Monday, May 27, 2019

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 Too bad the infotainment system feels three years out of date.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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