Who makes the best cabin interiors?

Who makes the best cabin interiors?

Author
Discussion

W124

1,497 posts

137 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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MikeTFSI said:
Today I sat in a 640d, M135i, Abarth 500, Mercedes A45AMG, Lexus RC300h, Seat Leon FR, Ford Mustang V8, Ford Mondeo Vignale, Focus RS, AUDI TT, VW Golf R and a Civic Type R.

The Lexus disappointed a little, shame as the GS looked great. Strangely, the Golf felt very ordinary for a 40k (!) car. Probably too similar to a model costing half the price.

The Mustang looked good and the driving position was really good, but felt a tad cheap, as did the focus and the Mondeo. Actually not bad places to be considering the value offered, expect for the Vignale which just felt like a Mondeo with a bit more leather, rather than a more luxury product.

The Audi was nice. Very simplistic but high on quality. The vents are pretty cool. Both the BMWs were very nice places to sit, they were a cut above the rest which I wasn't really expecting. Would be better with more integrated screens though, but not as bad as others. Seats were really good.

I was impressed by the Leon as that looks naff in pictures and actually seemed decent enough in the metal. Not amazing, but no worse than the Golf R and this was only a mid range diesel FR.

The 500 wasn't great (neither was my old FIAT Bravo or my wife's MiTo), but is of course much cheaper and is more 'fun' orientated.

The Civic was very fussy and a bit cheap in places, but mostly ok.

The Mercedes was strange. The screen is just awful and looks like a 30quid Chinese tablet stuck to the dash. Nothing about the car seemed to appeal at all, except for the seats. Don't care how fast it is, really did not like it.

Overall today I realised that most cars cost about £32000 before options, after which everything is over £40k. The Focus RS really appeals and a Mercedes does not.
Millbrook?

MikeTFSI

4,985 posts

101 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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W124 said:
Millbrook?
Nope, brother in law is hoping to buy a new car in the next month or so and we had a look round Lincoln's finest dealerships, prodding and poking at the slushy dashes and scratchyscratchy plastics we could. Would have added a Nissan 370z to the list, but apparently not every dealer can order them? As a manufacturer they make 2 interesting cars and a lot of nasty crud, yet they nice stuff isn't front and centre to draw you in..... That job goes to the Juke and the Pulsar.

Very illuminating day, but not that much fun actually. Mercedes salesmen are awful and Lexus salesmen are very convincing. Most others know very little of what they are selling or are not bothered if they make a sale or not. Some are pleasant, some are pretty absent, but none seemed like a petrol head. Bit like Evans' Top Gear really, it's about anything other than actual cars.

mellowman

352 posts

247 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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Always admired some of the 3 and 5 Series Bimmer interiors, and being of an age where I don't mind admitting liking a 'nice bit of wood and leather', this recent F30 3 Series cabin looks a nice place to be.


mattlad

261 posts

164 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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Alfa 156. Loved the seat and the dashboard. Went to buy one and the dealer staff ignored me so I went down the road and bought a Bimmer.

Trabi601

4,865 posts

94 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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mellowman said:
Always admired some of the 3 and 5 Series Bimmer interiors, and being of an age where I don't mind admitting liking a 'nice bit of wood and leather', this recent F30 3 Series cabin looks a nice place to be.

That has to be just about the worst combination of leather and wood you can order on a 3 series!

unpc

2,831 posts

212 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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Trabi601 said:
mellowman said:
Always admired some of the 3 and 5 Series Bimmer interiors, and being of an age where I don't mind admitting liking a 'nice bit of wood and leather', this recent F30 3 Series cabin looks a nice place to be.

That has to be just about the worst combination of leather and wood you can order on a 3 series!
Fook me that is horrid.

DUMBO100

1,878 posts

183 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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I've never been a fan of a beige/brown/blue/red or grey steering wheel. They should always be black

Trabi601

4,865 posts

94 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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This is how an F30 interior should be trimmed.


Dapster

6,875 posts

179 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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allroad one said:
....taking your dead grandma up the OXO tower.
I may live to regret this, but what are you on about?

swisstoni

16,850 posts

278 months

Monday 30th May 2016
quotequote all
Dapster said:
allroad one said:
....taking your dead grandma up the OXO tower.
I may live to regret this, but what are you on about?
There's no 'may' about it. You really don't want the image.

ahenners

594 posts

125 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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Trabi601 said:
This is how an F30 interior should be trimmed.

This. Oyster and Black is an unbeatable combination.

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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ahenners said:
Trabi601 said:
This is how an F30 interior should be trimmed.

This. Oyster and Black is an unbeatable combination.
+1

I usually like an "unusual" interior option but that earlier F30 shot was really vile. Also the nice colours and wood still don't hide what is a very much built down to a price interior, F30 not even in the running for best interior in the business I'm afraid.

Trabi601

4,865 posts

94 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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ahenners said:
This. Oyster and Black is an unbeatable combination.
My F10 will be oyster / black smile

ewenm

28,506 posts

244 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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I prefer Cunard for luxury cabins... silly

knitware

1,473 posts

192 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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BMW X5, I love sitting in here, a lovely, comfortable place to be.


Pommygranite

14,229 posts

215 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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Jakarta said:
Denis O said:
A full fat Range Rover is a rather nice place to be.
Being driven to the golf course by my mates driver in the back of a Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition is a rather pleasant place to be.
Particularly amusing is when he jumps out to get some beers for the road and you adjust the seats from maximum chill to maximum heat (35c outside).
The champagne cooler in the centre armrest is pretty useless though. It may keep a bottle chilled, but it won't cool it from room temperature.


TheJimi

24,862 posts

242 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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HustleRussell said:
Or any Asian car to be honest.
Really?



Pommygranite

14,229 posts

215 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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Big Al. said:
Hard to beat this level of craftsmanship on any level



Serious question - when you're in one do you not feel the VW switchgear an annoyance?


HustleRussell

24,602 posts

159 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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TheJimi said:
HustleRussell said:
Or any Asian car to be honest.
Really?

Really.

In any case the NSX isn't exactly mainstream and that one looks heavily modified so it's a custom one-off.

ziggy328

848 posts

213 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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I quite like this....getting a bit dated on the dash but looks the part