Usability of the 11.6" screen?

it's probably great if you use gps a lot.

 

I don't mess with climate controls much, so can't help with that. But I have never had a problem with glare like I did on my 2012 v.

 

it's just a gussied up 7" screen then. some love it, some hate it, some are neutral. you're gonna have to test drive each model to see what's right for you.

 

hmm... you're going to get a lot of varied opinions. let's see who can be the most persuasive!

 

I test drove both and the 11” screen was difficult to use on the move. I also noticed a flickering in the screen that was very distracting that only appeared in the corner of my eye. Optometrists usually perform the flickering test, so my sensitivity just unfortunately is in the wrong spot. That might not be true for you.

I found the UI to be quite ugly featuring “pleasant” bubbles with magenta and teal colors, and was frustrated that it always starts in navigation whereas Tesla’s (who they’re trying to copy) shows you audio and other useful information instead.

I ended up going with the 7” and immediately got a feel for how to use it on the move. Think about it. This UI is only in the prime. Toyota probably scrapped something together in a short amount of time to compete with the model 3, and this screen cost them at most $300 of hardware and design. I would rather invest the 1.5k difference and get a nice return than deal with toyota’s attempt at outclassing a company that knows how to appeal to the new tech savvy generation.

The 7” screen isn’t great either. I just don’t think there’s any justification in spending more money for car infotainment.

 

agree with @bisco, you'll get lots of opinions ... me, I have a Plus, and I'm happy with it, I don't use built-in GPS ...
May I suggest you compare all features of the 3 models and base your decision on features that you need vs just the screen?

 

Yeah I wish mine had moonstone too. For some reason all the blues and moonstones in stock and being manufactured are in the higher trims now.

 

can be as much as $7-8,000. going by the pricing thread.

 

I hear you. I would love to see a return to ergonomic, tactile climate controls, that you can adjust without needing to take your eyes off the road.

As to why they're dumping more controls into a touch screen? I think because they're allowed to. It's cheaper, nothing but programming. They're tantamount to driving while texting. I doubt it's gonna change soon, too much money involved.

 

Or, you can use voice recognition to turn A/c on/off or adjust the temp. That's what I've been doing.

 

Old habits die hard. I've been using knobs buttons and levers for 45+ years. It never comes to mind to try voice control.

 

There's hardly ever a need to adjust the climate controls. I just leave it in auto and adjust the temperature. Works great. Once in a while I will turn it off or turn Eco or S-Flow on or off. It's just one touch to open the controls. I like that it starts in map as that's what I want it in 99% of the time. It's handy just to have a map with traffic on it all the time. In fact I usually close all the controls to have more map, and I rarely use the bubbles. Using the steering wheel controls to adjust climate settings on the MID is massively harder than using the center touch screen. I NEVER do it that way for that reason.

 

I agree. Steering wheel controls are fine for setting the display you want, but It's cumbersome way to adjust controls.

 

That beautiful 11 inch screen is one of the main reasons I bought the car. It is so good to see a good map. It is simple to navigate. It's not perfect, glare is an issue. I think you need to be able to adjust the tilt of the screen. I have some minor other issues, but all in all it is great.

Also, there is a large clear "physical" (or as close to physical as it gets these days) button to adjust temp a few inches from the steering wheel. It not that difficult.

 

I love the big screen. Like any control system, it just takes a little getting used to. Using the steering wheel climate control while driving is not an option.