It’s the Little Things: 7 Tiny Car Details That Matter

From cupholders to liftgates, the smallest features can be the biggest deal in your daily drive.

Small isn't always small when it comes to cars.

Car commercials love to shout about horsepower, MPG, and 0–60 times. But ask us drivers what really makes or breaks a car, and you’ll often hear about the tiniest things: cupholders that don’t fit a water bottle, a missing hook for a purse, and the magic of a heated seat on a freezing morning.

After drive-up shopping pick-up at Target and Whole Foods became a new normal, a power liftgate became essential. And once you've had the option of a in-car cooler, it's hard to do Diet Coke on-the-go without it.

These details might seem trivial. In reality, they decide whether your car feels like a daily partner or a daily frustration. For women especially, who are more likely to juggle grocery runs, carpools, and everything in between, those small design choices loom large amongst our major car priorities.

The lesson: when you shop for your next car, don’t just test drive — test live. Bring your bag, your water bottle, your stroller. Ask yourself: does this car make the little things easier, or harder? Because in the end, it’s those little things that define whether you love your car — or just live with it.

WINNERS: Leaders of the car pack

Refrigerated cooler — Range Rover

A built-in fridge between the front seats that keeps your drinks icy cold. Sounds extravagant… until you take one long road trip and realize every car should have this.

Heated seats & steering wheel — mainstream

Once considered luxuries, they’re now almost standard in many trims. In cold climates, they’re less about indulgence and more about survival. Essential for anyone scraping ice at 7 a.m. or juggling kids in a winter coat.

Power liftgate — SUVs & crossovers everywhere

Push a button and the trunk opens itself. For anyone who’s balanced groceries, kids, or Target drive-up bags during the pandemic, this is not “extra.” It’s sanity-saving.

Handbag cubby — Volvo YCC concept

The concept car that dared to ask: where does the purse go? While it never hit production, it spotlighted how overlooked this everyday need is.

Hidden drawer — Chrysler minivans

A clever little pull-out drawer under the passenger seat, perfect for stashing snacks, chargers, or valuables. Out of sight, out of mind — in the best way.

Massage seats — VW, Mercedes, Lincoln

They sound frivolous… until you’ve sat in traffic for an hour. Little luxury, big payoff.

Cupholder heroes

Subaru Ascent: 19 (!) cupholders — basically one for every snack and sippy cup.              

Ford Expedition and Honda Odyssey: 15 each, proving big families deserve big drink support.

Nissan Pathfinder: 14, because even midsize drivers get thirsty.

Wireless charging — mainstream

Move over USBs. Drop your phone on the pad and—boom—no cords, no clutter. Except when it slides off mid-turn or overheats halfway through your drive. Most brands include it now, but only a few nail the design: Hyundai and Kia place pads perfectly; BMW and Lexus add cooling fans so your phone stays charged, not toasted.

LOSERS: Pains in the trunk

Cupholders that don’t fit real cups

Nothing is more infuriating than trying to wedge a 32-oz tumbler into a 12-oz hole. It’s a top complaint in J.D. Power’s surveys, and for good reason.

Nowhere for a purse

Most cars still don’t give women a safe, reachable spot for a bag. Result: purses in the passenger seat, on the floor, or flying across the cabin in a hard stop.

Touchscreens for everything

Want to change the temp? Adjust your seat heat? Sorry — it’s three taps deep in the screen. Looks modern, feels maddening.

Poorly placed charging ports

Hidden under the console, behind seats, or at awkward angles. Try plugging in a phone while driving? Not happening.

Blinding screens at night

Oversized touch displays that don’t dim enough or shut off. A “little thing” that makes every night drive stressful.

One-size-fits-men ergonomics

Seats that don’t adjust far enough forward, steering wheels that don’t telescope enough, pedals just out of reach. Individually small; collectively alienating.

Style over sense

Reviewers rave about the look, but complain about useless storage and impractical cupholders. Gorgeous design doesn’t excuse daily pain points.

What little details get you excited or mad at a car?