[samaspire]

Some impressive features I experienced when I test drove the Kodiaq:

1) The sides of the rear headrests fold outwards providing perfect support to rest your head while sleeping.



2) Very thoughtful felt lining for the seat belt locks. (A very easy DIY)



3) It has this voice enhancement feature where the voice of the front passengers is transmitted to the rear passengers through all the speakers. No need to speak up to get your point across.

4) Lights above the sun visor light up gradually as you slide open the mirror. I guess even the Audi Q5 or Q7 has this.



5) Door open warning lights. Lot of cars don't have it, but it's an essential safety feature every car should have.



6) Right side grab handle for the front passenger. Kodiaq has this. Reference image of Land Rover from official review.



7) Storage pouch in front passenger footwell. Inexpensive, nifty feature that can be added to any car. Similarly convenient as the bag hooks in Tata Nexon.

[mmxylorider]

The Mahindra Xylo had the AC Hi and AC Lo feature - essentially a manual control over the AC clutch engagement. Quite useful feature.

I would also add innovation around having flip keys and the keyless option via button - Features that are practically same priced regardless of car segment.

I am not sure how it might be on other cars, the ICE in my Prius allows the presets to be programmed across different input modes. Preset 1 can be FM1, 2 can be FM2, 3 from AM and 4 from SatRadio.

[xjosephjacob]

Renault Duster

1. The audio control stalks



May look rudimentary, however this is the easily the best steering (steering column mounted) audio control unit that I've come across in my 18 years of driving - Ergonomically Perfect. Irrespective of the steering position and irrespective of whether the steering is moving or not, you are in control of your audio unit. With 6 buttons and a rotary ring, you can literally play around with it with all your five fingers like a pianist. Best part is you get a clutter free steering !

2. Automatic rear glass wipe

If your front wipers are on and you put your car in reverse gear, the rear wiper performs a couple of wipes automatically. Makes perfect sense, and very useful too !

3. Front windshield tear wiping

Front wipers wipe again about 5 seconds after the washer is used

[bharatbits]

Most intelligent features i can think of have been covered in the earlier posts.

However, one feature i wish were available in my car is the option to start the engine using a remote, ofcourse only when the car is parked in neutral. Every morning all of us rush to work and can't wait to start the engine and wait till it gets warm and reaches a operating temperature. I feel cold starts take their toll on the car in the long run. Instead if i can start the engine with a remote, i stay on the 2nd floor and can see my parked car from my living room window, the engine would get warm by the time i put on my shoes, pick my bag and reach downstairs. Especially helpful on cold days. Of course, it has to auto shut after a preset time of 3 to 6 mins just in case you get late or forget to turnoff.

Or is this available on any car today?

[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by bharatbits

However, one feature i wish were available in my car is the option to start the engine using a remote, ofcourse only when the car is parked in neutral. Every morning all of us rush to work and can't wait to start the engine and wait till it gets warm and reaches a operating temperature. I feel cold starts take their toll on the car in the long run.

You do not have to wait for the engine to get to operating temperatures before you start moving. 30 seconds is enough. The optimum temperature is reached faster when there is a load on the engine. I would suggest to start driving in 30 seconds once the oil is circulated. Also drive gently at low rpms till your engine reaches the optimum temperature.


Staying with the topic, I like the Mercedes feature where the gearbox slots into park mode when you open the driver door, irrespective of the gear the car is in. Nice safety feature. Just in case you forget to put the car into park mode.

[bharatbits]

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

You do not have to wait for the engine to get to operating temperatures before you start moving. 30 seconds is enough. The optimum temperature is reached faster when there is a load on the engine. I would suggest to start driving in 30 seconds once the oil is circulated. Also drive gently at low rpms till your engine reaches the optimum temperature.

That's the whole point. I get in, start the car, wait for a minute before i start moving. Even then, i coast in 3rd gear at 20kmph without accelerator input for almost 2 kms till the temp needle gets up a little. In the meanwhile wifey says i am deliberately going slow so we get late. I get asked why are you going so slow when other cars or moving so fast. Because on working days every minute counts especially when you work in the emergency department.

[knaveen]

Originally Posted by bharatbits

Most intelligent features i can think of have been covered in the earlier posts.

However, one feature i wish were available in my car is the option to start the engine using a remote, ofcourse only when the car is parked in neutral. Every morning all of us rush to work and can't wait to start the engine and wait till it gets warm and reaches a operating temperature. I feel cold starts take their toll on the car in the long run. Instead if i can start the engine with a remote, i stay on the 2nd floor and can see my parked car from my living room window, the engine would get warm by the time i put on my shoes, pick my bag and reach downstairs. Especially helpful on cold days. Of course, it has to auto shut after a preset time of 3 to 6 mins just in case you get late or forget to turnoff.

Or is this available on any car today?

Have used this feature on a Chrysler 300C when i was in the US. The remote has an engine start button that you can double press to start the engine. Very useful feature on chilly mornings in Rochester, NY. You can set it up so that, when the engine starts, the climate control starts heating up the cabin. Also the seat and steering warmers startup if they were left on earlier.

[wrongturn]

I am sure this is the most unique of them all considering that the conventional position of horn in on steering wheel of almost every car.

Horn button on top of the left stalk of Renault Logan. It made it's way into my Verito through a series of unfortunate events.

[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by bharatbits

In the meanwhile wifey says i am deliberately going slow so we get late. I get asked why are you going so slow when other cars or moving so fast. Because on working days every minute counts especially when you work in the emergency department.

Off topic ,Emergency department? Do not wait for the engine to idle or reach optimum temperature. Just put on the sirens and just go. I do not think reaching optimum temperature is in your procedure.

You definitely need a remote to start and keep the engine ticking over. What are you handling. Police, fire or ambulance ?

God bless. I always admire people in these services, including the doctors.

[bharatbits]

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

Off topic ,Emergency department? Do not wait for the engine to idle or reach optimum temperature. Just put on the sirens and just go. I do not think reaching optimum temperature is in your procedure.

You definitely need a remote to start and keep the engine ticking over. What are you handling. Police, fire or ambulance ?

God bless. I always admire people in these services, including the doctors.

Handling Critical Care in a hospital. Everyday is an emergency. But can't do 0 to 100 in 10 seconds on cold engine, high speed cornerings and screeching s to reach fast everyday.

Few days I just don't care. I rev from the start. But can't keep doing that all days or always.

Originally Posted by knaveen

Have used this feature on a Chrysler 300C when i was in the US. The remote has an engine start button that you can double press to start the engine. Very useful feature on chilly mornings in Rochester, NY. You can set it up so that, when the engine starts, the climate control starts heating up the cabin. Also the seat and steering warmers startup if they were left on earlier.

Great. This was what I was referring to. Nice to know it exists. It makes even more sense to have this feature in colder climates. Now I recall my cousin in the US leaving his car on for almost 30 mins in the morning after clearing the snow on the windscreen and rearscreen. Could be even more useful in such situations.

[VaibhaoT]

I do have Maruti Suzuki S-Cross. The car is not very technologically advanced. But I love one particular feature of my car which was not there in my old car. I am not sure how common is this feature.

If the bonnet of the car is not properly closed, the car gives a particular warning while being locked. In my office parking, for a "mandatory" check, the bonnet is opened daily. Many times, the person doing the check might be different & they are not particularly trained to handle the bonnet properly. So bonnet might remain open at times & this feature is really helpful in such cases.

[purohitanuj]

Originally Posted by bharatbits

That's the whole point. I get in, start the car, wait for a minute before i start moving. Even then, i coast in 3rd gear at 20kmph without accelerator input for almost 2 kms till the temp needle gets up a little. In the meanwhile wifey says i am deliberately going slow so we get late. I get asked why are you going so slow when other cars or moving so fast. Because on working days every minute counts especially when you work in the emergency department.

Sorry but i think that is not the correct way to drive a cold engine. The coasting will futher delay the warming up as the ECU will not recirculate the exaust gases(EGR). Please remain in power band, below 3k for quick warm up.

[rdst_1]

If you are using a good synthetic oil, then no need to worry about optimum temperature and all. We don't use single weight oils anymore. The oils we use have different viscosity at different temp and are able to lubricate the engine properly even at low temperatures . A good synthetic oil maintains it's characteristics over a longer change interval and hence protects the car better at any temperature. In old days it was needed to idle till temp was achieved or even use oil heaters like there was on MM jeeps because we had single weight oils.

[Anirudh_sai]

Originally Posted by bharatbits

That's the whole point. I get in, start the car, wait for a minute before i start moving. Even then, i coast in 3rd gear at 20kmph without accelerator input for almost 2 kms till the temp needle gets up a little. In the meanwhile wifey says i am deliberately going slow so we get late. I get asked why are you going so slow when other cars or moving so fast. Because on working days every minute counts especially when you work in the emergency department.

Can I ask which car you have. Because I have noticed in the new verna(petrol auto) the engine reaches operating temperature by the time I reverse it out and start driving. It takes about 2-3mins to reach operating temperature.

[vinu_h]

CIAZ

Clever - The boot door won't open if the car speed is >3-5kmhr. Warning beeps if you drive with handbrakes applied. Very useful.

Not so clever - Single beeper used for all alerts.