The sunroof is well designed and easy to operate. The button is nice, you can open, close and tilt the sunroof with one touch, without looking. If the cover is closed, pressing the open button will also drag the cover open.

Personally, I don't really care if I have a sunroof or not. When the cover is open it is just an avenue for more heat and glare to enter the car. The touchscreen can suffer from glare. The only time I open the sunroof are when I am using the AC to intake outside are to blow hot air out of the car. But I could just open the windows to achieve the same effect. It is behind me, so I can't see it. And I tend to care less about car features that I can't see and add little benefit.

But if you like sunroofs, it is great.

 

That was an awesome review Simon! I also love the lane watch and have come to trust the rear view mirror for backing and parking. I really like the projected view, is that android only?

 

If you are referring to the phone mounted on the Windshield running the Torque app, yes that is Android only.

If you are referring to the GPS navigation projected onto my sun visor in the second to last picture, that is Google Glass (which is how I was able to take all these pictures while driving). Google Glass navigation works with both Android and iPhone, but on the iPhone you have to get out your phone first and open the Google Glass app, so it is not convenient. With Android+Glass, at any moment you can decide to get directions hands-free, and even eyes-free once you memorize the "ok glass, get directions..." command.

I only use the sun visor to provide a dark backdrop on bright days, that's not where the image actually appears. The Google Glass image is projected about six feet away so it appears to float out in front of the car. It is an incredible navigation experience. Off topic, but here is a video I made that shows how Glass navigation works.

 

I'm happy that you changed your mind, you won't be disappointed.

I just added two short videos, 7 seconds and 10 seconds, to my original post, that shows me changing lanes aided by the LaneWatch camera. The first video is LaneWatch at its finest, merging into busy traffic, at high speed, while others are also changing lanes around me, into a slot barely large enough for one car. The future is here!

The EX-L model adds integrated turn signal lights into the side mirrors. This is another blind spot related safety benefit, because without the lights on the mirror, a vehicle in your blind spot is too far forward to see your rear blinkers and may not realize you are changing lanes and cause a collision. The heated mirrors on the EX-L could also be considered a safety benefit because it would eliminate the risk of ice blocking your vision. So the EX-L could be considered the "mirror safety package", not just the leather package.

 

Thanks for sharing the great detailed review! Was there any issue with using the volume controls on the steering wheel? I never use the volume knob on other cars if there are steering mounted controls. There's no real reason to use steering mounted controls while turning the wheel either, so the touchscreen complaint seems niggling at best.

 

The steering wheel volume controls work fine, and that is all I use because the touch volume slider sucks big time. The problem is that if I want to silence the music, I have to click the minus button like six times or more, instead of just twisting a knob. I can't do this while turning the wheel. I also don't usually drive with my hand in the position over the audio controls so I still have to move my hand, and while I am moving my hand I would rather be moving it to a real knob. And like I mentioned the passenger has no choice but to use the touch slider.

The real reason to use steering controls while turning the wheel is because, if I am turning, I don't want to take my eyes off the road to mess with a dumb touchscreen.

 

Oh, I meant I wait until the wheel is straight when using the steering controls. Is there a mute button?

 

Sometimes when I am in a parking lot I have the wheel cranked so that the buttons are all upside down, but I am just waiting for some other car to move out of my way, and I have to choose between using upside down volume controls or a dumbass touchscreen. Both of which require me to take my eyes off the road.

Sadly there is no mute button. However, pressing the power button above the touchscreen is functionally equivalent to a mute button, and also pauses the music. The power button only affects music, it has no other effect on the touchscreen features.

 

I forgot to mention regarding the A/C that the best way to cool the car down faster is to open the windows for a period of time to vent out the hot air and make sure to have the A/C vents set for "recirculate".

 

I never had a car with sunroof and think that Sunroof is a potential weak link. It seems like it did not matter in your decision to buy EX.
Good to see you being so happy with this car. Hope I will be too!

Thanks again for an outstanding review with pictures and videos.

 

I've had several cars with sunroofs and even one with a completely transparent targa top. Living in Austin, Texas I haven't had much use for open sunroofs--there are times, but not often during the summer months. However, during the winter it's nice to open the shade and let the sunlight stream in through the roof window. It really makes the driving experience much more open. Unless my car is a *SERIOUS* track-oriented machine I would always prefer to have some sort of sunroof or targa top if not an outright convertible.

And by serious I mean 11 second 1/4 miles and hard-by 200 mph top speeds. Been there done that.

 

Thanks for your reply!
It seems like sunroof is not a future problem part of the car. For example it springs a leak during rain etc. after a few years. May be I am worrying too much about it.

 

I've owned 2 other Hondas with sunroofs, and both cars were over 10 years old (one had 325,000 miles, the other had 210,000) and neither had a single sunroof issue.

 

Pics of sunroof

 

Thank you Sheep for that.

Simon, Thank you so much for the pics. What a guy!!

 

With what and how did you project Google Glass against your visor? Interesting!

 

That's the built in Google Glass navigation app and its not actually on the visor, the map display floats about six feet away.

 

Awesome informative write up.

 

Thanks for the write up. I watched the google glass vids because I was intrigued. Unless I'm wrong, the wires coming off that thing would prove way too much for me to deal with. Yuck. Do you have stock navi in that car? Not the link app, but just navigation? I'm a fan of the stock navi and would buy an EX-L with navi as that is plenty good for me. The only thing that actually made me cringe in your review was the thought of the dogs scratching the hell out of the bottom door sill trying to get back into the car. I would have lifted them in for their sake, and for the paints sake as well. The baby? Well, the absolute cutest thing in those pictures!!

 

Google Glass is wireless, the wires you saw were only to capture video and audio of what is displayed on Glass for creating that YouTube video. Below is a picture of what I normally look like while driving.



I don't have the stock navi.

The only time the dog's nails were raking the door is when Yoshi was making failed attempts to jump in, which was only a few times. Except for Yoshi's one success, I had to lift them in every time.

Thanks about the baby.