"Tim (Fractal Footwork)" (fractalfootwork)
03/28/2015 at 16:26 • Filed to: None
1
18|
"Tim (Fractal Footwork)" (fractalfootwork)
03/28/2015 at 16:26 • Filed to: None | 1
| 18 |
I've grown a need to feel special in a car, without having to put my right foot into the floor, and the interior design is the best way to communicate to the driver that he's in something extraordinary without incurring jail time. I don't really know when it started happening, probably when I bought my first car last summer.
Around July of 2014, I purchased my first car out of College, a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . The interior isn't the most magical place on earth, but it doesn't in any way ever make me feel like I'm in some plastic econobox (despite the normal use of plastic for the price range).
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
I absolutely adore the R-Spec seats in the Genesis. I'm quite a skinny fellow, so not many seats I find are both completely supportive darting between high speed sweepers and absolutely comfortable on long commutes or road trips.
However, I've found that the Genesis can easily become a point-A-to-point-B car if you let traffic take over your morning commute; I've fallen into this trap more than a few times and the interior doesn't help to make the car seem like more than a pleasant Audi diesel rental.
This dismissal of interior quality has crept into my weekly online car search explorations. There are a few cars I've been looking at for my next daily-driver, so let's just go through a few to help explain what exactly I'm on about.
Mercedes CLK Black
Clarkson's famous chariot, the CLK Black. I want to love it. The exterior looks special and subdued enough at the same time.
However, I eventually stumble across a picture of an interior and can't help but scoff at the dull/dated plastics and the wonky steering wheel. Nothing jumps out for attention, nothing about the CLK Black makes the car look like something unordinary, which it most certainly is.
The CLK Black is out.
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
The ZR1 is perhaps one of the great conundrums of the day. More power for an Enzo with prices beginning to drop into the $50,000 range.
But.
The interior is absolute hell. There, I said it. I'm sure I could tolerate it for the magic just a few inches forward, but should I? Is is worth it?
No, not for $50k and when it's kid brother is sneaking up behind.
The ZR1 is out.
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
The new Stingray has the best interior from Chevrolet in ages. Go on argue, oh that's right, you can't.
However, there is a "but" coming.
Modern TFT infotainment centers, they're all terrible. I only had the chance to play with Chevy's new iteration briefly during a Colorado test drive, but it still put me off. This is one of the reasons I bought my relatively basic R-Spec Genesis: no infotainment screen.
And no CarPlay yet?
The Corvette Stingray is in.
Lotus Evora
And that brings us to the fat Lotus. The fat Lotus I so desperately desire.
I've not had the chance to actually sit in an Evora yet, so I'm far from an authority, but just peer inside and tell me that's not the best culmination of driver-focused controls and bolstered alcantara seats you've ever seen.
It's simple without looking boxed; like it was designed for aggressive GT-to-canyon-carving driving, exactly what I'm looking for.
The Evora and Evora S are in.
Shelby GT350
And finally we come to the GT350.
I absolutely hate the 2015 Mustang's flimsy plastic interior. Yes the exterior will inhibit the double take all day long, but hop inside and you'll feel as though you're trapped inside a plastic Ikea.
Whether or not the alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and squared Recardo seats will redeem the experience is yet to bee seen; I don't have faith, but for the car's sake I sure hope so.
The GT350 is on the fence.
...And don't even get me started on the atrocities of My Ford Touch.
jkm7680
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 16:32 |
|
I totally dismiss entire cars because of the quality of the interior. Since that is where you'll be spending the majority of the time while driving.
For instance, I will probably never own a first gen Cadillac CTS-V because the interior is crap.
Also, on a side note the steering wheel on that Mercedes is pretty damn ugly.
djmt1
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 16:32 |
|
If I had to guess, you have come to the decision that anal pain is beneath you and that you deserve better.
Doge_Supreme drives a BRZ
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 16:34 |
|
I sat in an F-Type recently and found the interior to be quite underwhelming for the cost of the car. I had to put the seats as far back as they can go to fit in, and I'm only 6' and they creak against the sides every time you make the slightest movement, the rest of the interior looks average with almost all other cars on the road (standard touch screen infotainment and all that.) and the pedals are rubber not aluminum or even fake metal and look and feel like they belong in my 05 ford explorer. A car that starts around 70k should not have such a bland interior.
Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 16:36 |
|
I think many people do this. Interior is much more important to me than exterior.
bob and john
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 16:36 |
|
nothing is wrong with you. I've always dismissed cars if the interior looked like a fish price play pen.
I'm spending all of my time there, and I want to be comfy on my commute. Plus it also make me feel like the REST of the car was just half-assed for the sake of getting it done.
ranwhenparked
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 16:45 |
|
It's sounding to me more and more like maybe you need to look at a Jaguar, the British generally place a high premium on interior detailing in their luxury cars.
415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 16:51 |
|
Interiors are important to me, I feel bad sitting in a bad interior, its art? The French should be designing interiors for everyone.
AMGtech - now with more recalls!
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 16:52 |
|
Makes total sense. But the mustang over the black? I'm not a fan of the CLK interior either, but being in it it feels much better than it looks. That steering wheel is so comfortable (but yeah very ugly) and the seats so supportive. The mustang just feels like it's going to fall apart.
My citroen won't start
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 16:55 |
|
Interior quality is my number 1 concern.
SonorousSpeedJoe
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 17:12 |
|
I think it's entirely reasonable; when I have the opportunity to get a new DD, I'll be sure to prioritize interior finish (for the price) and ergonomics. While I don't have many complaints about the materials in the 2012 Focus 5-speed that I DD, the placement of the heated-seat controls in the 5-speed cars is utterly ridiculous - the dials ( dials !) are placed near the extended armrest, so I have to snake my hand around the armrest to reach them and I can't see them without leaning forward in my seat.
They've corrected that in the refreshed 2015 Focus by changing the dials to 3-stage buttons on the dash, which is nice - they even added a heated steering wheel option that I really want.
nafsucof
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 17:16 |
|
have you used sync? I works just fine isn't cluttered is fairly fast in its latest update, I feel like everyone is stuck in 2010 on that topic.
Flat Six
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 17:55 |
|
Driver ergonomics are extremely important: seats, steering wheel, pedal placement, visibility.
However I tend to forget about interior quality while I'm actually driving. You only notice that cheap headliner or ugly glove compartment when you are the passenger or shopping for cars. Once you buy the car and start driving all of that is barely noticeable in your peripheral vision. Also sometimes "cheap" materials last better than luxury materials. Leather shrinks and scratches. Brushed aluminum scratches. Soft touch plastic melts. Alcantara gets matted and dirty looking. Good quality plastic can look good for a long time.
Axial
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 18:18 |
|
I would ditch the Mustang, it's really not that good inside. Just like the fuel economy of the EcoBoost performance engines, the quality of the new Mustang's interior is smoke and mirrors. I find the exterior to also be lacking, and its overall performance is just matching yesterday's Camaro. So, unless you are getting a GT350, I do not think that it is worth it.
I think the issue you have with the Stingray is easily avoided. Almost everything has a real button to perform the desired function, and most of the things you'd have to use the TFT for are set-and-forget. I also think it has the best ergonomics of this lot, with perfectly placed rest areas for arms and all the right buttons in all the right spots. Not a fan of the electric E-brake, but there's not much avoiding that. It's not as high-end-special as the Lotus, but it also seats like nothing else in Chevrolet's line-up.
The Evora is definitely special, those seats look to be on the harder side of firm, and so longer distance commutes could really suck. I'm also not a fan of manual cars without a center console to use as a frame of reference when managing the stick. It feels like something is missing.
I have sat in the Mustang and Corvette. I love the look of the Lotus inside, but those seats...
wiffleballtony
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 19:07 |
|
My recommendation : go buy a Lazeboy recliner, a nice entertainment center and an Xbox. You'll find that the leather quality is better, real wood on the trim and really roomy. It may not move very fast but that's irrelevant.
CAcoalminer
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 19:16 |
|
Why did you include a McLaren photo but say nothing about it?
|
Tim (Fractal Footwork)
> nafsucof
03/28/2015 at 19:49 |
|
It's not just the buggy software, I really hate the design.
|
Tim (Fractal Footwork)
> CAcoalminer
03/28/2015 at 19:51 |
|
I wanted a lead image and I really like the McLaren's interior.
|
CAcoalminer
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2015 at 20:03 |
|
Oh ok.