To drive I find them a vast improvement, even turning down the heater in the middle of January!
We, as enthusiasts, may like the basic interior, but buyers were buying Japanese because they are more car like to drive, so I think the new dash was the right thing to do. I can understand the leg room comment, but at 6 foot, I haven't found it a problem.
It's all well and good hankering after the simplicity of a Tdi (I think they're complicated compared with a good old 2 1/4) but they couldn't be legally sold. Blame the EU, not LR!