I test-drove a high-end electric saloon last November. The screen was gorgeous: 15 inches, responsive, crisp. First cold morning, I wanted to turn on the rear window defroster. Four taps to get there. Meanwhile, the car was moving.
That sums up everything that matters in a car dashboard: not screen size, not visual effects. The ability to perform the most common actions in under two taps, without taking your eyes off the road.
Why screen size isn't the right criterion
The Peugeot e-3008 has a 21-inch panoramic screen. The Mercedes EQS has 56 inches of glass across the dash. The Lucid Air sports a 34-inch curved 5K display. Yet none of these three tops usability rankings.
A car interface is measured on different criteria altogether.
| Criterion | What's measured | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Touch responsiveness | Target response time under 100 ms | A slow interface is an active distraction |
| Common controls | Number of taps to raise temperature by 2° | Safety, use while driving |
| Physical controls | Buttons or dials outside the screen for heating/volume | Essential with gloves |
| Head-Up Display | Speed and navigation in your field of vision | Comfort on variable roads, roadworks |
| Software stability | Frequency of crashes and reboots | Daily reliability |
| OTA updates | Frequency and depth of updates | Improvement over time |
Full comparison: 12 infotainment systems ranked
| Model | Screen | Platform | Physical controls | Gloves/winter | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renault Mégane E-Tech | 12" + 12.3" cluster | Android Automotive | Yes — dedicated toggles | Good | Best combination on the market |
| Hyundai IONIQ 6 | 12.3" + 12.3" cluster | Hyundai ccNC | Yes — dedicated row | Good | Best result of the 2026 refresh |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 12.3" + 12.3" cluster | Hyundai ccNC | Partial — large buttons | Good | Benchmark touch/physical balance |
| BMW iX | 12.3" + 14.9" curved | iDrive (dial) | Physical dial on console | Fair | Premium but complex menus |
| Kia EV6 | 12.3" + 12.3" curved | Kia ccNC | Separate touch panel | Fair | Above average, responsive |
| Polestar 2 | 11.15" + 12.3" cluster | Android Automotive | None | Poor | Good OS, penalised without buttons |
| Volvo EX40 | 9" + 12.3" cluster | Google Built-In | Traditional layout | Fair | Clean, intuitive, well-rated |
| Tesla Model 3 | 15.4" central | Tesla OS (no CarPlay) | None | Poor | Very responsive, but divisive |
| Mercedes EQS | 17.7" OLED (56" total) | MBUX Zero Layer | Via haptics + voice | Fair | Spectacular, steep learning curve |
| Peugeot e-3008 | 21" panoramic | Peugeot proprietary | Configurable i-Toggles | Fair | Superb hardware, software behind |
| Volvo EX30 | 12.3" (no cluster) | Google Built-In | Minimal | Poor | Powerful OS, sacrificed ergonomics |
| VW ID.4 (current) | 12.9" | VW MIB3 | Touch sliders | Poor | Documented weak point of its range |
What's the real winter usability test?
The test I run every time: December, 2°C, red light in Charleroi, light gloves. I want to turn the fan up one notch and switch on the heated seat. How many seconds?
Hyundai IONIQ 6: dedicated physical button row for climate, analogue volume dial retained. Under 3 seconds.
Renault Mégane E-Tech: physical toggles directly accessible. Under 3 seconds. The 22 kW AC charger is a bonus.
BMW iX: iDrive dial on the centre console, heated seat via the touch button at the bottom of the screen. 3–4 seconds. Not perfect, but the physical dial saves it.
Kia EV6: separate touch panel for climate, distinct from the main screen. Responsive, well-sized. 3–4 seconds with thin gloves.
Tesla Model 3: swipe down for the climate bar, tap temperature, tap heated seat. 4–6 seconds. The capacitive screen doesn't respond to ordinary gloves. Requires touchscreen-compatible gloves.
Mercedes EQS MBUX: climate menu then seat tab, or voice command if you have the reflex. 6–8 seconds via screen, 3 seconds via voice if the command is well phrased.
VW ID.4 (current): touch sliders for temperature. Imprecise with gloves. Climate menu is accessible but not direct. 6–10 seconds depending on the precision required.
This isn't an academic test. It's the reality of driving in a Belgian winter, five months a year.
Does Android Automotive actually make a difference?
Polestar 2, Renault Mégane E-Tech, Volvo EX30 and EX40 run Android Automotive OS: the Google operating system is built directly into the vehicle, no phone needed. Google Maps is native, Google Assistant responds without projection delay, and the Google Play Store lets you install AAOS-compatible apps.
The practical difference versus CarPlay or Android Auto: if your phone is dead or has no signal, the system keeps working. Navigation loads faster because it doesn't go through Bluetooth or a cable.
The Renault Mégane E-Tech is the best representative of this group. Auto Express ranks it among the best infotainment systems on the market, regardless of powertrain. What sets it apart from other Android Automotive models: it keeps physical controls for the climate, which no Polestar or Volvo currently offers.
The common limitation across all Android Automotive: real-time Google Maps navigation depends on 4G coverage. Offline navigation is available but must be set up manually, unlike proprietary systems with embedded maps.
BMW iDrive: complex or a premium benchmark?
BMW iDrive with its central dial is often cited as one of the best car interfaces because the physical dial lets you navigate menus without looking at the screen. On the iX, the 14.9-inch OLED screen is as sharp as a high-end TV, according to What Car?.
Its weak point: there are many sub-menus and a real learning curve. The voice assistant understands natural phrasing ("it's cold" to raise the temperature) but its reliability has been criticised by several reviewers.
The good news: the physical dial makes up for what pure touchscreens can't do. In terms of usability with gloves, BMW does better than VW or Tesla thanks to this physical element.
Tesla Model 3 2026: the most divisive interface on the market
The 15.4-inch central screen is among the most responsive on the market. Navigation graphics are sharp. The system doesn't crash.
The problem: almost everything goes through this screen. Temperature, seat adjustment, secondary indicators. Consumer Reports documented the safety concerns of this approach and used the term "ergonomic nightmare" for the previous version. The 2026 version brought back the physical indicator stalk — a concrete improvement. But adjusting the heating still takes 3–4 taps.
No CarPlay, no Android Auto. The ecosystem is 100% Tesla. For drivers coming from traditional cars, expect 2–4 weeks of adaptation. After that: most people get used to it. It's simply not suited to everyone.
VW ID.4: what actually changes with the facelift?
The current ID.4 (2021–2026) concentrates 80–90% of owner complaints on its infotainment, according to forums and reliability data. The touch sliders for temperature are universally criticised. The climate controls aren't accessible in a single action.
Successive OTA updates since 2024 have improved responsiveness and simplified some access paths. But the interface remains fundamentally constrained by its initial hardware choices.
The facelift announced for October 2026 (rebranded as ID. Tiguan) fixes the problem at the source: 15-inch screen, physical volume button, physical climate controls, new "One Connected" platform based on Android. It will be a different car on this specific point.
In the meantime, if you're looking for a VW Group SUV without waiting, the Skoda Enyaq offers a better balance. The ID.7 also has a better interface than the ID.4 within the current range.
Which system to choose based on your profile?
You're in the Google ecosystem and don't like complicated interfaces: Renault Mégane E-Tech. Native Android Automotive with physical controls. Best simplicity-to-usability ratio on the market.
You want the best complete premium experience: BMW iX or Mercedes EQS MBUX. Allow time for the learning curve.
You're looking for the best touch/physical balance in a family EV: Hyundai IONIQ 5 or IONIQ 6. The physical button row on the IONIQ 6 makes it the best version of the ccNC system to date.
You do a lot of long trips and value software fluidity above all: Tesla Model Y Long Range. But accept the closed ecosystem and the adaptation curve.
You're waiting to see before buying a VW: the October 2026 facelift fixes the real problems. The current ID.4, not so much.
For systems that improve their interface via OTA over time, see our article on OTA updates.