I would look at something like that as an annoyance. It makes a fairly big wall between the driver and the shifter.
Ditto. Though maybe there's a reason the photos show it with an automagic?
Personally I've never found the lack of cup holders to be the "problem" which some people make it out to be. Not to mention that ever since leather-izing the seats, I find that my interest in carrying spillables has diminished sharply.