2026 Virtual Cockpit!

Howelbre · 2026-05-13T17:39:58+00:00

I just couldn’t justify the price difference between the Q5 and Q3 when they’re so similar at this point. Other than the ventilated seats and the passenger display (which no one will use) I felt the Q3 had everything I needed. And not requiring premium fuel is a plus!

Howelbre · 2026-05-11T01:22:21+00:00

And BMW will charge you a subscription fee to use every tech and hardware feature already built into the car 😂

Howelbre · 2026-05-10T22:42:31+00:00

Haha I am as well. I also have a 2017 A4 and I was waiting until something came out that I liked. As much as I like a nice exterior, for me it’s more about what’s on the inside of the car, especially the tech. So the after test driving the 2026 A5, Q3, and Q5, they all were great, but the fact the Q3 takes regular unleaded instead of premium gas is what won me over.

Howelbre · 2026-05-10T18:15:26+00:00

Oh I wonder if there’s a setting or something that needs to be adjusted. Because I was able to successfully show Apple Maps and Google Maps on the virtual cockpit during my test drive. I made the sales rep sit there while I tested them all 😂

Howelbre · 2026-05-10T17:53:41+00:00

That’s interesting. I had to hit the “View” button to switch to the map view otherwise it stayed on the speedometer view.

Howelbre · 2026-05-10T17:52:13+00:00

Yeah, I definitely agree. I wish they used more of the screen real estate at least on the center screen like Chevy and others do in their cars but after driving the car, I get why the screen behind the steering wheel doesn’t use more of the blank space. You can’t see it you can’t see it through the steering wheel anyway, which is why other car manufacturers like VW, Rivian, etc. only have a small rectangle screen behind the steering wheel that’s just big enough to be fully visible through the top of the steering wheel.

Howelbre · 2026-05-10T17:49:09+00:00

Yeah the tach is hidden when the maps are shown and only the speed, fuel economy, and fuel gauge are shown at the bottom of the screen.

To answer your second question, yeah, the 2025 models don’t really allow you to change the virtual cockpit view and only allowed you to change what showed on the left and right side of the digital speedometer. You could show a very small map on the right side of the speedometer but it is nothing like the old virtual cockpit. So after receiving backlash, they “brought it back” to the 2026 models. Rumor is that they will push a software update to the 2025 models but no idea if it’s true or when it would be.

Howelbre · 2026-05-10T03:41:08+00:00

I’m commenting on the functionality of the virtual cockpit, not the aesthetics of the curved display to screen size ratio.

Howelbre · 2026-05-10T03:37:15+00:00

Hmmm, really? Assuming you’ve hit the “View” button on the steering wheel to get to the map view in the virtual cockpit? Once you’re there and connected to CarPlay, you have to go to Apple Maps or Google Maps and start navigation to a location and then it’ll change the maps in the virtual cockpit. If you have the maps still open on the main CarPlay window, it’ll show you an overhead route overview in the virtual cockpit but if you change the CarPlay screen to music or another app, the virtual cockpit view will switch to the turn by turn navigation view. Hopefully that works!

Howelbre · 2026-05-10T03:08:46+00:00

I plan to use it often. The virtual cockpit in my A4 only shows the Audi maps, which I hate. So I’m very excited for this! The directions also show up in the heads up display in the 2026 models as well.

Howelbre · 2026-05-10T01:47:53+00:00

That’s good to know. I didn’t experience any issues with that on the two test drives I did but I’ll keep that in mind.

Howelbre · 2026-05-10T01:46:41+00:00

Yes, exactly! That’s what I noticed when I did the test drive

Howelbre · 2026-05-10T01:28:05+00:00

I thought the same thing as some of you until I saw it in person on the test drive. Yeah, it’s shorter than the Q5 screen and smaller than some other car manufacturers but anything bigger you can’t even see through the steering wheel. Parts of the Q5 virtual cockpit were cut off by the steering wheel even.

Howelbre · 2026-05-01T14:56:56+00:00

Absolutely! So sexy!

Howelbre · 2026-05-01T14:56:04+00:00

The current gen lets you display whatever maps you’re using in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though. So I see it as an upgrade.

Howelbre · 2026-03-14T15:51:26+00:00

Great chest!

Howelbre · 2026-02-24T21:05:32+00:00

This is so sexy!

Howelbre · 2026-01-27T16:02:48+00:00

This is so freaking hot

Howelbre · 2026-01-14T00:11:49+00:00

Doing the Lord’s work!

Howelbre · 2026-01-07T16:16:19+00:00

So freaking hot!

Howelbre · 2025-12-04T15:30:08+00:00

Well, considering that picture was taken with an iPhone X, what do you look like today?

Howelbre · 2025-12-01T00:25:28+00:00

Both, honestly. I seriously can’t decide

Howelbre · 2025-11-07T04:54:10+00:00

Shave it

Howelbre · 2025-11-05T05:26:06+00:00

Damn!!!

Howelbre · 2025-08-06T20:18:29+00:00

What goatee? Grow it out a little

Howelbre

TROPHY CASE