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Pop Quiz: The Best Vehicle Interior Is...
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In the past week, I've driven new vehicles with the best and worst interiors in the business. The worst one? You can guess for yourself, but think lots of black plastic, nylon carpeting that would make Cher's wardrobe point and laugh, and plastic controls that snick and snap like an overachieving box of Rice Krispies.
But that car, at long last, is the huge exception. Car interiors have gotten so good, even the cheapest on the planet stand a fair chance of winning over shoppers just from the style and shape of their cabin. Think MINI's Cooper and Clubman--or even Scion's xB, with decent materials and way-cool bins for everything.
My own personal favorite is the King Ranch version of the Ford F-250. Sitting at least a foot above the useful slot at the ATM, with the diesel engine rumbling like a school bus, it would be difficult to see this as luxury transportation. This one's nothing like the Ford F100 that my father used to shuttle us around to sports and school. (For one thing, there's no blue dial telephone laying in the footwell...I still don't have an answer for that one.) Slip into it and the tailored Castaņo leather fits so perfectly with the F-Series' style, you wonder why Ford hasn't tried a similar treatment on the Explorer or even on a passenger car. (That goes along with the mystery of why Ford keeps Harley editions to its trucks, and doesn't spread it over some passenger cars.) Yes, it's expensive, as it's part of a $3640 package, but that includes adjustable pedals, big mirrors and a power sliding rear window.
There's one other car that wows me with its bargain-luxe treatment - the Saturn Aura, with its morocco-brown leather. You can't find a finish as nice as this unless you customize your Conti GT, and from what I gather, that job's roughly the price of the entire Saturn sedan.
We're interested in what you have to say. (We're not the only ones looking at interiors. Winding Road asked which interior you liked best the other day, drat them.) What's your favorite car interior? Tell us in a comment below. And while you're at it, tell us which one you like the least.
Responses (24 total)
By pupdaddy | Posted: Mar 5th 2008, 09:04:26 PM
The leather seats of the F-150 crew cab and the Taurus X look awfully inviting.
Chrysler needs to spend more time in exterior design an execution. Driver and passengers have to live with th interior a lot more than wit the exterior. The General has learned this lesson. Things would improve in a hurry if top brass and engineers had to spend just one day in these cars.
By william | Posted: Mar 3rd 2008, 06:42:51 PM
I have an 02 Audi S6 Avant and I have yet to find a better interior........Black maple dash with aluminum accents everywhere, and my favorite touch is the alcantara suede headliner.
The alcantara has now a very expensive option on the Audi's now and more ought to offer it-
By Daniel Will | Posted: Mar 3rd 2008, 01:59:37 AM
Since you sit IN a car and look and feel the interior the entire time, it's about time manufacturers were focusing on the look and feel of their interiors--and they are getting substantially better.
I recently attended the San Francisco auto show and after looking, and sitting in virtually every car, the most beautifully designed interiors were surprising: the Chevy Malibu, in its many two-tone variations, and the Cadillac CTS, with it's stitched dash.
The Malibu's double binnacle dash design takes cues from the past and makes them totally modern. Its availability in many colors and trims is incredibly impressive at a time when many dashes are available in your choice or black or black, or maybe gray. The seating materials and textures are totally first rate (Coach-like leather colors and feel) and are FAR more stylish than those on many Lux cars, including Lexus. They're look and feel good.
These new interior designs from GM are quite bold and unique (something that can't be said for Audi, Mercedes, or the increasingly unrefined BMW dashes). They're also beautifully put together. I haven't seen the new Pontiac G8 dash in person, but it, too, looks well designed.
The Malibu and CTS are, quite literally, as nice as the interior on the Maserati Quattroporte.
Of the Japanese companies, Ever since the Mazda 3, Mazda's interiors have the highest level of refinement, and classic, elegant design.
Current Jaguar interiors are beautiful, especially the latest XK and XF.
The one Mercedes that has a bold interior is the CLS, which also has a bold exterior.
Lincoln is headed the right direction with their retro-futuristic interiors that recall the classic 1960's suicide-door Continentals.
Some of the worst:
The Honda Civic's bizarre Klingon control panel made out of hard plastic, and the stitching on the seats of a new Civic I recently drove were puckered and pathetic.
Scions' interiors have gone from quirkly and fun in the first versions to the new ones having a distinct "cheap hard black plastic boom box" feeling that's unpleasant.
By ralph frank | Posted: Mar 2nd 2008, 07:05:32 PM
ford has simple dash designs on their cars but unfotunately the cheap plastic is awful.if they plan to complete with the other players maybe they should get their intrior design staff to get with the program. the koreans are a better interior designers of cheap plastic than the ford.wake up you guys, its almost too late.
By TIM | Posted: Mar 1st 2008, 03:39:33 PM
That pic of the King Ranch dash looks like it got every available accessory and trim ring rom JC Whitney
By Chester Biswick | Posted: Mar 1st 2008, 12:00:42 AM
Volvo 80, XC70 and V70. Unique and simple. Oh, and I agree on the King Ranch leather, but I can't justify buying a big truck for that reason.
By Leigh | Posted: Feb 29th 2008, 05:51:04 PM
Best: Mazda (materials, fit & finish, feel). Its all good.
Worst: Chrysler, Saturn & relative newcomer Ford. Their dash materials are now the hard plastic. Its horrible. I won't touch a Ford anymore.
By ray ray | Posted: Feb 29th 2008, 02:13:38 PM
GM is on a roll, CTS,Malibu,Enclave,Acadia,Escalade.Tahoe, all great effort.
By Craig | Posted: Feb 28th 2008, 10:23:35 PM
Audi hands down! Currently own both an Audi and a BMW; the latter's interior is showing wear while the Audi is still in show-room condition.
By Gene | Posted: Feb 28th 2008, 07:08:49 PM
It's too easy to cite the Audi's- they've been on top for years. I'll nominate the new Malibu LTZ in two-tone. More stylish than its brethern Saturn with equally as nice materials. A pleasant surprise from GM.
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