Design is my favorite aspect of the automotive world. As a little kid it was how they looked that got me into cars, which led to me pursuing a degree in car design. Since I decided to become a writer instead, design is still the thing I love to talk about the most. Interviewing actual designers is my favorite part of the job, and styling is one of my main considerations when reviewing a new car.
With so much of a focus on design, I’m always noticing little details that I either really love, or really can’t stand. Today, I want to talk about the latter. What’s one car design detail that really annoys you? Now, I think being annoyed by something is different than hating something, but I suppose it’s fine if you tell me about a design detail you hate. Regardless, this should be a detail that, no matter the age, type or price of the car it’s on, always grinds your gears, shall we say.
Please, stop!
My idea for this question came from the last two press cars I’ve had: a 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV (the above photo) and a 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander (the photo up top). While I really liked the Bolt and have a few positive feelings for the Outlander, they both share a design detail that drives me nuts in a bad way. Why the hell are automakers still using non-leather materials that have a fake leather grain pattern on them?
This is not me hating on cheap car interiors — I love affordable city cars, and sometimes a lower price point brings out more adventurous designs — or saying that everything has to be real leather. If you’re going to give me an alternative material, like a leatherette or a fabric or something else cool and sustainable, just don’t give it some crappy graining effect that does a horrible job of making the interior look and feel fancier. It’s never going to convince me that the plastic I’m touching is leather. Some other companies (including GM!) are starting to realize how bad and dated this always looks, and have been introducing surfaces with geometric patterns or more natural materials, and it’s so much better. The Outlander’s strange mix of materials is a whole other issue that I’m saving for my review.
What about you? What’s one design detail that really annoys you? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll round up my favorite answers later this week.
