Mk8 GTI to be revealed in March

[ElectricEye]

I have experience with both and don't see a difference in cars that I use frequently. What's your argument, that something you haven't seen in person but have formed an opinion about is probably bad? I'm not sure your argument has legs either.

I can tell at a glance, that these controls are less user friendly in a moving vehicle than manual HVAC and radio controls.
Just because everyone's doing them doesn't mean they're good - or done equally well.

 

[GTIfan99]

I'm all for progress, but manufactures and stereo makers seem to have to relearn the same lesson over and over. A manual volume knob and manual controls for HVAC are easier and safer to use and consumer wants them.

You can't tell me that having to scroll through to a secondary menu isn't more distracting. It just is. People get used to it, but it is more distracting.

 

[Inka Orange]

I think it's about cost. Cheaper to mass produce a central control/display unit than have discreet switches & controls arranged in all the old, familiar places. I don't think it'll be so inexpensive for the owner to replace out of warranty when it goes dark and you have no heat, A/C, radio...

I also find it more distracting. When we go somewhere in the wife's CR-V, I find that I'm not capable of making adjustments to the heat or A/C without taking eyes off the road for a scary amount of time. But I can't text and drive very well either.

 

[bentin]

I'm all for progress, but manufactures and stereo makers seem to have to relearn the same lesson over and over. A manual volume knob and manual controls for HVAC are easier and safer to use and consumer wants them.

You can't tell me that having to scroll through to a secondary menu isn't more distracting. It just is. People get used to it, but it is more distracting.

I absolutely agree on volume. I'm just of the impression that auto climate doesn't need the attention of a manual setup and therefore is easier to bury in menus. From looking at detail shots of the Mk8, there's a button to directly access the climate controls. So it adds a step, cant argue that this isn't a further complication, but aside from engaging defrost, I rarely, if ever have to access climate controls in our car with auto climate.
Like complaints about iDrive, most of these things are second nature once you've used the system for a few days, but they whip neophytes and car journalists into a frenzy when they're first exposed to them.
Now if there's no physical volume knob, that's just stupid.

 

[bentin]

Okay, looks like there isn't an actual volume knob. I concede that this is a miss. I do use the volume slider on the wheel more, but do use the knob as others have said to make larger, quicker adjustments.
My Mazda3 had a knob by the gear shift. It took a little getting used to, but I actually really liked it. I wonder if someone will be able to add a similar setup like the current garage door opener button mod? I would think that VW might add back a physical knob, like Honda had to with the Civic.

 

[MSchott]

I'm all for progress, but manufactures and stereo makers seem to have to relearn the same lesson over and over. A manual volume knob and manual controls for HVAC are easier and safer to use and consumer wants them.

You can't tell me that having to scroll through to a secondary menu isn't more distracting. It just is. People get used to it, but it is more distracting.

I didn't watch there video but how often do you need to get into a secondary menu while driving?

 

[jimlloyd40]

I didn't watch there video but how often do you need to get into a secondary menu while driving?

Often if you need to adjust the HVAC controls.

 

[bentin]

Often if you need to adjust the HVAC controls.

And just to be a pest, with auto, how often is that?

 

[Chogokin]

I never really used the Auto climate control feature in any of my cars. I just don't like how it works. I'll use the climate knobs frequently when I'm driving. I find myself switching from the top vents to the footwell vents...and I'll move the blower speeds up and down too. For the volume control...I just use the buttons on the steering wheel. When it comes to the climate control...I prefer knobs.

 

[jimlloyd40]

And just to be a pest, with auto, how often is that?

I don't have auto climate control. So in Phoenix if the car has been sitting when it's 110 degrees I adjust the HVAC a lot.Turn it up after it's been sitting, turn it down when on the highway and up at stoplights.

 

[Carlosfandang0]

Most things (infotainment/HVAC) will be able to be controlled by voice with the mk8, once people have initially adjusted to that it should be safer than ever!

 

[Desslok]

Unless you're a mute.

 

[Strange Mud]

I have poor luck with voice controls

I tell Mrs Mud things all the time only to have them misinterpreted or ignored

 

[bentin]

I don't have auto climate control. So in Phoenix if the car has been sitting when it's 110 degrees I adjust the HVAC a lot.Turn it up after it's been sitting, turn it down when on the highway and up at stoplights.

In that situation, when you start the car, air will be on full and it will dial it back once the inside temp hits your setting. It works well enough that about the only adjustment I make is to vent the sunroof until the interior is cooling off and then close it. If those controls aren't physical, that will be annoying.

 

[imthanick_a]

My girlfriends Fusion has touch screen climate control and there is no feature I've ever disliked more on a car. Granted there are physical buttons too, but the layout of the buttons and the format of the interface to see the changes you make is horrible.