November 29, 2025 – On November 26 local time, Motor1 reported that Audi has made a significant move in response to customer feedback. The German automaker announced that it will remove the touch – sensitive sliders on the steering wheels of five new models and reintroduce physical dials for volume adjustment and menu control. The models affected are the Audi A5, Audi Q5, Audi A6, Audi A6 e – tron, and Audi Q6 e – tron, all of which are relatively new to the market.
Audi’s decision to make this change comes after a series of requests from users who long for a return to the traditional physical control methods. Michael Krüsius, a spokesperson for Audi, stated that customers have expressed a strong desire to go back to the well – known and familiar physical control design.
In recent times, Audi has placed a great emphasis on enhancing its interior quality. A few months ago, Oscar da Silva Martins, the head of product and technology communication at Audi, admitted in an interview that there had been a decline in the quality of the interiors. He also promised that the company would strive to restore its interiors to the high standards it was once known for, saying, “Audi used to perform better, and we will get back to that level.”
This issue is not unique to Audi. Many car manufacturers, under the pressure of cost – cutting, have become overly reliant on large screens, eliminated physical buttons, and used cheaper materials. As a result, a large number of functions can only be accessed through the central control screen. In contrast, Audi’s recently unveiled Concept C concept car aims to bring back the “high – quality interior” of the past. It features anodized aluminum physical control elements and Audi’s signature “clicky feel” to recreate a premium driving experience.
According to the report, Audi hopes that the simple yet high – quality interior style of the Concept C will quickly spread across the entire brand. The Concept C, a two – seater convertible electric vehicle, is scheduled to hit the market around 2027. Therefore, it is expected that other models will see major updates mainly in the late 2020s.
