S550 VS. S650 Body Style

[MD18EcoStang]

No not drunk, navigating some touch screen in the car.

I'd bet you dollars to donuts that it's way more likely these people are looking at their phone screens. It also blows my mind to see people holding their phones up to talk, even when you know their car has got to have Bluetooth

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[saleen367]

I'm a less regulation the better kind of guy at heart, but I'd be all for the removal of screens in cars. Absolutely no reason for them other than to distract the driver. I see more and more cars swerving in and sometimes out of their lanes, they look drunk. No not drunk, navigating some touch screen in the car.


AI Overview




It takes an average driver about 4 to 5 seconds to perform a simple task like adjusting HVAC settings via a modern car touchscreen. Because road safety guidelines (like those from the NHTSA) recommend that individual glances off the road do not exceed 2 seconds, this means a driver's focus is typically interrupted multiple times for a single adjustment. [1, 2]
Studies highlight the difference between touchscreens and physical controls: []

• • Touchscreens: Average reaction times on these screens are notably slower, increasing crash risk. Independent testing by Vi Bilägare revealed that touchscreen HVAC changes require up to four times as much attention compared to older physical buttons. [1, 2]
  • Physical Dials: Tactile buttons and physical knobs allow drivers to make adjustments while keeping their eyes on the road, largely relying on muscle memory to complete adjustments in around 1 second. [1, 2, 3]
  • Voice Commands: Utilizing your vehicle's voice recognition system is an excellent alternative, allowing you to change temperatures without touching a screen or taking your eyes off the road. [1, 2]

at 70 mph you travel 500 feet in 5 seconds, almost 1/8 mile.

Not a fan of voice commands because it never works for me.

Question can you use voice commands with the radio on and loudish exhaust?

Voice command interrupts the music to hear your command and resumes once the task is complete. Having said that it takes significantly more time to complete the task than turning a knob or pressing a button.

I'm assuming these screens are designed as a slow drip to get people accustomed to using these features. Looking into the future, cars will have an integrated control screen and nothing more.
It is what it is.

 

[ABEcoBoost]

I like the S650, really good car. Looks nothing like a Camaro, I’ll never understand that comparison. Headlights and taillights on the 650 were my biggest complaints, they’ve grown on me though.

The screens are fine, I prefer knobs and buttons but that’s not the way of the world anymore unfortunately. Once you’re behind the wheel and driving the car, the screens don’t really jump out as out of place or anything. I still think that they could’ve integrated them a little differently and I don’t really understand the split screens for the base models and single screen for the premium. Just make them all the premium model screens.

They sell well by me, I see at least a few on the road every day now.

I actually didn’t like the front end of the 2018+ refresh when it first came out, I preferred the 2015-2017 front end initially. The front end on the refresh grew on me to the point I ordered one in 2022. I really like the 10R80, although I think GM tuned it better than Ford. Overall, I still prefer my S550 but wouldn’t hesitate to buy an S650 if I wanted a brand new Mustang.

No doubt, there’s always going to be a group that pushes back on anything new. I do think the majority reaction was positive as you said.

I would actually buy a nicely used GT350 over a new S650 if I had the means. Or I would buy a silver 2005 GT Deluxe with red leather interior because I miss it and loved it more than any other Mustang I ever had. Well, besides my girl since 2024!

 

[Arthonon]

I brought up the touch-screens vs. buttons topic on 7G a short time ago, and it got some hostile reactions .

Anyway, being a cup-completely-empty kind of guy, if they did bring separate buttons back, they'd probably just make them touch buttons going through a central processor so while you wouldn't have to do as much menu navigation, you'd still have the reliability concerns.

 

[Gregs24]

Personally having owned both I prefer the screen controls for the HVAC. I press 'auto' on day 1 , set the temperature and never need to touch them again so the controls could be in the back seat for all I care!

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