Swallowing goldfish in the 1940’s, pet rocks in the 1970’s and 80’s, and Snuggies in the 2000’s were just a few of the silliest trends that have surfaced through the years.
Fads and trends pop up every few years. Some stick; others don’t. Most don’t end up having the staying power of those things that are absolutely crucial to our lives. Some of the most meaningless trends tend to fade out of existence within a few years.
In the automotive industry, cars with abnormally large fins, excessive amounts of chrome trim, and using the wedge as a primary styling element have been largely dictated by consumer preference.
Conversely, some trends are dictated by necessity rather than preference. The oil crisis in the 1970’s forced muscle cars to die, safety regulations and technology killed the lap seatbelt, and smaller engine sizes are necessary for more fuel efficient travel.
Of course, not all trends are beneficial or necessary. Here are some of the most modern trends we think are the least beneficial, silliest, and the ones we hope won’t stick around for too long.
“Sport Mode”:
Generally speaking, pushing the “Sport” button in a vehicle does a few things. It tells the computer to stiffen the suspension, increase throttle response, shift quicker than normal, and hold gears longer than normal.
The intended result is that your vehicle now feels slightly faster than it does during normal driving. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The bad thing is that each manufacturer does it a little differently. Not each vehicle with “sport mode” actually stiffens the suspension or holds gears longer. Some only do one while some only do two.
Another drawback is that “sport mode” comes on most vehicles now. This includes dedicated sports cars.
It seems to me that if I buy a sports car, it should probably always be ready for some spirited driving.
To be fair, many vehicles now also come with a comfort setting, so I suppose I can’t be too judgmental, even though I think this is one of the most pointless pieces of technology on modern vehicles.
Over-sized Grilles:
Many manufacturers have taken grille size to a whole new level.
The prime offenders include Audi, Toyota, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Lexus. The worst part about this trend is that a large part of these over-sized grilles are actually closed off. Another part often houses the frontal camera and safety systems.
Perhaps that’s part of why the grilles need to be so large: to conceal the increased number of safety systems while maintaining some level of styling element.
If that’s the case, it is certainly a styling element that needs to be changed.
Gear Selector Mayhem:
I can understand column shifters wearing out their welcome, but since when did a good old traditional floor and console shifters become inconvenient?
It’s not like they take up so much space that there needed to be something done about shifting down into drive and up into park.
Now, buttons have replaced many traditional stick style shifters. Many vehicles that don’t have buttons utilize joystick shifters, which don’t stay in the position in which you move them. Rather, you can see which drive mode your vehicle is in by illuminated lettering on the joystick or in the information panel.
This has caused some confusion for consumers unfamiliar with the way these shifters work, and rightfully so. An illuminated light is definitely not as clear as seeing your shifter next to the letter “D” after moving it into the appropriate position.
Rant over, this trend needs to die as it is a remedy for a problem that never existed in the first place.
The “Go Fast” Treatment:
I’ve talked about this before, so I won’t spend too much time on it.
Two-toned seats with racing stripes, some sporty exterior trim, and a spoiler aren’t going to make your Nissan Rogue do anything more than if those things weren’t there.
Most sport models such as the Honda Fit Sport, Nissan Rogue Sport, and Honda Civic Sport will never replace more purpose built models such as the Honda Civic Si, Subaru WRX, and even the Nissan Sentra Nismo.
They may look cooler than their more mundane siblings, and if you want those models, it is your choice. Just don’t be fooled by the label and some crafty salesman that gives them some unmerited accolades.
Fake Exhaust Tips:
Fake exhaust tips don’t house any special camera systems like the over-sized grilles I mentioned earlier, but the concept is largely the same.
They serve as cosmetic enhancements to make the vehicle look better.
Now, I personally think that fake exhaust tips are one of the lesser offenders in this group, and I feel like I understand them a little more than some of the other trends here.
Still, I would rather just have a manufacturer equip a vehicle with a real tailpipe than try to conceal what is clearly hanging behind the rear bumper.
Manufacturers: Please, just spend the extra few dollars it would take to add a nice touch to a well-built vehicle instead of taking shortcuts for the sake of styling.
And there you have it.
Anybody could make a list of the worst trends in just about any industry.
Most of these are pretty trivial. They are trends for a reason, though. There are obviously enough people who want all of this for manufacturers to justify producing all of it.
With that, I have to bow to the masses and just continue to prefer the things I think are much more sensible. And if each of these trends actually do become long term solutions, I will accept my defeat as gracefully as I can.
