The most difficult gear levers to use in cars
Along with the improvements on modern car models are new gear lever designs that confuse many drivers the first time they use them.
Gear shift behind the wheel
Appearing on some cars, this type of gear lever is easily confused because it is often in the same position as the windshield wiper. This is a type of electronic gear lever, when shifting gears, the driver holds the brake, moves the lever to the right of the steering wheel. Move down to put the car in D and move up to put it in N or reverse. If the driver wants to park the car, the driver presses the button on the outermost part of the gear lever.
Nowadays, the gearshift lever behind the steering wheel appears on Mercedes models after 2015 and older American cars like the 2003 Ford Escape.
Rotary gear lever
Rotary gearshifts are typically found on pre-2020 Land Rovers or on the higher-spec 2021 KIA Sorento. On Land Rovers, the gearshift lever is raised to rotate once the vehicle is started. When it can be adjusted, the driver simply holds the brake and then rotates to the desired gear position.
The Sorento's gear lever is similar to the LandRover's, but the P position is a push button, located on the rotary knob.
Push button gear shifter
With cars using push-button gearshifts like the 2021 SantaFe, the driver does not see any control levers in the center console area. Instead, there are 4 keys corresponding to 4 basic automatic gear positions including P, R, N, D.
When the car is moving, if the driver wants to change gears manually, he can adjust it using the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. Many people think that the push-button gear shifter is beautiful and convenient, but others think that this new form is “unfamiliar to the eye”.
Crystal gear shift
The crystal gear lever appears on the Volvo XC40 Inscription upgrade package. The special crystal gear lever is processed by the famous glass manufacturer Orrefors. However, this material makes the gear lever heavier than the standard version. Therefore, pulling the lever also brings the driver a bit of trouble.
Paddle shifter
The Titan’s paddle shifters are cleverly positioned behind the steering wheel. However, the traditional hand-foot-based gear shifting is now replaced by a small push button. This may be unfamiliar to first-time car users.
