AutoElectric VehiclesWhen it comes to EVs, buttons are better than touchscreens – and this car proves itLiving with a Genesis GV60 proves how buttons are bestWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
AutoElectric VehiclesWhen it comes to EVs, buttons are better than touchscreens – and this car proves itLiving with a Genesis GV60 proves how buttons are bestWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Living with a Genesis GV60 proves how buttons are best
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Car manufactures need to rethink their approach to touchscreens. This isn’t a particularly novel thought, but now I feel car makers are finally starting to see the light.
Some are still forging ahead with a near-total removal of all physical controls, relegating even the glove box release, wipers and steering wheel position controls to the touchscreen. But others have seen sense.
My long-termGenesis GV60review car is a prime example. Here is a new electric car packed full of technology, fromfacial recognition and a fingerprint reader, to a connected phone app and the ability to use your phone as the key. Yet it also has lots of physical controls.
The GV60 has physical buttons for its heated (and cooled) seats(Image credit: Future)
The GV60 has physical buttons for its heated (and cooled) seats
The GV60 has physical buttons for its heated (and cooled) seats
(Image credit: Future)
More buttons are used for accessing key functions like the radio and navigation, while even the digital climate display has a haptic click to it, meaning it works with a prod instead of a tap or swipe. The gear selector rotates intuitively and there’s even a rotary controller that turns and clicks, if you’d rather use that instead of navigating the infotainment system via the touchscreen.
My favourite is the controller for the door mirrors, pictured below, and I’m sorry if that makes me sound like Alan Partridge, but it’s true.
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The mirror control of the GV60 is far superior to the touchscreens of other cars(Image credit: Future)
The mirror control of the GV60 is far superior to the touchscreens of other cars
The mirror control of the GV60 is far superior to the touchscreens of other cars
(Image credit: Future)
You might argue that the mirrors only need adjusting once, but I live in London where that simply isn’t true. I adjust the mirrors to get a better view of cyclists in town, then move them to better see trucks on the motorway. Then I’ll move them down to see the curb while parking – something theVolvo EX30’s touchscreen inexplicably won’t allow unless you first shift into Park. Genesis understand this, so it has built its interior properly. It has designed controls for people who want to keep their eyes on the road, instead of swiping at a touchscreen.
This should all be incredibly obvious, but in 2024 we’ve been sold the lie that aesthetic simplicity reigns supreme.
Tesla kicked things off more than a decade ago with the Model S, with its huge touchscreen that appeared to have fallen from a spaceship. But at least back then, Tesla had the sense to also fit a set of physical controls bought from Mercedes. Then along came theModel 3, which first removed the driver display and climate controls, then with the 2024 refresh did away with its indicator and wiper stalks too.
Even the climate display has haptic feedback, so responds to a firm prod instead of a slight tap(Image credit: Future)
Even the climate display has haptic feedback, so responds to a firm prod instead of a slight tap
Even the climate display has haptic feedback, so responds to a firm prod instead of a slight tap
(Image credit: Future)
Genesis’ approach might be fractionally more expensive to produce, but it’s also far more intuitive and considerably less distracting. Put simply, it makes the car safer and in my book is worth every penny. Hopefully the tide will turn, and other manufacturers will take note.
As for a bit of housekeeping, I’ve now had the GV60 for three months and have covered 1,300 miles. It is still returning precisely 3.0 miles per kWh and I’m yet to see any meaningful change in range and efficiency, despite it started to get slightly colder as we head towards winter. This will doubtless change in the coming days, with snow on the way.
The car carried its first passengers this month, as four of us visited the Cotswolds for a weekend. Those in the rear seats reported decent headspace and leg room, and liked the panoramic roof. The GV60 doesn’t treat its rear passengers to their own temperature controls, which is disappointing at this price point, but there’s at least a set of heated seat controls on the door handles, and window blinds too.
Less welcome was our Airbnb rental. While otherwise perfect, it was described as having an EV charger but actually offered only a three-pin socket in the car port. This delivered just 1 kW of power, a fifth of what a wallbox charger would manage. A full charge would have taken all weekend.
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