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BMW 5-Series (G30) Forum 2017+ BMW 5 Series (G30) General Discussions Thoughts on New Instrument Cluster

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      09-16-2019, 01:46 PM   #1
bimmer_335
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Thoughts on New Instrument Cluster

My car was in the shop for 1 week... i had asked the dealer for the new X5 which comes with the new instrument cluster. Everyone feels one way or another but here are my thoughts.

At first i was excited to look at something new and different. But after spending a few days with it i realized the shortcomings. Its gimmicky and fails at the most rudimentary function its supposed to perform. Every time i looked down my eyes were searching for information and i repeatedly got a headache (a useless map takes up the center of the console). Realizing that my brain is probably getting overloaded with information (X5 has a huge nav/map screen in case you need it), i turned the map in the center console off. It cleaned up a busy interface but only highlighted the poor design. If you are in sport mode (i'm 90% of the time), the needles disappear... and with a car that lack HUD, your eyes are scanning the fringes of the console. Terrible design... i'd add that both Audi and Merc have executed their designs much better than BMW. I hate it so much that this alone will keep me away a new bimmer.
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      09-16-2019, 02:29 PM   #2
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I agree about the backward dials. I probably would agree with you about the rest if I didn't have the HUD but I do and if you have the HUD, it deactivates much of what you hate.

Personally, I would not buy another DD without both a HUD and adaptive cruise control.
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      09-16-2019, 03:23 PM   #3
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Having driven the new 3 with it I can say I am not a fan. I am looking at 2018-2019 G30s in part to avoid being forced into it on a 2020.
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      09-16-2019, 06:45 PM   #4
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I too had the new X5 as a loaner recently, and personally, hated the new dash. Way too much info and as you said, constantly searching for info on it. And of course I do like a somewhat classic BMW dash, even if it's digital. Audi did the same thing but it's a bit better augmented in my opinion.
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      09-17-2019, 02:03 AM   #5
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I have just visited the Frankfurt motor show and I don't remember seeing any new car there on display that had traditional dials . LCD displays with "futuristic " displays were the norm . Even the Porsche taycan had a display that extended over to the passenger side.

I guess this is what the general public want or think they want , understandable as it has that wow factor and I suppose it probably relatively cheap for manufacturers to make these.

The 5 they had on display had I drive 7 on it.
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      09-17-2019, 02:11 AM   #6
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It seems to be a case of anything they can do to distract the driver from keeping their eyes on the road...
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      09-17-2019, 03:38 AM   #7
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Don't like it either.

When we test drove a X5, it was the first thing I noticed, and it bugged my throughout the test drive.

Not only is it counter intuitive, but the colour / hue they chose is not visible enough. I really hope they go back to a more traditional display in future. Or at least make the display variable so you can decide what you want.

Seeing that the X5 will be my wife's car, and it doesn't bother her, it's no big deal for me. For me to live with that as a daily though, I don't know.....
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      09-17-2019, 06:46 AM   #8
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I have a 2018 540 with the full digital and a 2019 X5. I fully agree with those who prefer the previous digital cluster. It looks better, is sharper and just suits the car better. The new one is confusing, unclear and just inferior in my view. The new iDrive system is a buggy mess, too, although the center screen is much better.
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      09-17-2019, 07:38 AM   #9
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I'm no fan of the LCP either. However I do commend BMW for taking chances to bring new features to their models. Sure, it's driven by rivals, but at least they're paying attention. Might take a few years but they'll have something better and then we'll all find something else to complain about.
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      09-17-2019, 07:52 AM   #10
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I had a new X5 loaner the week before I bought my G30, and I agree with all of the negative comments. I had it long enough (4 days) that I turned off the map feature, which helped tremendously. It's too much clutter and useless information and distracting.

As for you guys that always have it in sport mode, can't you change the "sport display" option so that it goes back to the default screen? I never use sport mode in the G30 since I don't have the adaptive suspension and I always leave steering in comfort mode, but I remember doing this in my F01.
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      09-17-2019, 08:37 AM   #11
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if you use HUD then not really any difference though (with HUD I rarely if ever looked at the IC)
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      09-17-2019, 08:56 AM   #12
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Aren’t there various ways to configure it? Most of the responses here are loaners and you may not have taken the time to study that.
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      09-17-2019, 10:58 AM   #13
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Certainly with id6 you can configure both eco pro and sort to have the same display as in the comfort mode.

Agree though with all of this that ergonomics are at the bottom of priorities with gimmicks taking over.

I bet if you show these displays to other people the first reaction will be a wow.

I'm not against digital dials but ergonomics need to be the top priority with only essential information presented whilst driving , a HUD really improves on that.
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      09-17-2019, 11:39 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Grabble View Post
It seems to be a case of anything they can do to distract the driver from keeping their eyes on the road...
In what way? It still has all the info the outgoing cluster had, plus more, which can be turned off. If you have a HUD you're not looking at the cluster much anyway, if you don't then you need to look down at it periodically to look at current speed, maybe speed limit. IMO it's easier to look at the cluster for nav info than at the iDrive screen.
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      09-17-2019, 11:47 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jjscsix View Post
Aren’t there various ways to configure it? Most of the responses here are loaners and you may not have taken the time to study that.
The 'data area' (whatever they call it) on the right is configurable through 7-9 different groups of stuff (entertainment, tire pressures/temps, etc). You can enable mapping/nav in the center area (and maybe swap in something else, not sure about that) and the left side is always occupied with things like ACC and LK info.

Personally I like the new info on the cluster, but everything that doesn't absolutely need to be there (in that it's shown no where else) can be turned off. I rarely look at it all that much because I have a HUD and am always looking there. My HUD has speed limit, speed, tach and the nav info (when I have a route running). I only wish the HUD showed the turn signals, where I have my wheel placed I can't see the turn signals without tilting my head down.

It's surprisingly functional and shows what you need in a concise display. I find it strange the intense dislike for the tach (which I admit is a little odd) on a car that is strictly an automatic. Sure, you can shift it manually (especially in the M5) but who the hell is staring at the tach when you are. If I'm running my engine up the RPMs hard enough to want to do a power shift of some point, I'm staring out at the road and listening to the engine (or looking at the HUD), not looking down at the cluster. I don't know anyone with a traditional manual that looks at the tach once they're comfortable with their car.
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      09-17-2019, 12:13 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mk1-fan View Post
Don't like it either.

When we test drove a X5, it was the first thing I noticed, and it bugged my throughout the test drive.

Not only is it counter intuitive, but the colour / hue they chose is not visible enough. I really hope they go back to a more traditional display in future. Or at least make the display variable so you can decide what you want.

Seeing that the X5 will be my wife's car, and it doesn't bother her, it's no big deal for me. For me to live with that as a daily though, I don't know.....
I agree... the color/hue and white noise in the back i totally dont get. If you gonna go all digital, make it high contrast at least. As long as you have HUD its a non issue but if no HUD then it can be a problem
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      09-17-2019, 12:26 PM   #17
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I will say that the HUD in my X5 is definitely better and more detailed than the 540.
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      09-17-2019, 06:05 PM   #18
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The new digital BMW clusters remind me of the 1980s...it doesn't make me want one at all.
  • 1980s Corvette C4 digital instrument cluster
  • BMW new digital clusters
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      09-18-2019, 04:34 AM   #19
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I had a new X5 for a couple of days and although I don't care for the cluster (it's not great for the reasons stated above), it made basically zero difference to me as I only look at the HUD.

The cluster could have a video of a stripper dancing naked and it wouldn't make any difference to me.

What I DID like was the HUD on the new cars has a rev gauge on it (if you want you can turn it off). That alone is worth the upgrade IMO.
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      09-18-2019, 04:24 PM   #20
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Had an 2019 X5 loaner for a minute, did not like it. I do like the improved HUD though.

I think the 2019 digital cluster with the removed rings and slightly updated font/colors is a winner!
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      09-19-2019, 08:39 AM   #21
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The thing about digital systems is that it is not that difficult to offer alternate views. I don't understand why BMW doesn't offer an alternative classic view for those of us with taste (IMHO).
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      09-19-2019, 08:46 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveinArizona View Post
The thing about digital systems is that it is not that difficult to offer alternate views. I don't understand why BMW doesn't offer an alternative classic view for those of us with taste (IMHO).


Now that's a great idea and one I would definitely do. I really do prefer the look of the traditional analog gauges...even the galvanised rings and all.
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