Looking for best interior under $45,000 (luxury car, 2015, Germany, GPS)

[405designer]

I am an interior designer looking for opinions on which car has the most beautiful interior. Tech is also important, like a big media screen, etc. I know luxury cars have this but I'm looking for a car under $45,000, sedan or SUV. Brand and reliability are not a big issue. I mostly care about the quality of the experience while I'm in the car. I do not want to feel like I am surrounded by cheap plastic. Or smell it.

[Ziggy100]

Originally Posted by 405designer

I am an interior designer looking for opinions on which car has the most beautiful interior. Tech is also important, like a big media screen, etc. I know luxury cars have this but I'm looking for a car under $45,000, sedan or SUV. Brand and reliability are not a big issue. I mostly care about the quality of the experience while I'm in the car. I do not want to feel like I am surrounded by cheap plastic. Or smell it.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit. Leather everywhere, adaptive cruise, 8.4" nav screen that's usually highly ranked compared to others, quiet, configurable gauges, vented and heated seats, heated steering wheel, and great towing capacity,

[Katana49]

Originally Posted by Ziggy100

Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit. Leather everywhere, adaptive cruise, 8.4" nav screen that's usually highly ranked compared to others, quiet, configurable gauges, vented and heated seats, heated steering wheel, and great towing capacity,

That model starts at $50k.

Best interior while staying under $45k is probably with Audi right now, S3 or A4.

[bfrabel]

VW Beetle?

[sinatras]

Absolutely without question the MB c300 or glc300, both of which start at $38k msrp

Italian designed but made in Germany

makes other interiors looks downright dated, and has been hailed by many media articles as best interior in the industry right now

As a designer I'm surprised you haven't heard about it

[notnamed]

Not a fan of that Merc at all. That reflective center console is too much. As is the two tone.

+1 on the Audi S3. Flat bottom wheels rock. Just the right touch of tech while still maintaining a sporty driving focus.

[headingtoDenver]

I personally hate this new trend of the screen being stuck on the dash like that. It looks like a complete afterthought and just glued a portable GPS on the dash.

[notnamed]

Yeah, first encountered that on the Mazda3 and it's just so tacky looking. Top Gear even wrote an article on Mercedes baffling decision to do this.
Q&A: Why does Mercedes keep building cars with that ‘floating screen’?

Another + for the Audi, the screen retracts away.

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by notnamed

Not a fan of that Merc at all. That reflective center console is too much. As is the two tone.

+1 on the Audi S3. Flat bottom wheels rock. Just the right touch of tech while still maintaining a sporty driving focus.

when fixing time come Mercedes and Audi will cost $$$.

[notnamed]

Indeed, and a reason why many are leased. But OP said reliability was not a concern.