Are all new cars cheap cr.p at the moment?
We have out ID3 and it's perfectly functional but I would suggest the internal quality compaired to cars of 5-10yr ago down the toilet and round the U bend.
I was considering the scratchy plastics and thin seats etc and realised it reminded me of a Renault Clio I had in the early 2000, tbh the Clio had much superior seats.

Looking around at new cars I have seen it's all flat panels, thin shiny plastics and even thinner shinier leather etc. Even on 'premium' models. My Subaru feels like a luxury tank compared to the ID3 and Sub is hardly a byword for luxury.

White goods with wheels = much cheapness. Might as well put a 'Beko' badge on some IMO

Edited 17 November, 202517 Nov by Lee01

I must walk about with a look of either disgust or contempt most of the time now.
The quality of design right now is appalling completely bereft of any flare or actual style.

4 minutes ago, Lee01 said:

White goods with wheels = much cheapness. Might as well put a 'Beko' badge on some IMO

I could live with that but the ID3 I have with it's poverty spec 90s Proton interior is £30k.

10 minutes ago, Aspman said:

I must walk about with a look of either disgust or contempt most of the time now.
The quality of design right now is appalling completely bereft of any flare or actual style.

It's the bling and other lighting carp that annoys me most. Seriously, who needs a full LED stripe across the front and rear with LED makers logos? And the apps. The bloody APPS! And bring back big buttons/ knobs/ dials to adjust the cabin temperature.

21 minutes ago, Lee01 said:

It's the bling and other lighting carp that annoys me most. Seriously, who needs a full LED stripe across the front and rear with LED makers logos? And the apps. The bloody APPS! And bring back big buttons/ knobs/ dials to adjust the cabin temperature.

Even the ID3 has some separate buttons for climate and volume, but they are capacitive and flat so you can't use them without looking.
The steering wheel buttons are also capacitive but they do at least have some haptic feedback.
However all seems a bit likely to fail longer term. A capacitive button having approx double the failure points of a mechanical option maybe much more if it's a simple button not a dial etc.

Oh yeah and the apps as you say. You don't need to consider ongoing lowest bid or AI software development in your spring and hinge button.

Edited 17 November, 202517 Nov by Aspman

Yep,

Beginning of this year I was looking at new cars. Even Audi's with cloth manual seats with no option of electric adjustment, capacitive buttons, big touchscreen.

And yes VW's with an interior quality that would match something American from the 90's.

Ended up buying a a 2024 (Last of the Mk3's) Superb in L&K trim.

I like a nice interior and it seems that isn't a selling point anymore.

I was given a lift this morning and had no idea what the big SUV was that arrived it looked Range Rover sort of size and the intetior was lovely. It was a KGM Torres. Only a 1.5 petrol hybrid. The guy has it for a week long tesr drive. Brand new. He is not goinb to get a new one but is getting a pre owned. Much cheapness.

Edited 24 February24 Feb by Evolution13

32 minutes ago, Evolution13 said:

I was given a lift this morning and had no idea what the big SUV was that arrived it looked Range Rover sort of size and the intetior was lovely. It was a KGM Torres. Only a 1.5 petrol hybrid. The guy has it for a week long tesr drive. Brand new. He is not goinb to get a new one but is getting a pre owned. Much cheapness.

Ah - so it appears KGM is the new name for Ssangyong...