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Interior design that catches the eye
© RimacA new study by Auto Trader has revealed which new cars have a dashboard that attracts attention. A survey of 2,000 people discovered the interior designs that drivers rate the highest.
However, Auto Trader’s research was not about simple subjectivity. Instead, eye-tracking software was used to capture how long it took participants in the study to lock onto a particular part of a car’s interior design, then how long they stared at it for.
These two measures were then used to create a top 20 eye-catching car dashboards. Read on to see which interiors made the hot list.
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20. Honda Civic
© HondaIn 20th position on Auto Trader’s list is the latest Honda Civic. Participants took 2.37 seconds to find a piece of the Civic’s dashboard design they liked, and spent an average of 2.0 seconds staring at it.
It is easy to see why the 11th-generation Honda Civic would be likely to attract attention from those involved in the study.
Premium materials lift its ambience above other family hatchbacks, and the metal air vent strip running across the width of the dashboard is a neat feature. Oh, and it also has traditional dials to operate the climate control – a definite plus in our books.
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19. Mercedes-Benz EQS
© Mercedes-BenzIn contrast to the Honda Civic, the interior of the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQS is a riot of touchscreen interaction.
In fact, should you pick the Hyperscreen option, the entire dashboard is covered in glass with three separate displays contained underneath. These include a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, central 17.7-inch touchscreen and a bonus 12.3-inch display for the front passenger.
All of this meant it took Auto Trader’s study participants an average of just 1.39 seconds to find something to look at in the EQS, and they then spent 3.07 seconds staring at it.
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18. Ferrari Monza SP
© FerrariInspired by classic models from Ferrari’s extensive back catalogue, the interior of the Monza looks decidedly retro.
Instead of bulky touchscreens, there are simple, tactile buttons, plus a traditional rev counter.
In reality, the open-air styling of the Monza will always be its biggest draw – not forgetting the small matter of an 810hp V12 engine. Without a windscreen, a helmet is required to experience the Ferrari’s 186mph top speed.
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17. Peugeot 208
© PeugeotIt’s decidedly more humble than the Ferrari Monza SP, yet those involved in the Auto Trader study found the interior of the Peugeot 208 to be even more visually arresting.
The i-Cockpit layout has certainly proven divisive, with the raised instrument dials requiring most drivers to peer over the steering wheel to see them. There are plenty of neat touches, though, and the overall design is quite radical for a supermini.
Those in the study required less than 3.0 seconds to find something to look at on the Peugeot 208’s dashboard, and it then held their attention for an average of 1.65 seconds.
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16. Mercedes-Benz E-Class
© Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz certainly has form when it comes to the design of its latest dashboards, so it should be no surprise that the new E-Class proved a hit with those in the study.
Like the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQS, the latest E-Class offers the striking Hyperscreen option, adding a 12.3-inch display for the passenger. This allows videos to be watched, but the driver is shielded from being able to see them.
Featured applications include access to TikTok, the Angry Birds game and even conferencing software such as Zoom. Oh, and there is an integrated selfie camera for good measure.
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15. Bentley Bentayga
© BentleyEven by luxury SUV standards, the Bentley Bentayga is self-indulgent opulence on wheels, with powerful engines and commanding styling. This is matched by an interior that combines some familiar Volkswagen Group technology with upmarket details.
There are endless options for upholstery and trim inside the Bentayga, with diamond-stitched leather, carbon fibre and engine-turned aluminium being particular highlights.
Auto Trader’s study participants needed only 1.62 seconds for something to catch their eye in the Bentayga, and they spent 3.05 seconds looking at it.
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14. Volkswagen Golf GTI
© VWFrom another corner of the Volkswagen Group comes the Golf GTI. Although an icon of the hot hatchback world, the latest generation of Volkswagen’s legendary GTI has proven a little controversial on the inside.
In its search for minimalism, Volkswagen opted to dispense with as many buttons as possible on the dashboard of the Mk8 Golf. This extends to the GTI, with touch-sensitive sliders and a touchscreen required for almost every function.
The GTI does benefit from tartan seat fabric and a sporty steering wheel. However, Auto Trader’s study participants were probably detained by trying to work out how to use its infotainment system.
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13. Bugatti Chiron Super Sport
© BugattiThe interior of the Bugatti Chiron is an alternative take on minimalism, making the car’s gigantic performance the star of the show. Frankly, with a top speed of more than 270mph, drivers of the Chiron Super Sport do not have time to be distracted.
This explains the absence of large touchscreens inside the hypercar. Instead, the instrument panel has a traditional speedometer flanked by a pair of digital displays. As its speed increases, the Chiron narrows down the information on show, helping drivers to focus on the big speed.
It took participants just 0.96 seconds to find something to catch their eye inside the Chiron Super Sport. Somewhat fittingly, that was the fastest time of any car in the study.
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12. McLaren Speedtail
© McLarenLooking more like the cockpit of a futuristic spaceship, that the McLaren Speedtail has an eye-catching interior comes as no surprise.
As with the Bugatti Chiron, the driving experience of the Speedtail is far more important than any touchscreens or trim.
With a central driver’s seat flanked by two passenger seats, the Speedtail’s dashboard uses three digital displays. Its windscreen even features electrochromic glass, removing the need for traditional sun visors.
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11. Kia EV6
© KiaElectric cars feature heavily in Auto Trader’s top 20 cars with attractive dashboards, accounting for more than half of those on the list. This is perhaps a symptom of the increase in the number of EVs on sale, but also the futuristic interior designs that many use.
The Kia EV6 is a perfect example, representing a relatively affordable electric SUV that also places a major focus on cool design.
It comes with a pair of 12.3-inch screens, packed with information and options for controlling all the on-board tech. This makes for a slightly overwhelming experience at first, but one that becomes easier with familiarity.
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10. Pininfarina Battista
© PininfarinaThe Pininfarina Battista has a lot going for it, with an incredible 1,900hp from its electric powertrain. This means it can accelerate from 0-62mph in less than two seconds and reach a top speed of of 222mph.
All that performance doesn’t come cheap, though. Battista prices start at more than £2 million…
By comparison, the interior is a relatively simple affair, with a trio of digital displays angled at the driver. One takes care of driving modes and another handles the climate control, while the central screen shows the all-important vehicle speed. It’s enough to see the Battista claim 10th place on Auto Trader’s list.
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9. Porsche Cayenne
© PorschePorsche gave the third-generation Cayenne a substantial makeover in 2023, with its interior coming in for plenty of attention. As is the trend, the prescription demanded more screens inside.
It means the wide dashboard is dominated by a 12.6-inch digital instrument panel, a central 12.3-inch touchscreen and the option of a 10.3-inch screen for the front-seat passenger.
The rest of the dashboard looks a little plain, but it took only 2.52 seconds for study participants to find something to look at. They then spent another 2.52 seconds staring at it.
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8. Range Rover Sport
© JLRNow into its third generation, the Range Rover Sport continues to be the benchmark performance SUV.
Inside, the latest Range Rover Sport can be customised to your heart’s content, with endless bespoke options. The Jaguar Land Rover Pivi Pro infotainment system is relatively easy to use, and there are still physical dials for the climate control. Albeit ones with digital graphics embedded into them.
All the materials used inside the Range Rover Sport are suitably luxurious, and the design is interesting enough to understand why it would capture people’s attention.
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7. Mercedes-Benz S-Class
© Mercedes-BenzThe S-Class has always been used by Mercedes-Benz as its technical tour de force, typically pioneering new concepts and ideas that filter down to the rest of the model range.
This is true of the latest, seventh-generation S-Class, which includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, along with a 12.8-inch central touchscreen. The latter appears to float above the dashboard, with a full-width piece of luxurious wood trim beneath.
Augmented reality can be used for satellite navigation, and the instrument panel can be configured to give a 3D effect. The S-Class continues to deliver on technology and luxury in equal measure.
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6. Tesla Cybertruck
© TeslaThe Tesla Cybertruck is one of the most divisive vehicles of recent years, and the interior design does nothing to change that.
Tesla has taken minimalism to the extreme, with the Cybertruck’s dashboard being simply a central 18.5-inch touchscreen and a steering wheel. The rest is just a huge slab of metal, without any hint of superfluous trim.
Perhaps understandably, this approach is likely to capture attention, and be pleasing to those who prefer the ‘less is more’ school of design.
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5. Porsche Taycan
© PorscheIf you liked the interior of the Porsche Cayenne SUV, but wished it had even more screens, the electric Taycan could be for you.
As with the Cayenne, there is a digital instrument panel, central touchscreen and the option of a bonus display for the front-seat passenger. But the climate control settings are also operated by a touchscreen, located lower down the centre console.
Everything else is classic Porsche, with a dashboard design that pays subtle tribute to early 911s.
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4. Polestar 2
© PolestarSuch is the pace of development in the electric car world, the Polestar 2 already feels like it has been around for a long time. Yet the Swedish marque only launched the 2 in 2020.
It ticks all the futuristic boxes, with a central, iPad-style touchscreen to operate almost every function. The screen being in a ‘portrait’ layout makes the Polestar’s dashboard a little more interesting.
All this propels it to fourth place in the Auto Trader study, with participants requiring 2.53 seconds to fixate on something, then staring for 2.76 seconds.
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3. BMW i5 eDrive 40
© BMWThe BMW 5 Series is an executive saloon institution. However, the i5 is the first time it has gone fully electric. For the dashboard, this means a continuation of BMW’s Curved Display setup, first used in the iX electric SUV. It’s enough to claim third place here.
The Curved Display seamlessly combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument screen with a 14.9-inch main screen, as part of one sweeping panel. It gives the i5 a genuinely high-tech image, with quality materials adding to its appeal.
A choice of carbon fibre or aluminium trim enhances the attractive design, as do the crystal-effect controls for the iDrive media system, which can play games or stream video content.
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2. Rimac Nevera
© RimacIn the silver-medal position is another seven-figure electric hypercar. The Rimac Nevera shares the same platform as the Pininfarina Battista, but despite the similarities beneath the bodywork, the Rimac grabs a higher score for its interior
There is certainly more to see than in the Pininfarina, with the Rimac offering a separate screen for the front-seat passenger. Billet aluminium is also used for the dials to change the drive mode, plus there is a pleasing row of switches in front of the main touchscreen.
It took participants only 1.38 seconds to find something they liked inside the Nevera’s cabin, only slightly quicker than the Rimac’s 1.72-second 0-62mph time.
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1. Tesla Model S
© TeslaGiven the proliferation of electric cars in this top 20, it’s perhaps no surprise that another EV has claimed the top position.
This isn’t just any EV, either, but the one that helped catapult electric vehicle ownership into the mainstream psyche – and has been on sale since 2012. In fact, the Tesla Model S started the trend for gigantic touchscreens that control almost all functions of the car.
Despite being on sale for 12 years, Tesla has not left the interior of the Model S unchanged, however…
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1. Tesla Model S
© TeslaToday, the Tesla Model S uses a 17.0-inch landscape-style touchscreen that can be tilted left or right. This is combined with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, thus avoiding the need to stare at the central screen to see your speed.
Grabbing more attention is an aeroplane-style yoke instead of a regular steering wheel. The central touchscreen can be used to play video games, too.
Participants took 3.18 seconds for their eyes to find a first fixation point in the Model S, then spent 3.23 seconds staring at it. That was enough to take the gold medal in Auto Trader’s study.