I think once I get a chance to drive a finished production model, I’ll have at least a slightly better opinion of the Slate’s dynamics and on-road manners, but there’s nothing going to sweeten my thoughts about the Slate’s interior. As I said earlier, I think the actual design of the cabin is great, reflecting pickups of the 1960s and ’80s, and it looks even more interesting when you spend some cash for different colored panels and various accessories. It’s huge, and has real air vents. But for me the positivity ends here.
If the slate were still able to get tax credits and came in at $20,000 to start, the interior would be a little more acceptable, but at this price, it’s just too disappointing for me. The round armrests on the door cards are made of very hard plastic, as are the rest of the door cards. They feel bad immediately. If you want storage pockets in the doors, it will cost $50 for a pair, which will take you 30 minutes to 2 hours to install. Adding a center console between the seats costs $250, and its armrest is the same piece of hard plastic used on the doors, but at least you get more storage space and better cupholders. According to Slate’s estimate, it will also take up to 2 hours to install. A great feature is how the doors feel when you close them. It made a good solid impression on these prototypes, without the harsh vibrations or unpleasant noises you typically find in a cheaper car. The rectangular door handle feels good to hold and pull, both inside and out.
Yes, there’s a trio of physical knobs for the climate controls, but they look and feel boring, and the same applies to the steering wheel stalk. I like that there are two gloveboxes behind the dashboard panel, but neither opened on the truck I sat in, which was the least prototype-y of all those on display. The rim of the steering wheel was a bit plush, but I don’t think it would be very comfortable to hold during long distance drives. I get that this is supposed to be a simple truck for people who want to do real work or something, but I think those people deserve at least some amount of armrest padding, an attempt at interesting design elements, or actual texture on the interior materials.
Daniel Golson/Jalopnik
I don’t really understand the lack of crank windows and speakers – that’s where the slate really comes into virtue signaling territory for me. Initially, Slate said power windows would be available as one of its accessories, but they have been removed from the list. A spokesperson told me they may be available in the future, but apparently people love crank windows, and “it’s the first thing people use when they get in the car.”
But do people really want crank windows? Especially people who are dropping $25,000+ on a brand new car? I’m pretty sure we invented power windows six decades ago. Besides being able to say “my car has crank windows,” are there really any advantage There? This problem felt especially noticeable when I tried to roll down the passenger window, which I couldn’t do easily. Even at 5-foot-9, I had to extend my body fully into the cabin and lift my butt slightly off the seat to reach the passenger-side crank. Slate apparently saves $40 per truck by using crank windows instead of power windows, and I don’t think it’s worth it.
