What era of cars has the right amount of tech - helpful but not distracting?

[bighead2586]

IMO I think it was around 10 years ago give or take. I seem to gravitate to cars (I don't care for SUV's in general) around model year 2015 give or take a few years depending on the manufacturer. I know many pine for the simplicity of the 90's and 00's, but I think the 2010's were peak desirability overall.

I think it's good to have all the basics that truly old cars (30 or more years old) may have lacked: power windows, power seats, extensive air bags, HVAC, power steering, anti lock brakes.

Somewhat newer things I think are a must: cruise control, blue tooth connectivity, a decent stock stereo, back up camera, voice controls, good traction control, tire pressure monitor.

Newer things I could care less about or actively dislike: push button start, lane keep assist, touch screens, electronic emergency brake, CVT transmissions, turbos in commuter cars (why?), sun/moonroofs (problematic and who uses them?), stop/start ignition (terrible!).

Overall I think newer cars tend to have way too many gimmicks and screens that detract from the interior appearance and usability, and mostly detract from the driving experience instead of enhancing it.

My 2014 Accord has a good amount of tech. I could do without the touch screen, push button start, and the forward collision warning is overactive and intrusive. I'm glad I have a manual transmission because I don't like Honda transmissions. I wish it had rear cross traffic safety alert and better voice controls, but it's got all the basics and a few extras.

 

[zfasts03]

1996-2007 is the sweet spot for me.

Has OBD2 and before tpms was mandated.

 

[bdcardinal]

1996-2007 is the sweet spot for me.

Has OBD2 and before tpms was mandated.

That is a pretty good sweet spot. My 14 Mustang is like that, just with TPMS. Which it uses the lame early Ford system that just tells you that you have a low tire, but it keeps secret which one and by how much.

 

[gfh77665]

I bought a 2019 RAM Classic X-cab. It has the perfect amount of tech for me. Just enough but nothing more. Also paid an astounding <$25K drive out price.

 

[IndyIan]

1996-2007 is the sweet spot for me.

Has OBD2 and before tpms was mandated.

Yep, these are probably peak long term reliability/low cost to run vehicles for a home mechanic. Not all of course, but lots of them will go and go, and then need $120 part you can install yourself, and then go again.
Not too many were close to modern standards of safety, but some weren't bad.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Those designed between 1996 and 2008.

Why - because in 1996 OBD2 became required - so full closed loop control. In 2008 CAFE started getting crazy and diminishing returns ensued.

Note its designed, not built. Many models ran with the same packaging well after 2008.

 

[dogememe]

I think my 2017 Bolt LT is perfect. Just the right amount of tech without being annoying.

Our 2024 Prologue has some cool stuff like adaptive cruise control and automatic high beams but really, I’d rather not have the stupid auto braking. I have that disabled but now I have to live with an error every time I start the car something like “Forward Collision Braking Disabled”

Even with half of it disabled, it beeps and icons flash on the screen seemingly randomly and despite reading the entire owners manual I have no idea what I’m doing wrong.

 

[dishdude]

I like all the modern tech but appreciate vehicles that retain physical buttons for climate, volume, turn signals, etc.

I've got so used to driving turbo engines with gluts of low end torque that going to a larger displacement NA engine is odd. Turbos are great.

 

[eljefino]

I like the "approach the car and it unlocks" fob. Love radar cruise control. Like the improved traction control, that uses brakes on the spinning wheel, vs cutting power which is ghastly terrible. Like "flick the key to start, and it cranks until it starts." Like backup cameras. Mostly hate touch screens, but my Prius has analog buttons for HVAC. Not going to like automatic emergency braking when it debuts in a few years-- my car beeps and yells "brake" when I pass a slowly turning gravel truck on the shoulder. Like side impact air bags-- they fill a huge hole in safety.

For my truck, am happy it's fuel injected but not OBD-II. That's a sweet spot in the 1991 era "antique."

 

[Hirev]

If the vehicle has a CD player and runs I'm good. After that not so much.

 

[JohnnyG]

From my experience with Mercedes, I'd say 2019 is the cutoff point. When I was picking up my 2018 CPO in 2020, there was a nice fellow that let me check out his new 2020 E class. He made it a point to tell me it had a touchscreen. And THAT'S where I draw the line.
My 2018 has all the nanny stuff, some OK, most of it is pretty bad.
But the good thing is, it has real buttons, NO TOUCHSCREEN, and ALL of the nanny stuff can be turned off.

Heads up display, which is useless if you wear polarized sunglasses, OFF
Lane keep assist. OFF
Speed sign reading. OFF
Auto Braking ON
Radar Cruise control. ON
Lane centering that is sorta like lane keeping, but doesn't steer for you or apply a certain brake, ON
You get the idea.
Real buttons.

 

[macarose]

Here's the thing. What's good for this goose is not always good for the gander.

I'm with the crowd that appreciates the 1996 - 2012-ish time period. My daughter has an 07 CR-V. My son has an 07 Fusion , and my future son-in-law is getting the 2012 model. They all have front, side and overhead airbags. 4-wheel ABS. Traction and stability control. As for the radios? The 07s do perfectly fine with an AUX cord or the 12 volt that can hold a Bluetooth adapter.

They drive them for two years and then I switch them out. Safety remains solid and the depreciation is usually nil to negative since I operate a car dealership.

Chances are I may put the two kids in 2012 and up SUVs, just because electric vehicles are getting heavier and larger vehicles more numerous. I really hate to do that but physics is what it is.

 

[Kurtatron]

I agree with others. 1997-2008. All the best tech has to offer without the unleashing of Pandora’s tech box. Give me knobs or give me death! (Unintentional death because watching screen leads to accident)

 

[Nick1994]

Anything with Apple CarPlay is a pretty good determiner for me. And keyless entry.

 

[hrv]

My 68 Charger and 73 Road Runner....

 

[dishdude]

My 68 Charger and 73 Road Runner....

So FM is too much tech for you?

 

[hrv]

So FM is too much tech for you?

YUP... Back then a few tools and a timing light was all you needed...

 

[TomYoung]

I could live without gdi and turbochargers, but like satellite radio and heated steering wheels. I like suicide doors, huge displacement and swivel seats. I like replacing 80,000 mile Michelin defenders that look like they would go another 40k. I like the fake leather that lasts forever, and I hate oil dilution. I liked the component stereo equipment that ruled the day in the eighties and nineties. I liked it when plymouths, pontiacs an Oldsmobiles were available, and I like modern radials. I remember cars and style fondly I like air cooled engines and having nothing available without 140 hp. There really is no golden era, although the death of design and manual transmissions is sad.

 

[Cujet]

My 2009 F150 Lariat had the perfect setup. Ventilated seats with a Peltier device for addl cooling was a nice touch.

All the tech worked properly and the thing drove correctly, like God intended. The limited slip diff was great in the Florida rain, instead of the newer F150's with open diff with e-locker and traction control applying the brakes on the spinning wheel and reducing the throttle.

I absolutely can't stand the lane keeping feature of the new truck as the steering it at times easy and at times stiff. Who thinks that's a good idea?. Thank god it can be turned off.

 

[John105]

1996-2007 is the sweet spot for me.

Has OBD2 and before tpms was mandated.

I would agree, was going to say 2002-2010.

The problem imho (again what do I know just an opinion) is that technology has sorta displaced physics. For a long time, it wasn't possible to squeeze 300 ft. lbs. out of a 2 liter 4 cyl. Today, it is. But, it's still not the same as squeezing 300 ft. lbs. out of a 5 liter 8 cyl. Entirely different.