Thirty-six exceptional vehicle interiors representing from thirteen manufacturers will compete for top honors in the 9th annual “Ward’s Interior of the Year” awards. Sponsored by Ward’s AutoWorld magazine, the prestigious competition is part of annual Auto Interiors Show scheduled for June 4-5 at Detroit’s Cobo Center.
We all know that Bob Lutz has put amazing efforts on the design of recent GM interiors and it looks like the efforts are paying off. Lutz understood early on that GM gray was not going to win the hearts of potential customers and quickly made it a top priority to place significant attention of the interiors designs, ergonomics and usability.
Of the 36 nominees, roughly 20% of them are GM born and bred.
Of course, among the 36 “Interior of the Year Nominees” is none other than our beloved 2008 Pontiac G8.
Ward’s editors evaluate vehicle interiors on eight categories including:
- material selection
- ergonomics
- driver information
- safety
- overall value
- comfort
- fit and finish
- aesthetics and design harmony
“In the years since we’ve been holding this competition, we’ve seen marked improvements in the overall design and quality of all automotive interiors, even in the economy segment. With great new features, materials and styling in all segments across the board, consumers now have a fairly level playing field in vehicle interiors, whether they select imports, new domestics or vehicles from U.S. automakers,” said Drew Winter, editor-in-chief of Ward’s AutoWorld magazine.
“It’s no longer acceptable to have a cheap looking interior, even in economy-priced vehicles. This is great for consumers, but it makes our job a lot more challenging.”
Winners will be announced at the Annual Auto Interiors Show, June 4-5 at Detroit’s Cobo Center.
