10 New Car Features You Didn’t Realize You Needed
Updated: Dec. 12, 2024
From innovative air fresheners to high-tech tailgates, we’re counting down 10 of the best new car features on the Canadian auto market.
Next-gen car fresheners
Have you ever been on a road trip, and found yourself cruising through one of those towns with a seriously funky smell? And no matter what you did—blasted the fan, rolled up all the windows, loaded up on air fresheners—the stench simply wouldn’t go away?
Buick has drivers of the all-new Enclave breathing a bit easier with the introduction of an air ionizer: a new car feature that combats foul fragrances from both inside and out. More than just a simple odour eliminator, the ionizer also reduces airborne dust, pollen, bacteria and viruses. And what happens when you breathe fresh, clean air? You’re more alert—which makes you a better, safer driver!
Here are four more DIY fixes for a smelly car.
Multi-tasking tailgates
A tailgate is the one of the most used (and abused!) parts of any truck. GMC has taken that into account with the launch of the all-new Sierra and its MultiPro Tailgate—essentially six impressive new car features in one. This multi-tasking tailgate powers down for effortless access; has a step to help you climb into the bed; a flip-up lip to keep oversized items in place; a swing down centre-section so you can access the bed without crawling inside; and an inner gate load stop. Oh, and it can convert to a stand-up work surface, too. Truly the most innovative tailgate you’ll see this year.
On the market for an SUV? Here are five reasons you need to test drive the new GMC Terrain Denali.
Teen Driver Technology
This new car feature from GMC allows parents to monitor and regulate the driving habits of their teenagers. By programming the key or key fob, Teen Driver Technology allows you to limit certain car functions, and prevent active car safety features from being disengaged in order to promote safer driving. You might, for instance, program it such that the car audio is muted until the seat belts are buckled, or lock-in features like blind spot monitors and traction control. You can also set a max speed limit, which comes in handy if you’ve got a young driver with a heavy foot. What’s more, this feature also provides you with a report card to show you how your teenager has been driving.
Here are more secret car key fob uses you’ll wish you knew sooner.
In-vehicle WiFi
Canadian phone data plans are among the most expensive in the world, but it doesn’t stop us from burning through the Gigs by streaming music, watching movies and using GPS. That’s why in-vehicle WiFi is a new car feature that’s gaining serious momentum. With this option, you can connect multiple devices to your car’s WiFi at once and not have to worry about draining your mobile data.
Find out what happens to all of the cars that never get sold.
Rear Seat Reminder
Every summer, the headlines give us a tragic reminder of what can happen when a child is left unattended in the back seat of a car. For that reason alone, GMC’s Rear Seat Reminder—which issues an alert if the vehicle’s rear doors have been opened during or just before a trip—is a new car feature that’s worth looking for. Brush up on more car safety features on the auto market.
Mobile apps
Keyless entry with a push-button start is becoming the new normal. The problem is, the fobs that accompany these features seem to be getting bigger and bigger! That’s where mobile apps come in, allowing you to remote start, stop, lock and unlock your vehicle from your smartphone, no matter where you are (as opposed to fobs, which tend to have a maximum range of 200 feet). Just think: In the dead of winter, you can schedule your vehicle to start five minutes before you so you’ve got a toasty warm ride waiting for you. Likewise, in the summer, you can remote start your car to cool down long before you slip behind the wheel. Some apps even provide vehicle diagnostics, current fuel level readings and local gas prices if you need to fill up.
Want to pay less at the pumps? Use these proven strategies to get better gas mileage.
Auto start/stop
Gas mileage is still a major consideration when people buy a vehicle, especially for city drivers, who often spend more than an hour a day in stop-and-go traffic. A new-to-you feature to combat the urban mileage drain is an auto start/stop feature, which shuts off the engine when you come to a complete stop and turns it back on when you lift your foot off the brake. Originally exclusive to hybrid vehicles, this feature is now making waves in the mainstream market.
Here’s proof restarting your car does not use more fuel than idling.
Auto high beams
Don’t you hate it when you’re driving at night and find yourself approached by a car with its high beams on? (Here are more driving mistakes that annoy other drivers.) Your only options up until now have been to squint through the glare and maybe flash your own high beams to let them know. But what if cars automatically dipped their high beams when they sensed another vehicle approaching, or entered a stretch of road illuminated by streetlights? Well, that’s exactly what the Auto High Beams option does, and for that reason, it’s a new car feature worth splurging on. You might also consider these popular headlight upgrades for style and safety.
Heated steering wheels
Picture it: Canada, in the dead of winter. You huddle against the biting wind, regretting not having slipped on a pair of gloves before heading out to the driveway. The thought of gripping a cold leather steering wheel is enough to make you shudder.
The good news? This chilling scenario can be avoided simply by investing in a heated steering wheel (shown here in the GMC Canyon Denali). Although it’s optional on lower trim levels, this popular new car feature is increasingly being offered as standard on higher trims.
Feeling the chill? Don’t miss these creative ways to stay warm in a car with no heat.
Cooled seats
Fast forward six months: You leap into the driver’s seat and scald whatever flesh comes into contact with the black leather upholstery that’s been baking in the hot summer sun for the past several hours. This is when the value of cooled seats becomes very apparent—particularly now that you can select from multiple cooling levels for a perfectly comfortable, climate-controlled backside. This trick could be one of 13 weird car features you’re missing out on.
