I’ve noticed that many car reviewers spend a good amount of time pointing out whether or not they like the texture/feel of materials on the interior of the car. Does the average person actually care about this aspect of their car, or is it just a point of interest for some niche group of car enthusiasts? I’ve driven shitboxes and I’ve driven luxury cars, and I have never cared about or even noticed the feel or quality of the material on the dash and the steering wheel. I guess maybe the steering wheel material could make some people uncomfortable depending on what it’s made of, but come on, the dashboard? Who ever strokes their hand against their dashboard just to feel what the texture is like?
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Its the overall experience. You want to enjoy every bit of your car, that’s what makes you love with it
I’m by no means obsessed with it, but once you go beyond your basic economy cars, I do expect some nicer plastics, panels, and dash materials.
I don’t mind harder plastics on the bottom of door panels or areas that might get more abuse, that makes sense. But at the prices cars go for now, I expect decent materials that are fitted together well
Yes, people care about how it feels.
I reckon the average person cares much more about this while enthusiasts are likelier to find it in them to forgive a car with an interior having happy meal toy grade plastics if the cars dynamics are decent enough
Given the amount of crying this sub does about Dodges, enthusiasts certainly care about how an interior feels too.
hahahahaha “happy meal grade plastics” looking at you Toyota Supra
Perhaps because they have little to talk about. Nobody puts the car through its paces through varying conditions, almost nobody talks about technical aspects (unless it is about infotainment 😄), and nobody is in a position to talk about ownership aspects due to their limited time with the car. So all they have are tidbits like these, to sound thorough.
Am rather linking ‘The Car Care Nut Reviews’ YT channel, however, as there is at least some useful technical content there.
You don’t notice the quality of materials on your steering wheel? Did you leave your hand on the stove as a kid? lol
Some people do care more about that than driving dynamics. I’d say the majority do. But I agree it sounds weird to be thinking of people groping their dash, i hardly ever interact with mine at all.
I notice immediately when I’m in a car with hard plastics. They reflect more and when I need to touch them they don’t feel nice.
Yes. That’s where you can get a sense of how serious the manufacturer is about some things. Take a look at the interior of a Citroen C1 and put it against a Nissan Micro for instance. These things matter. A lot of people don’t really notice it, but do notice why some cars ‘feel’ more luxurious. I always thought of it to be kind of nagging, until I had a Lexus CT200h (with leather knee pads on the middle console) and traded it in for a Mitsubishi Outlander (with … well… seats.)
Because higher quality materials look better, feel better, have (oftentimes) higher durability. Of course you could argue that it’s not relevant. Then I ask you, is it relevant that a car can go around the Nürburgring in under 8 minutes? Why should it matter, you can get from A to B in any car (…because that’s the core utility).
To some people interior materials matter because they like it nice, to some it matters because they don’t want to overpay, to some it doesn’t matter at all.
I am not a big nerd for interiors, but I would have to puke if I’d daily a ford.
It’s one of the five core senses and if I’m going to be spending $30k+ on something i better be getting all five of them.
Just want/care about interior quality, aka something not cheaply made/put together that will hold up with adequate maintenance. Like a segment on seat material quality and typical longevity would be nice on these reviews as well.
At least they are better than refrigerators reviews/ratings on Consumer Reports… it’s hilarious as features /gimmicks / customer ease of use can bump an overall score up even if reliability is meh among other things.
Interior materials was the big reason why I didn’t buy a BMW M440i. Shitty feeling and shitty fitted vinyl seats and rattly piano gloss plastic, and things like the seat belt loop stalk made out of cheap injection molded plastic.
Just a bunch of rattle, ugly, breakable junk in a $70k+ car.
For the touch points it makes sense. Steering wheel, shifter, seats, door panels. Sure.
Dashboard and the like? GTFO. It should look nice but what texture it is is really irrelevant. Car reviewers have to nit pick things because for the most part, cars are just that good now.
I personally don’t care much about the interior, other than it’s not hideous and nothing squeaks while driving.
But, it can really change perception on a car for many other people.
For instance, a “mid-level” luxury vehicle can be made or broke, on it’s interior. If the outside looks good, but the interior feels and or looks “Cheap”, it won’t get the good reviews, and in turn poor sales.
Idk I feel like my car is my second home lol I def care about the materials, especially if I’m paying a premium price.
My Lexus doesn’t have a single piece of hard plastic in it, not even the A B or C pillars, or even all the way under the dashboard or under the console lid, seriously not a single piece. All soft touch panels.
NOW, would the majority of people notice that? Probably not, but the auto industry has made it seem that cars with materials like that are to be perceived as “fancy” and upscale (I fell for it and agree lol). The people pushing on all that stuff are reviewers and if it’s not up to spec, prepare for “middling interior quality” comments from them.
I really wish they would address orange peel in the paint. Todays cars look like shit.