HUD provides the exact opposite of distraction. It gives the driver information on the windscreen that would otherwise only be available by looking away from the view ahead. Why is it that fighter pilots have HUDs?

…and continuing with my disagreement 😬, what the sunroof does is add more light in a dark and dingy cabin without the annoying wind noise and buffeting of a convertible. Having said that, I do not care for the sliding section of the sunroof. I would much prefer a solid glass roof like the i-Pace.

 

I have had HUD in many cars. Some overall just MPH, some the turn arrows of navigation. But in short,, while it is helpful I don't miss it. Fighter pilots have HUD because they are traveling at 500 MPH or more and 1 second off the view in front is a long distance. Not as applicable at 70 MPH. I wish myt Defender or my Disco would do at least 175 MPH. .By the way just traded my 2020 Defender 110 HSE with adaptive, urban, off road tires and got $81k with 25k miles.

 

I did say “I find them”, not “everyone finds them”…I find the visual icons distract me from things in front of me. Fighter pilots have clouds and sky and the HUD puts boxes around targets. Hardly a good analogy. And I don’t like sunroofs either. I find the overhead light through the sunroof unappealing and much prefer a convertible. Again, it is my preference. I’m not saying others can’t feel differently. I don’t like black wheel either, and think they aren’t much of a loss if they’re not available.

Dingy! My Defender cabin isn’t dingy…I actually have the oyster headlining because I found the ebony one made it dark and dingy…it is much more open and brighter with the oyster headlining.

 

I admit it, "dingy" was a bit of an exaggeration--one of many annoying traits I have unfortunately. Having said that, it seems like every time someone climbs in the back seat they comment on how "airy" light the cabin feels with the extended glass roof. I also chose the oyster headlining over ebony.

As for the HUD fighter pilot analogy, I think it is very relevant. One second looking down at your speed or next exit on the nav, or to see who's calling, etc is way more distracting than seeing the same information on the windshield. At 60mph, one second is 90ft travelled (6 car lengths). 70mph = 100' and 80mph is 120'. Obviously, you can have too much information, but HUD is configurable.

 

I think these are my preferences. Although my wife has also commented that the sunroof is not something she would ever buy again. I started with a convertible sports car, and it is magical on the right day with the roof down (even when it’s cold). Then I went to a sports car with a moonroof, and found it mostly annoying, so never opened it. We thought a sunroof would do the trick (more like a convertible), but we both find it annoying when open or even when just the visor is back. So I’d never pay for it again. I understand that back seat passengers might appreciate it though.

As for the HUD, I understand what you’re saying. With ours, when it’s on I find I pay more attention to it than I should, and less attention to the actual road ahead. With the dash I glance down occasionally, but with the hUD, I’m constantly looking at it at the expense of looking at the road. Again, my experience and obviously not everyone’s.

 

I’ve had HUD’s before and purposefully didn’t order it in my Defender, and don’t miss it at all. Maybe it’s just my eyes, but I always found it took longer for my eyes to focus on the hud display than it did to just look at the Speedo on the dash. Something about the numbers floating in air that my eyes didn’t like. Found it more distracting to try and focus on those numbers than glancing down at the dash for a split sec. It’s not like your eyes can actually focus on both the HUD and the road at the same time anyway. And they don’t work well with polarized sunglasses.

 

I had it in my previous vehicle and it was superb, but the Defender HUD is not so good - it has very few elements, and may not be needed because I find myself using the configured instrument panel more and more.

Therefore, I wouldn't worry if the HUD was not available, I'd simply use the driver instrument panel instead. And save some money.

 

What other elements are you looking for in a HUD?

 

what do you expect to see that it doesn’t already show? Movies? Weather?

 

I have HUD and would absolutely order it again.