kiev, I agree with you, and it can be classed as a convenience feature. It is barely possible to make out the charge level (and the red glow showing the car is charging ) if the side windows are not heavily tinted. There's always the Remote, but I sure wish they made the Remote display % SoC instead of just three bars.
Happily, I rarely need to check the charge level with the car locked. If I didn't remember what the charge level of the car was, at home, before charging I open the door and pop open the charge port, leave the driver's door open, turn on the EVSE with the mechanical timer, plug in the car, listen for the whoosh (DCQC i-MiEVs) and check the charge level and then close the door, and then go back and adjust the mechanical timer to have charging stop at 12-13 bars. Sounds complicated, but takes just a few seconds.