[rgoodwintx]

Similar comments here with Model 3. In a way it's almost incidental that it's an electric car.

When I had a Model S loaner, I was blown away how much they've simplified just from S to 3: wide open interior, reduction in the [already spartan] amount of physical controls. (I also briefly had a Kia loaner for that same visit, and I felt like a monkey trying to operate an Apollo spacecraft, unable to find the switches and dials for everything.)

Tesla, whether for cost cutting or genius, simply said "do you really need all of these manual/physical controls, or can it be A) done automatically via software, or B) put onto a single screen?", and it, in my opinion, has worked quite well. Yes the "AI" wipers took time to come around, and you hit the occasional UI bug, but it's far and away a very acceptable trade off for a magnitude more space in the cabin and (if you appreciate such things) clean, simple, lines throughout. Even the silly flip down LED visor mirrors delight people the first time they use them in my car.

AP/FSD may never get where they claim, but I've taken many-hundred mile trips with AP on (on highways), and even my drive to work is immensely better with AP in long stretches, so I consider it well worth the [AP] cost. As ridiculous as it sounds, all those micro-movements on the road do add up and take a toll on you during drives.

I actually drive fairly conservatively (turning into my "slow lane is fast enough" father), but for demos and when I do really want to pass someone, the acceleration and instant power still marvels. :)

[xfitm3]

I do enjoy physical buttons. My car has a mix of touch screen + buttons and I vastly prefer buttons. I can operate almost everything without taking my eyes off the road. Tactile feedback is great to have.

[jungturk]

Like most manufacturers, Tesla leaves the most frequent controls on/near the steering wheel as sticks, buttons & thumbwheels (volume/track/source, air-conditioning, autopilot/cruise control, blinkers/wipers/headlights, gear, and voice command).

The benefits of the touchscreen controls (nav, settings, media player) are that they suck much less than most manufacturers, and with over-the-air updates can suck even less over time.

[rconti]

Just crossed 29,000mi on our 3, and I've got a decent amount of seat time in the S (my dad has had one for a few years, I had one as a loaner the one time I took my car in for service, etc).

Driving the S never felt weird to me until I owned the 3 and went 'back' to the S. I was simply overwhelmed at how many buttons there are, everywhere, for everything. There are something like 4 or 5 stalks coming out of the steering wheel, somehow. So many buttons ON the wheel (reminds me of my old Golf; it's great when it's your only car, but when you switch cars it's impossible to remember which buttons are for cruise, which are for the stereo, which are for calls, etc). Which is pretty shocking when I remember the first experience in an S surprised me at how SIMPLE the interior was.

What I've noticed, from Tesla groups, is that virtually nobody is disappointed with autopilot. People who like it, LOVE it, and wouldn't buy the car without it. Those of us who don't think it's all that great, either don't buy it, or bought it cheap (I bought it during the 1 week it cost $2000, as a "why not"). IMO, it's too aggressive to center the steering, too late to brake (waiting until the car directly in front of you begins slowing), often closes the gap too aggressively, etc. Don't get me wrong, I am an aggressive driver, but the AP is too.. "abrupt" for me. When I'm in traffic I like to ride the wave a bit and let gaps enlarge and slowly shrink.

The car is fantastic without autopilot, and it really changes the driving/car ownership experience, and in an almost entirely positive way.

The automatic wipers used to suck; they're great now. The addition of Spotify has made me SO happy. Seat memory based on which driver's phone is on the driver's side when the car unlocks is magic, I'm glad they added it. In general, the phone-as-key is the best feature ever for a 2-driver car in particular.

Things that I wish were buttons/switches:

* Mirror controls.

* Glovebox

* Wipers, probably, though it's mostly fixed now.

And to be fair, the mirrors are only because I've swapped mirror glass 3x now (factory -> suma wide angle reproduction mirrors -> tesla OEM european mirrors) and you never get your adjustment right on the first try.. and we have to do it for 2 drivers.. clicking through the screens while driving is a tad unsafe. But then, once they're set, you pretty much forget them, so I can forgive this. Would be hard for someone borrowing the car to deal with though.