It shouldn’t come as a surprise—Mercedes has been doing this for years, and people got used to it
The 2026 Audi Q3 has finally landed, bringing with it a series of updates. But if you’ve been following closely, you probably already know what’s generating the most chatter — and it’s literally right behind the steering wheel.
Audi has reworked its stalk design. The right stalk now takes over gear selection duties — toggling between park, drive, reverse, and neutral. That change shifts even more responsibilities to the left stalk, which now controls turn signals, headlights, wipers, and more.
It’s a bold move, but not without its critics.
Some argue it’s a classic case of overengineering. The concern? That drivers might accidentally turn off the headlights when trying to signal, or activate the wipers when reaching for the fog lights. What was meant to streamline could actually add confusion — and even pose safety risks.
And it’s not the first time we’ve seen something like this. Tesla drew similar backlash when it ditched stalks entirely in favor of steering wheel buttons and touchscreen controls. That move wasn’t exactly popular with early Model 3 Highland drivers.
Audi’s take is different, but not necessarily more user-friendly. The left stalk alone is packed with functions: turn signals, high beams, wiper controls, a scroll wheel for speed, and even a button for the rear wiper and washer. It’s a lot to handle — literally.
Still, maybe we shouldn’t be shocked. Mercedes has been using a similar setup for years, and plenty of drivers have adjusted just fine. General Motors and Ford have also employed multifunction stalks in the past.
Interestingly, the redesign is earning praise in some corners. On Reddit, several users defended the new layout. “It’s actually a good design,” one said. Another added, “This is better than the latest VW design.” That’s notable because this setup borrows from Volkswagen, which has been mounting gear selectors on the stalk for some time.
VW’s own design blunders — like its poorly received haptic steering wheel buttons — were eventually reversed. Audi’s approach, while inspired by VW, might fare better. But the real verdict will come once drivers start living with it.
So, is it brilliant or just a headache in the making? For now, Audi’s new stalk design is splitting opinions — but it’s certainly got people talking.
