Volkswagen brings back the push-button steering wheel

It seems there’s never a bad time to acknowledge mistakes.

Volkswagen Passenger Cars CEO and Volkswagen AG board member Thomas Schäfer has pledged to reverse a controversial design move in a LinkedIn post.

“We are sharpening our portfolio and our design, plus creating a new simplicity in operating our vehicles. For example, we are bringing back the push-button steering wheel!,” he said.

“That’s what customers want from VW.”

Mr Schäfer seems to be alluding to the company’s recent shift to steering wheel touch controls on higher-grade variants, which have drawn some controversy.

Fitted on vehicles such as the Golf GTI and R, Tiguan R, and Touareg among others, the touch controls comprise a black plastic piece on each wheel with spoke with sections sensitive to taps and thumb strokes.

The layout struck this writer as an acquired taste and was flagged in various reviews, and it seems our feedback was not uncommon.

Volkswagen has stuck with more conventional button controls on the steering wheels of various lower-grade models, and its Commercial division made a point of referencing the retention of hard control points in the new Amarok.

Next issue, Volkswagen? Binning the non-backlit climate touch control panel in the Golf 8 and co…