The Telegraph’s motoring expert advises a reader about high-tech integration, and another about suitable-sized hatchbacks
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As a retired flight safety engineer I am deeply concerned about the latest cars without discrete switches and controls. If I had said to a conference of pilots that I was going to take away all their switches and bury the functions in touchscreens, they would have thrown their flying licences in the bin on their way out. Surely we need Euro NCAP to reduce the safety rating of every car without discrete switches to zero stars? My BMW F11 5-Series Touring has 93 switches – imagine how many button presses you’d need to control all those functions. Were I to replace it, which current car doesn’t have every function buried in touchscreen menus?
– MT
This is one of my biggest bugbears too. I can accept a certain level of touchscreen integration – after all, myriad buttons can be equally distracting for some – but the functions used most often (climate control, heated seats, radio volume and so on) should be easily accessible and not require a series of prods at a touchscreen, all of which divert your eyes from the road.
There are some signs that Euro NCAP, which conducts the industry-standard crash tests and provides a star rating for safety, is taking note. I was heartened to see its recent announcement that certain functions would in the future have to be accessible via analogue controls (buttons, stalks or switches) for cars to achieve the top five stars.
Yet I was disappointed to later find that the only functions this will apply to, for now at least, are the indicators, hazard lights, horn, windscreen wipers and SOS emergency call – all functions which are already operated by analogue controls in most cars.
But it’s a step in the right direction, and we have to keep the pressure on to ensure manufacturers realise that over-reliance on a touchscreen results in unnecessary distraction for drivers on the move – and is therefore a safety issue.
As to whether there’s a modern car like your BMW which has as many buttons, I’m going to have to disappoint you. There simply isn’t one. These days there are so many functions that most manufacturers now place those that are used the least often in the sub-menus.
Of note, however, are Mazda’s interiors, which for the most part no longer feature a touchscreen. Instead, the screen is controlled with a rotary capstan, like your BMW’s iDrive system, with the majority of the main functions accessed via buttons on the dash and steering wheel.
Also of note is the Hyundai Kona, whose logically laid-out and relatively button-laden (by modern standards) dash is easy to get to grips with and, most importantly, to use on the move – although it has a touchscreen, it’s relatively intuitive to use.
My 20-year-old Ford Focus will probably be written off after an accident. I need to replace her with a car that fits in my garage because on-road parking is a nightmare. The garage door frame allows about two inches either side with the door mirrors open; it is wider inside, however. I would like a four-door hatchback with a comfortable ride, also suitable for a second driver who is 6ft tall. I am not worried about looks. What would you recommend?
– LJ
You don’t mention a budget, so I’m assuming you want to buy new or nearly-new. Your Focus measured 1,991mm wide, including the mirrors, or 1,840mm with them folded in – so I’ll match those dimensions as closely as I can, as well as your requirement for comfort.
My first suggestion: the Citroën C4. It is 1,834mm wide with the mirrors folded, so slightly narrower than the Focus. It is one of the comfiest mid-size hatchbacks, by dint of its soft suspension and memory foam seats. And with Citroën’s latest warranty offer – it can be extended by a year on each service up to eight years – it shouldn’t rack up too many repair bills, either. It’s also great value, with even a top-spec Max Hybrid costing just over £27,000.
Also consider a Toyota Corolla, which is narrower than the C4 at 1,790mm excluding mirrors (although with the mirrors out it measures 2,080mm). It carries Toyota’s fine reputation for reliability; even if it lets you down, you’re protected by a warranty of up to 10 years, provided it is serviced at a Toyota dealer.
GR Sport apart, the Corolla is comfortable although not quite as soft as the C4. Nor is it as pliant as the Skoda Octavia, one of our favourites in the class. The Octavia is 1,829mm wide with mirrors folded and 2,003mm with them out, so it should squeeze into your garage.
Make sure it also fits length-wise, as it’s about a foot longer than a Focus. However that length translates into excellent interior space, and lots of front-seat adjustment, which will suit your 6ft driver.
The downside with the Octavia is its somewhat fiddly touchscreen set-up. An SE-L with the mild hybrid engine and an automatic gearbox should suit you best.
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