Despite shelling out $35,000 for a new Hyundai, the owner is claiming the car has “poverty buttons” reminiscent of an older, less expensive car.
The very specific complaint comes from creator Coker (@cokermgmt), posting a TikTok video on Sunday getting close to 44,000 views in a single day. The creator assures everyone, “Don’t get it twisted,” adding “I love my car” and “I’ve never had anything this luxurious” in a comment accompanying the video, but it’s still concerning to the driver that he’s pushing a button that appears to be blank.
The hashtag indicates that he’s taken a Hyundai Santa Fe off the lot, and judging from pictures of the 2023 model on the Hyundai site, the button he’s pushing should allow for personalized heating and air conditioning fan speed control on the driver side. (There’s also one for the passenger side.)
While the 2024 edition appears to have some upgrades, it still has buttons for some functions as opposed to the touch screen controls that other car makers have gravitated toward. It also goes for close to $34,000 at the lowest base model, compared to around $29,000 for the 2023 edition that the creator appears to be driving.
Car and Driver‘s review of that car was generally positive but not effusive in its assessment of the SUV. “Hyundai interiors are best known for their solid build quality and worthwhile features rather than edgy designs and upscale materials,” the reviewers wrote. “Still, the Santa Fe has an attractive cabin that offers a variety of contemporary options that include a digital gauge cluster, head-up display, heated rear seats, ventilated front seats, and more. Last year, the Santa Fe received slight tweaks to the interior design that more closely aligned it with the larger and more luxurious Palisade SUV.”
Commenters came in with their takes on “poverty buttons” and car pricing in general.
“My car is literally the top trim model possible for the model and it still has poverty buttons,” one observed.
Another cracked, “PEASANT!” before adding, “Jk, maybe some of them are meant to be blank. My car has one, cause of how they changed the layout. It bothers me lol.”
@cokermgmt Don't get it twisted I love my car I've never had anything this luxurious #hyundaisantafe ♬ bounce (i just wanna dance) – фрози & joyful
One opined, “Girl it’s a Hyundai why are you paying 35k.”
But another asserted, “Y’all really need to learn how much cars cost these days.”
Someone else added, “$35,000 is still not a lot for a new car.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via TikTok comment.