hansinla

+1 I thought I was the only one to think that was a big design mistake. I have to reach around the gear shifter all the time (that tiny control know on the steering wheel doesn't do it for me).

Also: move your armrest forward and the rear cup holder is unreachable, The front one is hard to reach.

Why does the NAV not popup the map by default?

With the sunglasses holder down, your rearview mirror is (partially) blocked.

Did anybody ever sit in a mockup of this car before it went into production? I think not.

WatchNut

What is so difficult about rolling the little wheel with your right thumb?


Agree with this one.

Do you drive around with the sunglass holder open?

IAS5

that's where you put the coins to make the car go....at least that's what i tell my daughter.

She doesn't buy it.

jimf15e

I don't think the OP is saying it's difficult but why not move it to the appropriate side for the market like they do with the coin holder. It may not be difficult to use it on the right side but if you don't think it would be easier to use if it was on the left of the shifter then I may have to use the F*nb*y term on you.

And 'coin holder' is really another term for 'parking brake place holder for LHD market cars.' You know it's true.

I'm pretty sure improving ergonomics means not the human adapting to the design but the design making life easier for the human. Why move my hand all the way around the shifter if I could just as easily not if it was designed that way? Sure it's not DIFFICULT, but the OP's argument is about design decisions.

jimf15e

If we used watchnut's argument then we'd say 'what's so hard about moving an armrest out of the way to use a cupholder? Isn't it normal to block access to a feature of the vehicle??'

Hobbes

The volume **** falls to my natural hand location easier than it would if it was on the left. I think it's in the right place.

Audi could have made the center armrest immovable, and then it wouldn't block the cupholder. I'm happy they made it movable.

And I can't believe one would complain about the open sunglasses door blocking the mirror.

jimf15e

You're missing the point. The OP is discussing DESIGN issues. Your talking about COMPROMISES. Why not design the car so both cupholders were available and the armrest was moveable? That's just a 'for instance'. After all, they can design an incredible, underrated V6 that greats great mileage and drives like a dram. And really, why can't someone complain about the sunglass holder blocking the mirror?? It's a free country and a free internet.

IAS5

maybe the designers thought that if a passenger wanted to turn the volume up or down, THEY would not have to reach around the shifter, if the volume was placed to the left of it.

Driver has a thumbwheel, less risk of popping the car out of gear, or interfering with the driver's shifting for the passenger to use the ****...


???

Ed916

You aren't the first person to say something along those lines, but I really don't agree with this. It's been a few years since I got rid of the B6 S4 I used to have, but I think the quality of materials used in the interior of the current S4 is at worst on par with my old one (both of which are much nicer than the BMWs I've owned in the interim), and the technology in the current car is light years ahead of the B6/B7. Maybe the trunk lid on my 2010 feels a bit flimsier than the old one, but that's about all I can think of that's not a massive improvement in my opinion. I absolutely love this car.

Hobbes

Yep, he is certainly free to complain about it, and more power to him. I never said he wasn't. Just as I am free to wonder publicly why he would.