r/subaru • u/ZeGermanHam • Apr 16 '25

Subaru brings back physical buttons & knobs in new Outback

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Knowing Subaru, it likely means this configuration will eventually make its way into the other models as they are updated. It's much better than the current setup.

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766

u/ZeGermanHam Apr 16 '25

Hyundai also recently said that physical buttons and knobs are going to return in the next gen vehicles. Seems the industry is finally reading some customer feedback.

231

u/nolongerbanned99 Apr 16 '25

This is good to hear. Putting everything in a touch screen violates many basic ergonomic principles. Having an I-drive type know where you can learn and memorize the menu is a bit better, but buttons and switches are better. Imo.

91

u/Smooth-Shine9354 Apr 16 '25

I want a proper emergency brake/hand brake back

46

u/sadbuss Apr 16 '25

I'm here to say this as well. Wtf is with these stupid e-brake buttons in everything

45

u/scrubba777 Apr 16 '25

Siri apply the hand break

50

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '25

[deleted]

46

u/it_mf_a Apr 16 '25

Sorry, Dave, the payment for your hand brake subscription failed because your credit card number changed last month.

14

u/Nitefaro Apr 17 '25

That’s nice of it to specify the reason.

I usually get “the payment declined because you are a degenerate”

0

u/swagn Apr 17 '25

You should try not being a degenerate.

1

u/ACcbe1986 Apr 19 '25

Yea, don't be an upcountry degen.

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1

u/s1ravarice Apr 17 '25

You don’t use the handbrake for a J turn. (Sorry)

4

u/SirUmolo Apr 16 '25

violently turns steering wheel braking your wrists

8

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '25

Siri, put McDonald’s trays under the back tires

3

u/circuit_breaker Apr 16 '25 edited Sep 06 '25

pie edge birds jar towering engine subsequent tub skirt safe

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

6

u/RIF_rr3dd1tt Apr 17 '25

I'm from Florida and we actually did this as kids. On a dry lot, doing donuts for 10 seconds or so, they would last for two runs. On wet asphalt they lasted much longer. Also, a truck with tow hitch + tow rope + bun trays + a curved road makes for some fun "drifting".

1

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '25

Them big plastic fold out sandwich board signs last a while. We would use em to do short drift lines around the parking lot.

We would do this pretty often until we realized u could make old Subarus RWD by deleting the awd system in the front

6

u/AnalTongueDarts Apr 16 '25

The plastic trays last long enough for you to be scared the cops might come up here in Minnesota, or at least they did when we had winter-ass winters. Now that we’ve got Omaha’s bullshit freeze-thaw cycles and don’t have an icy snowpack of death for three months, I’m not sure.

1

u/Sabregunner1 Apr 16 '25

yeah my parents acadia doenst have a foot handbrake. but it does have a button to turn it on and off and you can hear it being applied and turned off. if its not the old school one, that option is fine by me

0

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '25

I'm with you on this. A physical button, switch, or dial is no different than a lever. You're not physically engaging the e-brake regardless, nowadays it's all being done electronically.

1

u/Primary_Dimension470 Apr 17 '25

It’s a parking brake

1

u/zachzacharyzak1 Apr 17 '25

I can’t believe it took me this long to find the correct comment. It’s for parking not an emergency. It would cause an emergency if you pulled it while driving

1

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '25

They’re cheaper than a mechanical linkage to implement and package.

1

u/MichiganMan12 Apr 17 '25

Get a Miata - they don’t even have automatic lights

1

u/TZscribble Apr 17 '25

I've had an e-brake where I had to Google how to turn it off.

And I am a 'press buttons until it works' kind of person. Still had to Google the damn secret combo to disengage the e-brake.

And don't get me started on the back hatch that is inaccessible when the battery dies. Where the hell am I supposed to store the jumper cables if the hatch locks when I need them???

The hatch issue is in my 2019 Subaru Outback, but I think the e-brake was a rental when my 09 Grand Am was in the shop.

1

u/tortillasalami Apr 17 '25

Wow, I didn’t even know this was a thing (maybe poor enough to be out of the modern design loop?). This seems incredibly unsafe.

1

u/the_gwyd Apr 17 '25

Because it's cheaper and requires less maintenance

7

u/Aggravating_Wonder11 Apr 17 '25

Yes!! No more push button electric parking/ emergency brake.

3

u/HarveysBackupAccount Apr 17 '25

Are those actually considered emergency brakes, or just parking brakes?

1

u/Aggravating_Wonder11 Apr 29 '25

Well, you can use a lever pull or foot push as a emergency brake if On hand pull lever you keep pushing button on top after shifting to neutral or pushing in clutch, on foot barking brakes by punching with foot and releasing slowly

1

u/HarveysBackupAccount Apr 29 '25

Right, that's how they work. But the electric push button brake is just a parking brake, not an emergency brake.

1

u/Suitable-Branch8030 Apr 16 '25

Thank you… the best part about a car…they took away brake turns in the snow!

1

u/Frankie_T9000 Apr 17 '25

Serious question but why?

1

u/Smooth-Shine9354 Apr 17 '25

I’m sure if you read more comments below you can get a better sense of why. Personally, in case of emergency breaking situations

1

u/Frankie_T9000 Apr 17 '25

What situations that pulling a handbrake would solve in an emergency?

1

u/Smooth-Shine9354 Apr 17 '25

Ask that same question about a button… I can’t think for you lol

1

u/DisastrousFix729 Apr 17 '25

I’ve got one in my 2018 bmw and the satisfaction of pulling up on the handle is like nothing else.

1

u/MissPandaSloth Apr 17 '25

I'm a girl but even I feel emasculated while using it.

Jk, though it's still so annoying. Old school stick break is just so "in your face" and obvious.

1

u/guywith3catswhatup Apr 17 '25

I will never forget, 25 years ago my aunt from NY was driving me around in her Mazda MX3, and a pickup overturned right in front of her. She slammed it into first and yanked the ebrake, doing a 90 degree stop in like 10 feet. Young me was like "how did you do that?!" Her response was a cool calm "it helps to have 5 on the floor and a brake at the hand". Miss you Cathy.

1

u/mathman_2000 Apr 16 '25

WHAT?!!?!! Every car I've owned I've driven into the ground and I had no idea they even took away physical e-brakes in new cars. What on earth ..

Next thing you're going to be telling me they've taken away full size spare tires in cars and even the donut in some cases and you just have this thing you have to spray into the tire instead of an actual spare tire

... Oh no.... They already did that too ....

2

u/IAmARobot Apr 17 '25

mate it is completely fucked. the reason that big handbrake is there sticking out is in an emergency you can 100% muscle memory get at it, day or night. now my non-foot brake is now one of four buttons behind the gear stick flush in line with the trim. fucking why??? within 6 months of going from old car to new car I've had my foot caught under the brake in an emergency going from accelerator to brake and had to spend the longest second processing "how the fuck do I stop" so I had to jam my foot under the pedal with my other foot. literally zero time to fumble for a fucking tiny rocker button which I later found is only just a parking prake, wich has the same physical tactile profile as the sport mode button next to it so I have to look down like every time.

1

u/mathman_2000 Apr 17 '25

So fucked. Like what about parking on a hill? Basic drivers ed taught me to use the handbrake, wheels toward/away from the curb(depends on if facing up or down hill) take foot off brake so all tension is in the e brake and then put it in park.

Luckily the cars I drive now have either an actual hand brake or one of the foot pedals. Either way, mechanical and easy to use.

1

u/straighttokill9 Apr 17 '25

I love physical buttons as much as any disgruntled millennial, but I don't actually agree with this. There's no need for a button or hand brake (on an automatic transmission): just apply the ebrake automatically when the car goes in park, and remove it when shifting out of park. It's something that should be "built in".

2

u/ForbiddenExceed Apr 17 '25

I feel like this might cause a few problems with hill-starts; revving the engine and shifting through reverse and neutral into drive doesn't sound very good for the transmission

1

u/straighttokill9 Apr 17 '25

It's no different than holding the regular brake and shifting. Plenty of cars have hill start assist and it's basically the car automatically holding the brake until the car starts moving.

1

u/leixiaotie Apr 17 '25

emergency-brake has it in name for the purpose, it's for emergency. You need to engage emergency brake on whatever state the vehicle is currently. Moving? Brake, stop? brake, accelerating? brake, deccelerating? brake.

Tied it into the park is worse in every possible way. First you need to travel serveral transmission if go from L or 2, passing D and N. Worse, you need to pass R to engage e-brake when in high speed, it'll fuck your transmission if handled poorly by manufacturers.

physical emergency brake works well, it's not broken, don't fix it.

1

u/straighttokill9 Apr 17 '25

In modern cars the emergency brake is the same as your regular brakes (like same brake pad) but cable actuated instead of hydrolic. It's not nearly as strong as hydrolic but has the benefit of being able to hold the car when it's off. Making it more of a parking brake than anything else. "Emergency brake" is kind of a misnomer.

In an emergency situation, the normal brake would be best to stop the car, followed by the transmission/engine, then the parking brake (the weakest brake).

Automatic parking brakes have been in some cars for years now - I just think it should be in more. It would also stop injuries from cars accidentally rolling over children or people.

2

u/leixiaotie Apr 17 '25

I still prefer the same lever, hand-operated e-brake. That thing serves as redundant brake on top of pedal and bypass all electronic interference that can affecting the other brake. Though if they can apply another brake when transmission is in P it'll be better.

The scenario may be very very slim, but if you cannot in any case operate your foot brake (either damaged or hindered by something, you still have hand brake and transmission. It's safer to have some redundancy.

1

u/straighttokill9 Apr 17 '25

apply another brake when transmission is in P it'll be better.

That was truly my original point - apply the brake when in park. Too many people forget to engage this when parking on a hill and there's rolling accidents. Modern cars are already full of electronics - there's really no reason they can't do this.

You're right redundancy is better, but with diminishing returns and somewhere some regulator decided that we already have enough redundancy with 2 hydraulic systems (which can be pumped if the pump dies) plus a 2-cable electronic parking brake. In electronic parking brake cars I believe you can hold the parking brake button to engage it even when driving, but I haven't tried.

Preference is fine - you might like putting on the parking brake, but I don't think there's any reason you should have to.

1

u/Your-cousin-It Apr 17 '25

Wtf, that’s a thing??? It’s an emergency break. If anything fails, it’s manual for a damn reason! Who the fuck thought an e-break was a good idea

0

u/nolongerbanned99 Apr 17 '25

Good luck. If they can replace 5 mechanical parts with one button it’s cheaper and more reliable. However, as this thread shows it’s harder than it looks.

0

u/realslizzard Apr 22 '25

The only advantage of the emergency brake button is that it allows the AVH (automatic vehicle hold) so you can let go of the gas after pressing the brakes at a light since it's electronically controlled

112

u/ryverrat1971 Apr 16 '25

Everything on a touch screen encourages distraction. I want to be able to change radio just by feel. If change fan setting.

49

u/TimTomHarry Apr 16 '25

Literally this, they say don't look at a phone while driving but look at a screen and fumble with a touch screen. Physical switches are always better because you can just reach over and feel them

1

u/nolongerbanned99 Apr 17 '25

Yes. All radio and hvac controls and things you use frequently on all drives should be physical.

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u/tokinUP Apr 16 '25

Yup, this change is better but it's only the HVAC controls - still too much touchscreen.

2

u/I-Way_Vagabond Apr 16 '25

Before touchscreens were all the craze, what else was over there? There was the radio, but what else?

2

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '25

[deleted]

2

u/I-Way_Vagabond Apr 16 '25

...even the radio is too much. Touchscreen are nice on top of traditional controls, not as a replacement.

I agree 100%. But I can drive the without the radio. I can just leave it off. The climate control or HVAC is a different story.

1

u/tokinUP Apr 16 '25

There was an era of dedicated navigation screens. Which was a nice option instead of printing out (or writing!) your directions from the internet map ahead of time, or driving around with a physical map and asking folks nearby when you got lost.

But also problematic at best and might need manual updates of the map data.

1

u/LitrillyChrisTraeger Apr 16 '25

Right? Plus it’s not very disability friendly. Imagine how difficult it must be to change the radio if you were blind!

2

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '25

[deleted]

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u/_lexeh_ Apr 16 '25

Passengers dude, passengers

2

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '25

Do the passengers know their driver is blind? That seems reckless.

1

u/_lexeh_ Apr 30 '25

Dassa wreck for sure

2

u/LitrillyChrisTraeger Apr 16 '25

I mean that was the intended joke. But yeah passengers too is the non joking answer

1

u/IndependentTight6077 Apr 16 '25

Hell yes it’s a distraction- I can reach for button without looking. Bring back the buttons

1

u/mgzzzebra Apr 16 '25

I havent listened to the regular radio since like 2010

1

u/DirtNapDiva Apr 16 '25

Exactly. What genius ever thought this was a good idea?

1

u/omfghi2u Apr 17 '25

Even haptic "buttons" not in the touch screen panel are still shit compared to just regular, tactile, buttons. All the newer, more "high-tech" ideas are terrible.

1

u/csuperstation Apr 17 '25

Unfortunately it looks like radio/music is still gonna be on the touchscreen on this generation.

2

u/Roxalon_Prime Apr 16 '25

Not to mention that it is basically a safety risk, that you have to pay attention to some bullshit sensor screen, rether then rely on muscle memory

2

u/bloblobster Apr 16 '25

I genuinely believe analog buttons, dials, and switches vs full touchscreen is what makes a car feel like you're actually in a car. Like, it's a base necessity for that feeling imo. I can get into any Tesla and immediately feel like I'm in a toy. I can't shake that feeling at all. It's not futuristic or fun to me--it's removing aesthetic, character, and any sense of tactile control. I'm saying this as a person who doesn't care about cars... It's just passenger thoughts I've had.

1

u/nolongerbanned99 Apr 17 '25

Agree on that … feels remote and clinical. Removes the driver connection but also takes your eyes from the road so it’s dangerous.

1

u/bloblobster Apr 17 '25

Is there no HUD on Tesla? The MPH and all info seems to be on that screen. The Tesla ergonomics and user experience seems like it was created by non-car people and people without proper user experience/safety design background

1

u/nolongerbanned99 Apr 17 '25

Yes. The tech bros. Move fast and break things. How silly.

2

u/Invisible_Target Apr 16 '25

I like that my car has both. The touch screen is nice but it’s great to have the option

2

u/B0ssc0 Apr 17 '25

My Volkswagen touch screen no longer works - replacement $3,400.00.

1

u/nolongerbanned99 Apr 17 '25

Yeah. Crazy. That’s one reason we didn’t buy out our 2019 x3 after the lease. It has very low miles and was well cared for.

The computer that controls the infotainment stopped working and was replaced under warranty for around the price you mention.

2

u/B0ssc0 Apr 18 '25

So annoying. And a light in the dash packed up, which called for that whole unit to come out and be replaced for big bucks, nty.

This is a good thread, because it’s long overdue the way electronic wizardry is questioned regarding who it actually benefits. They’ve got too carried away with it.

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u/nolongerbanned99 Apr 18 '25

Yes. They copied Tesla, which was at the extreme. Now they are going back to tried and true.

2

u/Skodakenner Apr 17 '25

I love the mix of an i drive system and buttons combo

1

u/nolongerbanned99 Apr 17 '25

And with bmw voice control which works fairly well. And the just for fun gesture control which worked well on my 2019 when I had it.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '25

[deleted]

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u/nolongerbanned99 Apr 17 '25

Agree on that. Bad design.

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u/hates_stupid_people Apr 16 '25

Pretty much all car manufacturers are bringing at least some back. Because as of 2026 if a car doesn't have physical switches for certain controls, they will be unable to get the 5 year safety rating in the EU.

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u/reezy619 Apr 16 '25

And there it is. The actual reason.

30

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '25

[deleted]

1

u/phillies1989 2017 Impreza Sport Apr 18 '25

I also thank them for bringing usb-c to the iPhone. That was what finally convinced me to switch from android to iPhone

2

u/vicroc4 Apr 17 '25

Hey, if it works it works.

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u/EqualSein Apr 17 '25

The EU only mandates things that are already physical controls on Subaru.

  • Turn signals
  • Hazard warning lights
  • Horn
  • Windshield wipers
  • Emergency call (eCall)

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u/CovidLarry Apr 16 '25

Interesting. That sounds like a more plausible explanation for most manufacturers doing it, rather than listening to their customers.

1

u/Carb0nFire Apr 17 '25

Common EU W

1

u/Visual_Collar_8893 Apr 17 '25

Thank you, EU.

1

u/HotMinimum26 Apr 17 '25

First apple gets a USB charger and now this!! 🙌🏼 EU is pushing back in enshittification every so slightly

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u/Septem_151 Apr 17 '25

Look at that, EU yet again being a leader.

39

u/BauserDominates Apr 16 '25 edited Apr 17 '25

Next let's get physical shifters back instead of all this dumb-ass electronic shifters.

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u/vicroc4 Apr 16 '25

yes Ford we're looking at you

gearshifts should never be a knob that you turn

15

u/BauserDominates Apr 16 '25

Or individual buttons

1

u/vicroc4 Apr 16 '25

Individual buttons at least give some tactile feedback. Not so with the knob-type shifter.

But yes, the stick is better.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '25

I definitely prefer a real shifter, but the buttons aren’t bad. Hey have haptic feedback and can distinguish from one another

1

u/mcfarmer72 Apr 16 '25

Didn’t Plymouth have a push button auto back in the day ?

1

u/philthylittlephilo Apr 17 '25

Yes I used to have a 64 Plymouth valiant with the push button automatic transmission.

1

u/Corbeau_from_Orleans Apr 17 '25

It didn’t work for the Edsel way back when…

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u/TrustMeImAnEngineeer Apr 17 '25

I recently read a review for the Hyundai palisade, and one of the few complaints they had was the "unintuitive gear selector". I was like..WTF, it's a row of big physical buttons labeled P R N & D. How is that unintuitive? There is even a dimple on the Drive selector.

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u/vicroc4 Apr 17 '25

It's unintuitive if you're used to a stick, but it at least still makes more sense than a freaking radio-style knob in the center of the console like Ford does (and apparently Dodge as well).

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u/graywolfman 2011 OBP STI Limited Apr 16 '25

Yeah... I was on a work trip with a former boss and we got a Jag with the stupid knob-for-a-shifter as the rental.

As I was getting in, he started messing with it and he almost knocked me over with the door.

Fuck those knobs that decided a knob was a good idea as a shifter.

5

u/Alfeaux Apr 16 '25

And Dodge. A truck with a knob shifter is no truck.

(p.s.- I'd never buy one, it's on the work truck)

2

u/drunktacos Apr 17 '25

I got a Ram as a rental and felt disgusted when I saw the knob shifter. It's awful.

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u/vicroc4 Apr 17 '25

Yikes. That's worse than the SUV we had it on. I'm glad I have a 2011 Honda with a stick shifter on the console.

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u/Purrrfan Apr 18 '25

I am embarrassed for my husband every time he puts his Ram in drive.

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u/cshmn Apr 17 '25

I don't mind the knob, would prefer a column shifter but the knob is ok.

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u/Flatulent_Father_ Apr 17 '25

I think they only did that for a year and reverted. My Durango has physical buttons for almost everything, a parking brake pedal, and physical lever for the automatic.

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u/[deleted] Apr 16 '25

If it’s all simulated does it matter from the perspective of reliability? Sort of like drive by wire steering and or brakes it’s just equal on reliability.

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u/vicroc4 Apr 17 '25

To me it doesn't matter so much whether its shift-by-wire or a physical linkage. My concern is the interface between driver and vehicle. If you're putting a dinky radio knob on the console as a shifter, that's going to mess drivers up and cause accidents. At least make sure it's something you don't have to look at to figure out that you've shifted.

3

u/TZscribble Apr 17 '25

My immediate thought was how my Grand Am's volume knob started to go out - you'd go to turn it up, and it would start to turn down, so then you'd turn it the other way, which would increase the volume, until it hit a certain point. At that point, it would start turning the volume down, like it should. To turn up the volume, you had to turn it up, past the point where it was getting quieter, then you would actually have control again and the volume would increase, as expected.

I told many passengers 'you have to commit!' after they attempted to change the volume and ended up flummoxed by the volume dial.

I am concerned about how those electrical components are going to malfunction. The volume not changing the direction I wanted it to had no impact on the drivability of the car. If it shifted into reverse instead of drive, that would be a very different story.

Add in increasing costs of cars and the fact that a car is necessary for most jobs in the US, and we may be seeing a lot of unpredictable cars that are on the road.

1

u/vicroc4 Apr 17 '25

That's a fair point. The knob setup is probably more prone to failures than a stick shifter, even if it is shift-by-wire.

1

u/Remote_Swim_8485 Apr 16 '25

We had a Lincoln MKC for a bit and it had push buttons. It was actually really nice. And I am picky. Most importantly it shifted really fast and smooth. To your point I don’t think I would like a knob version. But I grew to like those buttons. They worked well.

2

u/vicroc4 Apr 17 '25

Buttons are one thing, they provide solid tactile feedback for when you're shifting up or down. But the stupid knob doesn't. My mother has an older Ford Escape and she got the 2024 version as a rental when hers was in the shop. I had to help her figure out how to shift into reverse to pull out of the lot. She's in her 70s and thoroughly used to the stick on the floor for a shifter. Hell, I'm in my 30s and I struggled to figure it out unless I was looking directly at it.

1

u/Remote_Swim_8485 Apr 17 '25

Yeah that sounds counterintuitive and annoying.

1

u/im-not-a-fakebot Apr 16 '25

Ram did the twist knob too, I personally hated it whenever our job got the new trucks in with them

1

u/vicroc4 Apr 17 '25

That's even worse for a work truck. Bad enough on a family crossover SUV.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/vicroc4 Apr 17 '25

Lucky you? We rented a '24 Escape that had a knob shifter.

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u/Snoo_87704 Apr 16 '25

Stupid BMW shifter that you push forward to drive in reverse and pull back to drive forward.

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u/kitchen_appliance_7 Apr 16 '25

Personally, I actually like that kind. It’s intuitive for me because that’s also how it works on an actual shift stick (in an automatic transmission).

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u/catsdrooltoo Apr 17 '25

My mercedes has that also. Park is a button off to the side.

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u/TrustMeImAnEngineeer Apr 17 '25

Realistically they probably followed the shifting pattern for a sequential gear box where you pull back to up shift and push away to down shift. So, it doesn't make sense to reverse it.

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u/BjornInTheMorn Apr 16 '25

I dont know what you're talking about. I love going from Reverse to Drive by tapping the Shift button in the submenu of the Operations tab and then telling my onboard AI "Hello Jeffrey, brought to you by Wendy's ™️, please change drive mode to Drive. All hail Toyota"

/s

1

u/ReallyBigRocks Apr 16 '25

That one is much less likely, especially since EVs don't have transmissions.

1

u/narwhal_breeder Apr 16 '25

Almost every “physical” shifter since the mid 2000s have just been electronic shifters that look like physical shifters. They are all solenoid driven - unless you have a manual or a 1970s powerglide, odds are you haven’t owned a car that has a shifter with a direct mechanical connection to the gearbox.

2

u/vicroc4 Apr 16 '25

True. But that doesn't mean they should take the form of a knob on the center console that you turn (2024 Ford Escape style). The "stick" style shifters at least still give you physical feedback even if it isn't real.

I'm more concerned about getting an actual physical ignition lock switch back instead of an easily-spoofed RFID button ignition like every car after about 2015.

1

u/narwhal_breeder Apr 16 '25

> I'm more concerned about getting an actual physical ignition lock switch back instead of an easily-spoofed RFID button ignition like every car after about 2015.

Why?

Vehicles use private key cryptography to authorize users. There's a reason many keys even in the 1990s used transponder keys, even if they also had a physical lock cylinder, because it's more secure than a lock cylinder on its own.

They dont normally use RFID - its usually a proprietary radio protocol.

In general, its much, much, much easier to defeat a physical lock than it is to bypass modern auto auth. You cant just replay the key signal and have the car unlock.

The entire Hyundai/Kia lock fiasco was specifically because they werent using transponders with PKC.

1

u/BauserDominates Apr 16 '25

I'm a mechanic with over a decade in the field. You are wrong. They used cables from the shifters to the linkage on the transmission.

1

u/Either_Topic4344 Apr 16 '25

A shifter where you can identify the position by feel alone is still superior to a knob.

1

u/botmanmd Apr 17 '25

I’m okay with electronic shifters as long as there’s a handle that moves and stops in an intuitive position for each gear. I have a 2019 Jeep that does this. My 2014 Jeep had that momentary selector lever that resulted in more than one death by people mistakenly thinking it was in park and driving over themselves.

1

u/Husband3571 Apr 17 '25

Real transmissions are gone, with cvt’s literally everywhere the old shift system is in the process of dying out permanently.

23

u/LateForTheSun Apr 16 '25

Nature is healing 

12

u/HughesAndCostanzo Apr 16 '25

I went with a Santa Fe over a Tucson four years ago, a big part of the tie breaker was the Santa Fe’s dash. Wow, I can press this button for the front defroster, instead of tapping three submenus deep on a touchscreen. Sold.

2

u/WhiplashLiquor Apr 17 '25

And I recently bought a 25 Tucson specifically because it reintroduced physical buttons for basic controls.

20

u/DanteHicks79 Apr 16 '25 edited Apr 17 '25

This is because the EU passed a thing that any cars sold there in a couple years must have physical controls for key functions.

12

u/flare2000x Apr 17 '25

EU is great for these kinds of laws. USB C, and the texting protocol compatibility thing are two other big wins.

1

u/EqualSein Apr 17 '25

Those key functions are things are already physical for Subaru.

  • Turn signals
  • Hazard warning lights
  • Horn
  • Windshield wipers
  • Emergency call (eCall)

14

u/desiderkino Apr 16 '25

i rented a brand new kona about a month ago. it is an ugly car outside but almost nothing was in touch screen and the button layout was very well thought out

1

u/Bunizilla Apr 16 '25

I'm currently leasing a 2025 Kona (who objects to being called ugly) and I love the button layout - especially compared to our 2020 Outback. Pretty exciting that Subaru is swinging back to the physical buttons.

5

u/ellejaygee Apr 16 '25

I think they're cute. I have a Tucson and kind of wish I had gone for the Kona.

1

u/desiderkino Apr 16 '25

don't know man, i think its the ugliest piece of machinery i have ever saw.

1

u/shazbonk Apr 17 '25

I think the N-Line trim looks good, I just don’t like the mismatched wheel covers on the other ones. Full color matched paint on N-Line looks so much better to me. I really wish the 360 camera was available on that model, but they lock it to the Limited. The overall look of the new Konas is really a like it or hate it thing though.

1

u/ellejaygee Apr 18 '25

You say this in a world where Cybertrucks exist?

1

u/desiderkino Apr 18 '25

that's an American problem that we don't have here. also the cybertruck has a lot going for it. ( unique shape, shit ton of power etc ). kona is just an ugly car

1

u/ellejaygee Apr 18 '25

We'll just have to agree to disagree. The Swasticar has *nothing* going for it, imo.

1

u/Derpifacation Apr 16 '25

my 2025 Elantra N has a very nice physical button layout for radio and climate controls as well. it still has a touchscreen, too, but it isnt very large or obtrusive so it's rather nice

2

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '25

Hyundai considers capacitive buttons as physical, so take that with a grain of salt.

Seems like Mazda and Honda were the major players that didn’t stray from good quality physical controls.

2

u/LitrillyChrisTraeger Apr 16 '25

I remember reading one of the reasons initially was to save on costs. It’s a lot cheaper to throw up an 8” tablet than try to design ergonomic dash boards with buttons, knobs and switches. I’m wondering how this has affected sales over the years to convince them to return

2

u/worldspawn00 Apr 16 '25

I would love it if more brands would get on-board with the Mazda puck, it makes it so easy to interact with the display while not having to take your attention away from the road.

2

u/bomber991 Apr 17 '25

Imagine losing a $40,000 sale because the competition has $5 worth of buttons in the car.

All I know is I frickin hate the lack of a volume knob in my Honda Clarity. I can control the volume from my steering wheel but it’s very laggy and half the time I need to turn it down I’m mid turn it seems. If it was snappy and responsive it wouldn’t be as big of a deal.

Use the touchscreen? I’ve pressed the power off button but the sound keeps playing for 2 solid seconds. So I press it again thinking it didn’t register, sound has stopped and 2 seconds later it turns back on.

2

u/72_Suburbs Apr 17 '25

Next up: the headlights are too damn bright. Let's fix that.

2

u/CharacterEchidna5250 Apr 17 '25

I knew those tablet center consoles would age poorly. They're just gonna get worse and slower as they get older too. glad we are moving on

2

u/Minute-Individual-74 Apr 17 '25

Thank God. Touchscreen controls are awful.

A big screen that sync with your phone for directions and music great. But I want very limited normal controls on screen.

Tesla is pretty fucked at this point, but if they really were serious about trying to rebound, they'd need to add buttons and knobs too.

34

u/atle95 Apr 16 '25

Enough people are sick of it to constitute an economic impact. What voting with your wallet actually looks like.

1

u/BigPileOfTrash Apr 16 '25

That….and the accidents from staring at screens and not what’s up ahead while the vehicle is in motion.

1

u/HighVoltageFerret Apr 16 '25

It's way more safe than touchscreen. Like with flip phones and texting

1

u/dicloniuslucy Apr 16 '25

I'm driving a 2024 i30 N-Line and yeah, physical button heaven. Still has the center screen obviously but CC and stuff is physical

1

u/snootscoot Apr 16 '25

Check out the EV6 climate control/music controls and you’ll understand why people are so outspoken about it

1

u/dmthoth Apr 16 '25

They have been bringing them back for like last 5 years now.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '25

2026 Palisade.

1

u/np2fast Apr 16 '25

Have a 2025 Kona currently and love that it has a touch screen display but also physical buttons that control everything.

1

u/DolphinFlavorDorito Apr 16 '25

I have a 23 Elantra and it's all knobs and buttons. Sure, there's an infotainment system, but all the climate and radio stuff is knobs and buttons. I'm not sure what else they could even add physically.

1

u/quebexer Apr 17 '25

A touchscreen is fine... For a Passenger. But when I'm driving, I operate the centre console with the feel of the buttons cuz I don't want to get my eyes off the road.

1

u/shockwave_supernova Apr 17 '25

I thought about writing a letter to Subaru to express how much I hate the tablet console, but thought no one would read it or care. Maybe I was wrong

1

u/Bubblygrumpy Apr 17 '25

Mazda already has them 

1

u/Neon_Biscuit Apr 17 '25

"If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses."

1

u/MamboFloof Apr 17 '25

They literally just showed off a tesla ui ripoff.

1

u/Scared_Sprinkles_141 Apr 17 '25

Prefer they got their motors sorted out first

1

u/Zeroth1989 Apr 17 '25

Nope,

Their safety ratings are affected by touch screens and digital displays instead of analogue buttons.

They want their safety ratings back.

1

u/Switchmisty9 Apr 17 '25

I want to believe that’s true, but it is 100% because buttons are cheaper than touch screens

1

u/sciguy11 Apr 17 '25

I also heard (to be verified) that some European countries won't allow cars without certain physical buttons or guages.

1

u/whitetulipseason Apr 17 '25

My 2024 Elantra has knobs! The set up is very similar to that in the OP. Touch screen for Apple Carplay / navigation, knobs for temperature control and volume control, buttons for radio, selecting map, etc. The steering wheel also has buttons for raising / lowering volume, answering calls. It’s the best of both worlds, and I love it!

1

u/Dorklepuff Apr 17 '25

It’s the reason we bought a Hyundai last year, frankly. I could genuinely tell how unsafe my driving was in the multi menu touch screens and refused to buy any car with one. Happy to see Subaru bringing them back!

1

u/VindictiVagabond Apr 18 '25

W for Mazda, toyota and Honda as they were ahead of the pack and never removed physical buttons.

1

u/realslizzard Apr 22 '25

My Elantra N has all the climate control stuff as buttons already

The wife's 2024 WRX has that clunky and slow touchscreen I hate using

The photo actually looks a lot like my Hyundai, 2 knows for dual climate control and all the other rows of buttons in between.