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We took a look at Audi and BMW interiors tonight. Awful! Audi seems to be obsessed with a chocolate brown look for the 2015 models...three years ago I felt they had the best looking interiors on the market, but now they're like sitting in dad's old brown shoe (there may be other options but this is what they chose to put on display). BMW just seems cheap, at least in the M3 and 4 series (they didn't have a 5 series on the floor, which is kind of incredible considering how many they sell around here). Both are WAY too busy: too many buttons, too many lines, too many pointless details. The only interior we felt was as nice or nicer than our GS F Sport was in a 750il and the seats in that car are not the equal of the seats in ours.
Also, I don't know how I could ever live with the relatively tiny LCDs in all of these cars after the cinemascope experience in the Lexus.
I own one of each right now. I like the GS interior a lot, but the 5 series is just as nice in my opinion. I like the Audi interior but I do rate it behind the other two in style.
It's pretty goofy though to make comments about the color when it's available in several other colors. Here's a couple of pics of my new A 7....
There are aspects of each that are nice. I spent quite a lot of time in all of them A6, 535 and the GS before buying the GS. The 535 felt a lot smaller than the GS which is why I stayed away from that, plus everything is an extra option. My biggest let down with the BMW though was the fact that the M Sport Package is nothing more than wheels and some body panels. There are no better seats, brakes, nothing that might actually impact performance. That took me by surprise.
I did like the audi interior a lot. It is a very nice place to be as well. Felt roomier than the 5 series and nicer overall. I test drove a few 2012's with 40ish thousand miles on them to see how they ware and they seemed to creek a bit which worried me. I also thought the GS drove and sounded a little better. But the overall reliability in the GS is what sold me the most. I think it is a toss up between the Audi and the GS for nicest interiors.
I really love the lighting in the GS interior at night. I do like the red and white lighting in the Audi though. I will have to agree with the original poster that the Audi colors several years ago were great. I had a Tuscan Brown interior in my S5 Cab and it was beautiful. (The dark brown in the pics looks nice as well.)
The only car in the segment I would really consider an equal to the GS is the CLS. Great interior and ambient lighting. A friend of mine has one and it is quite nice.
There are aspects of each that are nice. I spent quite a lot of time in all of them A6, 535 and the GS before buying the GS. The 535 felt a lot smaller than the GS which is why I stayed away from that, plus everything is an extra option. My biggest let down with the BMW though was the fact that the M Sport Package is nothing more than wheels and some body panels. There are no better seats, brakes, nothing that might actually impact performance. That took me by surprise.
I did like the audi interior a lot. It is a very nice place to be as well. Felt roomier than the 5 series and nicer overall. I test drove a few 2012's with 40ish thousand miles on them to see how they ware and they seemed to creek a bit which worried me. I also thought the GS drove and sounded a little better. But the overall reliability in the GS is what sold me the most. I think it is a toss up between the Audi and the GS for nicest interiors.
The M Sport does have different suspension tuning.
The secret to BMW interiors is you have to get the upgrades. I too found the basic 5 Series interiors plain and drab and uninspired, but when you upgrade them to Napa leather, multi-contour seating, alcantara headliners, ceramic controls, and the driver display packages, they get REALLY nice...nicer than the GS. But...those upgrades are very expensive, and most 535s on the lot don't have them, while every GS has a very nice interior, and the luxury interior is a big upgrade, they also are pretty common.
As for the brown, the chocolate brown is in right now. Everybody has it...everybody but Lexus anyways. I love it.
The secret to BMW interiors is you have to get the upgrades. I too found the basic 5 Series interiors plain and drab and uninspired, but when you upgrade them to Napa leather, multi-contour seating, alcantara headliners, ceramic controls, and the driver display packages, they get REALLY nice...nicer than the GS. But...those upgrades are very expensive, and most 535s on the lot don't have them, while every GS has a very nice interior, and the luxury interior is a big upgrade, they also are pretty common.
As for the brown, the chocolate brown is in right now. Everybody has it...everybody but Lexus anyways. I love it.
Upgrades:
Although agree with you that an upgraded interior of BMW is very nice. I have to say that BMW just lost a potential customer by making there mid level trim to base trim level very drab and dull. People who buy cars will spend most of there time inside one and it must look and feel nice otherwise they wont buy it. Lexus is great at making all there interiors luxurious even though its a base model or luxury model it still looks good so more people will beore likly to buy there cars. While people who want a nice interior in a bmw has to spend thousands more. Id pick the GS any day of the week and used the money saved and go on vacation while still enjoying my GS interior.
I agree 100%. It is improving at BMW though. I have a friend with a new X5 with the base interior and its very nice, in the brown color above. The 5 Series is nicer than it was before the refresh, but its still the old style interior vs the new style interior on the X5.
You can go on more than a vacation with the money saved with the GS over a 535 lol.
I agree 100%. It is improving at BMW though. I have a friend with a new X5 with the base interior and its very nice, in the brown color above. The 5 Series is nicer than it was before the refresh, but its still the old style interior vs the new style interior on the X5.
I love black interior but would definitely go with that brown.
11-28-14, 10:40 PM
The German competition at the SF Auto Show
