Five Overhyped Car Features That Are Quietly Robbing You in Top Variants
Last Diwali I nearly got played at a showroom. The sales guy was all over me. The top model was parked dead centre, mood lights on, giant tinted glass roof, zero proper buttons on the dash. Looked fantastic under the lights. Six months later? That feeling is long gone.
Showrooms push the highest variants hardest because that’s where their profit sits. Same basic car, a few flashy bits added, a higher 40% GST slab on luxury extras, and they wait for you to sign. Out on actual Indian roads, most of those extras become pure irritation.
If you’re close to booking, ignore these five overhyped car features and put the money where it actually helps.
1. Panoramic Sunroof
People buy them for the kids to stick their heads out on day one. After that, the switch stays untouched.
In peak summer, that glass turns the cabin into a furnace. The thin blind does almost nothing. AC runs at full blast non-stop, mileage drops, EV range suffers.
Monsoon arrives, and the tiny drains clog with dust and leaves. Water creeps into the headliner. Seals start making noise over every joint on the flyover. Even roadside monkeys or flying stones can crack the glass pane, leaving you fighting over insurance claims. Extra lakh for something you open twice a year? Not worth it.
2. Full Touchscreen Climate Controls
Manufacturers remove real knobs because it cuts their wiring costs. They call it modern. It’s just cheaper for them.
You’re on a dark highway at night, feet freezing, need to lower the fan. No dial to turn by feel. You have to look down, dig through menus, find a slider. Four seconds eyes-off is almost 100 metres of pure risk on our roads. Touch climate is a constant distraction and hazard.
3. Ambient Lights + Voice Commands
Brochures love the 64-colour cabin lights. Reality is different.
At night, you need the cabin dark so you can spot carts, potholes, dogs on the edge. Pink glow bouncing off the windscreen kills night vision. Most people switch it off or cover the screen with a cloth.
Voice system is the same story. Network drops near a toll plaza, and it freezes or simply doesn’t understand normal Indian English. Showroom feature, nothing more.
4. Low-Profile Tyres on Big Alloys
Top variants often swap sensible 16-inch wheels for 18 or 19-inch ones with almost no sidewall. Look great in the showroom. On broken roads, they get destroyed fast.
Thick sidewalls take the hit from potholes and expansion joints. Thin rubber sends every shock straight into the rim. Bent wheels, cut sidewalls, loose suspension mounts. Go beyond factory size, and insurance can refuse the accidental damage claim.
Before you commit five years of EMI to cosmetic wheels and top trims, check real running costs on our Petrol vs EV Cost Calculator to see where your daily money actually goes.
5. Basic Camera-Only ADAS
Radar systems work okay on clean European roads. The single-camera versions on many Indian top trims are a different matter.
Busy city traffic, bikes cutting in, and the system suddenly slams the brakes for no clear reason. You get rear-ended by the auto behind. Without proper radar, blind-spot monitors, and rear cross-traffic alert, you’re just paying for beeps you’ll turn off on day one.
Spend the money on these instead
Pick a mid-spec that already has the useful stuff:
- Ventilated seats – shirt stays dry on long humid runs
- Auto-dimming mirror – no more high-beam glare from trucks
- Proper sidewall tyres – actual protection for the rims
- Six airbags + ESC – the bits that help when grip goes
Looking at an EV for road trips? Check live fast chargers on our Near EV Charging Station Tool before any long family drive.
Quick FAQ
Aftermarket sunroof cuts – safe?
No. Cutting the roof weakens the structure, lets water into wiring, and voids the body warranty immediately.
Why do top-spec tyres wear so fast?
Softer, stickier rubber and wider rims look good on paper. That compound dies quickly on hot Indian asphalt and costs double to replace.
Is mid-spec usually smarter?
Yes. Same chassis, engine, gearbox as the top model. You save 15-20% on the price, avoid higher tax, and can add only the extras you actually need later.
