RHD park brake and cupholders not reversed.

[Bobsp12]

It has become apparent that the parkbrake and cupholders are not going to be swapped on the centre console for the RHD versions. That means we will be not able to change gear in a manual with anything in the cup holders, but more importantly, have to reach across the console to the passenger side whenever the hand brake is needed....for hill starts etc.
Is it possible for someone with a LHD car to sit in the passenger seat and reach across the console and operate the park brake and let us know how akward it feels...a pic or two would be much appreciated as well. Thanks...

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[Tamadrummer88]

This car has "hill assist" where it'll hold the car on a hill once you let your foot off the brake. Once you give it enough gas and clutch it'll let go and be on your merry way.

 

[Bobsp12]

Thanks Tamadrummer88, we figured that to be the case. There is a bit of frustration at the stupidity of not swapping the brake and the cupholders over and would like a picture or two of someone operating it from the passenger side.

 

[nadojay]

Following

 

[benanderson89]

If you look at a POV drive on something like Winding Road (or Regular Car Reviews if you want a giggle) - you'll find that the Mustang isn't all that wide inside. Reaching over will be no more difficult than the handbrake in, say, a Nissan Juke.

EDIT: added said Juke for comparison.

 

[stevec]

Seems really stupid of ford not to have designed the car with a more central hand brake.
Having said that, I really don't care. Handbrake could be in the roof lining for all I care. I would still buy the car!

 

[croyde]

Again that Nissan is puzzling as it's from a RHD country.

Need the handbrake in an emergency or having to perform a sudden 180 degree turn will mean boiling coffee all over your passenger and more importantly stuck forever in the nooks and crannies of your car

Looking at the Ford pic it would mean getting your arm at weird angle in order to grip the handbrake in the first place as the cut out in the console for access to the handle is not facing you.

 

[Melbnut]

Yep it's stupid plain and simple. Oh well.

 

[wildsailor]

Actually, I use the handbrake every day and I believe it is too close to the LHD seating position and too far to the rear to be truly useful. I am 5'10" so I do not have my seat too far forward but to use the brake I need to reach too far to the rear while leaning to the left to get a good upward angle on the lever when I pull up. Pushing the button and retracting it is not an issue. This car is ripe for an electric park brake.

What I think is more interesting is that if this same setup goes into the RHD version then a cup in the forward cupholder will make it difficult to shift the MT car. The shifter will be obstructed by the cup. But, other regions do not use the cupholders for cups as much as the USA does so it may not be a big deal for most people. Big Gulps in Oz?

Edit: see how Matt is sitting in the photo above where his arm is actually pulled over across his body? Now imagine the handle on the RHS; you can clearly see that his hand is more forward of the handle and it would be pretty much right under his elbow if it were on that side of the console. To use the brake he would need to lift his arm, move his hand rearward, and grasp the handle which would be okay if it were lower but the handle is so high you need to now rotate your body to get an upward leverage on it. Maybe if the seat were higher it would solve the issue for me but that is not an option....

 

[croyde]

Like the door mirror change for Aus/Europe, which made me realise how big the pods, sorry mirrors had got on cars in the past few years, this conversation has just made me look into all the cars parked whilst I walked to the shops.

I didn't want to be too obvious or people would think I was a car thief on a recce.

Firstly I live in a quite well to do area so lots of big auto Mercs/BMWs with no visible handbrake thus I presume it's a button somewhere.

All the Japanese cars have the handbrake on the wrong side as do all the Peugeots that I saw.

Was really surprised at the Japanese cars unless they think the handbrake should be further from the driver and swap it round for the LHD markets.

Ah! they don't.

 

[OzS550]

Nissan know which side it's bread is buttered.

That would have to be worse, when the manufacturer is shafting it's own market to satisfy another (no offence US brothers).

Oh well, at least Ford has moved the steering wheel and pedals for us RHD'ers!

 

[BBB]

quit driving on the wrong side of the road!

 

[Ian whu]

I for one do use the cup holders.
When I have the boy in the front ( 4 years old) in his car seat, I carry a bottle of water for him.
Ok it's not every day, mostly at weekends.

 

[Thompyt]

Parking brake on the opposite side isn't that bad. My corvettes was on the right side of the console. At least the C5-C6 are that way. No issue to reach across.
Cup holder design is a bit bad for either side drive. Its not out of the way and you can't use the arm rest with a drink in the holder.

 

[benanderson89]

Even Kia swaps the console around for different markets. Although it doesn't stop odd decisions from being made, given the LHD version has an electronic brake and the RHD one has a handbrake.

Car companies make some weird choices, sometimes.

But hey, at least the damn cup holders are out the way!

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