[SgtWraith]

For the past 9 years my vehicles have all had "push button shifting" or "dial shifting" (Ford Explorer). In both cases, there was no need to put the vehicle in PARK when you came to a stop and you just hit the power button. Vehicle went into park on power off. More times than I want to admit so far in my Accord I have pulled into a parking spot, hit the power button, opened the driver door and wondered, "Why is the car moving?" ...because, I have forgotten to move the shift lever from "D" to "P".

The vehicle does emit a, "Hey, dumb ass, you're not in park" chime, but not for very long... Anyone else find themselves making this same mistake?

 

[johnk_11]

Just a terrible design

 

[WiiMaster]

You'll be more grateful when you need to shift it into neutral without battery power.

 

[twocentsjoe]

I think a lot of this has to do with age. I have driven stick shifts for so long that I rest my hand on the shift lever (even though there is no shifting to do other than parking and driving) and it feels very wrong to me not to have the gear shifter there (with my hand resting on it). The older the driver, the more years they may have become habituated to a gear shifter. In the coming decades, people like me will die and more vehicles will have less of a reason for a gear shifter because vehicles will keep becoming more automated and fewer drivers like me will prefer a gear shifter due to outdated habit.

 

[McSwine]

The huge turning radius/circle/whatever compounds the problem if you have to pull into a tight parking spot...you push buttons like a mofo whilst doing a 6 point turn.

 

[LARRY70GS]

My last car had a shift lever, so the Honda's shift lever presents no problem for me. I suppose if you have gotten used to push button, it might take some getting used to. That's all I have to say about that.

 

[Dudley]

My first vehicle that is not a stick shift, so the whole thing feels a bit weird, but I definitely prefer the lever to the push buttons. You don't have to look down to use the lever, much more intuitive.

 

[TheOriginalTwoTone]

I think a lot of this had to do with age. I have driven stick shifts for so long that I rest my hand on the shift lever (even though there is no shifting to do other than parking and driving) and it feels very wrong to me not to have the gear shifter there (with my hand resting on it). The older the driver, the more years they may have become habituated to a gear shifter. In the coming decades, people like me with die and more vehicles will have less of a reason for a gear shifter because vehicles will keep becoming more automated and fewer drivers like me will prefer a gear shifter due to outdated habit.

I'm looking at a Maverick for myself and it has a dial shifter. I already know I'm going to hate it. Lucky someone has already replaced the dial with a F150 shifter. I have a feeling that will be my first mod if I get one.

One of my rentals had buttons- hated it.

 

[McSwine]

I'm looking at a Maverick for myself and it has a dial shifter. I already know I'm going to hate it. Lucky someone has already replaced the dial with a F150 shifter. I have a feeling that will be my first mod if I get one.

One of my rentals had buttons- hated it.

You may be surprised. I have a '24 Maverick Lariat and I was fully prepared to hate the dial but not only do I not hate it, I actually kind of like it. It's intuitive and opens up a lot of space. Much more satisfying to use than the pushbuttons in my Accord. I'm not going to say I prefer it to a traditional shifter, but I like it enough to not spend any $$$ doing a retrofit.

 

[Splashman24]

I had the 10th gen with push buttons and got used to it. I also drove manuals exclusively for 25 years. So it took some getting used to but what I liked about was mentioned in SgtWraith's original post. You could turn off the car and it would automatically shift to park. That is a nice safety feature that although not necessary is very useful if something distracts you as you exit the vehicle. When I initially saw the lever in the 11th gen, I was very disappointed as I became used to the buttons and actually liked the look of the buttons as it made the car seem a little more upscale. But I have gotten used to the lever in the 11th gen now and don't mind it.

 

[JeffJo]

There was no need to put the vehicle in PARK when you came to a stop and you just hit the power button. Vehicle went into park on power off.

Also when you just open the driver's door. And there are several other automatic shifts if you press a wrong button:

This button shifter is one reason I've procrastinated on replacing my 2018 Accord Hybrid.

You'll be more grateful when you need to shift it into neutral without battery power.

And that happens when....?

The huge turning radius/circle/whatever compounds the problem if you have to pull into a tight parking spot...you push buttons like a mofo whilst doing a 6 point turn.

Are you saying this is good or bad? I find that this car does the quickest, easiest N-point turns imaginable. More below.

My first vehicle that is not a stick shift, so the whole thing feels a bit weird, but I definitely prefer the lever to the push buttons. You don't have to look down to use the lever, much more intuitive.

You do have to push a release button, and count clicks. You are more likely to miss that way.

But you really don't have to look if it is inconvenient. For reverse, just slide your hand down the array. When a finger falls in a hole, that's the Reverse trigger and you are already pulling it. The Drive button is just as easy to find by feel, since it is large, has a raised rim, and is always in the same place. The others you can look for, if the car doesn't choose them for you.

And the last thing is one you may be suspicious of, but it is OK. You don't need to come to a complete stop switching between Drive and Reverse. Motors work on the difference between the rotor's and stator's speeds. There is no torque converter to overwork. It is perfectly safe to switch into Drive when going -3 MPH, and the motor will "push" the speed to a positive value, instead of having to brake to a stop, change gears, and then accelerate. Just toggle the buttons.

It won't work above, I think, 5MPH. The car yells at you. But the fact that it does work below that speed means the system is designed to send the proper signal. It's no different than stomping on the gas pedal.

 

[TheOriginalTwoTone]

You may be surprised. I have a '24 Maverick Lariat and I was fully prepared to hate the dial but not only do I not hate it, I actually kind of like it. It's intuitive and opens up a lot of space. Much more satisfying to use than the pushbuttons in my Accord. I'm not going to say I prefer it to a traditional shifter, but I like it enough to not spend any $$$ doing a retrofit.

I won't, a week in a rental with a dial and I know I'll hate it. Like some others, grew up driving sticks, taught my kids to drive stick, right hand still rests on the shifter.

 

[desertres21]

And that happens when....?

When the battery dies, and you're being towed.
Or when you're working on the car, and have the battery disconnected (for safety reasons like working on/near airbag, can't just reconnect the battery before you're finished working)... and need to shift it into Neutral to perhaps move it a few feet (perhaps in/out of the garage).

I'll tell you when it doesn't happen, when everything is going dandy. But, unfortunately, life happens. And when you're already knee deep in a situation, the last thing I want is my car to refuse to shift to neutral cause its an electronic shifter.

 

[Samuelx]

Another vote here for stick/lever.

 

[McSwine]

I won't, a week in a rental with a dial and I know I'll hate it. Like some others, grew up driving sticks, taught my kids to drive stick, right hand still rests on the shifter.

Yeah, I hear you...I'm 66 and have owned over 30 cars, probably 80% of which were standards (I still have an '09 Boxster 6-speed in the driveway). I learned to drive in a '67 Beetle and both of my sons learned to drive in the exact same car. Not sure how any of this relates to the question at hand other than you need someplace to rest your hand?

 

[JeffJo]

When the battery dies, and you're being towed.

By an incompetent tow-truck driver who has no way to jump your car? Connecting the jumper cables is enough to shift into neutral.

If so, you'd better hope you didn't lock the doors. Unlocking them the normal way needs the battery as well. Maybe that's why you couldn't jump the car?

And before you come back with the obvious reply, maybe you should ask if it applies to shifting into neutral as well. Hint: It does. And you can do it when you are working on your car.

 

[desertres21]

By an incompetent tow-truck driver who has no way to jump your car? Connecting the jumper cables is enough to shift into neutral.

If so, you'd better hope you didn't lock the doors. Unlocking them the normal way needs the battery as well. Maybe that's why you couldn't jump the car?

And before you come back with the obvious reply, maybe you should ask if it applies to shifting into neutral as well. Hint: It does. And you can do it when you are working on your car.

Your car doesn't even have a physical key? And a key slot in the door to insert into and un-lock/lock the door?

Mine does. Thats another thing they should definitely not get rid of, if they have. If your battery dies, how do you get in your car? Gotta shim the door open and reach in there with a coat hanger and try it unlock it?

 

[TheOriginalTwoTone]

Yeah, I hear you...I'm 66 and have owned over 30 cars, probably 80% of which were standards (I still have an '09 Boxster 6-speed in the driveway). I learned to drive in a '67 Beetle and both of my sons learned to drive in the exact same car. Not sure how any of this relates to the question at hand other than you need someplace to rest your hand?

Habit, muscle memory etc.. Just like I think having HVAC controls on a screen one is the stupidest 'innovations' of modern vehicles.

 

[RCarlL]

When I first got my 2019 (and then my 2021 Accord), both had the push button shifters. I didn't mind them so much- mainly because the rest of the car made up for the slight inconvenience of having the push button shifter. After a few weeks, it became second nature. When I sold my 2021 Accord and went back to Toyotas, I quickly realized that an actual shift lever is something that I missed without even realizing it. Not having to look down (and away from the road) when shifting the transmission- especially in 3-point turns or when parallel parking in dense traffic is really nice.

My wife has a Passport that has a push button shifter, but it's rare that we drive each other's vehicles. The only time that I drive her Passport is when there is something wrong with it or it needs maintenance. About a week ago she got a nail in her tire and I had to take it in to have it repaired- and I found the push button shifter annoying- mainly because in her Passport (which seems to be cursed with electronic demons), it doesn't always register that you press the button for drive... so, for example, when I backed it out of our driveway, I pressed the drive button, but it didn't seem to register with the car- so when I gave it a bit of gas, the car backed up another foot. Super annoying- because the push button shifter in her car seems pointless... and unlike my Accords, the rest of the car doesn't make up for the foolish shifter design.

Add it to the list of things that I dislike about that Passport... but she loves it- and as the saying goes... happy wife, happy life...

 

[JeffJo]

Your car doesn't even have a physical key? And a key slot in the door to insert into and un-lock/lock the door?

And before you come back with the obvious reply, maybe you should ask if it applies to shifting into neutral as well. Hint: It does.

You dont take hints well. There is a physical switch to put the transmission in neutral.