What Car Models and Brands Made Today Do Not Feel Like Playing a Video Game?

caesar

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May 30, 2010
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What Car Models and Brands Made Today Do Not Feel Like Playing a Video Game? Anything out there still? Or has the computerization of driving won?

Thanks in advance
 
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Ron Resnick

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2020 Mercedes SL550 still uses push buttons and switches for all controls. The new SL, being released this month, will be much more menu-driven.
 

Mike Lavigne

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all Honda's still have human engineering. if you owned a Honda and got in any new model you would be comfortable navigating the interfaces. ventilation, turn signals, lights, wipers, radio, cruise control is all buttons including volume. many things operate from the steering wheel intuitively. transmission shifting, paddle shifters, starting processes, and parking brake are all intuitive.

yes; there are settings for radio stations, phone interface, how you want the door locks, seat memory and light sequence to happen, but it's a straightforward process and one baby boomers can do easily. salespeople train customers on it in 2-3 minutes.

the navigation system is a step more complicated, but in a couple of minutes that is easy too.

this part has always been a strength of Honda. sure; Honda has a middle dash screen to stay up with the times, but the processes are simple. and you cannot access any layered files when the transmission is not in park. set-ups have to be done stationary. driving and learning screens cannot be done simultaneously. safety first. many of our long term customers try to refuse any guidance at delivery; we insist on setting up a few basics.

i would expect frustrations with complications with new cars is partly design, and partly poor delivery processes. i've appraised cars and managed delivery processes for 47 years and it's easy to see which brands have their crap together. no one quite touches Honda.

btw; this is a daily subject matter for me.
 
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ddk

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What Car Models and Brands Made Today Do Not Feel Like Playing a Video Game? Anything out there still? Or has the computerization of driving won?

Thanks in advance
Depends on what you're looking for but it's not easy to find analog cars today. I don't know how much is the regulations forcing manufacturers to implement all kinds of nannies, drive by wire, accelerate by wire, brake by wire etc. and how much is it them finding digitized cars cheaper and easier to design and build. In the sports car category you have the latest and late Lotus Evora GT as the most analog sports car and the upcoming EMIRA is supposed to follow the same direction and both are available with a great manual box. Of course there's Mustang 5.0 that is available with manual and you can turn off the nannies almost all the way.

Family sport sedans are harder to find, we don't get any of BMW M series CS versions here, the standard M3 & M5 I recently drove are kind of lame IMO when it comes to driver appeal, don't really care for Audi S & RS cars either way too many electronics between you and the road. I drove a base model Wrangler and Gladiator with manual transmissions that weren't bad but not something I'd call exciting and there's the Ford Bronco which is has a more connected feel, waiting for the manual V8 Raptor version they promised but for now I'll probably end up with a Lotus.

david
 

Ron Resnick

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I think the Bronco Raptor is going to be a great SUV. Unfortunately, it is just too big for me. I likely would be rolling over Priuses by accident.
 

Ron Resnick

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. . . I don't know how much is the regulations forcing manufacturers to implement all kinds of nannies, drive by wire, accelerate by wire, brake by wire etc. and how much is it them finding digitized cars cheaper and easier to design and build.

I agree.

The major car companies have devised so many technological answers to questions no one has asked. I think it's more of a technological effort driven by marketing. The car companies develop new toys and gizmos and widgets to appear more advanced and superior to their competitors for marketing and sales purposes, I think.

Even in an automatic transmission car, reducing a full sized transmission selector stick to that little, pathetic emasculated "T" bar vestigial protrusion was, in my opinion, an absurd and totally unnecessary step in the wrong direction.

I think electronic parking brakes also are annoying. I find pushing on a rubber pad to engage the emergency brake much more satisfying and certain and communicative of brake status than depressing a button on the center console.
 

DaveC

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Nov 16, 2014
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I'd go for one of the new Caddy Blackwings or a Camaro. You can get them with manual transmissions and you can turn all of the nannies off. They also have 5 or so levels of driver assist for those not ready to turn it all off. One of the last V8/manual cars that will be manufactured I'd bet... and the chassis and suspension are better than anything offered by Audi, BMW or Merc, although the new M2 and M5 CS are looking to be exceptional cars. A friend recently got a M2 CS, I haven't got to drive it yet but it seems like it'll be one of the best BMW M-cars ever.

Personally, I'd get a C8 Z06 Vette when they are available. It doesn't fit into the OP's topic as well as the manual cars, and I wish it was a manual but the 8-sp DCT in those cars is supposed to be very good.

My Camaro SS 1LE, 455 hp NA V8, M6. It drives like a big, angry go-cart, it's an amazing driver's car. You can also turn the suspension and exhaust to tour mode and it's a great highway car too, smooth and quiet.

 

Kcin

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Mar 27, 2016
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all Honda's still have human engineering. if you owned a Honda and got in any new model you would be comfortable navigating the interfaces. ventilation, turn signals, lights, wipers, radio, cruise control is all buttons including volume. many things operate from the steering wheel intuitively. transmission shifting, paddle shifters, starting processes, and parking brake are all intuitive.

yes; there are settings for radio stations, phone interface, how you want the door locks, seat memory and light sequence to happen, but it's a straightforward process and one baby boomers can do easily. salespeople train customers on it in 2-3 minutes.

the navigation system is a step more complicated, but in a couple of minutes that is easy too.

this part has always been a strength of Honda. sure; Honda has a middle dash screen to stay up with the times, but the processes are simple. and you cannot access any layered files when the transmission is not in park. set-ups have to be done stationary. driving and learning screens cannot be done simultaneously. safety first. many of our long term customers try to refuse any guidance at delivery; we insist on setting up a few basics.

i would expect frustrations with complications with new cars is partly design, and partly poor delivery processes. i've appraised cars and managed delivery processes for 47 years and it's easy to see which brands have their crap together. no one quite touches Honda.

btw; this is a daily subject matter for me.
Largely agree, I am a big Honda fan I am on my 4th consecutive one- after a brief stint with an Acura MDX

I just picked up a '21 Ridgeline black to kick around in an pick up big audio purchases :)... I would argue that the touch screen is tentative on this model more so than on the others I had. Otherwise it is a pretty simple interface.
We have S class Mercedes as well at home and the duplication of control is 4x over. Lending to self indulgence on that vehicle. The Mercedes has been much more reliable though than any of the 5 series BMWs we've had. Great cars, but man , a BMW service salad in our experience.
 

Kcin

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Mar 27, 2016
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What Car Models and Brands Made Today Do Not Feel Like Playing a Video Game? Anything out there still? Or has the computerization of driving won?

Thanks in advance
Depends on what you want, for interesting performance- Nismo 370z weight to power- awesome ... and true old school. Tons of fun. I have a 2020 6 speed and its a riot.
 

tima

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Mar 3, 2014
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Having bought the wife a new car last fall and myself one this spring has been a generally less than pleasant confrontation with auto modernity.

Having an analog button to turn off the 'engine turn-off at stop light' function is de riguer. (Honda) Having that button remember its setting is better.(Porsche) - versus a 3 deep menu option that must be navigated every time the ignition starts. (Subaru)

Having a button to turn off / black out the damn screen is one feature I have not found. Some cars don't let you turn off the screen (Honda) Some require multi-step navigaton to turn it off (Porsche)

With all the various sensors and cameras built in to rear, side, and front panels, the price of body repairs (and insurance) keeps going up.

Turbos have gotten a little better but they still lag and now they're everywhere. Fewer and fewer lines offer any manual transmission. Fewer offer a full sized spare.

A friend recently got a M2 CS, I haven't got to drive it yet but it seems like it'll be one of the best BMW M-cars ever.

The closest they've come to the tossable 2002. I think you can get it with a stick shift.
 
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Mikem53

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Oct 1, 2020
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Having bought the wife a new car last fall and myself one this spring has been a generally less than pleasant confrontation with auto modernity.

Having an analog button to turn off the 'engine turn-off at stop light' function is de riguer. (Honda) Having that button remember its setting is better.(Porsche) - versus a 3 deep menu option that must be navigated every time the ignition starts. (Subaru)

Having a button to turn off / black out the damn screen is one feature I have not found. Some cars don't let you turn off the screen (Honda) Some require multi-step navigaton to turn it off (Porsche)

With all the various sensors and cameras built in to rear, side, and front panels, the price of body repairs (and insurance) keeps going up.

Turbos have gotten a little better but they still lag and now they're everywhere. Fewer and fewer lines offer any manual transmission. Fewer offer a full sized spare.



The closest they've come to the tossable 2002. I think you can get it with a stick shift.
We used to complain about vapor lock, drum brakes, carburetors, mpg, handling and the ability to corner…
The only thing that remains the same is complaining and depreciation.
 

DasguteOhr

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Sep 26, 2013
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one of the most beautiful cars for me, the Volvo P 1800 replica with modern technology. if I ever win the lottery I'll buy it:eek:?????
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Now, that is class. I think I'll dig out my The Saint reruns and watch Simon Templar cruise around in the 60s original.
 

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