A clear set of instruments

[SWH]

Driving a 146 loan car today*, one of my first thoughts was just how clear and pleasingly simple the instruments were:



By comparison (and I've not been out to take a photo of it yet) the instrument cluster on the new Focus we have on hire** is, well, a little busy to say the least.

Information is good of course and a clear layout can only help, but a lot of new stuff is busy to the point of distraction... Or maybe you don't agree; so, over to you PHers, let's see some good, some bad and surely some at the madder end of things as well....

(*) GTV is finally acquiring a new exhaust system.
(**) Hire car due to Mrs SWH binning the family Yeti, no injuries, but did write it off. That had quite a clear set of instruments actually..!

[kambites]

I quite like the simplicity of mine. Two round dials, one small LCD display and a few LEDs.

[Matt UK]

I always liked the simplicity of the e39 5 series:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=e39+dashboard+...

[Bodo]

This one is quality. The pointers are tip-to-tail, the lenses are made from mineral glass, and the rev counter makes an awesome noise, while it is pressing you into the seat.

[va1o]

I like the trend that some manufacturers are following by not printing the KM/H speed on the speedometer which makes the instruments even clearer. Its a bit unnecessary given how little its used, and easy enough to show on the screen when required.

[blearyeyedboy]

I bloody hate my Octavia's speedo, and similar offenders.

Initially it goes up in increments of 10mph, but then the same increment is used between 80 and 100mph (where limits allow, clearly). Does the speedo change accuracy as I go up the scale? Can I trust it much at 70-80mph? It messes with my OCD.

Here's a picture from AutoExpress's long-termer.

[Matt UK]

Yeah, I drove a VW with that sort of weird scaling, horrible.

[Dannbodge]

I find that most BMW instruments are clear and well laid out.

My E9x ones are lovely imo and the older ones are even better.

I had a Vw passat hire car and the instruments were terrible. I found myself looking at the little screen in the middle more than I was looking at the road.

[KM666]

The Great Wall Steed (popular chinese pickup over here) has very simple dials a lot like op's pic but with with fuel and engine temp dials on the other side of the cluster. They light up white too which makes them clear at night.

[va1o]

Matt UK said:

Yeah, I drove a VW with that sort of weird scaling, horrible.

It doesn't annoy me as much as I thought it would, tend to just use the digital speedo, but yes it is weird!

[joncon]

mg zt 260 lhd ...
very clear layout

[SWH]

E39 is a good call, as is the 911 too

GTV dials are small and pretty clear, with the Christmas tree of worry lights in the middle. One thing though, every legal speed in the country is below about ten o'clock on the speedo, not especially inconvenient, but still....!

[matchmaker]

Matt UK said:

I always liked the simplicity of the e39 5 series:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=e39+dashboard+...

Any BMW from the E3 2500 onwards had beautifully clear instruments.

Edited by matchmaker on Wednesday 4th March 19:12

[SuperPav]

To be honest after going from a HUD on my Prius, any instrument cluster is a surprising inconvenience, even if it's relatively simple..

[XFDreamer]

SWH said:

Driving a 146 loan car today*, one of my first thoughts was just how clear and pleasingly simple the instruments were:



By comparison (and I've not been out to take a photo of it yet) the instrument cluster on the new Focus we have on hire** is, well, a little busy to say the least.

Information is good of course and a clear layout can only help, but a lot of new stuff is busy to the point of distraction... Or maybe you don't agree; so, over to you PHers, let's see some good, some bad and surely some at the madder end of things as well....

(*) GTV is finally acquiring a new exhaust system.
(**) Hire car due to Mrs SWH binning the family Yeti, no injuries, but did write it off. That had quite a clear set of instruments actually..!

Whilst they are lovely clear instruments they are making my teeth itch. The photo was obviously taken whilst stationary because of the fuel and temp gauges but you appear to be doing 10 mph at 500 rpm.

[surveyor]

Always liked these...

[Puddenchucker]

For new LCD instruments, the Volvo V60 is fairly uncluttered:



And both ends of the spectrum from Citroen:

[g3org3y]

matchmaker said:

Matt UK said:

I always liked the simplicity of the e39 5 series:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=e39+dashboard+...

Any BMW from the E3 2500 onwards had beautifully clear instruments.

E30 and E36 particularly clear.



Not sure how the new FXX models are like by comparison.

[V8forweekends]

[V8forweekends]

I absolutely love Citroens (have had a few too) but the first thing that struck me about that one was that the biggest thing on the panel was a massive go-away diagram of the car with all the things that could go wrong!