Well, if I only had to use the on screen interface, I think I wouldn't like it. BUT...since I use the steering wheel controls almost exclusively the absence of a knob really doesn't impact me. The steering wheel controls are fast and accurate. Not exactly comparing Apples to Apples...as I'm talking 2016 Honda Fit and the onscreen volume graph, while a little slow actually works. It's just easier to just hit the controls on the steering wheel. When I'm in a traffic jam or a drive-thru? I'll use the on-screen controls just for kicks. Never had a passenger even try to adjust the volume. You have to press to get to it, so I think most people are just intimidated or baffled. And I'm OK with that.
Passengers (or me) just touch the spots - in fact, it works sometimes if you don't quite hit it. As for changing radio stations, Mum just couldn't manage it - the small distance between the actual stations were hard enough for me to get right every time while driving. She's trained as a classical concert pianist - so quite fussy with her music too. I tried showing her how to change the tone settings - she got lost when she tried it herself. My last 3 cars had dedicated buttons for volume which were far more positive to use (and steering wheel controls too).
I think justifiably your standards and your mothers, in these regards are just higher than mine. I'm perfectly happy with the steering wheel controls, which include volume and the ability to change stations on the radio or move through music I have downloaded. As far as sound adjustment? The Honda is pretty basic, with the usual Left/Right Balance, Forward or Rear speaker balance, and Treble and Bass. Mine is totally OEM, and for my desires in a car audio system it's perfectly adequate. I think I adjusted the settings once, and I've been happy since. To me? It sounds pretty good. Actually really good to me. Given the number of posts at the Honda Fit site I also frequent that have people changing out their head units and speakers, I suspect my standards in this regard might be relatively low. Maybe I'm just lucky that age has dulled my hearing to the point that mediocre sounds as good as GREAT. Saves me money in terms of upgrading.
Mine has dulled too - upper registers particularly. When I last tried (minor adjusting of a few stray ones) tuning on a pipe organ, I realised that I couldn't consistently hear the top octave of the 2' stops. That's an octave higher than a piano's highest notes. And some Tinnitus doesn't help either. I do find that if something comes on - say the intro to a new PODCAST which might have some thump-thump "music" as an intro, I fly to the volume to reduce it. I usually set the speaker balance so that the left side is a little more accentuated - so the driver [who sits on the RH] can hear it optimally - as 95% of the time it was just me. But that meant it wasn't as good for the passenger.
My pet peeve about the radio is that the car doesn't remember that I shut it OFF. Every time I start the car, the radio is on, even if I turn it off before powering the car off. Wth
Now, that's really odd. I was certain that mine stayed OFF. So I've just gone out to my car, started it. turned the radio OFF, turned the car off. I restarted the CAR - and the Radio is still OFF. I didn't realise that South America would be different as well.
I bought the car with a failing 12 v batt, so I thought it was a result of this. after replacing the batt, the radio still doesn't remember
Maybe ask someone else in your country if theirs is the same? Does it remember a particular volume level?
Are you referring to a Gen 4 Prius (2016+)? If so, please update your profile . If you are referring to your 2008 Prius it is off-topic for the Gen 4 forum unless you are clear your car is not a Gen 4. The 2008 Prius is Gen 2 and Toyota has made many changes since then.
We do have mute capability available from the steering wheel... you just need to press and hold the mode button (the centre circle button in the volume/channel control).
OK - I'll try that. Touching it once didn't seem to do that. With PODCASTS, sometimes I'll find one which needs Volume at 39 - then when the next one starts, it blares out as I hold the "VOL DOWN" buttons on the wheel or entertainment - and it's awful slow. A knob is almost instant.
During daytime, using that method to lower the instrument lighting. I found it doesnt effect the dash ev vehicle icon display until its lowest setting. SM-N960U1 ?