Aaron Widmar
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Does Your Car Have a Hidden Compartment?

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Many new vehicles have secret compartments in the cabin that most drivers don’t know about. Does yours have one?

Hidden compartment in MINI Hardtop 2 Door dashboard secret cover
Is your car hiding a hidden storage compartment you don’t know about?
Photo: The News Wheel

Do you really know your car as well as you think you do? Even if you’ve driven it for years, there are probably many secrets lurking throughout it that you’ve never discovered. More are more cars are harboring factory-installed hidden compartments in their cabins that let you stash items in covert places. Here’s how you can tell if your car has one of these hidden compartments.


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Where to find secret storage nooks in your vehicle

There seems like there’s never enough space in your car, so automakers are designing their vehicles to give you extra places to store your loose items. Usually, this takes the form of a large center console in the front row, but other designers are cleverer than that. They find ingenious ways to inconspicuously build pop-out drawers and fold-open trays throughout the cabin that are so well-hidden, you might not know they’re there!

These factory-standard hidden compartments are so intriguing that the subreddit r/secretcompartments/ features many posts about surprise car alcoves.

The motorized faceplate underneath the CUE infotainment screen on Cadillac SUVs is a famous example. MINI Coopers have one right above the glovebox that’s about the size of a VHS tape. You can find such nooks and trays in Toyota, Volkswagen, INFINITI, Audi, and Buick models.

In general, these compartments aren’t designed to store felonious items (which is often what they’re used for), but rather to minimize messes and lost items. That’s why they’re often installed in large family vehicles and refined luxury models.


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Hidden compartment in MINI Hardtop 2 Door dashboard open storage
Hidden dashboard storage in a 2011 MINI Hardtop 2 Door
Photo: The News Wheel

The best way to check if your car has a secret drawer is to read the owner’s manual. It should tell you where all the storage compartments are throughout the model and how to access them (it’s one of the many reasons to read your car’s manual).

Some people prefer the excitement of discovering it without clues, so if that’s you, here’s what you can try. Many of these hatches uses push-to-open, spring-loaded latch mechanisms, so gently but firmly press on the trim pieces across the dashboard, such as below the infotainment screen or above the glovebox. Check under the seats for drawers and along the doors and trunk for fold-out trays.

Even if you don’t find a disguised nook in your own car, it’s a lot of fun to surprise your friends by discovering them in their vehicles. Or, the next time you rent a vehicle on vacation, see if your model has one — and if the prior renter left anything behind!