#NAIAS: CAR WARS! CLUTTER vs. CLEAN? WHICH Interior Design Trend Do YOU Like BETTER?

#NAIAS: CAR WARS! CLUTTER vs. CLEAN? WHICH Interior Design Trend Do YOU Like BETTER?
I remember it like it was only yesterday. More than 10 years ago I was sitting outside of my then significant other's home ready to take her on a night time date in my Volkswagen Touareg. Her father came out to talk to me so we could bond, and when he got to the driver's side window he looked at my fully lit up interior and remarked "Hell, it's like an airplane!" The Touareg featured a button heavy interior design.

Now though, we're starting to see a schism in production vehicles. Either the interiors feature cluttered, button heavy designs or are much more simplistic spaces that make use of massive screens and touchpads.

(NAIAS) Detroit Auto Show

WHICH would YOU rather have?

Although we've been seeing simple interior concepts since the days of Chris Bangle's reign at BMW, now we're starting to see it become real thanks to the pervasive nature of TFT displays and screens inhabiting large swaths of instrument clusters and center stacks.

With gesture control right around the corner, in-car technology is about to get very interesting but we want to know what YOU prefer while behind the wheel.

To show this a bit more clearly we put together the all-new Porsche Cayenne Turbo S against the likes of the Audi Q7. Although the Q7 does make use of buttons here and there, overall, the infotainment system — MMI — is home to most of the vehicle's controls. In addition, note the usage of the TFT instrument cluster that can be configured to your liking.


**The 2015 Detroit Auto Show (NAIAS) photo galleries are sponsored by Lexus.


(NAIAS) Detroit Auto Show







































































































MDarringerMDarringer - 1/18/2015 7:13:51 PM
0 Boost
Clean. The Audi dash looks more coherent than the Porsche one, but the dash I think is quite well done is the one on the new Euro Passat.


chewychewy - 1/18/2015 7:35:45 PM
0 Boost
The console handles look too overdone on the Cayenne and I remember everyone dogged the seat back displays on the Q7 but they are 100 times sleaker than what the Cayenne has.


cidflekkencidflekken - 1/18/2015 11:47:25 PM
0 Boost
Well, these are certainly two extreme examples of each approach. The Q7 so clean it verges on hospital-room boring. The overwhelming clutter in the Cayenne could set off seizures in an epileptic. Not sure I could really choose one from these two as there are better options out there. If forced, I'd go with the more modern approach with the Q7.


valhallakeyvalhallakey - 1/19/2015 1:47:01 AM
+1 Boost
I think the Porsche is a bit overdone, however I think buttons are much better and safer when driving than some screen you have to look at just to make simple changes in various settings. Buttons especially when done correctly, that allow you to identify the function by location and feel, are superior to any fancy touch screen device when driving.


Agent00RAgent00R - 1/19/2015 10:04:59 AM
0 Boost
Personally, I like the clutter of the Cayenne and the button-centric approach.

Although it looks overwhelming at first, the Cayenne's controls are "clustered" so that it's very intuitive to get the hang of it after maybe two rides behind the wheel.

I am beginning to genuinely HATE cars with touchscreens and anything that is hidden through a menu-based system. iDrive and COMAND do it best, IMHO. MMI is a disaster.


stampferstampfer - 1/19/2015 10:20:17 AM
0 Boost
Agree with Agent00R on this one...


ScirosSciros - 1/19/2015 12:22:24 PM
-1 Boost
Touch screens suck. Buttons are great. Period. Touch screens SUCK.


mre30mre30 - 1/19/2015 9:57:32 PM
-1 Boost
Mercedes "command" system is the hands-down best.

Anything with a touch screen should be banned as a road hazard.

Cadillac's "cue" is its own circle of Hell

Audi MMI is near purgatory.

BMW's iDrive is acceptable from a user interface perspective but the "guts" of the system (i.e. the nav software) is the worst - the nav software can never quite find its way to the destination on a consistent basis. Strange.


W124E320W124E320 - 1/20/2015 9:46:59 AM
+1 Boost
Have you ever used CUE? Didn't think so which renders your opinion pointless. I use it everyday, its nothing you describe. For someone that's never used it, it might be intimidating but once you're used to it, its cool.


W124E320W124E320 - 1/20/2015 9:49:33 AM
+1 Boost
By the way I also have a Mercedes and the MB System is dated at best... significantly fewer options, and 1990's graphics. CUE is at least 2 steps ahead of the current Command system. What do you drive a Kia or do you just repeat what you read in magazines?


mre30mre30 - 1/20/2015 11:26:47 AM
0 Boost
I stand by my comments - in my stable are two MB's, a BMW, and a DB9. My dad drives a new Cadillac SRX with Cue, which I have also driven. Cue is really its own circle of hell.

The only system that I lambasted, which I didn't own myself, was Audi's and impression was based on a test drive - so please add anything pertinent if you happen to drive an Audi.


leejleej - 1/20/2015 8:29:36 AM
+2 Boost
I missed the 'clean' example in the article. Can someone point me to it?


Agent001Agent001 - 1/27/2015 1:22:52 AM
+1 Boost
On a smartphone I like clean, but in my car I like clutter. Like an airplane cockpit.

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