[himanshugoswami]

Originally Posted by GTO

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Android Auto & Apple CarPlay: It's amazing how many mass market cars offer this incredibly useful integration (e.g. Baleno), but so many 50-lakh cars don't.

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Perhaps the thought process of the OEMs here is as follows:

A baleno will most likely be self driven, hence the owner/driver will benefit directly from Car Play/Android Auto

A merc or BMW will almost always be Chauffeur driven, so why offer a feature that the owner will not avail of? After all as a rear seat saheb you dont want your driver to see what whats app messages you are getting

The above rationale is posted only half in jest!!

[prabhuferrari]

So this is my 3rd Vento in 7 years and this is what has changed from Iteration 1

1. Cruise control
2. Dead pedal (seriously)
3. Cooled glovebox
4. Hill hold
5. HU with Android auto and Carplay
6. DRLs and LED Headlamps
7. Auto sensing rain wipers
8. Day night mirror
9. Auto fold rear view mirror
10. Sporty flat bottom steering wheels with multiple controls

So for the same old car, many new features from costlier cars have trickled down. To be honest, many of these were not available even in Jetta few years back!

Also many have mentioned sunroof is good to have but not sure how many use it. Also I have a friend with 2012 Passat that has the ventilated seats. Unfortunately his driver isn't that hygienic and everytime the car AC is turned on the car stinks like crazy. Its very difficult to clean such seats. Considering the tropical nature of our country, we really need to see how practical or useful it is to have such features.

I would vote for safety features like those found on Volvo cars trickle down which will make driving safer!

[StarrySky]

Well, looking at some car specifications here in Finland, I wonder when premium cars will offer features which are standard in budget cars

For eg: the new Octavia (Style) here offers blind spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert as standard. To get the same in an Audi A4 (already €10k dearer), I have to opt for some XYZ-package which costs upwards of €2k. Auto-dimming and electrically folding external RVMs are standard on the Octavia. In the Audi A4, it is a paid option that costs above €500. Front and rear parking sensors are standard on Octavia. Add another €500 if you want front sensors on the Audi.

[lamborghini]

Is it really a slow trickle down?

Our 2011 A6, 2012 Laura have lesser gizmos than my 2016 S-Cross - such as navigation, and a reverse camera.
Heck - my smartphone doubles up as a remote for the HU in the S-Cross!

The S-Cross may miss out on other features such as electric seats with memory, additional airbags, etc. - but the gizmos are definitely there which will appeal to the average car buyer!

IMO - a lot of these fancier gizmos end up getting passed on to customers as affordability increases, as well as competition! In fact, I would say competition is the key reason behind manufacturers selecting features they feel will be a value add in the eyes of a customer.

[androdev]

I am not suggesting that features have not tricked down. I am not happy with the progress made I am surprised by the satisfaction I see here.

I don't mean to be snobbish but I really wish I could buy a 20L car with large glass roof, heads up display and "Siri". It could be a Polo. What if they sold such a car instead of Polo GTI?

How many lady drivers would be thrilled to have 360 degree camera feature in their cars? Give it as an option and see.

Why is it that only an S-class level car should offer rear seat entertainmaint and massage seats? Nobody with a budget below 1.3Cr fancy these things? Would it not be nice to have an Innova with massage seats and stream netflix to all your passenger screens?

I know I am not getting anywhere with this and maybe the market doesn't value these features but I find it odd.

The luxury car makers don't give certain features because of product differentiation. They are not worried about cost or market demand. If anyone says MB doesn't have memory seats or rear camera, etc. it is simply because they want you to buy their more expensive cars.

But looks like the luxury car makers found the ultimate weapon against mass market cars - the uber expensive and intricately designed head and tail lamps. These lights will soon touch 10L apiece.

I am counting on Hyundai to break the jinx. They do a commendable job and will hopefully rock the boat.

Originally Posted by varunsangal

PS: Your handle suggests you are an android developer..

There was no android when I came up with my nickname in 2007, I vaguely remember it was related to Andromeda galaxy (based on something I was reading at that time).

[jinojohnt]

Some high-end features that I would like in budget cars (shouldn't incur much additional cost):
1. CVT wipers (I mean wipers that can be put in any speed rather than 1-2-3-intermittent)
2. Headlight beams that turn with the steering
3. Auto switch-on and Auto dipping headlights
4. Rain sensing wipers
5. Display with EXACT quantity of fuel left in the tank (11.36 liters )
6. Battery voltage in the display
7. Usb charging ports, rather than giving just cigarette lighter adapters
8. All four disc brakes
9. At least the wiring for reverse camera/sensor
10. 'Bottom flat' steering wheels
11. Umbrella pocket (with water drain) on the door pads
12. Isofix anchors for child seats

[BeantownThinker]

Originally Posted by androdev

...but I really wish I could buy a 20L car with large glass roof, heads up display and "Siri". It could be a Polo. What if they sold such a car instead of Polo GTI?

To answer your question in one word "Scale". No mass manufacturer will give all that one wants if they are not able to scale it up to be profitable.

Heck, when I picked up my petrol Verna AT about a couple of years back it was a level down when compared with the features of the diesel Verna AT. I was not even given an option to fit as an after-market fitment. The reason given was that there is not much demand for such features.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by BeantownThinker

To answer your question in one word "Scale". No mass manufacturer will give all that one wants if they are not able to scale it up to be profitable.

I hope you are right, and there is no collusion between luxury and mass brands It hurts to see that the cheapest car with panoramic roof is Tiguan top end (first time from a non luxury brand) and with HUD is BMW X1 top end. I look forward to see these features trickle down to the i10s of the world.

[Lone Ranger]

Originally Posted by androdev

It hurts to see that the cheapest car with panoramic roof is Tiguan top end (first time from a non luxury brand) and with HUD is BMW X1 top end. I look forward to see these features trickle down to the i10s of the world.

Androdev, I for one have an obsession about pano sunroofs as well. In fact I have promised myself that one day I will own a car which has this feature. One of the reasons I love the Volvo V40 is just because of that roof! I personally feel that the overall ambiance of the cabin is greatly enriched with this feature. Biologically speaking, it could be because (some) exposure to sunlight does have positive psychological and physical effects. I would only really open a sunroof if I'm driving up a ghat road in the hills, but even when it is closed, it has a positive effect on me. And at the end of the day features like this do not have a 'functional only' benefit, and are always intended to increase your feel good factor.

On the other hand, let me outline my own (typical middle class) experience with features. I learnt how to drive in my dad's premier padmini in the late 90s. Column mounted gear shift, bench seat, no ac, top speed (indicated) was about 90 kmph. It was also a very ugly green. But I loved that car with all my heart and the day dad allowed me to install a cassette stereo in the car was one of the happiest days in my life. Budget for stereo - Rs 2000. Location of the stereo - in the glove box!

The first new car my dad bought was an alto lx in 2001. I was blown away by the following features
1) An actual modern dashboard
2) AC
3) Bucket seats in the front
4) Floor shifter
5) seatbelts

In 2003, I bought my first car. In my head, there was no better choice than the Alto LX. Some of the best driving memories till date have been in this car (which I still own). Of course I was so severely restricted in my budget (I had just started earning) that I had to take a personal loan even to make the first downpayment. It was financially the stupidest thing to do, but some BHPians will probably relate to this. I wouldn't dream of doing something like that now, but the advantage with being young and stupid is that sometimes you can make stupid decisions and never realize it until the danger has gone by totally unnoticed.

In 2008, I bought a new Toyota Corolla (in the middle east). Features that blew me away
1) Power windows
2) Power steering
3) My god the power and acceleration (remember I was coming from an 800cc engine)
4) Factory fitted music system
5) Folding rear view mirrors
6) Factory installed fog lamps
7) Factory installed central locking
8) Remote bootlid opening
9) Alloy wheels

I returned in 2010 and bought a Swift vxi. By this time financial prudence set in (I quit my job to start my own company) and splurging on cars was a definite no-no. I still was extremely tempted about the idea of a second hand civic but resisted the urge.

The point I am making is that by the time the average person upgrades a car (typically five years) incremental upgrades that have become that segment standard will still wow you because your present ride in all probability didn't have them. And in cases like mine, where I am looking to upgrade my swift only if it becomes problematic before its planned life of 10-12 years, you can imagine how thrilled I will be when I buy my next car!

Of course, this is all relative. If a person had owned a Mercedes W124 in 2000, he would not necessarily feel the same way I do. In fact, he might even be a little irritated by the niggles modern cars seem to come with as compared to what I feel was the last 'classic' Mercedes to be sold in India!

[Grand Drive]

I personally desire to have these luxury car features on all mass market cars:

• Curtain Airbags.
• Build quality.
• Adaptive and bright headlights.
• Shark fin Antenna.
• Comfortable seats.
• Heated ORVM.
• Automatic climate control.
• Armrest.
• Dead pedal.
• Isofix seats.

[MaheshY1]

Originally Posted by androdev

Is it an issue of cost or is it a deliberate effort to limit these features to their expensive models?

Not a cost thing. It's product differentiation.

E.g.: Baleno = front armrest, Dzire = rear armrest, Brezza = front and rear armrest

That's upselling. I'm not ready to install a cheap-looking armrest in my car as I prefer the factory fit and finish. So, I'd at least consider jumping up to a different model if I were buying a new car. At least they can offer both on higher variants but they won't as it creates features overlap.

I also find cruise control very important. We don't have a single car on sale today that uses a cable throttle (except maybe Nano). They're all drive-by-wire. How much would it cost to give us three buttons for cruise control when the car already has the necessary hardware? It's barely a few lines of code that only needs to be copied from a higher-spec car.

Would love to see these simple features in cheaper cars:
- Rear side window shades
- Rear windshield shades
- Front rear armrest
- Cruise control
- Lumbar support
- Dead pedal
- TPMS
- Padded door armrest
- Reclining rear seats
- Wireless charging pads (and USB/Aux under the front armrest)
- Powered trunk lid (Okay, perhaps that's too much)

The tech will eventually drain down but it's going to take a long time unless someone disrupts the market. I'm expecting MG Motor to do some magic in that regard and shake up the market the way Xiaomi and OnePlus did by offering us more for less.

[Unavowed_X9]

In retrospect, the ergonomic features present in a 2003 Pajero GLX CBU always amazes me.
1. Grab handles everywhere.
2. Superb square edges which ensure visibility all round.
3. Perfectly level centre console arm rest with the elbow rest on door.
4. Perfectly centred driving seat with the steering (have noticed a few cars having their steering offset. That is a pain).
5. The sweetly paired gear lever that enables shifting with a flick of your wrist.
...and the list goes on.

[GeeTee TSI]

Originally Posted by Grand Drive

[*]Comfortable seats.

Seats are the biggest class discriminators in cars which you cannot ignore, no matter what touch screen displays or performance you might have in your budget car

Seat ergonomics, level and degree of adjustment (of seats as well as the headrests), even the bolstering! These come at a price and above a certain class, size not necessarily a factor I think, as the Mini seems to have great seats.

To top it all, a seat upgrade can be challenging (nigh impossible) but for even the most DIY of team-bhpians

[PrideRed]

The differences are diminishing, somewhat akin to mobile phone industry. For example a latest Motorola G/one plus phone offers most of the functionality of say latest iphone/samsung S series phone at 25% or 50% of the price. There are still differences w.r.to display/camera quality, processor etc. but its diminishing at an alarming rate.
Coming to car industry, back then the Merc's/Bimmers used to come with host of safety features like airbags, ABS, ESC 140+HP engines, where as your regular C/D segment sedan would come with minimum safety features and an engine churning out something in the likes of 90-120HP. Come 2017 the Germans now make about 170-180HP where as you have a lot of 10-20lac rupee cars making about 120-175HP and offering 6-7 airbags along with host of other features.
Barring brand/exclusivity ,I don't see big enough difference which makes a compelling case to invest twice/thrice more to buy a expensive brand.

[ramgkulkarni]

There are definitely a few things I would like to see on the sub 10 lakh cars:

1. Arm rests – The ones that are factory fitted and are usable. I don’t mean the ones which don’t do anything but to sit there and occupy space.
2. Safety features like EPS and traction control – Although airbags and ABS have been made mandatory, I think these features make it even more desirable.
3. Tyre pressure monitor - When I saw this in XUV500, I thought how useful this was.
4. One feature while purchasing a car that I would like would be to customize your variant. Imagine if you can buy a mid-variant and add/customize features from the upper variants. I would probably like to get the higher end variant of a car without the OEM alloys. The prices on OEM alloys just cannot be justified.
5. One more option is to choose the colour of your interiors, I don’t want options like tan, white and other colours like on the BMWs but would really appreciate if we are allowed to choose black from beige and vice versa. I have a dzire with beige interiors. After 4 years, I must confess that I need a change. A friend of mine’s has a swift from the same year and with black interiors, it has aged quite decently.