[TXcarguy]

Meaning my elbow was resting on the arm rest and I had to twist my wrist and move my hand down to play with the controls.

Were you aware that you can adjust the height of the armrest as well as the forward/backward position of it? If this was your first time in the car, my guess is that you didn't get sufficient time to find your ideal position for the armrest. I would think that would make a significant difference when using the MMI controller. Just my two cents' worth.