Would you buy a car for just one feature?

Is there one feature on your car that was the main reason you bought your car? Is it ridiculous to think that people buy cars because of one thing?

I got thinking about this after I read about a recent Jeep Wrangler related problem customers were having with FCA’s much-maligned UConnect infotainment system. Some Jeep models feature ‘Off-Road Pages’, a tool in their UConnect system that helps drivers ascertain certain off-road related information. This includes things like “pitch, roll, altitude, GPS coordinates, drivetrain power distribution”, important for those who like being off the grid with their vehicles.

Cue issues Jeep Wrangler owners are having with their UConnect system and Off-Road Pages.

Turns out those who purchased a 2018 Jeep Wrangler, after being promised on Jeep’s own ‘Build & Price’ tool on their website, that Off-Road Pages are actually coming to 2019 models and not 2018 ones.

Owners are outraged, with some pointing out that it was a key feature in their decision to purchase the vehicle.

Did you really buy that car because of that one feature?

It got me thinking, do people really buy their car primarily for one feature? Is it possible that you would spend all that money based on a singular aspect of a car? Sounds ridiculous when you think about it but Jeep Wrangler owners may beg to differ.

Looking back at the cars I’ve owned I try to think back to any one feature that helped sway my

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decision to purchase that car. A previous car I owned had a fantastic Heads Up Display (HUD) and could park itself (which in the two years I owned it, didn’t use once), but they were merely bonuses to the rest of the car. Sure, it helped, but I would have bought the car if it didn’t park itself too.

It’s a feature filled kind of world

Modern cars come equipped to the nose with features and technology. Unless you’re opting for the base model, you’re bound to get some of the basic necessities of modern driving. Reverse camera and Sat Nav are probably the two functions most crucial, although some people will say in this day and age, upgraded sensors and cameras are key. To some, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) has become a standard must-have feature of their new cars too.

The number of features and options available are almost endless: 360-degree cameras, lane departure warnings, blind spot monitoring, gesture control, Adaptive Cruise Control, everything from massaging seats to autopilot.

Why did you buy your car?

My hope is that you didn’t buy your car for any one of these aforementioned features alone. I would hazard a guess that most people do buy their cars for multiple reasons and features, and that makes sense. My current car doesn’t have a heads up display, can’t park itself, doesn’t have blind spot monitors, no massaging or heated seats, but I did buy it because of a few things. I bought it because of its ultra sports suspension, Brembo brakes and 360 hp (okay so I also bought it because it had low mileage and was a manual).

Next: Get a good deal and infuriate your salesperson

I can see why Jeep Wrangler owners would be annoyed by what has happened. It is a big component of an off-road minded vehicle, but hopefully, they can see that in the end, the Wrangler is still great at what it does even though it won’t be able to tell you exactly what it is doing via a computer screen.

FCA promising customers a vehicle can do something when it can’t however, is something else entirely.

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