Car Features You Think You Need But Rarerly Use (2025 Edition)

Every year, car makers add new features to make their models sound smarter, safer, and more premium. These features get us excited because the spec sheet looks good. But once we drive the car for a few months, reality hits half of the features we rarely use. Here are five that sound great in showrooms but don’t see much real-world action.

1. Paddle Shifters

The paddle shifters look sporty and make driving fun, but in Indian traffic, we hardly downshift manually. Most drivers leave it in D and move on. Paddle shifters are great for highways, but for city runs, it’s just a marketing game.

2. Sunroofs

Sunroofs are one of the overrated features; yes, we can get fresh air, open sky, and for Instagram stories. But under the Indian sun, they’re mostly shut tight. Too hot, too dusty, and too risky during the rains. You’ll use it twice, then forget it exists.

3. Voice Commands

Voice commands sound futuristic until they misunderstand you for the 10th time. Voice in most mid-range cars still lags in accuracy and speed. And it’s quicker to press a button.

4. Wireless Phone Chargers

Cool idea, poor execution. Wireless pads heat up fast, charge slowly, and often disconnect over bumps. A good old USB-C cable still wins on reliability and speed. And most of the phones we use nowadays don’t get wireless charging support.

My opinion is that car features should make driving simpler, not more complicated. Before paying extra, ask yourself, ‘Am I going to use this daily?’ Don’t pay extra if you are not going to use those features daily.

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