Cars With Secret Storage Compartments Some May Not Know About
Some vehicular surprises are terrible, such as the time your author twisted the key on his then-daily driver only to find a rogue squirrel had made a meal of its underhood wiring. Swearing ensued. Discovering flat tires, empty fuel tanks, and errant open windows also rank pretty low on our top forty.
But some surprises are pleasant - including the discovery of storage compartments or cupholders in their car which one didn’t know existed. Not every delivery process (new, used, curbside) is comprehensive, leaving new owners to fumble their way through the first few days and weeks of ownership. This goes double for sales staff at high turnover lots. But we digress.
For this post, we’ve identified a few secret or unexpected storage bins and cupholders which stick out as unique in our jaundiced minds. If your favorite has been omitted - and, given the vast knowledge of the B&B, it likely has - chime in below with your nomination.
[Images: Manufacturers]
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Third-gen Hyundai Elantra
Starting this list is the compact sedan from Korea sold in this guise between the ‘01 and ‘06 model years, though our secret compartment only appeared after the ‘04 refresh. Unbeknownst to many, there was a set of cupholders which could spring forth from underneath the rear seat. Positioned centrally for easy access by outboard backseat urchins in the peanut gallery, this flush mounted and spring-loaded secret was nigh invisible to all but those in the know, leading it to be the source of many bets won and lost in Hyundai showrooms of the day.
Fifth-gen Chevrolet Malibu
Sticking with cupholders, America’s favorite vessel, we encourage readers to recall the 5th-gen Malibu, a car which many people found on rental lots and tended to fade into the background since most of ‘em seemed to be painted beige. Or, alternatively, That Green. Whatever the shade, drivers could refresh themselves with a cold can of Coke at their left hand thanks to a pop-out cupholder on that side of the steering wheel. At least one senior in this writer’s rural hometown was very surprised to learn of its presence long after bringing the thing home from Hickman Motors in Gander.
Third-gen Hyundai Elantra
Starting this list is the compact sedan from Korea sold in this guise between the ‘01 and ‘06 model years, though our secret compartment only appeared after the ‘04 refresh. Unbeknownst to many, there was a set of cupholders which could spring forth from underneath the rear seat. Positioned centrally for easy access by outboard backseat urchins in the peanut gallery, this flush mounted and spring-loaded secret was nigh invisible to all but those in the know, leading it to be the source of many bets won and lost in Hyundai showrooms of the day.
Mazda CX-30
Just near the driver’s left knee in this pert little compact crossover is a hinged compartment which looks for all the world like the cover for a fuse panel. It isn’t. Instead, releasing the handle and pivoting the space downward reveals a small space lined with mouse fur material. It isn’t big enough for a pack of smokes, nor can a standard garage door opener fit there. The spot is indeed perfect for change on the off chance its driver hasn’t yet switched to an e-reader or card for toll booths.
Many GMs from 2000s-2010s
About twenty years ago, a bright spark inside the bowels of Ren Cen recognized that new car touchscreens may have consumed a lot of dashboard real estate - yet were extraordinarily thin with few ‘guts’ behind the things. Someone managed to convince accountants that adding a motorized action to the screen was a good spend of money, allowing them to move out of the way and reveal a cubby, creating a variety of hidden dash compartments in cars from Corvettes to Cadillacs. Some even had USB ports to charge a device. This being America, most of the spaces were the perfect size for a gun and bible. Allegedly.
