In the time our editors spend reviewing hundreds of cars a year, we run across features we simply can’t live without. The features that make us whine when we don’t have them aren’t high-end, expensive gadgets but little conveniences that make a high impact on everyday usability and comfort. Here are our 10 favorites:

One-Touch Power Windows

Sure, one-touch up/down windows only save three seconds, but that’s three seconds you can use to get out your checking deposit slip at the bank teller’s window. And if there’s a person you don’t want to delay, it’s the one who handles your money. The 2010 Toyota Camry has the one-touch up/down feature on all four windows.

USB Input

With a USB input, you can tuck the MP3 player out of the way, let it charge and control your 10,000 songs through the stereo, which is much better than the more common MP3 jack. Bonus points go to stereos that recognize older iPods — some won’t — as well as searchable song lists. Interfaces that aren’t alphabetically searchable make it agonizing to turn the dial a hundred times to get to your Weird Al Yankovic collection.

Telescoping Steering Wheel

Telescoping steering wheels not only give you more adjustability for finding a comfortable seating position, but they also help keep drivers in a safe position if the airbag deploys. The feature is available in every class of vehicle, so a model that doesn’t have a telescoping steering wheel is at a competitive disadvantage.

Backup Camera

Backup cameras make navigating parking lots infinitely easier and can pay for themselves by preventing even one parking lot fender bender. Our favorites have lines on the screen that preview the vehicle’s backup path. However, we’d still like to see more backup cameras as a stand-alone option rather than tied to an expensive navigation package.

Steering-Wheel Controls

There’s probably nothing you have more interaction with in a car than the steering wheel and stereo, so having controls for both in the same place cuts down on the time your hands are off the wheel. Even better are steering wheels with cruise control buttons — a separate cruise control stalk almost always gets mistaken for the turn signal at some point.

Trip Computer

A trip computer with mileage readouts can be an easy, no-cost way to improve fuel economy. By looking at the instant mileage, you can tailor your driving habits for the best results. Also included in some trip computers is an outside temperature gauge. Although we can’t change the weather by looking at the gauge, it’s quantitative proof that the weather forecaster is making stuff up.

Smart Cupholders

Fast-food drinks and jumbo-size coffees are more satisfying when they’re not all over your car’s carpet. The best cupholders are deep enough to keep cups from tipping over and accommodate different-sized drinks — from small coffees to Super Big Gulp Slurpees — using adjustable feelers and grips.

Heated Seats

This quintessential winter feature makes dealing with subfreezing temperatures as easy as hitting the heated seat button to “on.” Heated seats start warming before the car’s heat is able to blast at 90 degrees, and they can be fitted on cloth or leather seats.

Height-Adjustable Seats

Seats that adjust vertically are so critical to sitting comfortably that when a car doesn’t have more than four-way adjustability, it seems grossly outdated. Six-way adjustable seats should be the bare minimum; anything less should have been left in 1996.

Three Sets of Latch Connectors

Just because a big SUV has three rows of seating doesn’t guarantee there will be more than two sets of Latch connectors for child-safety seats. SUVs that have three sets of Latch anchors or more, like the 2010 Honda Pilot, offer more flexibility for larger families.

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Motortrader has very useful compilation of cars that can run on new petrol grade RON95. Eventhough the list not covers all car model especially those imported but at least we have something to refer to here.

Download it here.

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If you are looking for affordable supercar, Nissan 370Z is the one that will put other coupes in the shade. This special edition comes with stunning new ultimate yellow paint and produced strictly limited number to be available in UK.

Ultimate Yellow is the paint job and it signals a 370Z with everything that people expect of the 331PS sportster along with a rare exclusivity – there will be a limited number of Yellows available – and a potent visual impact that takes the 370Z’s muscular looks to new heights. Some cars were just born to be yellow.

The 370Z Yellow gets design cues that nod at the racing 370Zs from the European GT4 series. The wheels are 19-inch RAYS forged alloys and along the flanks are special 370Z graphics, both items setting off the gleaming yellow body to perfection.

Inside the contrast could not be greater: the theme here is black leather and suede. There’s an integrated satellite navigation system, illuminated entry plates, special mats and a BOSE audio with eight speakers and a six-CD autochanger. The sophistication continues with heated seats, cruise control, speed limiter and all the other features from the 370Z GT Pack on which the special Yellow model is based.

The 370Z Yellow is, like all the new-generation versions of this world famous sports car dynasty, powered by an enthusiast’s delight of a V6 engine. It pumps out 331PS at 7000rpm backed up by a meaty 270lb ft of pulling power.

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Last week I joined this convoy through caldina club. If you ask me why caldina and wish, I dont know. It could be a close/strong relationship between this 2 club. The first caldina online community was started in wish Club website and subsequently, myself and boycomel open a new forum located at www.caldinaclub.com

Anyway, to cut it short, almost 180 cars participated in this event. Both club managed to donate 5k++ to Rumah Anak Yatim Dengkil. Eventhough the contribution is small, but we believe at least this can help the house in many ways.

Enjoy the photo…

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CAR INSURANCE CLAIM VOID… PLEASE READ STORY. BEWARE!!!

This is a real story, my nephew told me, & I would like to share with all of you. Be careful, if u hv the habit of sending yr car for car wash or similar matter (car jockey etc) while in shopping complex…

Two weeks ago my nephew sent his Toyota Harrier for car wash in the car park of Bangsar Shopping Complex while he had an appointment there. He handed the car keys to the car wash people n left the car
park for his appointment.

After the appointment he went to collect his car, & the car wash people told him that his car had been collected. How CAN??? After a prolonged argument without any results, he had no choice, but to make
a police report… n follow up by insurance claim..

Insurance company rejected his claim ‘cos the reason is the car was not stolen, the point of contention was why did he hand over the car keys to someone unknown, n why did he not wait there till the car washing was finished…? ??

So, be careful next time. If u really need to send yr car for car wash, better stay there and wait for yr car, if not, this may happen to you…
ALWAYS GET AN OFFICIAL RECIEPT LIKE YOU DO WHEN YOU SENT YOUR CAR FOR
SERVICING AT HONDA, PROTON, TOYOTA … DON’T PLAY A FOOL.

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