Definitely the effectiveness and functionality of a automatic climate control system differs greatly from car to car. The vehicle I'm currently using (for the most part) as a daily driver isn't mine; it belongs to my elderly mother whom I am taking care of full time (she's 98 and completely dependant). Therefore she insists I use it instead of my own vehicles. Apparently she feels she is doing me a favor. But it is also the car she is used to getting in and out of. In the beginning I hated driving it....an American midsize sedan. But in time I've found it kind of nice to drive something I don't feel the need to constantly protect from the carelessness of others. I can park in the closest spot in the lot, don't cringe every time I hear rocks chipping the paint, not overly concerned about it getting hit, don't care if it gets dirty, don't mind loading it with supplies from the hardware or home improvement stores, etc. And truthfully it is a decent city vehicle; comfortable, easy to maneuver, has all of the modern amenities, and such. But the automatic climate control system is horrible in this car. I much prefer the ones in Mercedes, BMWs, and other cars (pre touchscreen era).
Another difference is the personal preferences between individuals. For example I hate driving with the windows down, aside from a convertible top car. By comparison I have a good friend that immediately rolls down ALL of the windows as soon as he gets into any car....regardless of the weather. Even when I'd roll my window back up, he rolls it down again. I hate riding with him. And I hate the feel of AC or heated air, aside from extreme weather conditions. Another friend loves to keep his AC on max cold all the time, year round. He would also roll down his window at the same time. I never understood any of that either. As for things like heated seats, I hate them...they make my ass and genitals sweat. I've owned cars with features like heated steering wheels and such but never tried them so can't say how I feel about it. But I guess my lack of utilizing them speaks for itself.
Still another factor is the climate where one lives. And how that dictates the need for climate controls. Having spent my life on the SoCal beaches I'm accustomed to nothing more than opening the vent in the summer and closing it in the winter. That's all that was ever needed. But at the moment I've living in a brutally hot desert climate where I could not live without a very effective AC system.
But I guess all in all I'm still a bit stuck in the 70's and prefer a manual system most of the time.
