2008 Hyundai Veracruz SE AWD: HVAC Controls -- The Right Way

I was going to say that the plastic looks cheap, btu I've never felt the dials so I can't comment overall. I do prefer this design though.

In all fairness to GM, if you choose ATC for the Veracruz, you get two rocker switches for passenger and driver temperature adjustments. And for 2009, Hyundai did away with the rotary temperature and fan adjustments on the Aura's direct competitor, the Sonata.

Chrysler's mid-size sedans do have rotary adjustments, but no display of what you've chosen, just labels on the dial itself.

The Camry does have knobs--two of them, one for the driver and one for the passenger, along with an LCD readout for what your selected--if you order ATC, so it's not unheard of. But even the Accord uses two rocker switches.

What does the 'PUSH REAR' button do?

My wife's '05 CRV has a nearly identical set-up. So simple and easy to use. Why haven't other manufactures figured this out yet?

Also, why hasn't BMW figured out how to fix that I-drive contraption? Out-source the interface from Apple. Apple could make their own version of Sync that would kick Microsoft's b*tt and life would be good...

84skyblue,
It's the rear window defogger. Pretty standard, at least on Asian cars.

Push Rear is for setting the rear cabin's temperature. There is a light that illuminates when you want to adjust the rear cabin temperature. Otherwise it operates the front cabin temperature. The rear window defogger button is one of the three buttons below the dials.

Hehe. Glad some folks pointed out that you're still comparing apples and oranges. I also believe the manual climate controls in the Aura (XE) use knobs just like this. Still, I do agree that I prefer knobs for adjustment of temperature and fan speeds, with buttons for *where* the air comes from. It's much easier and quicker to change things while on the move without (too much) looking down to see what exactly I chose.

For instance- choosing the defroster, and then turning it off, is MUCH easier with buttons rather than a knob. While adjusting the fan speed and temperature *FOR* the defrost setting works best with the knob..

why not just say you dont like auto climate control and call it a day? If you get manual control on the Aura (or any car) you get dials. To me (and many folks) auto climate control is better and part of the allure is that you dont have to make many adjustments. I always thought auto climate control was a forward step but apparently I was wrong.

There are cars with dials an automatic climate control. You don't have to have one or the other.

http://z.about.com/d/cars/1/0/6/F/1/ag_09langergts_interior.jpg

See the linked photo. You will notice the temperature settings on a dial.

Yeah I know. My point was that if you are that opposed to buttons you can get the Aura or any other car with knobs. Make sense? I dont know of any car with single zone climate control that has knobs. Many cars with dual zone have knobs but several do not including the CTS. Notice no one has complain about buttons in the CTS because they like that car.

Aura XE has the a similar set-up to the above photograph. It's amazing how little these editors know about various trims levels of the cars they test. Makes their opinions pretty much worthless.

It's not the right way. I saw a Volvo do it the right way once, but I'm not sure they do it anymore.

The Volvo had three buttons. One for defrost. One for the chest. One for the feet. You could press any combination of buttons to get the airflow where you wanted it.

I need the defroster on and I need air blown at my face/midsection at the same time. Why don't cars give me that option? Oh yea, it's buttons. Buttons are bad.

Volvo still does it that way. I absolutely love the auto climate control on my '07 S60. Dual zone with knobs for temperature control on each side, with the temps on the knobs rather than in a screen. There's a knob to adjust the fan speed. And then there are three vertical "pictogram" buttons showing a sitting human figure across the three buttons... top for air from the defrost vents (but doesn't activate defrost), center for the dash vents, and bottom for foot vents. You can push the buttons to mix air from any of the vents.

I also like that when it's in auto mode, you can adjust a setting and only that setting goes to manual while the rest of the system stays in auto. For example, I can set the vents to just feet and the climate control will still adjust the temperature and fan speed automatically. Most other systems that I have seen go completely manual the second you touch something other than temperature.

In that case, everyone does it the wrong way, except Volvo.

I agree that knobs for manual climate controls fan and temperature adjustment are easier to use. But I agree with jerrywimer that buttons for mode adjustment is faster and easier. Honda had this combination for years but jumped on the knob wagon like everyone else recently for certain models. Nobody has given Ford credit for coming up with the three dial (knob)combination. They introduced this with the first Taurus over 20 years ago and still use this design today along with every other car maker around the world. Who says American car makers aren't leaders. Ironically they also choose buttons for auto systems.

Auto climate controls require very few buttons or knobs. They usually have mode, fan speed, temperature, recirculate, front and rear defrosters, auto and off, thats it. Pressing auto will allow the computer to constantly make all adjustments to maintain a temperature. Thats why I don't understand people who have auto systems say that they need to adjust the temp to quickly heat or cool the cabin. When starting the car on a hot summer day at a set temp of 70 the computer will automatically select max a/c, max fan speed and coldest temperature setting. Lowering the temp to 60 will not change anything, the climate control system is already giving it all its got. If you are using the auto system correctly you probably do not touch the controls unless you need the defrosters or to adjust the temp 1 or 2 degrees. On cold starts on cold days with my Hondas and Nissans with auto systems when you press defrost the computer will automatically go to max fan, max heat, a/c and defroster vents to quickly melt light ice and frost off the windshield. It also knows when the coolant temp is warm enough to start the fan in winter so you don't have to have that cold air blowing on you while you wait for it to warm up. Auto systems are way better regardless if it has buttons or knobs.

I own a 2008 Malibu with the same Auto climate control as the Aura. I am glad Edmunds has pointed out how strenuous it is to have to adjust the temperature upwards/downwards 5-6 degrees at a time.

Just yesterday, I had to do this and lucky for me I was near a hospital as I had to check myself in for exhaustion after making the final adjustment.

Seriously, it really is no big deal clicking the temperature up/down button a few times.

Putting the fan off setting on the vent selection knob instead of the fan control knob is forehead slapping stupid.

Something that may not be obvious from a picture or test drive.