10 Best Car Interiors Under $30k

2017 Nissan Rogue Sport Nissan Stadium Hero ・ Photo by Nissan

One of the best reasons to buy a high-end car is to get a nice interior — one that is well-trimmed, built from high-quality materials, comfortable, and equipped with plenty of comfort and convenience features.

But as our years of testing cars has shown us, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a car with a classy cabin. We found 10 cars priced under $30,000 that we think have better-than-average interiors. Here they are, presented in ascending price order.

2017 Chevrolet Spark: $13,875

The Chevrolet Spark is one of the least expensive cars sold in the United States, and we certainly don't expect it to have an interior as nice as a Bentley. In fact, we expect something pretty dire, which is generally what we see in the Spark's affordably priced competitors.

That's why the little Chevy is such a wonderful surprise: Its cabin is a step above that of other deeply discounted cars, with high-quality materials (for the price) and a standard-fit display stereo. A distinctly grown-up feel is also reflected in the way the Spark drives. This is not at all what we'd expect from a car that can be had for less than $14,000.

Photo by Chevrolet

2017 Fiat 500: $15,990

The FIAT 500 shows how much car designers can do with color alone. The 500 can be had with a body-color dashboard, with the rest of the interior done up in either ebony or ivory. Choose a bright paint color and the ivory secondary controls, and the 500's cabin turns into a riot of color that looks like it's lit up with thousand-watt bulbs.

The effect is bright and cheery, and with so many vibrant colors available for the exterior, the chances of parking next to a Fiat 500 exactly like yours are exceedingly slim. After riding around in a brightly colored 500, one starts to feel sorry for people who ordered their cars with boring solid-black interiors.

Photo by FIAT

2017 Jeep Renegade: $19,090

There are about a hundred things we like about the Jeep Renegade, and one of them is the cheery nature of its interior. It's done up with nice materials and cool shapes and festooned with so-called “Easter eggs” — little surprises like the silhouette of a World War II Jeep hidden at the edge of the windshield.

This playful interior is a good indicator of the rest of the Renegade's personality: It's good fun to drive and surprisingly capable off the road, and few small suvs are so well equipped for weekend adventures. We'd also argue that the Renegade's cheerful cabin is a safety feature because everyone is a better driver when they are in a good mood!

Photo by Jeep

2017 Volkswagen Golf and GTI: $20,715 / $26,415

We have a lot of respect for the way Volkswagen does its interiors. Its designers choose the simplest, most straightforward and easiest-to-use controls and arrange them in an aesthetically pleasing manner. The look might not be as cheery as the FIAT 500 or Jeep Renegade, but it's simple, logical and mature, and the net effect is that even a Volkswagen newbie will feel thoroughly familiar with the control layout after just a few minutes behind the wheel.

Though we don't love the material quality in all Volkswagens (we're looking at you, Jetta), the Golf hatchback is one of the best examples, and its sporty GTI version doubles down with the same layout plus an available Tartan interior. Tartan!

Photo by Volkswagen

2017 Nissan Rogue Sport: $22,380

The Rogue Sport is Nissan's new entry in the subcompact SUV segment, and it comes with a couple of distinct advantages over its competitors. First, it's a little larger, which translates to good passenger and cargo room. Second, it's got a much nicer interior, because it shares most of its interior fittings (most notably the dashboard design) with the larger and pricier Nissan Rogue.

Furthermore, both the Rogue and Rogue Sport are sold (under different names) in Europe, where they are positioned as more premium vehicles. The result is a boon for Rogue Sport buyers: They get a high-priced interior in a low-priced crossover suv.

Photo by Nissan

2017 Mini Cooper: $22,450

We picked the Cooper because it's the least-expensive Mini, but the truth is that all of the brand's vehicles have excellent interiors. A low rectangular windshield perfectly frames the view outside. We also like the funky toggle-switch controls and the big round center display (formerly a speedometer in older models, now the screen for the stereo and navigation system). And the ring of LEDs around the center display screen, which can shine with decorative light patterns or work as a giant tachometer, is a particularly neat touch.

The Mini is every bit as cheery as the FIAT 500, but it uses technology rather than bright paint colors. Very cool!

Photo by MINI

2018 Chevrolet Malibu: $22,555

Time was when the Chevrolet Malibu was the ultimate anonymous blue-collar car, but we love the direction the latest one has taken, especially from the interior. Even the base model Malibu L (purchased more by rental car companies rather than individual buyers) has an upscale two-tone cabin with high-quality materials and good fit and finish. Pricier models look even nicer.

This pleasant driving atmosphere is complemented by a roomy cabin and a smooth, quiet driving experience. We know there are a lot of buyers who wouldn't even consider an American car, but we think the Malibu could well change their minds about the domestics.

Photo by Chevrolet

2018 Toyota Camry: $24,895

We think Toyota's interior design has taken rather a strange turn over the last couple of years —but we think it's finding its way again, as shown by the all-new 2018 Camry. We love the redesigned cabin with its asymmetrical center stack design, and the sporty XSE offers a nifty red-leather upholstery of the type more commonly seen in BMWs and Porsches.

And yet for all the cool-looking design, the ergonomics are flawless; all of the controls are easy to find and easy to use, which is exactly the sort of down-to-earth sensibility that brings buyers to Toyota showrooms in the first place.

Photo by Toyota

2017 Kia Sorento: $26,740

Some years ago, Kia hired Peter Schreyer, former head of design at Audi, to run its design department, and guess what? Most of its cars have interiors that bear a strong resemblance to those from Audi. We think all of the Kias have rather nice cabins, but the Sorento may be the best example. It has an upscale feel reminiscent of a luxury suv, especially if you opt for one of the higher-end models, which get a smoothly-integrated video-screen speedometer.

We still remember when Kia was known only for cut-rate cars, so the fact that the Sorento has such a beautiful cabin tickles us pink. Of course, the company still prices its cars pretty aggressively, so it's possible to get a Sorento with its Audi-like interior for well under our target price of $30,000.

Photo by Kia

2017 Dodge Challenger: $28,090

Here’s a car we never in a million years thought would end up on this list. When Dodge first introduced the Challenger, we thought it was a great muscle car, but the interior was — well, just plain ugly. But Dodge has since remedied that with a full makeover, and now we think it’s simply fantastic.

While some of the Challenger’s muscle-car competitors have gone over the top with retro styling cues, the Challenger’s dash is clean and modern, with tastefully applied trim and a great control layout. It uses Chrysler’s UConnect infotainment system, which we’ve found to be one of the more user-friendly on the market. Time was when you bought a Challenger in spite of its interior, but now we think you can buy one because of it.

Photo by Dodge