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Have you driven a "Japanese" vehicle? On my parents Honda minivan, the controls are absolutely horrible. The User Interface is a disgrace. They didn't read t

Have you driven a "Japanese" vehicle? On my parents Honda minivan, the controls are absolutely horrible. The User Interface is a disgrace. They didn't read their Design of Everyday Things (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Norman http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Norman). It is a cluttered, clunky mess. As far as toilets go. I just installed an Eljer (http://www.eljer.com/ http://www.eljer.com/) this summer. While it doesn't heat your butt, it does NOT clog. It was a consumer's report pick and for good reason. It's simple, it's quiet and it works every time. And the UI is impeccable. So before we go off half-cocked about the Japanese superiority of products, let's examine the facts. Complicated doesn't mean better.

pragmatic 18y ago
On the "buying experience": I went to Lowes, loaded it on a cart and paid at the automated checkout.
vaksel 18y ago
what are you talking about? Japanese cars have the most intuitive user interface on the market. Its the U.S. cars that you have no idea where everything is.
iigs 18y ago
I don't know what the dash of the particular vehicle in question looks like, but every manufacturer has a "design language" that drives their choices in external and internal appearance. Lately it seems that Honda/Acura have been embracing a very modern, technical, feature-dense design. In contrast, early/mid 2000s Toyotas favored simplicity and parts sharing, with little regard for the fact the trunk release button is a different shape, color, and texture than the radio/heat controls on the same console surface. The domestics have really worked to bring their controls up to par in the 90s. The Honda design language is moving forward, as well, but they're optimizing for the Japanese preference for many neat features executed well, as opposed to minimalism and key features implemented flawlessly.

pragmatic 18y ago

On the "buying experience": I went to Lowes, loaded it on a cart and paid at the automated checkout.

vaksel 18y ago

what are you talking about? Japanese cars have the most intuitive user interface on the market. Its the U.S. cars that you have no idea where everything is.

iigs 18y ago

I don't know what the dash of the particular vehicle in question looks like, but every manufacturer has a "design language" that drives their choices in external and internal appearance. Lately it seems that Honda/Acura have been embracing a very modern, technical, feature-dense design. In contrast, early/mid 2000s Toyotas favored simplicity and parts sharing, with little regard for the fact the trunk release button is a different shape, color, and texture than the radio/heat controls on the same console surface. The domestics have really worked to bring their controls up to par in the 90s. The Honda design language is moving forward, as well, but they're optimizing for the Japanese preference for many neat features executed well, as opposed to minimalism and key features implemented flawlessly.