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I drove more than 70 cars this year. Here are the things that annoyed me the most.
I drove more than 70 cars this year. Here are the things that annoyed me the most.
Matthew DeBordDec 20, 2018, 21:46 IST
Matthew DeBord/BI
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I test and review dozens of cars, trucks, and SUVs every year.
Most are impressive. But there are some things that annoy me.
For 2018, I decided to round up all the features that disappointed.
I generally find that at the end of year, after testing dozens of vehicles, I have very little of significance to complain about. Automakers are doing a fantastic job, up and down the price ladder, of satisfying and delighting their customers.
That said, I've driven enough cars that I often encounter some annoying stuff. Not dealbreakers, and in some cases, to be expected. One doesn't want their massively powerful sports cars to go easy on the fuel consumption. But annoying, nonetheless.
I keep a mental record of the disappointing features in the cars that I review every year. This time around, I thought I share what irked me with everyone else.
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So here are the 20 most disappointing features in all the cars I reviewed in 2018:
... On the Kia Stinger. Yes, the Stinger was our 2018 Car of the Year. But the extraneous plastic was borrowed from a year when Pontiacs still roamed the roads.
The trackpad ...
... For the infotainment system in the Lexus LS500. Our tester cost more than $115,000. But Lexus flagship has the worst infotainment interface in the luxury business.
The key fob ...
... For the Aston Martin DB11 Volante. It's a glorious car, but James Bond would be humiliated to slip the fob in to the pocket of his bespoke suit jacket.
The cupholders ...
... In the Porsche Boxster GTS. They pretty much useless for holding cups.
The joystick shifter ...
... In the BMW M5. The car its a magnificent beast, but the shifter is completely annoying.
The ride quality ...
... On the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro. OK, this a survive-the-apocalypse pickup. But When you aren't surviving the end of the world, you'll be fighting endless lower back pain from this rough rider.
The trunk in the ...
... Acura NSX. It's barely big enough to hold a disassembled oboe in its case.
The steering-wheel trackballs ...
... On the Tesla Model 3. Sure, we get that the interior is supposed to be SUPER MINIMALIST. But the two trackballs are overtaxed, controlling everything from audio volume to side-view mirrors.
The infotainment system ...
... On the Jaguar F-Pace 30t Portfolio LE. Really gorgeous car. Seriously laggy and glitchy infotainment system.
The massive supercharger ...
... On the Corvette ZR1. True, 755 hp is impossible without it. But with it, seeing over that massive mound of power can be a tricky.
The interior ...
Of toe Alfa Romeo Stelvio. This luxury SUV has an interior that's far from its best feature.
The driving dynamics ...
... Of the Buick Enclave Avenir. Buck's aren't supposed to be firm. But the Enclave Avenir draws its inspiration from pillows and pudding.
The turbocharged, 275-hp, four-cylinder engine ...
... In the entry level Chevy Camaro. The turbo four in the similar base Mustang is much better.
The overall styling ...
... Of the BMW X4 SUV. It's supposed to be a fastback version of the X3 SUV. Great, but it looks downright weird.
The 16-gallon gas tank ...
... In the Ford Mustang GT. The car is a monster, but you'll need to enjoy fill-ups to savor the beast.
The cheap yellow plastic hood latch ...
... In the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Stylish car, but it harbors some astoundingly cheap components.
Fuel economy ...
... For the Ferrari 812 Superfast. Nobody buys a car like this and its massive V12 motor for MPGs. Still, 13 mpg combined is painful.
Lack of charging options ...
... For the Nissan Leaf. The new Leaf adds range, but non-Teslas still lack a widespread, easily accessible national charging network.
The fact that I couldn't ...
... Buy the lovely Jaguar XF Sportbrake wagon for my lovely wife. She was crazy about this car, but the $71,000 price tag is still a little too rich for my blood.
The demise ...
... Of the Chevy SS sedan. Barebones, brutal four-door performance, leaving us for good as General Motors phased out the Australian Holden Commodore the SS was derived from.
