These Are The 10 Best Interiors Of The Year (Apparently)

Some highly dubious entrants made it onto this year's Wards Auto list.

Every year, Wards Auto picks and pokes at pretty much every new model on the market and chooses its list of ten best interiors for us to then criticize and debate. This year I feel like they’re making it easy with the Chevrolet Equinox leading off the alphabetically ordered list. That’s unfortunate, because the rest of the list seems entirely reasonable, but we’ll get to those later. Wards Editors were of the opinion that the Equinox has a “stylish, well-built interior."

The crossover was praised “for its soft, premium materials”, and “could barely find a seam out of place” despite scouring it for fit and finish flaws. This leaves us scratching our heads, because I myself found the interior of the Equinox’s GMC Terrain twin decidedly average, if not below, observing that: “Interior quality was utilitarian at best—not because it was cloth and not leather, but because of the overall feel and fit of everything in the cabin. The clearly-not-wood plastic woodgrain trim was creepy rather than stylish, plastics were hard and coarse and some switchgear felt like it was one clumsy fumble away from snapping off.”

Okay, that’s the Terrain, so what about the Equinox itself? “While GM has upped its game for the Equinox, it’s still far from a class-leading execution. Controls are easy to use, well laid out, and material quality has increased. Still, Chevrolet’s over-reliance on chrome trim pieces, its use of a dated-looking instrument panel, and dull grey plastics certainly hold the Equinox back from being the cream of the crop.” We weren't overly impressed then. In case you think we have some kind of beef with Chevy or GM, we do not, we love many things that they do well, like pickups and Corvettes, and we’re not alone in the industry.

None other than Consumer Reports lambasted the Terrain for its “low-rent ambiance featuring lots of drab, black, hard plastic” and laid into the Equinox as well: “Even though there are some soft-touch materials and a bit of chrome scattered about, the overall feel of the interior is a bit on the cheap side, reminding us of a cut-rate rental car.” Wards Auto may have been unduly swayed by the butterscotch color scheme that we find gross, or the admittedly excellent infotainment system in top trims — the more basic system we encountered in the Terrain neither looked as slick nor worked as well — but if they think the Equinox has good fit and finish, well, we question their sense of touch and attention to detail.

Anyhow, the Equinox is not alone on the list and other vehicles that we feel are deserving are front and center. Other vehicles in the affordable mainstream bracket include the new Toyota Camry, whose funky, colorful and asymmetrical cockpit they liked. Meanwhile, the Kia Stinger and Hyundai Kona take home awards for the Korean conglomerate with good materials and feature content for their price points and easy to use infotainment systems. Representing the truck crowd is the Ram 1500, whose Limited Crew Cab trim was dressed in subtle high-tech luxury rather than an overt country theme, with a big, easy-to-use 12-inch touchscreen at the center of it all.

An unexpected spot on the list goes to Lincoln for its Navigator. Unexpected not that it doesn’t deserve to be there, but that Lincoln made such a leap from always falling short in materials quality and overall execution so many times, but finally delivers a total package, with the look and feel of American luxury finding the right places for chrome, wood, leather and large screens. Wards Auto highlights the seats and the burgundy color of their Black Label model, but I loved the astral-themed graphic in the gauge cluster marking the speed and revolution on the tach — it’s a tiny thing, but it feels special, and luxury is all about making the customer feel special.

There is no shortage of options in the luxury market, and several gorgeous interiors were left off the list, but Wards Auto definitely got it right with the Range Rover Velar, which could easily be the best of any new car. Striking modern design and well executed technology paired with sumptuous traditional materials and excellent mix of patterns and colors bring it all together. Massaging seats sure don’t hurt either. Rounding out the top 10 are the Porsche Panamera – at over $200K as tested, I should hope it’s as nice as they say – Lexus’s flagship LS500 displaying some unique textures and colors and the new Infiniti QX50 also showing off an attractive and unconventional color scheme to go along with microsuede everything.

The list isn’t perfect, and Wards Auto may be a victim of trying to be too populist, forcing the Equinox into the mix just to have another mainstream brand when other worthy options like the funky Volvo XC40 and boring but well-executed Honda Accord were on the list of nominees.

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10 Best Interiors Of 2018: $100,000 To $1 Million

Just hit the lottery? Here are the best interiors to travel in style.

Modern cars are becoming ever more luxurious and brimming with tech features, even at an affordable price. We have covered our favorite car interiors below a $50,000 price, as well as more expensive interiors in the $50,000 to $100,000 price segment. Now it is time to leave reality behind, by focusing on cars with a $100,000 to $1,000,000 price tag. These are some of the nicest car interiors in the world, so choosing a top 10 wasn't easy.

McLaren 720S

The McLaren 720S doesn't just have one of the best interiors on the market, it may simply be the best car on the market. That's because unlike other supercars, the 720S is extremely comfortable. Visibility is fantastic and the entire interior is filled with leather and metal. Getting in and out is a bit tricky, but once you are in the 720S can trick you into thinking you are driving a large luxury car, not a mid-engine supercar.

Mercedes S-Class

The Mercedes S-Class Coupe/Convertible is actually one of the least prestigious cars on this list, because it isn't built by an "exotic" car company. This doesn't prevent it from having one of the best interiors at any price. The AMG S63 and S65 models in particular have some of the best seats fitted to any production car - equipped with heating, ventilation, and multiple massage modes. Almost every surface in the S-Class is metal, leather, wood, or carbon fiber, and the coupe/convertible models feature a more stylish interior than the sedan.

Rolls-Royce Phantom

When it comes to luxury, almost nothing compares to the opulence of a Rolls-Royce. There are a number of Rolls models we could have chosen from, but we went with the tried and true Phantom. Rolls-Royce has brought the Phantom into the 21st century, with new digital displays, and more high tech entertainment in the rear seats. Classic Rolls-Royce fans need not worry, because the interior is still filled with enough wood and leather to drive eco mentalists nuts.

Bentley Continental GT

Bentley has always been a sportier, luxury counterpart to Rolls-Royce. The new Continental GT shows Bentley's signature blend of sport and luxury in a highly unique way. We particularly love the new infotainment display, which can rotate to show analogue gauges or a blank wood panel.

Lamborghini Urus

We didn't know how to feel about Lamborghini launching a new SUV model, but after sitting in the Urus, our hesitation faded away. The basic structure looks reminiscent of some new Audi models like the A6 and A8, but Lamborghini styled it in such a way that the shared layout is barely recognizable - unlike a certain SUV from a competing Italian luxury brand.

Land Rover Range Rover

Several exotic automakers have jumped into the SUV market, including Bentley, Maserati, Lamborghini, and Rolls-Royce. These automakers all make very lovely interiors, but they are all competing at a much higher price point than one of the best SUVs on the market: the Land Rover Range Rover. The Range Rover has recently been updated with a new dual screen layout from the Velar, and continues to be one of the nicest interiors on the market.

Aston Martin DBS Superleggera

Some buyers who spend six-figures on a car don't just want it to be comfortable, they want it to feel sporty as well. Aston Martin has always built some of the most unique interiors, and the British marque has knocked it out of the park with the new DBS Superleggera. The infotainment is shared with Mercedes, so it will work properly, and Aston has given the rest of the interior a unique flare with some interesting leather stitching.

Ferrari 812 Superfast

The Ferrari 812 Superfast may be a 789 horsepower monster, but it is also what is known as a Grand Tourer (or GT car). A GT is a car built to cover long stretches of highway at high speed, while keeping the driver comfortable. Ferrari has managed to keep the minimalist look found on its other models, while also offering a level of luxury expected on a GT car.

Audi R8

Since it was unveiled back in 2006, The Audi R8 was known as the every day supercar. Unlike older supercars, the R8 had plenty of headroom and a reasonable trunk up front. The latest R8 continues to be a comfortable daily driver, and has improved with a new driver focused layout - including Audi's fully configurable Virtual Cockpit display.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS

When you spend six figures on a car, you expect it to have basic features like navigation and a radio, but these features also add weight. Track focused cars like the Porsche 911 GT3 RS are not luxurious, but are pathological in their pursuit of speed. The GT3 RS doesn't have a radio, but you can have Porsche put it back in for you if you so desire. We particularly love the sport bucket seats on the Weissach Package, which can be optioned in a cool green color.

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10 Best Interiors Of 2018: $50,000 To $100,000

The luxury segment keeps getting nicer.

Last week, we brought out a list of the 10 best interiors of 2018 for less than $50,000. Our list included the Kia Stinger, Mazda 6, Honda Accord, Ram 1500, Volkswagen Golf GTI/R, Ford Mustang, Volvo S60/V60, Mercedes C-Class, Audi TT, and Lexus ES350. For the sake of fairness, we wanted to divide this list into price categories. This way the Accord wouldn't be judged the same way as a $100,000 car. Now we have chosen our 10 favorite interiors of the year in the $50,000 to $100,000 price bracket (based on starting MSRP).

2018 Range Rover Velar

SUVs are taking over the market, but surprisingly represent just three of the 10 cars on our list. Without a doubt, the Land Rover Range Rover Velar is one of the best interiors on the market today. The upmarket materials are indicative of a Range Rover, and the new dual-screen layout looks elegant and high tech.

2018 Jaguar I-Pace

We thought about including a Tesla on this list, but instead opted for a new EV on the market: the Jaguar I-Pace. The electric Jag borrows some DNA from its Range Rover Velar corporate cousin, but brings its own unique style. We love the design of the HVAC screen, and would give Jaguar the edge in interior design over Tesla. The Tesla interior is just a tad bland for the price.

2018 Lincoln Navigator

The Lincoln Navigator was an automotive afterthought just a few short years ago, maligned for being little more than a gussied up Ford Expedition. Now Lincoln is struggling to keep up with demand because the redesigned SUV is just so nice. We love the layout of the new interior, as well as the unique color schemes that Lincoln offers. The Navigator is the new benchmark in the full-size SUV category.

2018 Lexus LC500

Sports cars are dying off in favor of SUVs, which may explain why only two performance models cracked this top 10 list. The LC500 came out of left field, and shocked us with what Lexus was capable of designing. Both inside and out, the LC is one of the most unique cars on the road. The interior looks like it was plucked from a space ship in the year 2218. Too bad the infotainment system feels three years out of date.

2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia QV

There are many performance sedans for less than $100,000 that we could have chosen for this list, but only one with beautiful Italian flare. The Alfa Romeo Giulia may not have the most technically advanced interior in the segment, but we love the metal paddle shifters and carbon fiber bucket seats in Quadrifoglio version.

2018 Porsche Panamera

The remaining five cars on our list are premium four-door sedans, though one is also available as a wagon. The original Porsche Panamera was criticized for having too many buttons on the dashboard, but the second generation has replaced those with touch-sensitive controls. Touch controls can sometimes be annoying to operate, like in many Cadillac models, but Porsche has found a way to make them work well in the Panamera.

2018 Mercedes E-Class

The Mercedes E-Class is the only mid-size sedan to crack our list. While the more expensive S-Class is slightly nicer, the recently redesigned E-Class blows away the rest of its competitive set, enough to make this list. The new E-Class coupe, which has a slightly different interior, takes the Mercedes design level up a notch. We love the dual-screen layout and the string of pearl air vents on the dash. Mercedes also makes the best speaker grilles, which other automakers have been quick to copy.

2018 Kia K900

Among this impressive list, only one car comes from a non-luxury marque. The Kia K900 is a flagship sedan, which offers S-Class levels of luxury for half the price. Though the materials are slightly less impressive than the most expensive luxury cars on the market, the K900 makes up for it with an extremely impressive price tag relative to its competitors.

2018 Lexus LS500

Lexus holds the distinction of being the only automaker to have two cars on our list. The LS500 is the company's flagship sedan, and has a very different interior than its LC sibling. Unfortunately, the LS suffers from the same lackluster infotainment system as the LC, but makes up for it with one of the best looking interiors on the market.

2018 Audi A8

The Audi A8 has always been one of the most understated cars in the premium sedan segment. Now, it's one of the most technology-latent car in its segment thanks to a new interior design. The climate controls are now handled by a touch screen, as is the main infotainment system. These two screens combine with the excellent virtual cockpit display to offer an insanely customizable interior.

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