We’ve gotten used to heated seats, adaptive cruise control and Apple CarPlay, all features that we first saw in luxury cars and are now ubiquitous in most cars available at all price points–often at no additional charge.
But luxury car designers and engineers are never ones to stand still for long. And recently, they have been focused not just on features that pamper driver and passengers, but that will deliver a better drive experience, keep you and your car safer on the road, and that will take the stress out of driving.
A “Pillar to Pillar” Driver Display Screen
This screen, which Lincoln calls the “coast to coast” display, actually adds to the visibility the driver has behind the wheel by using larger, easier to see displays and placing them right in the driver’s field of vision. That, and steering wheel with a flat top and bottom, add up to a completely undisrupted view of the road. See more about the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus here.
Diffused Fragrance, Massaging Seats and More Define the 2025 Lincoln Nautilus
Yes, the Lincoln Nautilus has an updated, modern look. But it’s also filled with innovative luxury. A fragrance diffuser that allows you to choose a scent to fit your mood–and change your mind on the fly. Massaging seats to energize or relax you. A relaxation mode that choreographs music, lighting, massaging seats and fragrance all at once. And those are just the “about you” features! Read more about the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus here.
A “Squircle” Steering Wheel Is the New Luxury Car Must-Have
Designers call this a squircle, or a square circle. With a flat top and bottom, the driver has greater visibility of the road. Here, Lucid set the steering wheel in the Gravity low, below the driver display screen, so the driver can easily see the entire screen and the road beyond. Learn more about the Lucid Gravity here.
Lucid Gravity Features Even More Luxury Spoilers
The Lucid Gravity, when it starts production later in 2024, will also include many many more cutting edge luxury features, such as a full glass roof, 3rd row seats that stow in the cargo floor an electric range of more than 400 miles.
Interactive, Customizable Head Up Display
No longer is HUD, or head up display, just a simple projection of speed and direction. In addition to music, driver assist features and navigation, Lexus gets the credit for advancing HUD with an interactive system that can be customized to display a variety of things and allow you to see display and select those things, too.
Sweep your finger on the touch sensitive pads on the steering wheel to light up the controls then tap to select from driver assist features to entertainment and more. See more about this system here.
All New Lexus Models Offer this HUD System in Top Trims
This great HUD system is available in top of the line Lexus models (or, with a tech package option) that have been redesigned recently: RX, NX, GX, LX and the new TX and RZ. Any model that hasn’t had the update yet will soon. More on these redesigned models can be found here.
BMW Takes HUD To A Whole New Level
The idea of HUD is elevated to an even more lofty level in the new concept from BMW, the Neue Klasse X. Here, the company’s designers blended the idea of HUD with that of a pillar-to-pillar display, resulting in a customizable projection screen that displays key driver information right at the base of the windshield and in the driver’s line of sight. Get a quick look at it here.
The BMW Neue Klasse X Reinvents a Lot of Luxury Car Features
We were blown away by this beautiful and innovative electric SUV. BMW strives to break the mold in both performance and design, and the first look at this futuristic SUV proves they are on the path.
Hands Free Driving
While full self driving may still not be a reality, hands free driving certainly is. Though it has its limitations and safety precautions, so it’s not like you can sit behind the wheel and scroll your socials while the system carts your kids to school.
Popular systems from GM, Ford, BMW and more require a driver to be attentive, driving conditions to be optimal and the car to be driving on a mapped, limited access roadway. Once conditions are met, hands free driving is an incredible way to take the stress out of highway driving and let the car do the work. See how it works here.
Ahhh… The Luxury of a Fragrance Diffuser
Mercedes-Benz was the first to add a fragrance diffuser as a cabin option, and what we didn’t realize at the time is that this was just part of a much larger wellness strategy the company had in mind: combining fragrance with seat massage, ambient light and music to create an experience in the cabin.
Lincoln and BMW take this idea even further to enhance not just the cabin ambiance, but to help you relax, reduce stress or rejuvenate.
Not All Luxury Cars Have a Fragrance Diffuser, But You’re Not Out of Luck
While more and more carmakers are adding a fragrance option, you don’t have to wait. You can add your own diffuser and customize your fragrance, and change it as often as you like. We tested out these Pura and Thymes diffusers; both are a great option for creating a lovely atmosphere in your car.
Massaging Seats Aren’t Just a Luxury
Not long ago auto makers–again, Mercedes-Benz was among the first–began to add massage seats to their cars as a luxury perk. But fast forward to the early 2020’s and carmakers have realized that massage can take the stress out of a long drive, reduce fatigue and even keep the driver and front seat passenger more alert.
Some systems are less massage, more “articulation,” which just moves parts of the seat to adjust your posture a bit, others are full-on hot stone, sports or a form of shiatsu, allowing you to target specific areas. Other systems even offer massage to rear seat passengers. Paired with a heated or vented seat and the right music, a massaging seat can really change the mood of even the worst traffic jams.
Our Favorite Cars with Massaging Seats
There are a lot of choices: Virtually every luxury brand–BMW, Genesis, Lexus, Lincoln, Infiniti, Audi, Porsche, even Lamborghini offer massaging seats. And then, top trims of premium cars like the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Buick Enclave and Ford Explorer offer massaging seats. We really love the massagers in the Jeep, as well as the new Lincoln Nautilus and the Genesis GV80. But maybe it’s those SUVs that are family-friendly that make us appreciate it the most. Wonder why?
One Pedal Driving Will Change Your World
This might be the single best reason to buy an electric car: one pedal driving. And, it might be the best-kept secret about electric cars. Here’s the story: You can drive an EV just like a gas-powered car, which propels itself just a bit when your foot is off the accelerator. But put it in one-pedal drive mode–sometimes this is an actual drive mode, sometimes its a button on the console or a selection on the multimedia system– and the car slows dramatically when you take your foot off the accelerator.
Some systems, like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Tesla models and the Mustang Mach- E, have full one-pedal driving; once you master the system you’ll learn to drive without using the brake most of the time. Not only is this great in traffic, the system actually recharges the battery. And on winding, twisty roads it adds to the fun of driving. You can see how it works here.
