When I began searching for a vehicle to replace my trusty Honda Civic in 2021, I was looking for specific features. Table stakes included power windows and doors, key FOB, backup camera, CarPlay, and remote start capability. Because I’d relocated to an area with significantly greater snowfall averages I wanted more ground clearance with an elevated view—the Civic was very low to the ground—and all wheel drive. Several vehicles fit that bill, but one differentiator was surprising: well placed physical controls.
Many vehicles I looked at placed controls for heating and cooling in odd locations, including a couple whose controls could be blocked by items in their cup holders. Some had dials that didn’t provide any tactile response when they were moved, which made it difficult to know if a fan had been turned from setting 1 to 3 or from 1 to 7, or how much the radio volume had been adjusted. Sales people all said the same thing—“You get used to it”—but did I have to?
There were many things about the Subaru Forester I selected that made it quickly stand out, but physical controls were not something I expected to feature prominently. Yet, everything felt placed in the “correct” location and the dials would click as they were turned so you’d know each time a change had been made. (Ironically, the worst control arrangement was in the Subaru Outback, which required the use of a touch screen for environmental adjustments.)
Sometimes, the little things do matter.