Interior quality has become a key factor that separates today’s top-performing vehicles from those that lag behind. Some manufacturers prioritize soft-touch materials, premium textures, and thoughtful ergonomics to enhance comfort and visual appeal.
Others, often in a bid to cut costs, settle for hard, brittle plastics that wear out quickly and diminish the ownership experience. This comparison looks at five 2025 models that excel with high-end interiors and contrasts them with five older vehicles that struggled due to poor material choices. Whether you’re shopping for refinement or trying to avoid cheap-feeling cabins, this breakdown helps clarify what to expect.
5 Cars With Soft-Touch Surfaces
1. GMC Sierra EV: A Premium Electric Pickup
The 2025 GMC Sierra EV is more than just an electric powerhouse; it’s a luxury truck with a high-quality cabin to match its $89,900 price. It offers soft-touch materials throughout, a massive 16.8-inch touchscreen, and upscale tech features like wireless device charging and Google-based navigation.
The seats are heated, ventilated, and supportive, with ample legroom for both rows. The rear seats are also heated, and the steering wheel comes heated as standard. This EV is designed for drivers who want rugged utility without sacrificing refinement. Every part of the interior reinforces its position as a luxury-focused pickup.
2. Genesis G90: Flagship-Level Comfort and Craftsmanship
Genesis has made a serious name for itself in the luxury segment, and the 2025 G90 proves why. Priced at $89,700, it includes soft leather upholstery, finely grained trim, and ambient lighting that enhances the atmosphere. Heated and ventilated seats in both rows are standard, and the front seats offer massage functionality.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard, making connectivity seamless. Rear seat space rivals that of premium German sedans, and every surface feels deliberately refined. The G90’s interior competes with brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW while often costing far less, making it a true value-luxury model.
3. Jeep Grand Wagoneer: SUV Luxury With Serious Space
Jeep’s 2025 Grand Wagoneer blends traditional American luxury with modern tech. For $84,945, you get second-row captain’s chairs, power-reclining third-row seating, and massage-equipped front seats all wrapped in a cabin loaded with premium materials.
There’s leather throughout, wood trim accents, and soft surfaces even on seldom-touched panels. Fit and finish are excellent, and the expansive three-row layout is ideal for families or road trippers who crave space and plushness.
Jeep has taken its interior game to a new level with this model, proving that even rugged utility vehicles can embrace opulence without compromise.
4. Chrysler Pacifica: Functional and Flexible Luxury
Minivans rarely get attention for their interiors, but the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica stands out with its versatile and premium design. Starting at $42,450, it features Chrysler’s famous Stow ‘n Go rear seats, allowing the second and third rows to fold flat into the floor for a smooth, expansive cargo area.
Soft-touch materials dress the dashboard and door panels, while heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and tri-zone climate control come standard. It seats up to eight, with abundant legroom across all rows. The Pacifica shows that family-focused design doesn’t have to mean boring or basic.
5. Kia Telluride: Upscale Vibes at a Modest Price
With a starting price of $36,390, the 2025 Kia Telluride offers one of the best interiors in the midsize SUV class. Despite its affordability, it’s filled with soft-touch materials, optional suede headliners, and genuine leather upholstery on higher trims.
Dual-zone climate control comes standard, and the second-row seats can be both heated and ventilated depending on the trim. Seating for seven or eight means flexibility for families, while its quiet, refined ride makes long trips a pleasure.
The Telluride proves that luxury isn’t exclusive to high price tags; thoughtful design and premium materials make all the difference.
5 Cars With Hard, Cheap Plastics
1. Ford Focus (2012–2016): A Stylish Cabin That Didn’t Age Well
The early 2010s Ford Focus tried to offer a modern, global design, but its cabin materials missed the mark. The dashboard and console were filled with hard, brittle plastics that cracked and warped over time, especially under sun exposure. Buttons lost their labels, knobs loosened, and panels rattled frequently.
Even well-maintained models began to look and feel worn within just a few years. Some trims had slightly better finishes, but none escaped the aging issues. While the Focus offered sporty driving dynamics, the interior aged poorly, making it a disappointment for owners who expected long-term durability.
2. Dodge Caliber (2007–2012): Cheap to Buy, Costly in Comfort
Dodge’s attempt at a compact hatchback, the Caliber, suffered from an interior filled with rock-hard, glossy plastics. The cabin felt unfinished, with little cushioning or padding on key touchpoints. Climate control knobs broke easily, and center console panels were prone to cracking and misalignment.
Owners frequently complained about rattling, fading, and components detaching, especially in high-heat environments. The Caliber’s interior didn’t just feel cheap; it was also structurally weak.
Even fans of the vehicle’s styling admitted the cabin was its biggest downfall. Over time, it became a cautionary example of how not to design a car interior.
3. Chevrolet Aveo (2004–2011): Cost-Cutting Gone Too Far
The Chevy Aveo was built for budget buyers, but its interior cut corners in all the wrong places. The dashboard, door panels, and controls were made of hollow, glossy plastics that cracked, discolored, and rattled. Structural parts like gloveboxes and vents broke with minimal use, and cold weather often made these brittle plastics even more fragile.
Any attempt to upgrade or repair the interior, such as installing a new stereo, often caused additional damage. While the Aveo met basic transportation needs, its uncomfortable and short-lived interior made ownership a frustrating experience for many buyers.
4. Jeep Liberty (2002–2012): Rugged Outside, Fragile Inside
The Jeep Liberty was marketed as a trail-ready compact SUV, but its interior was a letdown. Hard, unyielding plastics were used liberally throughout the cabin, including the dashboard, center console, and door trims.
These components cracked and faded easily, especially in sunny or fluctuating climates. Center console lids frequently broke, and trim pieces around the vents flaked off. Rattles and squeaks appeared early, even during everyday driving.
Despite Jeep’s off-road legacy, the Liberty’s interior couldn’t handle wear and tear. The materials didn’t match the vehicle’s rugged persona, leaving many owners disappointed with its durability.
5. Nissan Versa (2007–2012): Roomy but Unrefined
The first-generation Nissan Versa offered surprising interior space for its price, but that space was filled with low-grade, thin plastics. Surfaces scratched easily, and parts like cupholders, visors, and gloveboxes broke prematurely. The dashboard and door panels were prone to warping, and the seat fabric tore and stained with little effort.
Climate control knobs were flimsy, and their backlighting often failed. Even simple repairs caused problems due to the fragile nature of the materials. While it worked well as a commuter car, the Versa’s cabin aged poorly, making it a textbook case of cheap interior shortcuts with long-term consequences.
Interior quality plays a critical role in both comfort and long-term vehicle satisfaction. As demonstrated above, vehicles like the Sierra EV, G90, and Telluride show how premium materials and thoughtful design can transform a drive into a luxurious experience, even at non-luxury price points.
On the flip side, cars like the Dodge Caliber, Chevy Aveo, and Jeep Liberty reveal how hard plastics and poor construction can quickly erode a vehicle’s appeal. Whether you’re buying new or used, paying attention to the materials inside is just as important as the performance specs because it’s where you spend every mile.
Also Read: Top 10 Cars That Stay Worry-Free After Warranty Ends Offering Unmatched Reliability
