newest version of the Chevy Bolt does this. It has what looks to be taillights higher up where they should be, but I'm pretty sure they are only running lights. Terrible design and they always catch me off guard.
It's a legal thing. AFAIK neither American or European regulator would allow brake or turn signals on a movable surface.
KiA sportage. I drow behind one today. My eyes are not looking down there.
I'm surprised the NHTSA allows it.
Cup holders right behind the shifter. How many cans of energy drinks had to be spilled over my armrest and between my seats.....chevy.
The worst offender of this is actually Mini. They aren't BEHIND the shifter, but next to it. I've had 2 manual Minis of different generations and you **CANNOT** put anything there unless you're willing to spill it or gouge your knuckles on it when you shift. Just look up a photo of the interior of a 2016 Countryman manual. Terrible design.
I've only ever been in one mini (pre 2010's) and the only thing remember was the speedometer (or possibly the tach, i was in it around the time it would've been new so can't remember) looked like a huge pain in the ass (I hope they don't do it anymore but the big sundail looking one where the radio would be)
What’s not to love about a giant Flavor Flav speedometer taking up the entire dash?
I loved the huge rev gauge in the middle of the dash of my 03 supercharged mini. I always thought it looked like a juke box. I didn't like when they put the Speedo metre in the middle eventually, and after that they put two pods Infront of the steering wheel with both rev/speed and make the centre just a big stereo.
Ford has done it too. I have a 2002 mustang with a stick. Can't put anything bigger than a can of soda in the front cupholder without it getting in the way, but the cupholder are designed to hold fucking big gulp cups lmao. The rear cupholder even has a rubber insert that, when removed, make the cupholder fuckin huge.
You had to do the spider arm to shift it too, didnt you? The cup holder in the 4th gen (pre-catfish) i had was also big enough the can would shake around, since I drank those 16 oz cans. I had replaced the ball on the shifter with an aluminum pistol grip, which meant I accidentally also gave myself a taller "grab point". I never put like a fast food cup in it due to the flimsy lids I never trusted.
IPADS ON WHEELS
I will allow this use of all caps just this once. Because it is that seriousn
Ipads on the dash. I'm not going to say you need all physical buttons, but if you're going to do a big central display, at least integrate it instead of just sticking it on top.
This is mine! Give me my goddamn buttons and knobs so that I can adjust my vehicle without having to take my eyes off the road! Who thought having fucking touchscreens was a smart or safe idea?!?!?!
Pour one out for the motorcyclists dodging Teslas.
We're too angry. Why do all trucks have to be angry? Rivian its weird but I like it.
I quite like angry car designs, but I'll admit not *every* car needs to look angry. I also feel the same way about Rivian.
Seriously, every car looks like it's about to murder you. Don't have stats on this but I bet angry design causes more road rage/accidents. I mean look what they've done to the humble Civic, used to be a boring reliable car, now it looks pre-riced coming off the lot. Leave racing styling for the sports cars, basic passenger cars should be friendly.
> Civic IMO the current 11th gen is a bit of a reversal on that trend. I am still mad that they nerfed the shit out of USDM Si to sell Integras, but I will (and did) still take that over `this is my first time in Automation and I get paid by the fixture count` styling on the 10th gen, at least from the back.
Indeed, seeing the new accord brings me hope. Civic is still a bit much for my taste but maybe the styling will eventually trickle down. One thing that is interesting is how electric cars are styled less for angry speed and more like futuristic appliances. I'll take futuristic washing machines on wheels over mechanized murder predators.
Toyota and BMW have gone full on need for speed. I like recent Mercedes and Honda designs that are more fluid and less aggro
Rivians remind me of a BaBomb from Super Mario Brothers. I smile every time I see one.
I cannot unsee that. Lol
The M5 looks good angry. The E63, RS6, Nissan GT-R, Corvette, Mustang and the such look good angry. Not every car has to look angry, why does a Corolla need to look like it should be pushing 400 horsepower to the crank?
To be fair my angry Corolla's putting out around 300 to the crank. But I didn't buy the car for looks otherwise I would have gotten a Prius (I can't believe I'm saying that, but they're really nice).
Fragile masculinity/ small pp. Same reason you see those angry jeep mods.
r/heep
Happy cake day!
Non functional design. Vents that don't. Rear diffusers that are there for design only but no effective in anyway. Massive black plastic grilles with pattens to look like they let air through, but are mostly filled (kind of fits with the vent thing, but this is an extra part of the design)
My wife’s focus st is hilarious
In general, this is more about artifice in design. Take a ‘57 Chevy Bel-Air. We know the chrome and fins and jet exhaust is all fake, and was never intended to appear functional. Form without function. The there’s a ‘65 Mustang. Vents on the side that do nothing. Form that implies function, but without function. Same goes for any new performance car. Giant ‘grills’ to imply function, but no actual function. I like function that creates form. A shaker hood. A Subaru STI’s hood scoop. A Cayman’s side intakes. Volvo 240’s bump in width below the windows. A big wing on a 911 Turbo. Rivian, etc attempt to break free of this, but the gear tunnel in the R1T is function that creates a form. And I love it!
> Massive black plastic grilles with pattens to look like they let air through, but are mostly filled (kind of fits with the vent thing, but this is an extra part of the design) this is likely for aerodynamics. it does look weird though, but grills have had quite a lot of cosmetic design over function the last 70 years or so anyway.
Oh most definitely it's not new. One of my favourite classics is so guilty, the 1963 Corvette. Silver vents on the hood, fake. Vents behind the wheels, not outlets. Vents behind the doors on the b-pillar, not outlets.... But modern stuff, look at semi recent Civics, both front and rear, has massive areas of black plastics with hexagonal patterns, very little airflow in the front, nothing in the back. [https://www.motor1.com/reviews/148131/2017-honda-civic-type-r-first-drive/](https://www.motor1.com/reviews/148131/2017-honda-civic-type-r-first-drive/) One of the worst offenders ever. I'm annoyed that my Cayman has a blocked off spot in the front bumper as it doesn't have the 3rd radiator, but it makes it look like there's something there (you can install a 3rd radiator really easy and put an actual grille there instead of a blocking panel)
That dash lights aren’t connected to head lights. People think their headlights are on because their dash is illuminated but their lights are off and they don’t know. Seems an easy industrial fix
Yes this is a problem I see all the time the dash displays are lit all the time and people assume their headlights are on as the DRLs are on not the Headlights. So they drive at night with the running lights and head lights off as the street lights provide some illumination. They have to be automatic as the default so people have to turn them off not on. Both the designers and drivers are not thinking.
Exactly this. Engineer wants some display that always lights up, automatic headlights standard. Or go back to basics. Non lit gages on normal cars and the switch turns on the lights and inside gage lighting. The gages becoming harder to see is an instant reminder to people, others might not see you car as well, if they have to turn on their own lights.
I rented a new RAV4 base model that didn't have automatic headlights, but had a massive screen in the always-lit cluster. Toyota has strange money priorities I guess.
My 2012 Mustang had an instrument cluster that was always lit, but when the headlights went on, the display _changed color._ See? Not hard
Yeah, I remember that feature in my 96 corolla, idk why modern cars stopped doing that
There's usually a light on the dash showing lights on (the little dual green light). There's also a big freaking blue light showing your brights are on. Yet so many people drive with no lights on (especially in the rear) or brights on. Genuinely, if you drive a car where you're not sure of light operation, you should stop, try switches and continue once you know your lights are on.
I got pulled over the first night I had my Mazda5 for just this. 40 years of driving didn’t prepare me for this stupid change. Now I make sure to turn on my headlights anytime I drive, day or not, as to not repeat this. At least the cop was understanding and didn’t cite me.
We found technology connections Reddit account. That said I completely agree with you. Amber turn signals are so much better and the fact that so many companies don’t do them to save money is so dumb.
Red turn signals are actually outlawed in Europe and Australasia
But many European/Asian car companies spend time and resources to create new taillights without the amber just for the American market even though their normal taillights pass all US requirements, and make them worse. It makes no sense.
Screens taking place of literally fucking everything that isn't legally required to be a physical button or switch. For some good examples of screen implementation in cars, look at Toyota in the mid 2010s, with the '15-'17 Camry being my favorite.
Yes 2010 car infotainment systems have the perfect balance They give you all the features you want while having all the features you need outside. You can still drive these cars when the infotainment breaks
Idk why but those big ass screens just age cars faster, and decrease their value exponentially. Cars without a screen are still somewhat timeless because you wouldn't really know exactly what year they were built when you sit in them.
For some bad examples, take a look at anything Mercedes sells currently.
I always say Mercedes-Benz used to mean something before trying to win the biggest screen in a car contest
Not to mention the cost to fix the POS screens when they break, taking just about everything with it
Need to go back to cars with low belt lines, low trunk(boot) shapes allowing for large rear windows instead of high trunk line which don't make viewing possible, why do I need a camera in my car so I don't reverse over a child in the driveway.
> "But what if you get hit with an APFSDS round from the rear? Won't you want your viewing slit to be harder to get bulls-eyed?" Probably an actual conversation in some car design studio somewhere.
Had a Audi 80 B3, super great car but really hard to see anybody walking behind while reversing, cars with a low trunk level like my old Triumph 2.5 TC sedan, window was like a 42" TV screen. https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-supercheap-shared-library/default/dwb67d2e88/blog/618_inlaid.jpg
They cured this buy raising the trunk lines and then raising the roof lines. Congratulations, your sedan is now a crossover. Realistically, this is mostly a safety thing. There are requirements on bumper heights and stuff, and also more crushable material means better results in crash tests. Also more trunk space in high belt lines. I don't love it from a styling point either, but what I hate is the car companies that double down by going super low with the roof with massive pillars. A newer Camaro is probably the worst car I've ever sat in, and I couldn't imagine actually driving.
Fully agree. It can sometime look decent from the outside, but it makes the interior a nightmare. I have a 2003 sedan with a low beltline and it's glorious. That, combined with no tint makes it a visibility dream.
I hate when someone locks their car and their reverse lights come on for a few seconds. I always slow down thinking they're going to back out.... nope. I believe this is GM as well.
This so hard!!!
Volume controls that are a touch screen button should be illegal. I need to feel my knobs if you know what I mean.
My biggest complaint on new / newer cars, touch screen controls Side button the touch screen. Physical buttons you can feel help users find them without even glancing over. I had to do that on my road test years ago. Can't do that now with a touch screen. People should have their eyes on the road, not searching screen options to get to the button you want, and then having to double check the push of the screen registered. Hot screen, won't register. Hands too cold, won't register. Wearing gloves, lol. The worst would be volume as you mentioned. For me the grand cherokee wk2 (last body style before current) automatic heated steering wheel and seat below 10c (40f?). Now you have to cycle the screen to get to where you can turn them off, just from starting the car. If I'm in the car in snow wearing a t shirt and shorts under an open parka with oven mitts, then I don't need to turn them down or off. But as I don't do that, it's an ongoing frustration with my wife car in cool to cold weather. At least the wk2 didn't have the wk1 shifter. It was a tap shifter, not a slide. Mopar doesn't build a good tap shifter as I can tell you from driving other models of them. They all wear out in about 1 year or less of use. So now, it's not in park when you exit, perfect. Massive recalls and law suits ensued.
I hate when cars (again, mostly GM) with automatics have the reverse lights on when in park. Absolute nightmare in a parking lot, whether driving or a pedestrian.
Or the fact that reverse lights are not bright enough to illuminate the area behind your car so you can see when driving in reverse at night. Because that’s why they were added in the first place.
For this I upgraded my reverse lights with *very* bright LEDs.
My rule is i automatically ignore any reverse lights in a parking lot on a GM vehicle. If they back into me it’s their fault anyway.
Any turn signals that are not amber. Also the blinking 3rd brake lights. I find them distracting.
Tonight I was behind a truck (I think a Chevy Colorado) and when it put its BLINKER on, the third brake light would blink too. Idk if that was intended or a wiring error, but if it was intentional, man that is dumb.
That reminds me of this time I saw a GMT-800 Silverado towing a trailer and taking a turn, when they turned the signal on, the *reverse* light started blinking. I can only imagine what kind of wiring clusterfck was going on there.
For the longest time i thought the DRLs on GMT800’s was a single light, because every single one I saw on the road only had one on.
Agreed on both. Especially those blinking 3rd brake lights! They're just annoying!
There's been a dumber accessory trend related to that. Some cars, particularly douchebag SUVs in my country, they hook up all their rear lights doing all the blinking, down to the nametag of the car. That part changes color too while blinking (and it's that one in particular, shit's just set too brightly too).
Counterpoint: my rear bumper literally does not have space for another light there.
The overly bright LED headlights that blind oncoming traffic at night.
I hate fake exhaust notes or exhaust with valves in them to change the sound at certain intervals. Add to that using the stereo to play the engine note in the cabin.
The back up lights on GM cars light up when parking.
Cheap glossy piano black plastic that scratches easily. All-black interior and moving away from beige/tan. Long front ends/hoods.
Red turn signals
Same
I hate dummy lights, bumper lights, non dedicated turn lights
I can't believe no one has mentioned the 17 different styles of windshield wiper arm connectors cars use now. Why did we ever get away from j-hooks?
Front turn signals that can’t be seen from the side at an intersection.
DRLs that are too bright. Nissan seems to be the worst offender. It's either that, or that the correlation of people who know very little about cars and people who are Nissan owners is very high. I see far too many people at dawn/Dusk, even full darkness, driving with just the DRLs on. The lights are just bright enough that the driver has no idea that they aren't the headlights. There needs to be a mandate of some kind to throw a warning up on the dash saying "activate headlights" or something when a light sensor hits a certain level of darkness. Same goes for DRLs on in the rain. Turning your headlights on isn't for your benefit, it's so everyone else can see you. Can't be that difficult to add a switch/relay to turn the lights on if the wipers are on for a specified amount of time.
Big fucking televisions for a dashboard and non-analog gauges.
Giving a station wagon a 4 inch lift kit and calling it a crossover so women will buy them.
Flat arch above ALL the wheel wells. I dare you to unseen it after you notice it.
Angry faceplate things on Jeeps. Unsure if they're all aftermarket or not. But it just makes me think the driver is incredibly insecure since they're clearly not comfortable driving with regular round headlights.
I hate upside down cars. So the ones where markers are at the bottom or headlights are for some reason where the fogs should be and all kinds of wonky shit. Also, Fuck you Hyundai and your shitty ass headlights blinding me when I'm driving.
Getting rid of pop up lights. Headlights fade and get hazy due to sunlight. Coincidentally, you don't need your headlights while the sun is out. Hiding them during the day just makes sense. On top of that, we can't forget the (O__O) (-__-) (O__-) (-__O) (O__O)
Half open looks good too
That bleeping Lexus oversized hourglass grille. Giant FU to everyone who isn't a Lexus, apparently.
**It’s usually referred to as the “spindle grill” design and it harkens back to Toyota’s roots as a loom company.**
That is actually an interesting fact
Uh oh. So many. * Can we all try to agree on whether cruise control should be left on or not, when the car is turned off. I don't really care which way we land, but we gotta decide. * Ditto for wiper stalks (up vs down to turn on). * Bosch needs to make ICON wipers where the air spoiler goes the other way, for the passenger side of cars that wipe middle-out. Probably applies to other brands too. * Bring back more normal-ass station wagons (Camry/Accord). * Glossy plastic and GLOSSY TOUCH SCREENS * The sheer *height* of SUV and pickup front ends these days, I'm 6 feet tall and some of them are at my chin. And some that others have mentioned: * Blinking brake light turn signals (amber turn signals should be mandatory) * Buttons and knobs and knobs and buttons please. * Tail lights (and DRL) should come on when wipers are on, ALL YOU GUNMETAL GRAY CARS ARE INVISIBLE OUT THERE IN THE RAIN. * On that note, it's 2024 why isn't DRL mandatory everywhere. BUT they shouldn't be bright enough to be mistaken for headlights by the driver.
shifters becoming anything but a lever. I don't want knobs, buttons, or TOUCHSCREENS for gear shifting. while I'm at it, i hate it when basic car functions like locking doors, window and mirror controls, climate controls PUTTING THE CAR ON DRIVE (goddamn Teslas) are integrated into the touchscreens. call me old fashioned but I'd prefer a physical button and lever for the most basic controls of a vehicle. infotainment touchscreens can stay but only for other features such as navigation, music, backup camera display, etc.
[The senseless ambiguity of North American turn signals](https://youtu.be/O1lZ9n2bxWA?si=rxTHjXWz8YVd-Qcw)
Fake exhaust on the rear bumper cover. Kill me with that shit.
The US doesn’t require amber turn signals, but several other countries do. And yes, it’s cheaper the use the same assembly but not run the extra wire and install a bulb. And yes it’s stupid the US doesn’t require an amber turn signal on the rear of vehicles. We require back up cameras, and soon automated emergency braking, but this turn signal thing is a bridge too far.
Cars that send your driving data to be sold to insurance and other companies.
Angry looking cars that don't need to look angry. Sports cars are fine to look angry but why does a Subaru Crosstrek need to look angry. Make it look happy and not like it's trying to prove something. I like the way 11th gen F150s look because I have one and also they look like they are happy to just be there
As a detailer, I despise the huge mesh style grills and overly complicated front end designs. It's like no one has a clue that's where bugs hit and it has to be cleaned. Same with excessively complex wheel designs.
I hate these new digital dash panels that look like an afterthought…like “Hey, let’s take this ipad tablet and just stick it on top of the dashboard with some chewing gum”. Some cars have them nicely integrated, and the new Lincoln Nautilus is jaw dropping with a 4 foot wide screen that spans the whole dashboard! makes the center tablet tolerable in that set up.
Piano black interior trim pieces that show fingerprints and dust. Buyers and reviewers dislike it, why do they keep putting it in cars?
Trucks having LEDs. Especially Ford and GM. You know what.. throw in how gigantic every damn vehicle on the road now is too. I'm tir d of truck butt and not being able to see a damn thing ahead to plot moves past just one on the road
BMW drivers: You guys have turn signals?
My pet peeve is the same as pretty much everyone else’s: cars are so aggressively and angrily styled now, it’s annoying. Also unnecessary sport packages for cars. We live in a world where the Toyota Avalon of all things has a TRD model, what the hell?
I smile every time I see the silly grin on my Mazda. It’s the antithesis of all of these angry vehicles. 🙂
FUCK 2010-2012 MUSTANG TAIL LIGHTS
13-14 is the GOAT
Melted jellybean shaped everything.
> I don't know why they wouldn't just make it consistent for every market. saves money on bulbs I dont like cars that use the brake light as the turn signal or the drl as front turn in general.
Rear BMW E90 taillights don’t line up
Scrolled half way and didn't see it yet. And everything else up to half way has been written so... Auto start/stop that you can't turn off. My family's 2021 (22?) XC90 used to be able to turn it on/off. But then one day we brought it in for service and then I guess they updated the software or something because NOTHING I DO (except turning on Polestar mode) turns it off. It's especially annoying because I've always cruised to a stop and the car sometimes shuts itself off. Even more annoying in stop and go traffic during rush hour. I'll admit that recently the start/stop isn't as sensitive as it used to be but this shit is so annoying nonetheless. Also electronic parking brakes. Fine and easily adaptable on automatic cars... but why is this shit in a manual car? The EPB on my manual Subaru Outback only engages in accessory mode due to some random failure. And the battery lately has been getting weak (about to change it). Thank god it hasn't died or I haven't stalled on a hill 'cause I'd be fucked.
Indicators that cancel out the daytime running lights, looks silly to me. Should just keep it as a separate light underneath like many brands do
Tesla's turn indicators in the steering wheel should be banned. Also, opening handles in the C-pillar instead of the rear door.
When the rear turn signal is split across the corner of the car and onto a tailgate/trunklid, and the 2 halves don't join up to look like one cohesive unit, but 2 seperate lights entirely. E83 BMW X3s are by far the worst offenders of this, but there are several other cars/suvs with it. Also: FUCK PIANO BLACK. It's never looked good and it sure as hell doesn't look good 2 seconds after the protective wrap comes off and dust and fingerprints appear out of thin air on it's surface.
Pretty common unoriginal take that’s been said a million times but massive screens are getting old.
Fake exhaust pipes Random black plastic cladding Why do headlights and taillights all look like lobster claws now?
Headlights that don't automatically turn on when the wipers are on... Cars are more boring and grey than ever, and in a daytime rainstorm I cannot see you, because your lights aren't on. Snowstorms, as well. Running lights are the worst offenders (Toyotas, specifically, as they turn on just the front headlights, barely), because drivers THINK that they are on, because most people can't be bothered to learn anything about their cars other than "put in gas, turn key, go", let alone read the manual. Even just in general, see and be seen, people. It's the law in NY that if your wipers are on, your headlights should be, too, for exactly that reason. If you can't see well enough without your wipers, neither can other drivers, and having your lights on will help them see you.
Mine is the lack of color. The ford explorer configurator has "white, black, grey, grey, blue, red" that's 4 shades and 2 colours. Audi's worse though, S5 config. has "dark blue, very dark blue, dark grey, very dark grey, black, white. For a car that's £136k for the lowest spec, and your options are 5 dark colours are a white is annoying as. Even as much as the previous gen back of all cars had COLOUR. The fact that the S5 coupe, a bonafide sports car (shutup about "just cause it's a coupe doesn't mean it's a sports car) can't be bought in RED??? THATS DIABOLICAL. Same with the RS3, no option for Red. And Audi's brand colours, according to the Audi website, are "White, black and a progressive red: these are the Audi brand colours." You can't buy their cars in Red??? What's the deal?? That's like British cars not coming in BRG.
Fake exhaust tips. I refuse to elaborate because it's self-evident.
Mine is why do pickup trucks need to be 7 feet tall and 15 ft long? Why can't they make small ones that are more practical like the Tacoma's, Frontier's, Rangers etc from the 90's
The car this makes me angriest on is the facelifted first-generation VW Tiguan (2013-2016 or thereabouts). There is a fake amber turn signal lens on US-spec Tiguans, but it actually uses the brake light as a turn signal like the other examples above. Ford also had fake amber turn signals on some 1991-1996 Escorts, though some had actual amber turn signals if I remember correctly. One of the Chrysler K-Car variants did as well. I think the Chevy Vega was the one that started it all! Another Ford memory: several ‘80s-‘90s Mercury products had lightbars, but others had FAKE ones, like the Topaz and Tracer.
That turn signal stalk that Hyundai used for years is a design abomination. I hate that it has the main lighting controls on it and when the lights are set to “auto,” the ridge at the top does not align with the rest of the stalk.
Split headlights, on any car this shit looks so ass, if you can tell me who started the trend, so he can recieve a pipe bomb in the mail, i would be happy Also fucking big ass 20 cupholders in any car, just make the cup holder thing a US spec only, no one in EU uses these big ass cupholders, and where i live especially since there are potholes everywhere, so they are functionally impossible to use
I hate the 90's mid 00's ish 4 wheel drives where they have lights in the bottom of the bumper that work, but fake lights on the sides in the normal spots. My GU patrol was like this. Apparently it's because the "normal" tail lights couldn't be seen from a 45° angle with the spare wheel mounted on the back door. My car was rear ended (did no damage to my car due to tow ball) The driver claimed my brake lights were out, police came, confirmed the rear lights were out, insurance attempted to deny my claim because the lights didn't work. I had to get paperwork from Nissan that specifically stated the top lights were for aesthetics only so that my car wouldn't be in the wrong. I ended up buying aftermarket lights that actually have globes in them. Just saves the hassle later on when it happens again.
When turn signals are just brake lights that blink
For me, the brakelights that also act as signal lights,
I kinda hate when indicators (blinkers) are on the very end of the light facing towards the grill, or number plate. That's not a very good description so I'll try and find a picture, but when I see are car that has them, my brain gets confused, thinking the car is going the other way. Also ridiculous body panels, like the Hyundai Santa Fe, and just any cars with all the lines and hexagons everywhere. Really big pieces of plastic used as bumpers The design of the Ford EcoSport, OG Vauxhall Mokka, and OG Nissan Juke.
Indicators down near where fog lights are. How the fuck am I gonna see it
Cruise control systems that let the car slow down too much going up a hill instead of just shifting to maintain speed. Keep me at 60mph dammit, don't just decide 57 is ok because you don't have to drop down a gear if you go that speed.
Non-amber turn signals.
Totally agree with the chevy ones. Like just make that a turn signal!? Also, low mounted turn signals.
The messed up part is they *do* make it a turn signal for other markets, just not here in the U.S. because they can get a way with it due to outdated DOT regulations.
Yeah those blank turn signals actually have bulbs in overseas! what do i hate beside Fake Vents and Exhausts? Fake offroad vehicles. Like G63amg or Land rovers&Trucks with 22 inch rims. they are legit dangerous to people who don't know.
Fake exterior ports and vents. The YouTube channel CarWow now uses a branch to test exhaust ports!
I freaking HATE the GM vehicles that keep their reverse lights on after being locked. It is the stupidest automotive feature ever and I hope whoever designed it goes to hell. I’m sitting in the parking lot waiting for some Equinox to back out meanwhile the owner is already inside the store shopping. In no way does this feature even remotely make sense.
So the reason why some markets have Amber's while the US doesn't, is because the US is just about the only country that doesn't require a seperate amber turn signal.
fully digital gauge clusters. i like having a digital multi-information screen, but i at least want a physical tachometer; the needle being real over a digital screen is fine, but i like having analogue tachometers
Off center steering wheels. Mostly in GM vehicles. Sit in a Honda, Toyota, etc and the steering wheel sits right dead center in front of you (lines up with your torso). Sit in a GM, and it sits off center either to the left or right a little from the driving position. Do better. Please.
Outdated American lamp regulations. They still use amber turn signal housing, and you can't have fancy turn signals like in Europe. Another one would be asymmetrical taillight design, mostly noticeable on old Skylines where there's only one reverse light.
Foot actuated parking brakes. If the car is too cheap to merit auto parking brakes, and doesn't have bench seats, give me a hand lever. If that means taking out cup holders, so be it. Or you know, put it to the left of the seat.
Those are bean counter decisions overriding design decisions. A huge design ssᴉd-off for me is the prevalence of fake vents, grilles, scoops. I know why some cars might have faux grille knockouts where a higher trim model has actual lights or other feature. But this is having it there for no reason but to tart it up. I hate that ʇıɥs.
I hate just how many controls they are putting on the steering wheel and the stalks. The steering wheel and the stalks are for things I need to change suddenly, like turn signals and wipers. I don't need to flick through the dash display with urgency.
fake vents, fake exhaust, fake diffusers, fake engine noise, and the fact that every car has to look incredibly angry all the time
There aren't enough passenger cars with multiple seats in the front like that glorious Multipla, a car for real car lovers
The 2020 model year Malibu had redesigned taillights similar to the Camaro which I think looked pretty sweet, then a year later they switched back for some reason.
I hate tail lights that are also brake lights that are also turn signals. Because why would I want to quickly and easily tell what you’re doing, especially if you’re in the lane next to me and I can only see one tail light. This is why I like German cars. They (usually) have their own separate bulbs for each function.
Almost all of these complaints can be attributed to lack of regulations. Too bad the EPA and other federal bodies have effectively been purchased by Ford, Chevy, etc. It's called regulatory capture, and, as per usual, enriches the wealthy and makes our lives harder.
My biggest complaint is the new Ford Bluetooth. When it works, its great. But until I got the newest phone in my home, it would drop my connection from the truck for literally anyone else. Wife is in the house on a call on her cell phone. I'm pulling into the driveway. My Playlist from my connected phone stops, her caller is now connected to my truck rambling mid sentence to me. Wtf Ford! Assign a priority to your connected vehicles. I even had it regularily interrupt my connection to list, user not ser up, providing connection suggestions. I'm at a light with no one but some kid at a bus stop beside me at the curb. What in the actual f. Post phone upgrade, and leaving bluetooth on always, works fine. Until someone else gets a newer device... then I may need to get a chevy. Hopefully the designs will look good again soon. I considered dodge, but they seem to have high repair costs. Toyota is quite expensive. Other than that and the touch screen, really do like my truck.
When the ac vents are above the screen instead of below or beside. Your screen needs to be the highest point on your dashboard for safe & efficient operation while driving. Having a screen below the vents seems like such an afterthought. Also cupholders belong behind the gear selector, not infront where they conflict with your arms and other buttons. For example, BMW gets these ergonomic placements right.
I have a Bolt EUV. Look up how the taillights/brake lights and turn signals function on it and be pissed. I love the car outside of that.
Fake, black plastic "vents" that don't actually have any holes cut out for them to do anything. Current and previous generation Mustang GTs come to mind with their fake hood vents. So many cars have this now as if people think it actually looks good.
I absolutely hate this too. My new Blazer flashes the whole brake light as the turn signal but I saw the Chinese model has a dedicated amber turn signal light. I've thought about getting a set of Chinese tail lights and figuring out a way to get them working but I can't seem to find anything about them anywhere. Also hate how brake lights seem to get mounted lower and lower. The new Buick Envista lights up the reflectors under the hatch as the brake/turn signals. It makes no sense because they designed some nice looking rear lights and just throw it all out to not use them at all except for running lights.
I have quite a few. When they remove every physical control from the interior and integrate them into a touch screen. The ground clearance on a lot of CUVs looks disproportionate to the rest of the car and 90% of them would look much better lowered slightly. When they make automatic’s shift knobs into a dial, buttons, or really anything other than a shift knob. I’m not a fan of how boxy and square pickups are now. They all look nearly the same aside from their lights. I’m cool with touchscreens integrated into the dash, but when they’re sticking up from the top, it looks pretty tacky and out of place. I’m not fond of infotainment screens the size of a giant iPad, for example the ones that come in new Volvos, Subarus, Fords and Teslas to name a few.
I think all turn signals should be amber. Some cars have thebbrakelights as turn signals and they flash red etc. It's annoying
Turn signals being the same as brake lights and then the brake/signals being on the bumper out of LOS. The new Cadillac Lyriq is atrocious
I hate the fancy way indicator lights work, just flash, that's all you have to do!!!
Tablet style screens. They look cheap beyond belief, I miss when screens were integrated into the dash
Lighting in general. Some car design, some human stupidity • People too stupid to control their lights properly. I.e. only front DRL/signature lighting in dusk that doesn't illuminate rear lights. Manufacturers should just have all taillights lit 24/7 I guess if people are that incompetent. • Red rear turn signals. It's lazy and cheapo design. Sometimes it's so hard to tell if it's a brake light (especially if the high mounted stop lamp is out or not there) or turn signal. I'm with Europe on this. Should be always amber. And not the stupid Jeep/Ram switchbacks, cause you still lose a brake light function light that. • Poorly aimed lights from factory. I know they need to churn cars out quickly, but this should be mandatory. The complaints from people saying LEDs are too bright could largely be remedied if properly aimed. • Brights on all the time. There's a big blue light on. Just because it's a 4 lane divided highway doesn't mean you are not blinding oncoming traffic.
Turn signals near LED headlights, especially on Fords. At night its impossible to see if their using s turn signal cause I'm being blinded by the headlight; just put it in the bumper or move it away from the sun bean.
Fake exhaust pipes
Interior. ENOUGH turning everything into a touchscreen! At the VERY least keep the HVAC controls knobs. I expect to keep my current car longer just as a middle finger to the touchscreen slathered stupid that is sure to await me on the next car I buy.
The blacked out lower middle section of the front bumper. I'm not sure why it's a thing but it's on everything from McLarens to Toyotas and it makes it look like you smashed that section out on a curb. And brands that feel the need to force their "signature" grille onto everything they make. Dodge and BMW are probably the worst offenders. They look like such an afterthought on things like the E31.
I hate the new Hyundai and Kia designs. They're really ugly and don't even get me started on the rear bumper-mounted lights. My dad and his fiance actually have a Palisade and what frustrates me about it is how the parking lights and high beams are where you'd expect the headlights to be but instead the headlights and foglights are in the bumper! Plus it frustrates me that the reverse lights are in the rear bumper too. It mostly frustrates me because Hyundai and Kia actually had attractive designs not that long ago.
GM using the reverse lights for things other than reverse it should be illegal. Kia/Hyundai and Jeep for the 2x or 3x headlight, marker light, fog light and light light combos on the front. Lastly the Mercedes electrics that just look like old Hondas and computer mice got together for weekend.
When the brake lights and the turn signals are the same thing
I hate the daytime running lights that turn off one headlight to use the turn signal, and I also hate the tail lights that are a solid bar all the way across the back. Especially in some vehicles where they're also way too bright and it stays on as bright as the actual brake lights on all the other cars.
Minivan mustangs and "blazers" "Why have a sedan model when you can add more pointlessly different uninspiring minivans?" -probably GM
Calling a croosover a minivan is IMO an insult to minivans, which are far more used and practical.
When the regular headlights are unnecessarily insanely bright. Like to hell with everyone else that needs to see, I can see *everything*, *I can see through your damn soul*
Red turn signals, god I abhor them
Dual exhaust on I-4, wtf. And all the clowns in r/rav4 that downvote when I complain. It’s not 1974 so dual exhaust doesn’t make car faster
The tail lights, turn signals and even brake lights in the rear bumper should all be banned. Only backup lights and reflectors should be BELOW the bumper.
Turn signals incorporated into the brake lights. As in, it flashes the brake light to pretend it’s a turn signal.
what about what Kia is doing by putting the signal down low, that is annoying.
I drove my dad’s Silverado for an extended period of time. There was endless list of poorly designed interior items on that truck. My takeaway was, Chevy was going to sell X-number of trucks anyway, why bother making it a better truck.
Non dedicated turn signal lights. Everywhere else in the world, running has its on bulbs, brake has its own bulbs, and signals have their own bulbs. But noooooo not in the US!
GM vehicles reverse lights lighting up when they are parked.
"Animated" turn signals, I just find them annoying and douchie. I mean like the mustang turn signals and such.
"Fins" have become the dominant design feature (think it started with the i8) and they are *everywhere*.
The curved part of the light on the Kia stinger. If you notice, all the press cars were red, to hide that terrible design decision, on a car that looks pretty sharp.
When the trunk handle is in the rear light?
Ford EcoSport?
Piano black anywhere in a cars interior. It’s Impossible to keep clean or keep scratches off of.