I have a Suzuki Grand Vitara 2010, and from left to right, the essentials buttons are (grouped by location):

- Window controls and lock/unlock

- Power mirrors adjustment (after someone else has driven the car)

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- Light stick/knob (it has auto mode)

- Steering wheel control for the head unit (vol +/-,...). It also has cruise but I don't use that

- Wiper and washers stick/knob

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- AC adjustment. It's a knob for temperature with 2 buttons inside (auto mode toggle and off)

- Fresh/recycled air switch

- AC/ventilation switch

- Ventilation speed. It's also a knob with 2 buttons, but I only remember the mode one (to switch between front/front and feet/heater/...)

- A defrost button

- ESP (ABS) disable button

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- Window/door lock/ on the passenger door.

There's nothing else. For any of those buttons I would hate to use a touch screen. With physical controls, I can rely on location, haptic, and muscle memory without using vision.