What's up with this trend of putting the shifter on the console next to the drivers leg, and putting both cup holders on the far side...next to the passenger?

I started looking at new trucks this week and this trend struck me as terribly awkward...like the guy that designed it never drinks coffee on the way to work, or on his way hunting, or never drinks a can of coke while driving around town.

The Toyota Tundra really took the trend to new levels...it's cup holder is dang near impossible to use for the driver. The first problem is that it's about 10 feet away...second problem is that you have to take a very un-natural path to avoid the shifter knocking your drink out of your hand as you bring it back to your side of the vehicle.

I noticed that the FX4 has a similar set up. It's just one of those design things that will bother me every time I use it. Kind of like Ford putting the interior lights BEHIND the console storage compartment so you can't see into it at night. I've had my F150 for 8 years and that one still bugs me.

I've been test driving a tundra for 2 days now and the cup holder placement is a big negative. Sounds silly but it's one of those "daily use" items and if it's designed poorly it'll **** me off every day. I guess I'll go back to shopping for an F150 Lariat.

Does this bug anyone else? What other "high use" features on trucks seem backwards?

 

i think the 4x4 shifter is closer to the driver so that it can be used to drive.

I always use the cup holders in the back of my arm rest, the ones on the floor currently have my sunglasses and an old bottle of sunscreen, im not sure ive ever put a drink in them to be honest, doesnt really bother me.

I know id rather reach for a cup than my 4x4 shifter though.

 

haha yeah it may sound silly to some but yep i've noticed this too. it's not strange to grab a drink or something while the truck is in park but if you put it in drive you have to grab your drink from above it and it is very annoying.

 

never been a problem for me.

my 06 FX4 and my current Expy have the center shifter with the cupholders to the right.


perfect fit for me. but then again, I am 6'3" tall. I can easily reach the backseat and the passenger side without really trying.


you should see their placement in my stang. I no longer drink beverages while driving my car. Cannot shift gears because the drinks block the shifter movement

 

I was thinking this same thing driving home today. Every single time I grabbed my drink I hit the shifter and almost knocked it out of my hand, I started to get pissed so I chugged the rest.

 

Best way to solve this problem is to not use a floor/center shifter. Leave it on the steering column like it has been for years and you will never have to worry about it being in the way of your drinks.

 

I have zero issues on the center-console shift cup holders. Driver uses the rear cup holder, passenger uses the front cup holder. (I don't use the cupholders on the back of the center console). The rear cupholder passes by the shifter just fine from the driver's side, the passenger doesn't need to pass the shifter when using the front one. Problem solved, unless you just like to keep multiple cans of stuff to drink from.

 

I totally misunderstood the first post. My mistake, i dont have a center console, just the floor shifter for the 4x4. So render my comments irrelevant to this discussion.

 

Never had and issue with it myself. Having the seat all the way back may help also.

 

CD1 ... depending what you're looking for... I'll sell you my Lariat. Pics in my profile album

Only thing you might not like about it is the cupholders

 

^^^exactly...

 

my brother has the center shifter, i have the column. i dont have any issues with it either way.

 

Ive got two cupholders on the armrest/middle seat back and two in the dash. No issues.

Ive got a column shifter and a **** for the 4wd.

 

Yep...i'm a fan of the column shifter. I think I found a nice Lariat that might work. Will know next week if the price is right.