Vintage Car Features We Often Miss

Imagine the last time your vehicle sat idle at a red stoplight. As you waited patiently (or rather impatiently) for the signal to turn green, you might recall having seen an assortment of mid-sized SUVs, sports cars, and electric vehicles passing you by. One after another, each sporting a distinct body shape, light detail, and safety tech standard. Perhaps you thought, “Wow, we’ve come a long way since station wagons dominated roadways”. But then again, maybe you’re totally fed up with the monotony thats racked the automotive industry in recent years. The truth is, although modern vehicles offer a broad range of versatility, they don’t necessarily uphold the uniqueness that classic models carried. That’s exactly why we’ve taken the time to hark back on the vintage car features that collectors tend to love.

Maybe you’ll love them too. Or maybe you’ll get why they’ve been nixed from production over time. Either way, you’ll want to check out our top three highlights of vintage car features below.

What are vintage car features?

There are certain car features that completely change the utility of a vehicle. Take cupholders, for example. This seemingly underwhelming feature transformed the interior construct of mass market vehicles. In fact, it wasn’t until the mid-1980s that manufacturers finally warmed up to the idea of permanent cupholders in cars. Initially, they viewed this car feature as a hindrance to design versus an actual utility. Now some modern vehicles contain up to 15 cupholders in one interior cabin!

Then you have car features that are totally impractical. For instance, let’s go back to the days where power antennas and car phones were a thing. These features might have been of use for a short period of time, but they clearly weren’t cut out for long-term production. Even still, we can appreciate these vintage car features for what they were then, and especially for what they are not now.

Here are three vintage car features currently on our radar: 

Bench seats

Back in the 1960s, when cars began developing more of a personality, there was one car feature that became consistent in many makes and models. Enter: the iconic bench seat era. For a time that was mostly distinguished by large sedans or Mopar classics, bench seats were the perfect avenue for increasing passenger seating. You’ll notice in the last few decades that automakers have strayed away from this vintage car feature due to pertinent safety concerns. That said, some automotive experts suspect that autonomous vehicles will bring back the triumph return of bench seating (or at least a style of seating that is similar to it).

Automatic seatbelts

These days, your car has no problem notifying you when a passenger does not have their seat belt fastened. That annoying beeping sound immediately enables as soon as the car is in motion. However, many years ago automatic seatbelts were a customary thing, making sure front seat passengers did not partake in unsafe driving. When the door was open, the upper strap would slide forward so you can get in or out of your seat with ease. When the door closed, the strap would glide across your body into the proper buckled position. This ’90s car trend is something we’ve come to admire, both for its safety at the time and its noteworthy look.

Light dimmer switch

As headlights enthusiasts, we appreciate just about every type of innovation that improves driver safety. When headlight regulations were put into action, automakers quickly looked for other ways to improve the driving experience. This led to the integration of foot dimmer switches. This tiny function allowed drivers to adjust headlight illumination. The switch was located conveniently on the floor near the dead pedal. That way drivers could keep their hands on the wheel without losing focus. We rarely get to see this vintage car feature, but know it had good value in its heyday.

Let’s reminisce on vintage car features

Modern vehicles have come a long way from their humble beginnings. Years ago, it was all about speed and performance. Now we’ve seen a greater shift toward passenger safety in the last decade. And although some vintage car features were removed for safety purposes, we can’t help but reminisce on the lasting impact they made. Vintage vehicles have essentially become museums on wheels. Every chance we get to look inside, the more we realize how the automotive industry has advanced and backfired through time.

What is your favorite vintage car feature? We’d love to know!