When designers ran out of "bait," engineers took over: together with marketers, they began inventing technical quirks that provoke a purchase and also raise the price. Which "features" in a car are not worth paying extra for?

Since the car, as a result of its evolution, became an ordinary consumer good, manufacturers have lost the ability to advertise their models as exclusively reliable and fail-safe — all cars have become that way. But technical quirks remain a means to seduce the buyer — and sometimes this is hardly their only difference.

The fashion for large wheels: when design defeats common sense

Just ten to fifteen years ago, 17-inch rims were considered a sign of an exclusively sports car. Today, even family crossovers often come with 20-21 inches even in mid-range trims. Accordingly, the wheel itself becomes large — in diameter, width, and weight.

Large wheels are not even advertised specifically; it is somehow taken for granted that they are a mandatory item for any modern car. Well, it is needed for road holding, effective acceleration, and braking.

Is the look effective? Undoubtedly. Is it practically practical? Not really. Large wheels have become a classic example of how design has defeated common sense. Along with the sporty look of the car, the owner gets:

  • Increased unsprung mass, which negatively affects ride smoothness.
  • Increased vulnerability of rims to damage.
  • Significant cost increase for replacing components.

At the same time, independent research and testing — including by tire manufacturers — confirm that for most car models, it is sufficient to have wheels with rim diameters of 10–13 inches. But engineers here have to listen to the opinion of designers, who say: large wheels are beautiful and modern.

Oleg Vasilevsky, director of the "Car of the Year" campaign and editor-in-chief of UDRIVE Media, assesses the fashion for large wheels as follows:

"Large wheels are the purest example of how to make money on the "wow effect". R20+ rims on a mass-market crossover are primarily a picture in Instagram and the opportunity for a dealer to sell an option with a 300% margin. Almost zero engineering sense: more unsprung mass, worse ride smoothness, more vulnerability, more expensive replacement. Pure marketing".

Low-profile tires: a sporty attribute or a mockery of the suspension?

Another side of the wheel fashion is tires with a low profile (small sidewall height when viewed from the side).

Once, a low profile was an attribute of sports cars, as a low sidewall deforms less under lateral loads. That is, when the car turns at speed, the tire does not buckle, and the driver gets more precise handling.

How important this is for a family car is not entirely clear, since most cars with such tires will never see a track or real sports driving. But in addition to better handling in high-speed turns, the driver gets:

  • Increased sensitivity of the suspension to road irregularities.
  • Risk of sidewall damage when hitting potholes or curbs.
  • Accelerated tire wear in urban driving conditions.

Especially controversial are such tires in countries with imperfect roads, where low-profile rubber and large rims turn every pothole into a financial lottery. Meanwhile, such wheels nowadays are on hardly half of the models.

At the same time, auto expert Oleg Vasilevsky believes that there is more sense in such tires than it might seem:

"Speaking of low-profile tires, I would argue about their expediency. Yes, on an ordinary family sedan, a 35-series profile is a mockery of the suspension and your spine. But on a sports car, a low profile has a purely engineering justification: less sidewall roll, more precise steering response, better handling at the limit of adhesion. The question is only why do you need this on city streets?"

Rear disc brakes: necessity or marketing move?

Disc brakes became mandatory on the front axle of a car half a century ago, but things are not so simple regarding the rear ones. But in the automotive community, there is an opinion that drum mechanisms are something archaic, dangerous, and cannot be on a normal car.

In fact, for most ordinary cars, rear drum brakes are quite sufficient. After all, during deceleration, the main load falls precisely on the front axle, and the rear mechanisms are significantly less loaded.

Nevertheless, most buyers will readily buy a car with discs "all around" — because such a solution is associated with "premium" and speaks of "sportiness". In real life, most drivers will hardly notice the difference in efficiency. And there are downsides:

  • Increase in maintenance and repair costs.
  • Increased wear of brake pads.
  • Necessity of more frequent replacement of components.

In short, the mere fact of having rear discs does not yet make the car better or safer, but...