Best and worst instrument fonts

[Noel Tidybeard]

early metro had nice dial set esp the mg

[Noel Tidybeard]

👌

[MantaGTE85]

Ford Sierra mk1 had a much neater, easier to read and less cluttered speedometer than the mk2 GL-upwards and all Sierras post-'89. I never liked the half-moon rev counters though, as the markings are too close together like higher-spec mk4 Escorts.

[MorrisItalSLX]

Old Toyotas have a pleasing minimalist look.

[af1]

I could never gel with this generation Peugeot 308 Dashboard with the rev counter that went the wrong way round. 
 

 

[wesacosa]

2 hours ago, af1 said:

I could never gel with this generation Peugeot 308 Dashboard with the rev counter that went the wrong way round. 
 

 

yet somehow super cool when on an X/19

 

[Zelandeth]

I guess this kinda fits here, under the heading of the most mad looking dash layout that actually works surprisingly well in the real world.

This looks like it shouldn't have ever made it outside the world of a prototype that was designed to turn heads at motor shows.

Honestly, from the drivers seat it actually works - and works really rather well! 

Fiat/Lancia also get a mention I think for being one of relatively few companies who did the circumferential text around the speedometer and making it look not shit.

Illumination was really nice too.

[caffeine]

Always quite liked the instruments on the earlier versions of the mk3 Lexus IS that seemed to ‘blend’ analogue and digital.











The Mk11 Honda Civic seems to attempt to do similar…

[MrGTI6]

On 16/09/2025 at 21:01, caffeine said:

Always quite liked the instruments on the earlier versions of the mk3 Lexus IS that seemed to ‘blend’ analogue and digital.
 

I was driving a Land Rover Discovery Sport this morning. Its attempt at blending analogue and digital was less subtle...

[grogee]

4 hours ago, MrGTI6 said:

I was driving a Land Rover Discovery Sport this morning. Its attempt at blending analogue and digital was less subtle...

That's horrific! 

Also, the font is one that Citroen used about ten years ago, it looked shit then as well. 

[motorpunk]

Absolutely fucking hateful Opel Corsa hire car this week. 

[caffeine]

7 hours ago, MrGTI6 said:

I was driving a Land Rover Discovery Sport this morning. Its attempt at blending analogue and digital was less subtle...

It's like the dashboard equivalent of (wait 'till you see it) ... 

[Markeh]

These on the last couple of years of P12 Primeras that hide when off.. I'm not so sure. I think I preferred the older type.

 

[caffeine]

18 hours ago, Markeh said:

These on the last couple of years of P12 Primeras that hide when off.. I'm not so sure. I think I preferred the older type.

 

 

The G20 3-Series did something similar, with ‘filtered’ analogue clocks - I think  many were initially under the impression it was fully digital, but in the right light  you can just about make out the ‘gubbins’ beneath… 

[vaughant]

14 hours ago, motorpunk said:

Absolutely fucking hateful Opel Corsa hire car this week. 

That looks like a "my first HMI" project you'd get as an apprentice 🤣🤣🤣.

Nothing really to scale, no imagination, functional but very much a "phase 1" project 🤭🤭🤭.

[Matty]

Pretty