2025 Bronco Sport Order Guide & Price List (MSRP & Invoice)

[RushMan]

Really? You can reach down to this panel and tell by feel which turns on defrost and which is recirculate? I'll concede that changing the temp on a panel like this is likely easier than using touch-screen buttons. But for other functions, the buttons on the touch screen are higher up on the panel than the HVAC controls like those in this photo, and that keeps your head and eyes up. To me, Ford's HVAC control implementation for SYNC 4 is a wash when it comes to safety.

Touch typists: They memorize a whole lot more buttons than on this simple control panel. Like a keyboard which has easily identifiable locators (raised bump on the "f" and "j" keys), the knobs are position identifiers, as is the raised lower vent button. Without dual controls, it's even easier. Left knob is fan speed, right knob is temperature - no looking required!

 

[Mark S.]

I guess touch typists don't exist in your universe. They memorize a whole lot more buttons than on this simple control panel.

I am a touch typist, and I've been driving my Badlands for three years. I have yet to become as familiar with the HVAC panel as a keyboard--I still look down to change settings. Can someone make a concerted effort to become that familiar with their HVAC panel? Sure, why not? I would argue, however, that anyone willing to spend that much time learning an HVAC panel by feel can become just as familiar with touchscreen controls, enough so that they can reduce the time needed to look at the panel to insignificance as regards safety.

 

[Dude]

… position identifers, as is the raised lower vent button

Good to know about the raised lower vent button … I thought it was just for style. I’ll try to see if I can memorize that to improve my odds of increasing the fan speed without looking way down at the HVAC controls. Currently without looking I’m less than 5% chance of hitting the fan speed increase button without looking.

Here in the desert increasing the fan speed in summer months is 2nd in importance to reducing the temperature (which is easy to do with the big rotary knob).

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