{"id":2064,"date":"2025-07-09T07:42:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T07:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bruntonwolf.com\/?p=2064"},"modified":"2025-07-09T15:47:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T15:47:16","slug":"hyundai-promised-it-would-keep-buttons-this-new-suv-tells-a-different-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.bruntonwolf.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/09\/hyundai-promised-it-would-keep-buttons-this-new-suv-tells-a-different-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Hyundai Promised It Would Keep Buttons. This New SUV Tells a Different Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I\u2019ve never hidden my aversion to jumbo-sized screens that swallow physical buttons and force drivers to rely on the infotainment system for even the simplest functions. Hyundai had promised to buck that trend, arguing it\u2019s safer to stick with conventional controls mounted on the center console. However, its latest electric SUV is the exact opposite of what the Korean automaker has been claiming in recent years. It\u2019s a veritable screen fest.<\/p>\n

Previewed a few months ago, the Elexio<\/a> is Hyundai\u2019s first dedicated EV engineered specifically for China. It\u2019s been five years in the making, and new official images finally reveal the SUV\u2019s interior. Beijing Hyundai, the joint venture established in 2002 with BAIC Motor, used the Weibo<\/em> social media platform to share photos of the vehicle\u2019s simplified dashboard, dominated by an ultra-wide screen.<\/p>\n

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\nPhoto by: Hyundai<\/p>\n

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\nPhoto by: Hyundai<\/p>\n

The massive 27-inch display combines the infotainment system with a passenger screen, while the driver still gets a separate digital display positioned in their line of sight. Removing the buttons frees up center console space, which is now occupied by two large wireless charging pads and four cupholders. Hyundai<\/a> says there are no fewer than 29 storage areas scattered throughout the cabin.<\/p>\n

The steering wheel still features a healthy number of physical buttons, and thankfully, the conventional kind rather than touch-sensitive keys. Traditional controls are also found on the door panel for window and mirror adjustments, as well as more buttons on the overhead console. Behind the steering wheel are three stalks, one of which functions as the gear selector.<\/p>\n

Yet the complete lack of dashboard buttons, aside from the hazard lights, is surprising, especially considering Hyundai\u2019s earlier statements. In March 2023, the company\u2019s head of design, SangYup Lee, voiced safety concerns<\/a>: \u201cWhen you’re driving, it\u2019s hard to control it [the touchscreen]. This is why, when it\u2019s a hard key, it\u2019s easier to sense and feel it.\u201d<\/p>\n

By November 2024, Hyundai Design North America\u2019s Vice President, Hak Soo Ha, acknowledged growing frustration with touch controls<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

‘As we were adding integrated [infotainment] screens in our vehicles, we also tried out putting touchscreen-based controls, and people didn\u2019t prefer that. When we tested with our focus group, we realized that people get stressed, annoyed, and steamed when they want to control something in a pinch but are unable to do so.’<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Earlier this year, Senior Vice President of Design Simon Loasby called the overreliance on screens a \u201cdistraction,\u201d<\/a> adding: \u201cYou really don\u2019t want people to look at the screen\u2014you want them to look at eye level.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Hyundai Group\u2019s design chief, Luc Donckerwolke, echoed that sentiment, saying people \u201chave a love for analogue interaction,\u201d but conceded that automakers cut costs by consolidating functions into a screen: \u201cYou save a lot of tooling by only having the screen.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, why does the Elexio contradict all of this? It might boil down to regional preferences. Volkswagen\u2019s boss in China, Ralf Brandst\u00e4tter, recently noted that local buyers prefer \u201cAI-first, connected vehicles, with seamless voice control and smart cockpits.\u201d By contrast, Europeans want buttons<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"<p>Honda <\/p>\n

Honda GT<\/p>\n

Photo by: Honda<\/p>\n

Buttons appear to be fading fast in China, as virtually every recent car debut there features a screen-heavy interior. A striking example is the Honda GT<\/a>, which features an overwhelming number of displays and minimal physical controls. All of a sudden, the Elexio\u2019s cabin seems restrained by comparison.<\/p>\n

But Hyundai\u2019s decision to go all-in on screen-based interfaces might not be limited to China. The upcoming Pleos Connect infotainment system<\/a>, launching in Q2 2026, will feature a giant tablet-style setup. Hyundai plans to roll it out to over 20 million vehicles by decade\u2019s end. It\u2019ll run on a proprietary OS derived from Android Automotive (AAOS), offering a smartphone-like interface. Whether any physical buttons will survive remains to be seen, but we\u2019re skeptical.<\/p>\n

Ferrari Admits It Made a Mistake When It Deleted Real Buttons<\/a>
Volkswagen Swears Buttons and Knobs Are Coming Back<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: Hyundai<\/p>\n

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