There are helpful buttons on the steering wheel of the SX4 for the audio and cruise controls.
However, they are not illuminated. So, I can't see them at night.
When I'm listening to the classic rock station (the only tolerable station we have left in L.A. since the Indie station went online only) and a Styx song comes on, I have to reach over to the actual radio to save my ears.
Sorry, Styx. But I had an old boyfriend who tortured me with your music too often in my youth. Bad memories.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
redliner says:
10:46 AM, 11/ 9/09
Thats strange, because the same supplier does some of the Honda cruise control systems, and i believe they are illuminated? Lower spec? Cost cutting?
mikeolan says:
11:03 AM, 11/ 9/09
Suzuki.
(the new 'Fail.')
brn says:
11:20 AM, 11/ 9/09
If you actually owned this vehicle, I suspect you'd become accustomed to the button locations by feel. Illumination would be better, but it's not a deal stopper.
jeepsrt says:
11:51 AM, 11/ 9/09
This bugs me in my Jeep, I just bought an '07 FJ cruiser and they light up in there, also my old '87 Mitsubishi Starion had illuminated buttons on the wheel for radio.
daskiing1 says:
12:12 PM, 11/ 9/09
that reeks of cheapness. By the way, you make a valid point about radio sucking. We only have 2, maybe 3 (if you include college radio stations) decent radio stations left in the Boston area.
altimadude00 says:
01:17 PM, 11/ 9/09
My Altima has the same problem. It has trip, audio, and cruise control buttons on the steering wheel, but they are not illuminated. Thankfully, they have made the buttons feel different (smooth, one with a bump, one with a bar-shaped bump, etc). After living with it for a while, I've gotten used to it and can feel my way in the dark, but I still get frustrated at times.
These buttons look all the same, and truing to determine their shape in the dark would seem daunting. They are all the same shape and texture and they don't stand out from the wheel very much.
zcalvert says:
01:25 PM, 11/ 9/09
this is what happens when you let the accountants out of their dungeon. it would cost what? $1? $2? extra per car to put a little led bulb on each spoke of the wheel...
carguy622 says:
01:27 PM, 11/ 9/09
My '04 Accord EX V6 had buttons on the wheel that didn't light up too. They added them in '05...of course.
carfreak8394 says:
06:06 PM, 11/ 9/09
I was going to say the same thing as carguy; my mom's 04 Accord didn't have the light-up buttons, but her 08 Accord does. It seems like a small thing for Suzuki to add that would make them look like they payed attention to everything, no matter how insignificant.
chavis10 says:
07:19 AM, 11/10/09
My cousin's TSX didn't have illuminated steering wheel buttons either. I think it was an '04 model.
thejohnp says:
05:19 PM, 11/10/09
The steering wheel looks very similar to my 1st gen Mazda6, but the buttons on my wheel do light up at night. Score.