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From the August 2016 issue
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If you’re old enough, you’ll remember a time when the cheapest cars on the market could be purchased devoid of options. Scarlet letters of shame were assigned to four-wheel drum brakes, hubcaps on steel wheels, and a big delete plate over where the big-shot edition’s air-conditioning controls would be. Times have changed, and so has the list of basic options. Wide-ranging consumer demand for gadgets and amenities has helped amortize their costs, such that on many models, it’s simply not worth it for the automaker to design and manufacture, say, a door panel with space for both a hand crank and power-window mechanisms. It’s one case of the trickle-down theory actually working; we don’t miss the days of cranking the window up with one hand while helping it with the other. Here, we’ve calculated the small share of stripper hallmarks installed in new passenger cars for sale in the U.S.:
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1% Fixed Steering Column
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All the vehicles with fixed steering columns are two-box vehicles: a few vans and the Smart Fortwo.
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GM
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Passenger/cargo Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna
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Kia
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Rio LX (tilt/no telescope)
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Mazda
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MX5 (tilt/no telescope)
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Mercedes-Benz/Daimler
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Smart Fortwo
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Nissan
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NV200 – all grades
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Toyota/Scion
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Yaris (tilt/no telescope)
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1% No Air Conditioning
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With the exception of high-end sports cars that offer to delete the A/C as masochistic peacockery, the Nissan Frontier and the Jeep Wrangler, Wrangler Unlimited, Renegade, and Patriot are the only passenger vehicles offered without air conditioning. Makes sense; nobody off-roads in warm climates, right?
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FCA
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Jeep Wrangler/Wrangler Unlimited Sport; Jeep Renegade Sport; Jeep Patriot Sport
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Nissan
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Frontier – King Cab 4×2 MT
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2% Single-Flash Turn Signals
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You’d think that once automakers adopted the triple-flash turn signal, in which the signal repeats three times when you just dab the stalk, the innovation would be complete. But if you put any full-size, body-on-frame GM SUV or pickup into tow/haul mode and tap the turn-signal lever, you’ll get six flashes. It’s a thoughtful acknowledgment of the deliberate driving required when hauling a load.
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Ford Motor Company
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All models
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Kia
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Rio
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Mercedes-Benz/Daimler
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Smart Fortwo
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Subaru
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BRZ
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Toyota/Scion
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4Runner; Sequoia; Land Cruiser; Prius c
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4% Manual Locks
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FCA
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Dodge Dart SE; Jeep Wrangler/Wrangler Unlimited Sport; Jeep Patriot Sport; Ram 1500 Reg. Cab Tradesman/Express/HFE; Ram 2500 Reg. Cab Tradesman; Ram 3500 Reg. Cab Tradesman
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Ford Motor Company
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F-150 XL; Super Duty F-250/350/450 XL; Transit (fleet-only option)
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GM
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LS Spark; Cutaway Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna
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Kia
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Rio
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Nissan
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Frontier – King Cab S 4×2, Crew Cab S 4×2/4×4; NV Cargo – S grade; NV Passenger – S grade; NV200 – S grade; Versa Sedan – S, S Plus grades; Versa Note – S, S Plus grades
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Toyota/Scion
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Tundra with Work Truck Package (Adds durable vinyl seating and flooring, and removes wireless door lock feature. On Regular Cab models, power windows and the speed- and shift-sensing power door lock features are also removed.)
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5% Manual Mirrors
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FCA
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Jeep Wranger/Wrangler Unlimited Sport; Jeep Renegade Sport; Jeep Patriot; Ram 1500 Reg. Cab Tradesman/Express/HFE; Ram 2500 Reg. Cab Tradesman; Ram 3500 Reg. Cab Tradesman; Ram ProMaster City: Tradesman Cargo Van/Tradesman Wagon; Ram ProMaster: Cargo Van (1500, 2500, 3500)/Window Van (2500, 3500)
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Ford Motor Company
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F-150 XL; Super Duty F-250/350/450 XL; Transit (fleet-only option); Transit Connect XL van/wagon
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GM
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LS Chevrolet Spark; LS Sonic, Chevrolet Colorado; Chevrolet WT Silverado, passenger/cargo Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna
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Mercedes-Benz/Daimler
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Smart Fortwo with “Pure” package (adjustable with little stalk inside the car)
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Nissan
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Frontier – King Cab S 4×2, Crew Cab S 4×2/4×4; NV Cargo – S grade
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5% Rear Drum Brakes
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The Toyota Prius c is the only hybrid to offer drum brakes out back.
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FCA
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Jeep Compass (rear); Jeep Patriot Sport 2WD; Ram ProMaster City
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Ford Motor Company
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Fiesta
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GM
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Rear: Chevrolet Spark; Chevrolet Sonic
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Honda/Acura
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Fit (rear)
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Hyundai
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Rear: NV Taxi; NV200; Sentra – S, FE+S, SV grades; Versa Sedan; Versa Note
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Mercedes-Benz/Daimler
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Smart Fortwo (rear)
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Nissan
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Rear: NV Taxi; NV200; Sentra – S, FE+S, SV grades; Versa Sedan; Versa Note
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Toyota/Scion
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Rear: Yaris; Tacoma; iA; Corolla; Prius c
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Mitsubishi
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Rear: i-MiEV; Mirage
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6% Manual Windows
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FCA
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Jeep Wrangler/Wrangler Unlimited Sport and Rubicon; Jeep Patriot Sport; Ram 1500 reg. cab Tradesman/Express/HFE; Ram 2500 reg. cab Tradesman; Ram 3500 reg. cab Tradesman; Ram ProMaster Cargo Van (1500, 2500, 3500), Cutaway (2500, 3500), Chassis Cab (2500, 3500), Window Van (2500, 3500)
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Ford Motor Company
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Fiesta; F-150 XL; Super Duty F-250/350/450; Transit (fleet-only option)
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GM
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LS Chevrolet Spark; LS Chevrolet Sonic; Reg. Cab WT Chevrolet Silverado; optional on passenger/cargo Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna; std on Cutaway Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna
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Kia
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Rio
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Nissan
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Frontier – King Cab S 4×2, Crew Cab S 4×2/4×4; NV Cargo – S grade; NV Passenger – S grade; Versa Sedan – S, S Plus grades; Versa Note – S, S Plus grades
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Toyota/Scion
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Tundra with Work Truck Package
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16% Hubcaps/Wheel Covers
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FCA
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Fiat 500/500C/500L/500X Pop; Dodge Journey; Dart SE; Chrysler 200 LX; Ram 1500 Tradesman/Express/HFE; Ram 2500 Tradesman; Ram 3500 Tradesman; Ram ProMaster City: Tradesman Cargo Van/Tradesman Wagon; Ram ProMaster: Cargo Van (1500, 2500, 3500), Cutaway (2500, 3500), Chassis Cab (2500, 3500), Window Van (2500, 3500)
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Ford Motor Company
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Fiesta; Focus; available on Transit and Transit Connect
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GM
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LS Spark, ’17 LS Sonic, L Malibu, L/LS Cruze, Trax LS FWD, Traverse LS Base/LS, WT Silverado, passenger/cargo Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna; Chevrolet Colorado
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Honda/Acura
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Fit LX; Civic LX
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Hyundai
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Accent
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Kia
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Rio LX
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Mazda
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Base Mazda3 Sport; CX-3 (only the first 500 units)
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Mercedes-Benz/Daimler
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Base Smart Fortwo; Metris Cargo Van with standard wheels; Base Sprinter
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Nissan
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Note: Frontier and NCVs have steel wheels but no covers; LEAF – S grade; NV200 – SV grade; Sentra – S, FE+ S, SV; Quest – S grade; Versa Sedan – S, S Plus, SV grades; Versa Note – S, S Plus, SV grades; Rogue – S grade; Altima – 2.5, 2.5 S grades
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Subaru
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Wheel covers on Base Impreza/Legacy; center caps on Base Forester
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Toyota/Scion
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Yaris; Corolla; iA; Prius; Prius c; Prius v; Camry; Camry Hybrid; RAV4; Tundra (**standard 18-in styled steel wheel has small plastic center hubcap)
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Volkswagen
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Jetta 1.4 S
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Extra, Extra: Which Vehicle Models Get Fitted With the Most Options?
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Which Vehicles Hold Their Value Best? And Which Are Total Depreciation Disasters?
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The Price of Power: Which Cars Offer the Most Optional Horsepower per Dollar?
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Shotgun Wedding
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Among the rarest of options at the expensive end of the market is a gun case offered by Land Rover. Just 30 will come to the U.S. this year. It’s more than just the case, actually, as the Holland & Holland Range Rover, named for the famed London gunmaker, is a full trim level. For $245,495, its interior is laminated with walnut veneers sourced from the same trees as the guns’ stocks, and scrollwork on the interior metalwork mimics that on the guns as well. The gun case itself is removable, lockable, and leather clad, but even at this price, it’s empty. Stocking it with a new pair of Holland & Hollands will set buyers back at least another $140,000.
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Roll Tape
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Lexus’s 2010 SC430 had an unlikely claim to fame. It was the last car sold in the U.S. with a tape deck. Now the question becomes: How much longer does the CD player have left?
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