Here's something I like about our SX4: Suzuki hasn't tried to reinvent the wheel with its center stack secondary controls. Both the audio system and the ventilation controls follow accepted industry norms and are efficient and simple to use. The volume knob is on the left and the the tuning knob is on the right. Ventilation adjustments are made simply enough through three knobs and three buttons. Simple and good.
There's room for improvement in this design, but at this price point most manufacturers make it more difficult to use when they change the design. Thanks, Suzuki.
Josh Jacquot, Senior road test editor
yellowmiata says:
05:48 AM, 12/ 3/09
Good post. Simple switch gear with the appropriate dials and buttons are essential to focusing on driving. Some of the economy cars I drive (Ford Focus comes to mind) have a myriad of buttons which makes it hard to find the defroster and determine which button means the front or the back. It looks like Suzuki got it right here.
Kevin
brn says:
07:04 AM, 12/ 3/09
Aren't those essentially the same HVAC controls that Ford had for years? The same controls that everyone kept ripping on Ford for? Well, except these are less attractive.
benson2175 says:
08:58 AM, 12/ 3/09
Actually the HVAC has 4 buttons, you forgot the dead one.
bodyblue says:
09:01 AM, 12/ 3/09
"but at this price point most manufacturers make it more difficult to use when they change the design."
Nope....it is at the BMW price level. They try anything to justify the outrageous prices they charge.
bimmerjay says:
11:54 PM, 12/ 3/09
Meh, simple = boring. Cars should be interesting.
sealclubb3r says:
07:46 AM, 12/ 4/09
"Meh, simple = boring. Cars should be interesting."
Not necessarily. I once had the pleasure of getting familiar with the inside of a Ferrari 360 and the thing that I noticed first was it's stylish simplicity. It was a breath of fresh air compared to the button overload that plagues the inside of many luxury cars.
http://www.ambassadorautosales.com/JPG/0609%202003%20FERRARI%20360%20CENTER.jpg