[WifeBeforeCar]

Does anyone else feel that BMW could've designed the drive mode selection a little bit better in G05? I understand that for non M car or M50i, we can't get the M1 and M2 buttons but can't BMW at least design the drive mode selection within our fingertips?

I have no complaints about my M50i at all but I find it impossible not to look down whenever I need to switch to sport...

[ElectroGeek]

Originally Posted by messishine

Does anyone else feel that BMW could've designed the drive mode selection a little bit better in G05? I understand that for non M car or M50i, we can't get the M1 and M2 buttons but can't BMW at least design the drive mode selection within our fingertips?

I have no complaints about my M50i at all but I find it impossible not to look down whenever I need to switch to sport...

I wish there was a bit more feel to the drive button, I have hit Start/Stop once trying to go to Sport Plus. I wonder if you can say "hey BMW, Sport Plus"?

[WifeBeforeCar]

Originally Posted by ElectroGeek

I wish there was a bit more feel to the drive button, I have hit Start/Stop once trying to go to Sport Plus. I wonder if you can say "hey BMW, Sport Plus"?

Haha not a big fan of "hey" anything. Imagine you need some burst of power to take over a car and the most convenient way is to say hey BMW. A control knob on the steering wheel will do the job perfectly IMO. Merc already has it on AMG trims but why can't BMW have something similar... it's the ultimate driving machine

[MotoWPK]

Most of the time I'm in Sport Individual and will select that before driving off. If I forget, or want to switch between Sport Ind and Comfort on the fly, I find I can do it reasonably well by feel using the Start button as a reference, then moving back one to the Sport button or moving back two to the Comfort button, the different feel of the start button and ridges between the buttons providing a tactile distinction. On the rare occasion I want to use Eco on the fly, I need to look. So, yes better tactile distinction would be an improvement, including something on the steering wheel.

Not to hijack the thread, but another change I like to see made is a roller on the steering wheel for volume adjustment, like the roller used for audio source selection. The +/- click buttons are inconvenient. And, related, it would be great if the audio source selection defaulted to the last used as it did on the F15, this applying both to steering wheel controls and iDrive.

[hkleyman]

Originally Posted by MotoWPK

Most of the time I'm in Sport Individual and will select that before driving off. If I forget, or want to switch between Sport Ind and Comfort on the fly, I find I can do it reasonably well by feel using the Start button as a reference, then moving back one to the Sport button or moving back two to the Comfort button, the different feel of the start button and ridges between the buttons providing a tactile distinction. On the rare occasion I want to use Eco on the fly, I need to look. So, yes better tactile distinction would be an improvement, including something on the steering wheel.

Not to hijack the thread, but another change I like to see made is a roller on the steering wheel for volume adjustment, like the roller used for audio source selection. The +/- click buttons are inconvenient. And, related, it would be great if the audio source selection defaulted to the last used as it did on the F15, this applying both to steering wheel controls and iDrive.

Completely agreed... we should just have the option to program what the buttons do. For example, the roller right under the volume +/- should have an option to be volume. I never use it but love how it feels.

I also agree that pretty much everything on the control panel except the touch surface / multidirectional controller requires some eyes. I didn't really want to at first, but I coded mine to sport individual default and I'm glad I did.

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by messishine

Haha not a big fan of "hey" anything. Imagine you need some burst of power to take over a car and the most convenient way is to say hey BMW. A control knob on the steering wheel will do the job perfectly IMO. Merc already has it on AMG trims but why can't BMW have something similar... it's the ultimate driving machine

If you hold down the left paddle shifter the transmission will automatically down shift to the lowest possible gear. That'll give you the burst you're looking for without having to switch drive modes. You could also push the gear selector to the left to activate sport and do the paddle shift down shift if you want to hold higher revs. I do this in adaptive and get a good head whip when I really need it.

[Paladin1]

Originally Posted by VTENGR

If you hold down the left paddle shifter the transmission will automatically down shift to the lowest possible gear. That'll give you the burst you're looking for without having to switch drive modes. You could also push the gear selector to the left to activate sport and do the paddle shift down shift if you want to hold higher revs. I do this in adaptive and get a good head whip when I really need it.

That left gear-selector flick is a winner, easy to do when driving, and gives you a good boost, and the paddle shifters are at your fingertips. Haven't really come across a circumstance when I needed to quickly shift into Eco or Comfort using the buttons...

[MystroX5]

Just imagine if most all your controls were on a console touch screen like Audi/Porsche/Urus/Rang Rover/etc.... This movement to “look hi tech” vs actual functionality has been thankfully avoided by the latest BMW interior design.

[randybobandy]

My biggest problem with the entire area down near those buttons is the fact I need to blindly press, or take my eyes off the road. I wish they did something similar to the 1-8 buttons where you could rest your finger on a particular button...be it drive mode or other iDrive function...and see that little banner on top of the display. I guess I am being too demanding.

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by randybobandy

My biggest problem with the entire area down near those buttons is the fact I need to blindly press, or take my eyes off the road. I wish they did something similar to the 1-8 buttons where you could rest your finger on a particular button...be it drive mode or other iDrive function...and see that little banner on top of the display. I guess I am being too demanding.

That would be a brilliant idea and have the id of the button come up on the heads up display. Much like our seat buttons that display what they do on the iDrive screen before you activate them.

[Tenac]

At first I had a hard time but muscle memory took over and now don't look down for much of anything. I have large hands and it's easy for me to use my fingers similar to a keyboard or piano to hit the button I need. What really pisses me off is when I drive the wife's X3 and look for a few seconds on how to start the damn thing, push button up on the dash!!!! lol

[LexxM3]

For Sport mode selection I do what others have said: without looking, locate the start button and go one down. And, of course, I have it now coded to start in Sport Plus, so I don't have to do that very often any more.

The biggest problem that I have is the 3D camera button, which I generally use at least once every single drive. It is not locatable without looking as it is not near any landmark. My solution was to attach a small plastic stopper to the trim to the left and below it, so that your finger can find that and then go just above and to the right (the stopper is the type you use to prevent cupboard doors banging).

The other problem is how the entire panel is designed. If your hand rests on the panel (which is completely natural), it will often misinterpret which button is pressed. It's a result of how they chose to do the fake-tactile button touch panel, but come on, welcome to multi-touch problems that have literally been completely solved by UX and hardware designers in late 70s ... until now. BMW engineers should be embarrassed by that design and the hacks we have to do to counteract it.

[ems328i]

Originally Posted by Paladin1

That left gear-selector flick is a winner, easy to do when driving, and gives you a good boost, and the paddle shifters are at your fingertips. Haven't really come across a circumstance when I needed to quickly shift into Eco or Comfort using the buttons...

This. Never need to take your eyes off the road, and a quick flick back to the right to revert to normal....