Perhaps I am wound a little too tight, but my Wife & I will soon be in the market for a midsize sedan, and nothing in GM's lineup appeals to either one of us.

A big reason? GM's abandonment of traditional domestic style controls!

Wipers belong on the left hand stalk; the headlight switch belongs on the dash, and most of all, I expect a *real* tilt style column in my GM vehicle!

Ford seems to get it; GM doesn't. The new Fusion eschewed a Mazda 6 style steering column, for traditional domestic controls.

If I want import style controls, I will by an import.

Fit and finish and powertrain sophistication, has improved with new GM vehicles. Unfortunately, GM vehicles no longer have a domestic feel, which many Americans prefer.

I am open to a lot of things, but user comfortability isn't one of them.

Are we alone in our disappointment?

Edited April 22, 200817 yr by NDL

I say, give me the feel and layout of the switchgear in our Aura over what I have in my Sonoma any day of the week. It does not feel as cheap, either.

Such a silly reason to be put off by a car, especially since the Malibu is so good. My Intrepid has a turn signal/wiper stalk on the light controls on the dash. M girlfriend's Prizm has a stalk of for turn signals/lights and a stalk for the wipers. It's not as though it's some amazingly complex difference that requires quantum physics to figure out how to use. Either method is fine and gets the job done, though in all honesty I slightly prefer the two-stalk setup, especially the way highbeams work: pull on them to flash, push forward to keep them on. In the Dodge you pull back for both actions, but if you pull too far you accidentally leave them on...I've done it several times. Still, neither one is OMFG superior.

I mean, it's a turn signal stalk, if that's the deal maker or breaker for a car, then your priorities are seriously out of order.

I mean, it's a turn signal stalk, if that's the deal maker or breaker for a car, then your priorities are seriously out of order.

In a way I hate to say it but ... quoted for truth.

Edited April 23, 200817 yr by YellowJacket894

The best arrangement I've seen to date is that in my '00 Grand Cherokee. Left stalk has all the lighting related functions, right stalk has all the wiper related functions. No controls on the dash except for the center stack, which has the stereo up high. Cruise control buttons on the front of wheel, stereo controls on the back of the wheel. Window and mirror controls on the upper armrest extension on the door. Seat shaped controls on the side of the seat. It's still the best working and best ergonomical layout I've used, nicer than the 3rd generation model, IMHO.

Edited April 23, 200817 yr by moltar

Haha... Whining over placement of the wiper stalk? That's a new one.

I will not buy a car is a vampire can see its reflection in it.

I agree with the steering column tilt: I hate the current trend toward the unlock, move and relock. Cumbersome and stupid. Headlight switches, who cares? With the photocell, I never used mine in years. I've had so many combinations of cruise controls over the years that I prefer them on the steering wheel, but the turn signal stalk works, too.

I'm not overly enamored with the explosion of round gages and 'deep dish' bezels. Call me Old School, but can't someone come back with dashboard layouts like Chrysler used to use in the late '60s? They were clean and uncluttered. The '67 full-sized Chryslers had the best dashes on any vehicle, period. The dash in the '69-'71 'fuselage' Chryslers were also very cool. Everyone today has to look the same. Don't get me wrong, the new Malibu looks realy cool, as does the Civic, but can't someone start bucking the trend?

Oh, and the steering column bit, I much prefer infinite adjustments to 5 lousy ones that never seem to be just right.

I say, give me the feel and layout of the switchgear in our Aura over what I have in my Sonoma any day of the week. It does not feel as cheap, either.

I agree. I've experienced nothing BUT the classic wiper/signal on left, headlight switch on left dash, and column shifter (or nothing else) on right. Never an issue, but nothing special.

Ever since my '07 Malibu rental, I LOVED the wiper click stalk on the right (especially so because I could flick it down with one finger for a mist wipe), and also that the left stalk isn't cluttered up then.

Same with the column adjustments. The ancient notched up and down tilt only is ugh, but even just adding telescope to it like in the Epsilons is fine. Smooth the operation further or improve over the detents, and I'm still all for it.

While I like my layout the right way, I can't see myself not buying a car because of it...

Don't the Impala and LaCrosse have the super stalk with the wper control on the left?

In all honesty, it takes about a day to get used to having the wipers on the right side of the steering wheel. It's not a big deal.

Nova- Wipers on the dash, two speeds

Headlights on the dash

brights on the floor

turn signal stalk only operates... well, the turn signals...

All the controls being all jumbled up isn't the problem..... it's the international symbols that they use to replace the words on how the darn things work.

All the controls being all jumbled up isn't the problem..... it's the international symbols that they use to replace the words on how the darn things work.

I do not find this to be an issue, either. I find the controls in the G8 and Astra to be logically marked actually.

I agree with the steering column tilt: I hate the current trend toward the unlock, move and relock. Cumbersome and stupid. Headlight switches, who cares? With the photocell, I never used mine in years. I've had so many combinations of cruise controls over the years that I prefer them on the steering wheel, but the turn signal stalk works, too.

I'm not overly enamored with the explosion of round gages and 'deep dish' bezels. Call me Old School, but can't someone come back with dashboard layouts like Chrysler used to use in the late '60s? They were clean and uncluttered. The '67 full-sized Chryslers had the best dashes on any vehicle, period. The dash in the '69-'71 'fuselage' Chryslers were also very cool. Everyone today has to look the same. Don't get me wrong, the new Malibu looks realy cool, as does the Civic, but can't someone start bucking the trend?

Actually best dashboards....

Really liked 60's Pontiacs better. Much nicer IMHO. Also liked the "dual cockpit" of the old Mustangs and C-2 Corvettes. Those were sexy.

...but Chrysler had some great dashboards also.

Chris

I can agree with this to some extent. I really don't care where the cruise/wipers go, wherever they end up, I'll get used to them. I do admit, I automatically reach left on the dash for lights... it's just inbred that way--but again, I owned a car with them on the stalk and I got used to it. What I can't see myself getting used to is going from a nice tilt stalk on the side to some of the modern-day underneath styles. I am totally out of position when I'm adjusting if I'm bending forward and then down. And it's nice, on the stalk, I just click gently, and the wheel moves up out of the way for egress.