Here Are 5 Indian SUVs With Gimmicky Features

Apart from fuel efficiency and low maintenance, typically Indian customers also look for unique features when buying a new car. Of course, flaunting new unique features in your brand new vehicle is well, sweet. And to have an upper hand in the market, carmakers mostly play with these aspects to attract more customers.

There are car manufacturers in India that focus on fuel efficiency, some equip their cars with a bucket load of features and a few focus on vehicle safety and integrity. If you follow India’s automotive trends you’ll surely be aware of the brands we are talking about here. But at times, these companies over doo a little and introduce things that are needless or have very little use in cars, in short, are gimmicky. In this feature, we bring 5 best selling SUVs in the market that possess some gimmicky features. Let’s have a look, shall we?

1. Hyundai Creta
   

   

   *The* best selling SUV or rather any vehicle in Hyundai’s line-up is the Creta. Hyundai Creta has truly done wonders for the company. Needless to say, they have given everything into the SUV or rather a little too everything.

   • Electronic Hand Brake
     

     

     One of the features we feel is a total gimmick is an electronic handbrake. This is the company doing simple feature complicated. With just a pull of a lever, the mechanical brakes were or rather are, are just fine. With an electronic brake comes the additional dilemma of operating it. Sure you’ll get used to it but these could have serious repercussions in situations where the battery is completely dead.

   • LED Headlights
     

     

     To start with, the new generation Creta does look polarizing. Aesthetics are sure subjective but not everyone would like the new design scheme. That said, one thing that has to do with the design are the headlights. And well, the new Hyundai Creta comes with all-LED headlights. Sounds great right? Well, it’s hard to break that the lights from these are not bright enough for you to see at night. Things escalate if the roads are wet or it’s raining.

   • 7-Speed DCT gearbox
     

     

     Let’s get it straight, the new Hyundai Creta does come with a powerful turbo petrol motor along with a 7-speed DCT automatic transmission. On paper, it sure is mouth-watering considering the way DCT handles the shifts. But once you get behind the wheel of a Creta, you’ll find this is everything but a typical DCT. Sure, it is easy when driving at a sedate pace. But when you dial the game up a notch, you feel that the transmission is what lets down the engine’s power. This is because the DCT in here is tuned more for city driving and holds the engine down a little.

   • Fidgety Panoramic Sunroof Controls
     

     

     Now, the absolute feature that everyone just loves in India is a sunroof. But if it is a panoramic sunroof, almost instantly everyone will fall for it. That said, Hyundai Creta does have a panoramic sunroof. And what’s weird about it is that to just open the full shade is a three-step process and also a lot time-consuming.

     Super Interesting: Mahindra XUV700 Vs Hyundai Creta, Extensive Comparison!

2. Kia Seltos
   

   

   Now, let’s talk about another vehicle from another Korean carmaker, Kia Seltos. Sure, it does is a well-rounded package but certainly, Seltos too has its own set of gimmicky features.

   • LED Foglights
     

     

     The feature that is usually miss used in modern cars is fog light. To being with, fog lights are there for occasional use i.e in fog. Moreover, the temperature (Temperature: a unit used to measure the light’s colour) of the light should be below 5000K meaning towards the yellow side. Rather these LED in Kia Seltos spread about 7000K light which is white. And putting these lights to actual use in fog or heavy rain, you’ll definitely face some difficulties.

     GoMechanic News: Kia Seltos X-Line Launched at ₹17.79 Lakhs!

   • Remote Engine Start
     

     

     A feature that does sound super cool is remote engine start. This is where you’ll be able to start the vehicle before you arrive in your car. This has two things to it, sure it’ll be a lot comfortable in summers, but when doing so will burn excess fuel. This will impact both, definitely the environment and also your wallet.

   • LED headlights
     

     

     As Hyundai and Kia share the same set of LED lights, Kia Seltos also face the same issue of low-intensity headlights.

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3. Tata Nexon
   

   

   Now, let’s shift our focus away from the Korean brands for a while. Let’s talk Tata Nexon. The first subcompact SUV from Tata’s stable is the Nexon. And indeed Tata has put in an extra effort in making the car stand out in the throng of its rivals. Still, Nexon too is gimmicky in some ways.

   • Complicated Instrument Cluster
     

     

     When you take the driving seat in the Tata Nexon, you’ll be treated by an all-digital instrument cluster (which is a good thing). But the way the cluster has been laid out is a little gimmicky. It seems the company has overdone the cluster with a lot of information. Not that the information is needless, but rather the way it is portrayed is what we are after. All the information, like speed, torque, tyre pressure readings, fuel gauge, engine temperature gauge, all are in your face. So, most times it is a little difficult to focus on one. This means you might have to move your eyes away from the road. That’s dangerous.

   • Driving Modes
     

     

     This is among the features that look best on the brochure but not when sitting behind the wheel. To start with, the driving mode selector dial is a bit too large and occupies a lot of space in the centre console (which seems a little odd). Moving on, a 120bhp car best works with the driver’s inputs rather than the driving modes. The engine tune in these driving modes varies. But the differences are not day and night, rather very subtle.

   • Infotainment Screen
     

     

     One of the things, that Tata should’ve improved is the infotainment screen. The infotainment screen installed on Tata Nexon measures just 6.5-inches. Well, this does seem a little too small for today’s standards. Moreover, the screen is not bright enough to see in the direct sunlight.

     Detailed Comparo! Tata Tigor EV vs Tata Nexon EV vs MGZS EV vs Hyundai Kona Compared

4. Mahindra XUV300
   

   

   Now we’ll be talking about India’s safest vehicle, which scored full 5 stars in Global NCAP, Mahindra XUV300. Sure, the XUV300 is one of the well-engineered vehicles in the market you can buy but it does have its own shortcomings. Let’s see, shall we!

   • Steering Position Indicator
     

     

     One of the gimmicky features that are a part of the XUV300’s package is a steering position indicator. Well, for the most part, this is something that is needless in a vehicle of this size. Unless you are a noobie and don’t at all know how to drive a car, this is something you’ll hardly use.

   • AMT with a turbo petrol engine
     

     

     Most of the cars under the ₹20 lakh mark come with at least one variant that possesses a turbo petrol engine. Meaning, they’ll be fun to drive and a lot more powerful. Where the engine in the XUV300 is super refined and powerful, it is let down by a rather slow AMT. But why is it that bad? Well, turbo petrol engines, have one big flaw, turbo lag. This turbo lag coupled with this AMT takes away all the fun you’d anticipate with a turbo petrol engine. So, you are better of with a 6-speed MT if you consider the turbo petrol engine.

   • Steering Modes
     

     

     Another system that is unique to the Mahindra XUV300 is the steering mode. Cars switch between different engine and suspension modes with settering modes, but this XUV only boasts of steering modes. At first, these modes do sound quite intimidating but it changes as you sit behind the wheel. There surely is a difference in the various modes but they are quite lacklustre for our liking.

     Related: Mahindra XUV300 Sheds Some Features

5. Kia Sonet
   

   

   We’ll jump back to the SUV from the Koreans, the Kia Sonet. The Sonet was the second vehicle from Kia in India. Where it got a decent response in the market, it wasn’t what the company expected. That said, Seltos comes packed with features but some feel gimmicky.

   • 7-Speed DCT Gearbox
     

     

     This gearbox too follows the same nature as other DCTs from Hyundai and Kia groups. The one in Sonet is also a little slow when compared to its rivals. The DCTs from these companies usually focus on longevity than performance. But this also means you’ll not be able to extract all the pony from its powerhouse.

   • Driving Modes
     

     

     Let us ask, do we really need the driving modes in a vehicle that has 120bhp of max power? Having driven the Kia Sonet, we feel there is absolutely no difference between the power and the normal mode except a marginally improved throttle response.

   • iMT Gearbox
     

     

     This is something that needs no introduction. Speaking of the DCT sure it is easy and convenient to drive in the city. But if you want is a spirited driving experience, the manual gearbox is the way to go. But sadly, Sonet comes with an iMT but MT. This means, you’ll be able to extract more with iMT but still will not be able to witness the engine’s complete potential.

     Here are 10 Most Googled Questions About The Kia Sonet, Answered!

Let us know which of the features are a gimmick in your vehicle. Also, stay pinned there are more parts to this series.

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