The 10 things car buyers say they want in their next car

[Max Rockatansky]

I want a high-clearance electric SUV with a range of 350 miles between five-minute charges.

I'm kicking that PHEV can down the road as far as I can.  I'm hoping to get at least two conventional economy cars in before 2035.  That should leave me equipped with at least one if not two spare ICE cars by that time.  With ICE cars I have the resources to keep running.  I don't know if that will be a thing with PHEV or full EV.

I sold my Wrangler since I was paying a pretty high car payment for a car that was only driven maybe 2-3 times per week outside of taking my son to daycare. I don't get up to the mountains as much as I used to so the Wrangler's off-road capabilities weren't being used that much either. So I picked up a used Outback just so I could be without a car payment.

But in a couple of years when I'm not paying $20k a year for daycare, I want to get something similar to my Rubicon. I'm still trying to figure out if that's going to be an ICE or an EV. Ideally, they make a full EV Bronco or Wrangler at some point here which may make my decision easier.

Right now I have my eyes on a Corolla hybrid with AWD.  My wife has a high clearance Forester we intend to keep.  As long as we have that and somewhere I can pack my mountain bike I see myself covered for true high clearance roads.

Biking just isn't for me, especially uphill. I'd rather just hike up the road if those were my options.

Usually that's what I do also (or run).  It is just nice to have the option for the mountain bike if the distance is long. 

[JayhawkCO]

I want a high-clearance electric SUV with a range of 350 miles between five-minute charges.

I'm kicking that PHEV can down the road as far as I can.  I'm hoping to get at least two conventional economy cars in before 2035.  That should leave me equipped with at least one if not two spare ICE cars by that time.  With ICE cars I have the resources to keep running.  I don't know if that will be a thing with PHEV or full EV.

I sold my Wrangler since I was paying a pretty high car payment for a car that was only driven maybe 2-3 times per week outside of taking my son to daycare. I don't get up to the mountains as much as I used to so the Wrangler's off-road capabilities weren't being used that much either. So I picked up a used Outback just so I could be without a car payment.

But in a couple of years when I'm not paying $20k a year for daycare, I want to get something similar to my Rubicon. I'm still trying to figure out if that's going to be an ICE or an EV. Ideally, they make a full EV Bronco or Wrangler at some point here which may make my decision easier.

Right now I have my eyes on a Corolla hybrid with AWD.  My wife has a high clearance Forester we intend to keep.  As long as we have that and somewhere I can pack my mountain bike I see myself covered for true high clearance roads.

Biking just isn't for me, especially uphill. I'd rather just hike up the road if those were my options.

Usually that's what I do also (or run).  It is just nice to have the option for the mountain bike if the distance is long. 

Given that I like to car camp at 14er trailheads (obviously I could backpack in), the SUV with high clearance/lockers/etc. is definitely best for me.

[1995hoo]

The thing I've wondered about with the plug-in hybrids is whether the gas goes bad if you don't use the gas engine often enough, say if 95 percent of your driving is local driving for short distances. I suppose one solution is just to kick it down and accelerate hard periodically to force the engine to turn on, or else to take it on the Interstate or go for a longer drive every couple of weeks, and another solution might be to use a fuel stabilizer.

The engine computer takes that into account and runs the engine periodically and enough to make sure that you use the gas in its entirety over the period of a few months or so.

Mazda's new PHEVs, for example, run the engine as needed and will actually tell you that is why it's running it.

Thanks, this is very helpful. One of my work colleagues is researching new cars and he was interested in the plug-in hybrids but, like me, wondered about the gas issue (we both telecommute). I'll pass that info along.

[ZLoth]

Related.... From Ars Technica:

A lot of new in-car tech is "not necessary," survey finds
Partially automated driving systems scored particularly poorly.

Jumping into a new car from the driver's seat of something built before 2010 can cause quite the case of future shock. Over that time, automakers have been in a technology frenzy, loading up new vehicles with all manner of gizmos, gadgets, and features, some meant to make your life easier, others to make your journey safer. But do car buyers actually want all this stuff? A new survey by JD Power suggests they may not.

With enough time, a new convenience feature just becomes something buyers expect to be there. Starter motors replaced hand cranks for a reason, and I imagine most modern motorists would prefer not to deal with manual chokes. Manual window winders became more expensive and heavier than electric ones, leading to their extinction.

Some of the technology creep has come about by regulation or the threat of it. While many bemoan the "iPad on the dash," the legal requirement for a backup camera means there needs to be a screen in the car to display that feed. Steering wheels and dashboards grew to conceal airbags. And now vehicle fascias conceal sensors that can alert the driver or stop the car in the event of an imminent head-on crash.

But according to JD Power's Tech Experience Survey, which "measures problems encountered and the user experience with advanced technologies as they first enter the market," advanced technology in cars needs to solve real problems, and too much tech simply doesn't do that.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

[vdeane]

My 2014 Civic has a backup camera, yet it does not have a giant iPad on the dash or even any touch features or buttons that change based on what's on the screen; the controls are 100% traditional.  Instead, when the backup camera is not in use, the screen shows the audio, clock, odometer, and temperature, along with other information the user can configure (I have it set to show the audio, but it can also show gas mileage info, an analog clock, or nothing at all).  It also displays info messages on there, as well as the settings menu (controlled via the steering wheel).  So the backup camera doesn't require an iPad on the dash, it's just an excuse for when people complain about the iPad on the dash.

I don't want any cameras or microphones inside the car.  And I'd also rather have traditional climate control rather than "smart" climate control.  I can adjust the traditional one as I want, the "smart" one might require an uncomfortable temperature to be set to keep the fan running.  And there are times I need to run the AC even when it's comfortable (or even with the heat on) just to keep the window from fogging.

Yeah, I'm going to be stuck hoping I can keep my 2014 Civic going forever at the rate the auto industry is going...