I also agree about the poor quality of certain parts, the cheap feel/sound of things, as well as the lack of foresight when selecting various trims/buttons/knobs/software, etc. In my 2021 SL, without going to explanations, these are a handul of things I feel fit into the above categories...
- turn signal lever - clunky, cheap, hollow sound, hard to engage, too much effort to twist the end knob (not smooth) too much resistence when using "3 blink" feature
- center console - cover only lifts back partially, causing right elbow to contact back of lid (potentially harming the hinge) unless you contort/twist your body and arm to go beneath it a certain way. Also, my shirt sleeve has gotten caught twice on the plastic latch because if the way it opens and is accessed from the driver's seat.
- media center - too many to list...no mute, no title scroll feature, vol/tune knobs look outdated and aren't easy to spin, the chrome function buttons are hard to push and look outdated, poor interactiveness with many things, lacking menus/options to do/configure certain things.
- inconsistency with types of buttons, knobs, tactile sensations. I think the steering wheel buttons are the only ones that feel good. The others are clunky, loud, feel cheap...
- shifter knob - fine when in park. When in D, makes using the cup holders more difficult. Style is boring and not in keeping with the overall style of the car. I would've created a "flaming meteor" type of look that had a more flattened handle that was offset with a button on the left side, activated with the thumb. This would keep it away from the cup holders and that small, fairly useless compartment that sits forward of the cup holder cluster. You know? The one where if you place cellphone into it, you can't use the USB ports of cigarette ports easily, and when driving the phone constantly falls towards the cup holders and smacks against your metal travel mug?
- lack of being able to disable/stop certain things from happening, such as the sideview mirrors turning down when shifter placed in R. Lack of being able to prevent the doors from always auto-locking whenever the car exceeds 15MPH. I wouldn't mind that last feature so much if the doors unlocked automatically either reducing below 15MPH or when coming to a stop (although still dumb). I'm sick of stopping to get out of my car, and I almost break off the handle because I keep thinking the door will open. At the very least, once the car is stopped/turned off, the latch handle being pulled should unlock the door and allow it to be opened. Lots of things... I plan to do a review of my initial impressions.
- poorly fitted exterior parts - when I detailed the exterior for the first time, I was disappointed to hear so much "plastic flexing" clicks/pops from so many things. The one big aspect I disliked when first considering the 2021 MO was, way too much plastic that felt cheap and easy to break.
While I hate comparing the two model years, I feel my 2003 1st Gen MO had better quality parts and was better thought out and better laid out, and there was greater design consistency throughout. This 2021 MO seems more like whatever parts they had leftover or accidentally found in a warehouse, they fit them into this vehicle. I found out my AUX port doesn't work consistently at all...constantly cutting out more than working. It's not the device or the input jack causing it. Sharp edges on certain interior parts that could slice open your finger... Overall, I like the 2021, but there seem to be more things I dislike about it than on the '03. Things that you really don't notice during a test drive, but do once you start using the car daily without trying to pay attention to how things work or how they look. What turned me off to the Platinum version was the mocha interior and the ugly wood grain accents. I couldn't find a Plat that had graphite or black interior. Not sure if the Midnight Edition is available in Platinum. I also didn't like the pattern design of the leather upholstery. Triangles or diamonds or something. I also disliked the two-tone coloring of the stitching throughout. In fact, I dislike the stitching accents altogether.
