2009 Audi S5: Stalk Cruise Control is Easy

I used to swear by steering wheel-mounted controls until I started using the stalk... the stalk is far better and much more intuitive. Plus if it's well-designed you don't have to look or take your hands off the wheel to operate it.

I've had both and definitely +1 for the stalk.

That does sound like a fine setup. Since I don't change cars every day, I've learned to use the steering wheel buttons controlling cruise control in our wagon without having to look at them. However, it doesn't have a cancel feature other than using the brakes. For that reason alone I'm attracted to Audi's setup here.

I like having the On/Off button all in the same cluster. It looks like the S5 has it all on the same stalk, which is great. Our Stupid Forester has a separate On/Off idiot button on the left dash, next to the fog light switch. I have to crank my neck to look. Then you can use the stalk. I prefer the steering wheel pad to THAT crap. I also prefer how the cruise in even our cheap '04 Mazda6 takes over imperceptibly, whereas some cars has to give you a little jolt no matter how smoothly you take your foot off the gas. I guess it has to do with how the throttle control is set up in the first place huh...

Buttons. I can use them without looking at the steering wheel, cause buttons have little dots on them. Just like the J and K keys on your keyboard.

I tried the stalk in a camry, hated it.

Maybe the s5 is better?

You have to look to use them? Seriously? I prefer wheel-mounted to stalks, and the only time I have to look at what I'm doing is when I'm first learning the car.

I much prefer the stalk mounted one on my ES300, very intuitive.

I prefer the stalk. And, for all its faults, I really liked the GM multi-stalk (you know, wipers, turn signals, lights, cruise control, espresso machine…). It was one button and one switch that controlled everything, and it was always at the most comfortable position to reach. GM has since gone the way of wheel-mounted, and I still find myself having to look at the buttons if I haven't used the cruise in a few weeks.

I vastly prefer the much unloved MB-style stalk. To me that is the best cruise control interface out there. It's always on so you just have to tap it up or down to set your speed. If you want a 1mph increase tap it up, if you want a 3mph increase tap and hold it up for a few seconds (same process for deceleration except you tap downwards). Press the stalk towards the dash to cancel and pull it towards you to resume.

Summing up, I generally prefer stalk-style cruise control. Nevertheless, the setup in my new M3 drives me nuts and it uses a stalk. Talk about unintuitive. Of course I rarely plan to use it in that car. ;)

I prefer steering wheel mounted buttons like my '03 Ram and '09 Mazda6 have. The cancel button is easy to hit with your thumb without taking hands off of the steering wheel.

My Audi has the same cruise control stalk. I love it. I can't even see it from my seating position, but it's irrelevant, as I got used to it in a week or two. It's so intuitive.

Lexus has a very similar system...and they've been pretty consistent with it since the beginning....it works very well...

+1 vote for the Audi stalk.

another "yes" vote for the Audi/VW stalk. Very easy to use + keeps junk off the steering wheel.

Another +1 for the stalk. I prefer a clean looking wheel and the stalk is such a breeze to use in Mercedes cars.

I'm for the VW/Audi - Toyota/Lexus stalk too. VW's seems maybe a little more intuitive, but I can't recall ever having an issue with Toyo's either. Absolute worst of all time were the turn signal/wiper/cruise control stalk on eighties GM products... what a PITA. Brings up a good question about dash controls in general. I tend to prefer the Japanese model best (light controls on turn signal stalk, all wiper controls on another stalk) as opposed to having a separate dash-mounted light switch and wiper controls located on the turnsignal stalk.

I remember when I owned a 98 Tacoma and I read an article on that same model; the article bashed Toyota for excessive use of stalks (it had a turn signal/light stalk, a wiper stalk on the opposite side, a cruise control stalk and a stalk for adjusting wheel tilt), but I dug it because everything was right where it needed to be. I suppose if you added a column shift to that mix (like on a base Tacoma) that probably would've bordered on ridiculously crowded.

I really have no preference since both the wheel and stalk mounted controls since both worked just as easily as the other.

Having had cars with cruise control either on the steering wheel (three different 90's Taurus vehicles) and the stalk on my A4 and I highly prefer the stalk. Not only does it provide room for more useful buttons on the steering wheel (audio controls for my A4) but can't be easily bumped.

Of course, I would say no to all-in-one stalks :)

+1 for stalks. I'm of the opinion there's no need for a separate on/off control for cruise control; make it "always on" and ready to be engaged with the set mechanism. As well, there should be no need for a separate light in the IP to indicate that the system is "on," only one when the system is engaged. My favorite has been the stalk in recent BMWs: forward to the detent is set/accel by 1kph, past the detent, 10kph; the same pulled backward decels by 1 or 10kph; resume is a button at the end of the stalk; up/down cancels. Clears up real estate on the steering wheel for audio/hvac/etc controls, or just a simpler, cleaner steering wheel.

Not that one. My wife's Audi has one like it. No thanks. I like the simple button for on and set. Don't see any need for the +/-, coast, resume stuff. Keep it simple - on or off.