Honda Civics New Dash Layout

[Winston]

I have seen a lot of posts bashing the new MPH display on the new Honda Civic. I think it is a great layout. It is much quicker to read your speed with a nice large digital gauge like that, then try to read an analog speedometer. OTOH it is nice to have the analog tachometer. You definately have the best of both worlds with the new dash.

I think people that dont like it are just resistant to change. my

 

[yugrus]

When my Suzuki Aerio came out with digital dash, every single review mentioned how outdated it was, comparing that to older Big 3 vehicles.
When Civic got that, almost every review praised this as a huge innovation.
I like digital speedo very much, that was a huge selling point for me. I agree, it is faster and more convenient to read.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Personally, I find the quickly changing speed digits annoying and more difficult to read. Also, what a digital readout doesn't capture is the rate of change, ie. how quickly the speed is changing - something that's easily noted on an analog gauge where you can see how quickly the needle is travelling.

But yeah, I'm old-fashioned.

There's also a way to display the current speed on the trip comp in my car, but I haven't figured it out yet.

 

[brianl703]

You won't have the speedometer and tachometer in line in a certain gear (often 4th) if one is analog and one is digital.

At least for the cars where they pay enough attention to details to make this happen.

 

[williar]

Digital speedos came out about a quarter of a century ago and were, obviously and for good reason, unpopular. Honda: moving backward.

 

[Winston]

Quote:

---

Personally, I find the quickly changing speed digits annoying and more difficult to read. Also, what a digital readout doesn't capture is the rate of change, ie. how quickly the speed is changing - something that's easily noted on an analog gauge where you can see how quickly the needle is travelling.

But yeah, I'm old-fashioned.

There's also a way to display the current speed on the trip comp in my car, but I haven't figured it out yet.

---

Rate of change for a tachometer is usefull to help predict shift points. Also you tend to look at a tach when it is moving, thus analog is easier to read.

Of what use is "rate of change" for a speedometer?

 

[Win]

[quote
Of what use is "rate of change" for a speedometer?

---

It's probably not of much use in a Honda.

 

[Matt89]

I have the 2006. Frankly I spend most of my time looking out the windshield so I hardly notice the speedometer.

One downside of having bright 2-inch digits blasting in your face is that the police officer will laugh at you when you tell them you didn't realize you were speeding.

 

[Tosh]

I think the Civic has a BIG case of Prius envy.

 

[Cogito]

I prefer analog. I don't think I would like a constantly changing number at night. Also, it's not going to be affected by a display problem or electrical glitch.

 

[Matt89]

Quote:

---

I prefer analog. I don't think I would like a constantly changing number at night. Also, it's not going to be affected by a display problem or electrical glitch.

---

Hmm...I'd be interested to see data on which is more reliable (digital vs. analog).

As for the ocnstantly changing number, I use cruise control a lot

 

[2Fast4U]

What would be truly sweet.... they have an lcd or plasma screen and you pick your display or arrange your own display, pick all the colors, sizes, skins, etc.

 

[troberts]

Matt, decades ago Mercedes-Benz did research on our ability to process speed information presented in digital or analog displays. Short version, you don't have to think about what the digits mean when looking at a pointer on a dial. Once you're used to a particular analog display, your brain registers the speed much faster than with digital. In other words, it doesn't have to translate the symbols into a meaningful piece of information. Of course, that was thirty years ago.

 

[JHZR2]

leave it to daimler to have done the research that matters years ago. They really were great in their time, engineering wise.

I find digital readouts very annoying... I recall the one in the old s-blazer... too much light and too much flash. When driving, you want the minimal light output from the gauges below your eyes... digits have too much surface area of illumination, even when 'dimmed'.

Now, a color-coordinated LCD screen, that was made dim by color choice and output, placed in the right spot would be neat, but id still rather an analog 'digitized' gauge, like the xclock on old solaris computers...

JMH

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

Honda has the cleanest white-on-black instrument pod in the market, and they choose to use a digital speedo on this model. It doesn't make any sense.

I believe we'll see a return to full analog gauges for the 2009 model year.

 

[keith]

My car ('99 Cadillac STS) has both analog and digital speed display. I find myself more often using the digital display, so that's my survey input - one vote for digital.

 

[ajrich]

I have a new civic and I really love the digital readout. Especially where it is placed on the dash.

 

[Winston]

Quote:

---

I believe we'll see a return to full analog gauges for the 2009 model year.

---

Here is what I predict. In the future the display will be HUD on the windsheild. It will have an analog type tachometer with a digital speedo in the center. The tack will dim once you reach a fairly steady speed.

 

[dwendt44]

I have the HUD in my Grand Prix. Third one and I would miss it terribly if Pontiac would stop offering it.
The analog speed is nice too, though.
OTOH, I had a late 80's Olds with a digital dash. It was OK 'til the display started blinking off now and then. A good wack on the top of the dash would often bring it back.
Ended up replacing the display head, and then got rid of the car.