We can’t emphasize enough the importance of cupholders when choosing or enjoying you daily transportation. For one thing, they provide enormous health benefits. In terms of avoiding avoiding dehydration, cupholders are literally life-saving. Before cupholders, thousands of American motorists died of heat prostration. Many a family road trip turned to tragedy, as sweating children nodded off and expired; their parents, grateful for the silence, oblivious to their progeny’s distress. And then there’s cupholders’ positive effects on caffeination, a proven boon to overall driver alertness and ability. The preventative effects of cupholders regarding third degree burns from the aforementioned caffeinated beverages are legendary. Although the auto detailing industry has suffered from a huge decrease in spillage since the advent of the cupholder, we believe that the cupholder is landmark of human engineering and ingenuity, making our lives safer, more comfortable and convenient one Big Gulp– or Clover Burundi– at a time. In that spirit of celebration, we present to you TTAC’s top ten cupholders, as chosen by our readers in a highly scientific and entirely non-democratic process. [NB: due to programming, er, stuff, please leave your comments on this, the post’s main page. Unless you feel compelled to do otherwise.]
20 Comments on “TTAC’s Ten Best Cupholders 2008...”
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Shill!
I see the “Big Cupholder” lobby has you firmly in it’s all encompassing grasp!
I think this is worthy of a press release.
Happy to see the Lotus cupholder make the list. It’s my personal favorite.
I was waiting for TTAC to really step up their editorials and write about something that is really relevant in society’s real concerns as of today. Why this was not done 3 years ago I don’t know.
I’d like to point out that #9 and #10 are from an Accord EX — those of us with the lowly LX are forced to make due without the spring loaded fingers.
I disagree with eh_political. Finally, TTAC has addressed the issue no other automotive publication has the temerity to even approach. For too long, American consumers have been woefully uninformed about our car cupholder choices, only to drive off the dealer lot with floor mats stained with spilt milk and tears. I think TTAC should be applauded for not bowing to the pressures of the Big Cupholder lobby. Maintaining cupholder-review editorial integrity is paramount in preserving the sanctity of our republic. In sum, this is the most patriotic blog post in the history of this country, or any other.
I am honored and humbled, but yea, I am only the messenger, bringing the good news of Porsche cupholders to all who will listen.
I wonder what the Panamera’s cupholder will be like?
Remember when you bought those “caddies” at Drug Mart that had slots for your audio tapes and two cupholders? They rested on the center hump underneath the radio and slide-out ashtray in front of the bench seat.
They came in three colors: black, gray, and maroon. For some reason, maroon interiors were common. I bought a maroon one for my hand-me-down ’87 Buick Century.
I only hope that this is the first annual TTAC 10 Best Cupholder list.
In all seriousness, cupholders sway a shocking number of drivers to choose a different model. Oh, the humanity!
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/the-psychology-of-cupholders/
Honda NSX? There were no LHD JDM NSX’s.
love the CJ-5. the crinkle black finish and grandma steering wheel cover–THAT’s americana
gotta give my own personal #1, though, to the acura NSX aftermarket piece on the handbrake. it’s like a safety interlock. you can either hoon with the handbrake, OR you can sip a latte. combine the two, and you’re going to burn yourself.
do I spy a badge ON THE DASH of that CJ that says “non-catalyst?” and a manual choke?
sigh, my dash just says “airbag” and has fake leather grain in the plastic.
i think i’m in love
Cupholders and TTAC?
WTF? Where are the finalists from down-blouse-amateur.com?
Interesting array of cupholders, to be sure. I also find it curious that the Porsche example is almost a carbon copy of the one in my ’98 Firebird. It swings out of the top of the console on the passenger side, so there is no problem shifting gears. And, if it spills, too bad for the passenger ……….
I’m afraid I can’t agree with the choice of the Porsche cupholder. While certainly slick in its execution, it lacks in practicality. For one, it feels a little flimsy to hold anything larger than, say, a 20 oz bottle. This flaw can be overlooked, as I don’t need to drive around with a 64 oz “Big Gulp” at arm’s length. But the real Achilles’ heel is actually nicely illustrated by the photo: What’s that underneath the cupholder? That’s right, all the buttons for the stereo, nav system, HVAC, etc. Guess what inevitably happens if you put a non-sealed container in the cupholder? Eventually, some sticky beverage will find its way into those buttons–and it only takes a drop or two. For this reason, only resealable containers are allowed in mine.
I didn’t realize bad cupholders were acceptable or I’d have submitted the ones on my ’62 Comet. When I say “cupholder” though, what I actually mean are “two 1/16″ deep circular depressions on the back of the glovebox door.” It is just enough to give you hope, then as you accelerate either the cup falls over on its own, or the crap in the glovebox slides out and knocks it over. It is a perfect example of a lack of both form AND function.
Beauty is in the eye of the cupholder.
I love the Porsche ratchet/hatchet job. It’s just waiting to dump that coffee into those expensive little buttons on the dash.
You were serious, I thought you were kidding. I had to put my own little console cup holder in too.
Anyway, OK, here’s my offer of a question of the day. For those who have to drive slush box, who makes the best prindle (PRDNL)? That would include aftermarket like the cupholders. (I heard of a NIXIE type display in a Falcon once, but never actually saw it.)
Push gently on a burled walnut panel on the centre console just ahead of the centre armrest and watch as it opens with a smooth, damped precision revealing a black plastic shroud topped with a small chromed button. A touch on this button sets into motion a sequence that’s at the same time fascinating and hilarious. The black shroud rises smoothly and majestically from its resting place — this could be something from a temple in the Raiders of the Lost Ark — and then the top flips open to the right and expands into a form fitting cup holder composed of a series of interlocking, spring-loaded blades that accept containers of all sizes and hold them firmly upright, away from the gear lever and without the slightest vibration. This contraption is so over-engineered it’s amazing. Yet, in spite of its complexity it really does work. What car sports this marvelous toy? It’s my Mercedes Benz 500E. I always have new passengers push on the panels to set the mechanism into motion and they’re invariably delighted and amused. You have to admit that there isn’t much to laugh at otherwise in a Benz….
Sorry, no pictures at this time but I’ll see if I can get a little video of the entire process one of these days when I figure out that part of my digital camera.
Pig_Iron – a Nixie PRNDL would be awesome! I’d love to see something like that.
Will someone please tell me what brand of car it is ( pic #7) that has the illuminated, heated and cooled cupholders?
This is fabulous.