How Nissan Revolutionized The Cup Holder With A Small Tweak

The cupholder is one of the most essential features of any modern car. Every mass-produced vehicle has at least two cupholders, with every single Nissan having at least eight. A poorly designed cupholder can even become a gripe for car owners. Maybe it’s not wide enough for a driver’s favorite Tumblr or is too shallow for certain types of cups. The wrong type of holder for a cup can lead to bad car reviews from journalists, too.  

The First Year for the Cupholder 

While the idea of a place to put your coffee cup or drink has been around since the ‘50s, it wasn’t until 1983 that a mass-produced car had the option of having a cupholder. Now, in 2025, Nissan is trying to design and implement the perfect cupholders for every one of its cars, including the 16 of them in the 2025 Pathfinder. 

Americans Love Our Cupholders 

This is mainly an American thing, though, as Japanese and German cultures have traditionally never been big on cupholders. Americans started demanding cupholders to hold their coffee during their morning commute.  

Drink Cups Are a Huge Industry 

Chris Fischer is the Nissan Senior Manager of Vehicle Performance Development, and he’s kind of a cupholder guru. He told The Autopian and Forbes that he and his team are using cups from every fast food restaurant and convenience store around, from Starbucks to 7-Eleven, and every type of purchasable insulated drinking cup from Yeti to Stanley. According to Forbes, the industry for insulated mugs and such is a nearly $10 billion industry, with the belief that it will be worth more than $12 billion to companies. 

A Word from Nissan 

“We closely look at the trends,” Fischer says. “When we look at the center console, we need to be able to fit a coffee cup, a Coke bottle, a fast food cup, or a water bottle. They have to be able to sit flat, and we don’t want the lid to pop off.” 

How One Design Changed How Well Different Cups Fit 

According to Chris, the most popular things to put into cupholders are refillable plastic water bottles, followed by paper coffee cups from coffee shops. And thanks to what Fischer refers to as “fingers”, Nissan cupholders are able to hold different-sized cups with ease. The “fingers” he’s referring to are the little tabs inside the cupholders that are spring-loaded and adjust in size whenever you slide your cup in. They can also help to add resistance, so your drink doesn’t just flop around.  

Not Just for Your Cups 

Nissan also doesn’t lose sight of the fact that every cupholder has to be an easy place to put a cell phone—that seems to be getting larger every year. They are hard at work developing many different places to put cups, phones, and more.  

Test Out the Cupholders in Every Nissan at Dick Smith Nissan of Lexington 

To get a taste of how good the cupholders are in every new Nissan, bring your favorite cup, mug, or bottle down to Dick Smith Nissan of Lexington and see for yourself how well it fits in the many areas of each model.  

Why Choose Dick Smith Nissan of Lexington  

At Dick Smith Nissan of Lexington, we believe our customers deserve the best prices and services. With over 100 new and used vehicles to choose from, our outstanding sales team and finance department will work hard to make sure you drive away happy. Our fantastic service department will take care of your new-to-you vehicle as if it were their own.