20 Car Features from the Past You’ll Never See Again
Here's a nostalgic ride through the most iconic car features that have disappeared from modern vehicles.
- Chris Graciano
- 4 min read
Cars today are sleeker, safer, and smarter — but that evolution has pushed many old-school features into extinction. From hand-crank windows to pop-up headlights, these once-popular quirks are now relics of a bygone automotive era. Let’s revisit the 20 car features that have quietly vanished from our roads forever.
1. Manual Window Cranks
Wesha on Wikimedia Commons
Twisting a metal handle to roll down the window is now a distant memory. Power windows replaced them in the name of convenience.
2. Cigarette Lighters and Ashtrays
Santeri Viinamäki on Wikimedia Commons
Once a dashboard staple, these are long gone thanks to declining smoking habits and cleaner car interiors. Now, those sockets are just USB ports in disguise.
3. Vent Windows (Wing Windows)
70_musclecar_RT+6 on Flickr
These small triangular windows helped with airflow before air conditioning was common. They offered a breezy alternative to rolling down the whole window.
4. Pop-Up Headlights
Zaim Anwar on Unsplash
Cool, sleek, and a bit mysterious — these retractable lights were the stuff of ‘80s dreams. Sadly, they posed safety issues and didn’t align with modern crash regulations.
5. Bench Seats in the Front
CZmarlin on Wikimedia Commons
A wide, sofa-like seat that let three people sit across the front row. It felt more like a living room than a cockpit.
6. Hood Ornaments
Derrick Noh on Wikimedia Commons
Once a symbol of luxury and style, hood ornaments adorned the front of many classic cars. Brands like Rolls-Royce and Cadillac made them iconic.
7. Floor-Mounted Dimmer Switches
Selvin Esteban on Pexels
Used to control high beams with your foot, these switches were a quirky convenience. Located on the floor near the clutch, they let drivers keep their hands on the wheel.
8. Pull-Out Choke Knobs
Joss Rogers on Flickr
Common on carbureted engines, choke knobs helped with cold starts. Drivers had to manually adjust the fuel-air mixture to get the engine running smoothly.
9. Tape Decks (Cassette Players)
M.rJirapat on Wikimedia Commons
Once the gateway to personalized road-trip music, tape decks ruled the dash. They gave way to CDs, then aux cords, and now Bluetooth.
10. Column Shifters
Bill Wrigley on Wikimedia Commons
Found in many older sedans and trucks, these gear selectors sat behind the steering wheel. They saved space and gave the front seat a cleaner look.
11. Trunk-Mounted Spare Tire Kits
Photos By Clark on Flickr
Once a stylish touch on luxury coupes, the externally mounted spare looked rugged and ready. However, its weight and exposure made it impractical.
12. Crank Starters
Sami Köykkä on Flickr
In the very early days, starting a car meant getting out and turning a hand crank. It was dangerous and physically demanding.
13. Map Lights and Fold-Out Maps
Nile Livesey on Flickr
Before GPS and Google Maps, drivers relied on paper maps and those little dome lights. Reading directions was a two-person job: one to drive, one to navigate.
14. Antenna Masts You Pulled Out by Hand
Leon Kohle on Pexels
Cars once came with long, retractable antennas you pulled up manually. It was a small daily ritual for radio lovers.
15. Manual Door Locks
NIKHIL BOMBATKAR on Pexels
Clicking a button to unlock doors used to be a luxury. Most cars had little knobs you pushed down by hand. Central locking systems have turned this feature into a museum piece.
16. Car Phones
Shane K on Pexels
A status symbol of the ’80s and ’90s, car phones were clunky and hardwired into the vehicle. They had limited range and insane costs.
17. Full-Size Spare Tires
Dogs 2C on Wikimedia Commons
Once standard, full-size spares gave drivers a true replacement in case of a flat. However, with space and weight at a premium, smaller donut tires — or none at all — have taken over.
18. T-Tops
Sicnag on Wikimedia Commons
These removable roof panels were a cool compromise between convertibles and hardtops. Muscle cars like the Pontiac Trans Am rocked them with pride.
19. Dashboard Clocks with Hands
AP Vibes on Pexels
Analog clocks were a classy touch, often styled to match the car’s interior. However, digital displays have taken their place.
20. Retractable Seatbelts
cottonbro studio on Pexels
Some ‘80s and ‘90s models had motorized seatbelts that slid along the door frame automatically. They looked futuristic but often malfunctioned and didn’t offer the same safety as today’s three-point belts.