I consider'em frills. I like standard transmissions. And air bags are themselves frills. If you've got (and use) your seatbelts (which I do), you don't need'em.
So do I, but a modern CVT will give you better mileage and, unless you've got the skills of a professional racer, better acceleration. I'd hardly call that a frill.
I still like a manual despite all that, simply because it's more fun to drive, but that would seem to make the manual a frill, no?
And air bags are themselves frills. If you've got (and use) your seatbelts (which I do), you don't need'em.
I was talking about side curtain bags. They can save your life. Seat belts won't do a thing for you if you're hit from the side.
Don't forget traction control. In the snow, it's a Godsend. Of course, under normal conditions, I turn mine off, but it's worth having for those snow days, especially in a town like Seattle where they don't salt the roads.
Finally, if you think an on-demand AWD system like Haldex is a frill, you really need to go test drive a car with one (preferably with the sport package upgrade that tends to give the car a little oversteer). Go take it on a curvy dirt road, and you'll see it's no frill.