10 Cars with the Best Interiors in India

Car design is one of the biggest highlights for any carmaker as it helps set the first impression of a car. However, it is the interior which requires careful planning and execution on the design front, as this is the place where people spend all their time in a car. A great interior can be the make or break point for certain vehicles, and ultimately, a better interior will offer the passengers a better, more comfortable experience.

To make things easier, we have put together a list of 10 mass-market cars from across a broad price range which feature the best interior in their segments.

Before we dive deep into the cars, let’s define what makes a great interior. Largely, a great design is a big plus but not the only requirement. Moreover, the seats of the vehicle should be comfortable, the controls of the vehicle should be ergonomically positioned and easy to operate, while the features on offer must integrate seamlessly into the overall cabin experience.

1. Skoda Kodiaq Interior Highlights

The Skoda Kodiaq is the biggest and most premium SUV sold by the Czech car maker in India and it sets the benchmark for all its cars. The Kodiaq’s cabin uses a dual colour scheme of beige and black, and it sets the tone for a calm and sophisticated experience. The instrument cluster and the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment have been integrated well into the design. The Kodiaq manages to harmoniously make use of the best technology out there, without it becoming the centre stage of the cabin.

The seats of the Kodiaq are quite supportive and comfortable at the same time. You sink well into them, and rear-seat passengers can even make use of the nap package to stop their heads from rolling side to side when catching a nap. Skoda offers a panoramic sunroof on the Kodiaq as well, which is great for letting in ambient light. The controls for the driver are ergonomically laid out and one has to never take their eyes off the road to use any of them. Skoda has made use of premium materials inside the cabin for all the touch points.

Skoda Kodiaq Key Specifications

2. Jeep Compass Interior Highlights

The Jeep Compass has been present in the Indian market since 2017.While it is not garnering huge sales numbers, the SUV stands out for its design, comfort and performance. One of the biggest reasons for this is the excellent interior of the Jeep Compass. The cabin is designed in all-black, and it makes the cabin feel highly sporty from the inside. A darker shade also has the advantage of not looking dirty at the slightest hints of dirt getting inside the cabin.

Jeep has made the dashboard layout quite simple with a floating 10.1 inch touchscreen infotainment system. While this a tried and tested design for dashboard layouts, the use of premium quality materials uplifts the experience.The quality of buttons through the cabin is impressive. They have a certain premium heft to them in their operation and the tactile feedback from the knobs and buttons make them quite satisfying to use. The panoramic sunroof lends perfect balance to the cabin, by complimenting the sporty colours with an airy ambiance.

Jeep Compass Key Specifications

3. Tata Harrier Interior Highlights

The Tata Harrier sells in great numbers in the Indian market, and its uplifting cabin experience is one of the reasons for it. The Harrier’s cabin is almost fully done up in black giving it a sporty aesthetic. However, to keep things interesting, Tata Motors offers a body coloured accent on the dashboard, central console and doors.

The digital instrument cluster and the 12.3 inch infotainment touchscreen feature crisp and clear graphics making them look upmarket and easy to use. Harrier’s steering wheel features a piano black finish in the centre with a light Tata logo taking centre stage. It looks unique and stands out in a sea of competitors. The seats of the Harrier are big in size and hug the occupants quite well, offering a highly comfortable seating experience. The Harrier also comes with a panoramic sunroof, further uplifting the cabin experience.

Tata Harrier Key Specifications

4. Kia Seltos Interior Highlights

The Kia Seltos is one of the best-selling SUVs in its segment, because it is a well rounded SUV. The design of the interior is what helps the Seltos stand out against its rivals in the segment. The Seltos’s seats are highly comfortable for both short and long journeys. The contoured design of the seats offer great lateral support to the occupants. Furthermore, the upholstery colour is different for different trim lines, giving buyers more choice. Kia has paid special attention to the touch points inside the cabin of the Seltos. The knobs and buttons have been well designed, are easy to use and offer great feedback. The ventilated seats in the front also uplift the experience inside the cabin, especially during the hot Indian summer.

The digital instrument cluster and 10.25 inch touchscreen are well laid out with crisp graphics. Furthermore, they are ergonomically positioned to remain in the driver’s eyesight without being a distraction. The Seltos’s cabin is mostly done in dark colours. In such a case, especially at night, the panoramic sunroof does a great job of letting in natural light inside the cabin and making it feel more airy.

Kia Seltos Key Specifications

5. Hyundai Creta Interior Highlights

The Hyundai Creta is the highest selling SUV in its category. The primary reason for it is the overall user experience of the Creta, especially its interior. Hyundai offers the Creta with a huge panoramic sunroof. It adds a lot of natural light to the cabin, uplifting the overall experience. The Creta is packed to the limit with modern features. One such useful feature is the dual zone climate control, which allows the creation of separate regions of air temperature inside the cabin. The 10.25 inch touchscreen infotainment system also stands out with its touch response and UI.

The seats in the Creta are highly supportive and soft at the same time, offering a great mix of comfort on both short and long journeys. The quality of materials used in the Creta’s cabin is of a superior level to its rivals. The touch points, such as the steering wheel, transmission lever, buttons on the centre console and the armrests offer a qualitatively better experience.

Hyundai Creta Key Specifications

6. Honda Elevate Interior Highlights

The Honda Elevate is a relatively new entrant into the Indian car market, and one of its highlights is the quality of its interior. The seats of the Elevate offer ample support. They are wide and can support people of all shapes and sizes rather comfortably. Furthermore, the faux leather used on the seats looks and feels premium. Honda also offers an electric sunroof on the Elevate.

The dashboard layout is quite simple as well. There is a faux leather insert on the dashboard that gives it a highly premium look. The UI graphics for the 10.25 inch infotainment touchscreen are clear and crisp, which lends a certain level of premiumness to the whole experience of being in the Elevate’s cabin. The seats in the Elevate, especially  the driver’s seat, offer a commanding view of the outside. The quality of touch points inside the cabin feels highly upmarket and all the buttons and knows offer great tactile feedback.

Honda Elevate Key Specifications

7. Volkswagen Taigun Interior Highlights

The Volkswagen Taigun brings with it a rather German approach to its interior. It is apparent in the way that most controls inside the Taigun’s cabin are driver-centric. The Taigun GT features a red ambient light spanning the width of the dashboard, which makes the cabin feel highly sporty, especially at night. The front passengers can also enjoy the view from an electric sunroof.

The digital instrument cluster and the 10.25 inch infotainment touchscreen are both of high quality. Furthermore,  the graphics are crisp, and the screens interact well with each other, to improve the overall user experience. The tactile feedback of the buttons on the dashboard allows the driver to adjust most controls without taking their eyes off the road. The seat cushioning in the Taigun is firm, but it is supportive and comfortable, especially for long journeys. Furthermore, the bolstering on the sides is quite aggressive, and that allows passengers to stay put in their seats even when the Taigun is driven in a spirited fashion. 

Volkswagen Taigun Key Specifications

8. Honda City Interior Highlights

The Honda City’s interior is renowned for its aesthetics and functionality as it offers one of the best cabin experiences in its class. The cabin is done up mostly in beige amplifying the effect of space inside the cabin. In a sedan where the cabin space is already less than that of an SUV, this makes a lot of difference. It is further amplified by the presence of an electric sunroof.

The seats are wide and supportive and offer the right level of support for both short and long journeys. The 8 inch touchscreen is inset into the dashboard of the car and the overall finish feels quite neat. The HVAC controls on the centre console are supremely well calibrated and it's easy for the driver to use them without taking his or her eyes off the road. There are ample storage spaces, such as cup holders, around the cabin that aid in practicality.

Honda City Key Specifications

9. Skoda Kylaq Interior Highlights

The Skoda Kylaq is a recent entrant into the Indian market to rival the Hyundai Venue, Kia Seltos and Nissan Magnite. The all-new Skoda Kylaq features a rather premium-looking dashboard, with many trims and components borrowed from its elder siblings in the Skoda family. 

The cabin uses a mix of dark and light colours to achieve an optimum balance between the sense of space and sense of sportiness. An electric sunroof is also available on higher variants of the Kylaq. The 10.1 inch touchscreen and infotainment units, just like bigger Skoda SUVs, offer a crisp user experience with clear graphics. The touch points like the switches, steering, gear lever, grab handles and more in the cabin offer a similar experience as bigger Skoda SUVs. The Kylaq, though a small SUV, offers a similar experience as more premium Skoda SUVs inside the cabin.

Skoda Kylaq Key Specifications

10. Hyundai i20 Interior Highlights

In its class, the Hyundai i20 offers one of the most premium interior experiences. The i20 makes use of a fully digital instrument cluster, which feels highly premium against its rivals. Other hatchbacks like the Tata Altroz and Maruti Suzuki Baleno continue to use analogue or semi-digital clusters. Hyundai also offers an electric sunroof on the i20.

The 10.25 inch touchscreen infotainment system is large, offers great touch response and the user interface is easy to use. The dashboard features a heavily textured design and is finished in a two-tone colour scheme. The buttons for HVAC controls feel premium in their operation. The seats of the i20 are comfortable and can easily accommodate many different body types. 

Hyundai i20 Key Specifications

List of 10 Cars with the Best Interiors in India

Conclusion

Ultimately, a great interior in a car is not defined by one specific trait. Rather, it is a combination of the colour scheme, the features on offer and the overall comfort that the seats offer. The cars listed above offer a great mix of these qualities, and as we move towards a more premium price tag, these features are further amplified.