I've never driven one and don't have any immediate plans to, but I don't see what's so terrible about it either. It's not the most attractive by any means, but the controls all look perfectly reasonable to understand from what I can see in the picture...Is the radio controlled by the knobs with the blue-red swoosh or something?
You want to see an ugly dash?
My Colorado.
If I wanted something this ugly, I would have bought a Japanese truck.
Zomby Woof wrote: You want to see an ugly dash? My Colorado. If I wanted something this ugly, I would have bought a Japanese truck.
dude, THIS is ugly! People seem to think it's A-ok on here.
That dash is awesomely futuristic, if The Last Starfighter represents your idea of the future.
Appleseed wrote: That dash is awesomely futuristic, if The Last Starfighter represents your idea of the future.
it's like something out of the future as it was envisioned in the past..
http://davidszondy.com/future/futurepast.htm
novaderrik wrote:Appleseed wrote: That dash is awesomely futuristic, if The Last Starfighter represents your idea of the future.it's like something out of the future as it was envisioned in the past.. http://davidszondy.com/future/futurepast.htm
I love retro-futurism, and that is a great site. Thanks for sharing.
The new Impala looks like the barely new accord.
tuna55 wrote:Zomby Woof wrote: You want to see an ugly dash? My Colorado. If I wanted something this ugly, I would have bought a Japanese truck.dude, THIS is ugly! People seem to think it's A-ok on here.
Power 80's sure, but everything falls easily to hand, is intuitive in its operation and easy to understand. How did Japan nail it almost 30 years ago and Detroit is still struggling?
Zomby Woof wrote: You want to see an ugly dash? My Colorado.
it's not the uglyness. I like the dash on your colorado as everything is easy to see and locate. It may be ugly, but it is straight forward to use and is actually well intergrated into the whole of the design.
The Impala dash's controls look haphazard, The excess bling and lights look distracting, and I find that the dash board has several different design elements all vying for attention.
pinchvalve wrote: Power 80's sure, but everything falls easily to hand, is intuitive in its operation and easy to understand. How did Japan nail it almost 30 years ago and Detroit is still struggling?
I'm not just being dense. I really don't get it. I drove the 72 GMC for a while DD, the foot bump bright lights, the three-on-the-tree, roll down doors and what not, it all "fell easily to hand" - I never found myself bugged by ergonomics. My current 2012 Caravan is the same way, I see no issues. The Cruiser is the same way. Everything I've ever driven, from awesome classics to cheap rentals, has been this way. Maybe it takes a mile or two to remember how to do something like the cruise that I hardly ever use, but that's the extent of it.
It may be because its before my time, but I love the 80's "futuristic" interiors!
I also may be crazy, because I don't like the mid 90's chevy/gmc steering wheels. This:
Reminds me of these, from Half Life 2. Freaks me out every time I look at it :-P
I have to agree with Tuna. I don't see what could possibly make the controls so difficult to live with long term. I don't even see this as the worst case of OCD dash syndrome either, but that's more a matter of personal preference I guess.
If somebody spends an adequate amount of time to truly familiarize themselves and get comfortable with the layout of all controls, it will almost always become perfectly reasonable to operate. In the course of normal operation, without frequent control adjustments, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or more. But when using the controls for the first few times and not taking the time to really get used to them, it will almost always feel a bit 'off' if not situated similarly enough to the cars the person is currently used to driving on a regular basis. This has been a simple truth for the first few hours or day in every car I've owned, rented, or been loaned, including what are typically very highly thought of cars. As far as I'm concerned, this concept applies almost universally.
In reply to pinchvalve:
I own a mid 80s MR2 along with a bunch of stuff out of Detroit and sure would not put it as "they nailed it while Detroit is still struggling" lol
you need not look any further than an E36 or an E46 for how to design a dashboard.
I have found that even switches that are often used, fell to hand without thinking. One of them being the 4-way flasher. Putting it between the shifter and the handbrake was brilliant. Just needed to drop your hand down onto the console and there it was.
The Volvo and the Rover keep me hunting for switches.
The saab is pretty decent as well.. but the Swedes are known for their ergonomics
Colorado is just generic. Not really bad, just uninspired. I look at it as cheap. I know, I've spent 94,000 miles staring at it. Worst part is when the switches color wears off. I notice that is pretty common on GMs. I really don't mind the look of the Impala dash. I would have to drive it to see what it's really like
Brokeback wrote: It may be because its before my time, but I love the 80's "futuristic" interiors! I also may be crazy, because I don't like the mid 90's chevy/gmc steering wheels. This:
that's a wheel/dash from an early to mid '00's Chevy.. the 90's dash layouts ranged from horrible (88-93) to livable (94-98).. they made them a bit better with the redesign in '99, then went totally backwards when they let the special education class at the art school design them for the '07 redesign...
mad_machine wrote: The Volvo and the Rover keep me hunting for switches. ..... the Swedes are known for their ergonomics
I got to see one last night in person for the first time. The front looks good, like the details along the door, nice shape, get to the rear wheels and I like the coupe/CLS Merc treatment and the trunk and the trunk and the trunk,
It is like the the guy fell asleep on the mouse and stretched it. That rear overhang is way too long.
I wouldn't mind owning one from the looks department though.
It looks much longer in person too.
I can simplify my opinion on this one. I am a Ford guy and despite the long tail I would buy this over a Taurus.
We had one as a rental a couple of months back and it was a great car to road trip in. I had no problem with the controls, the 305 HP was nice, and the trunk was massive. I would have preffered to drive back on the return as opposed to fly, but we had free flights back. What would I have changed? FWD to RWD. I'm not a fan of front wheel drive.
Does it still have the "driving out of a hole" feel that my dad's 08 impala has?
I think it looks more like a cartoon frog than a ninja turtle, but that is just me.
I thought the new explorer was pretty cool looking, but just had one as a rental. The turn signal drove me nuts, totally batty. Shame because it was a decent rig. Basically you couldn't just nudge the signal for a lane change. If you activated the right signal by pushing up it would stay on until you push up again. You couldn't just hold it up a little and let go. And the the actual signal noise was brutal.
Probably sell like hotcakes around Boston though.
In reply to sachilles:
I agree with your Boston and will raise you with a New Orleans.
BTW: Consumer Reports is all bonkers over Chevy products. They loved the new Impala and the pickup both. I buy refrigerators and such with Consumer Reports info. But I still don't consider an automobile an appliance. Even if they do come in sunburst orange.
Rupert wrote: In reply to sachilles: I agree with your Boston and will raise you with a Louisville BTW: Consumer Reports is all bonkers over Chevy products. They loved the new Impala and the pickup both. I buy refrigerators and such with Consumer Reports info. But I still don't consider an automobile an appliance. Even if they do come in sunburst orange.
FTFY
I have only seen one down here in NOLA on the street.
I gotta say, I grew up reading Car and Driver trash various makers for having weird secondary controls, but I don't buy it.
Isn't this only an issue for rental cars and road test writers? Wouldn't I figure out all the non-intuitive controls in the first week of ownership?
The only exception is hazard lights, I hate it when the designers hide the 4-way flasher switch.
Flight Service wrote:Rupert wrote: In reply to sachilles:FTFY I have only seen one down here in NOLA on the street.
If the one down there in NOLA you're referring to is someone using their turn signal, I'll bet $50 it was someone from out of state.
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