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Originally Posted by X5audi
I've always wondered about this, too. Lexus and Merc fans like to think that BMWs don't have the same kind of luxury.
Well, coming from a two-time Lexus buyer (for wife), that's simply not true. Lexus offers flashy interiors with lots of silver plastic and shiny buttons. But then you look closer--the detailing isn't up to par. The panel gaps are larger, some of the wood could be fake, there's vinyl everywhere, and it just doesn't feel as well built.
Mercs are definitely better, but the C-, E- and M-Class are nothing to write home about in terms of interior design and construction. They're basically midpack, although the CL- and S-Class are stunning on the inside. That said, the S is no better than the A8.
BMW is different. It may not offer the trendiest designs at first glance, but when you sit in the car, everything is of the highest quality. The X5 and 6 Series are the best examples of this. All the rest are, at the very least, in the middle of their classes for interiors; the E90 and E60 are hugely underrated in this respect.
IMO, Audi and BMW, respectively, lead the way for high-class interiors. Look at a Lexus from ten years ago, and then look at a 1998 528i or A6 2.8. There is a huge difference.
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It seems that BMW interior designs and materials seem to stand the test of time (please exclude most of the e36 interior materials from this comment). I was also very disapointed the first time I sat in an Infinity G35. It is a good looking car but when I sat in it I was not impressed at all. The materials seemed no better than a regular Nissan and the design was was not even close to BMW's. Not that Infinity is supposed to be better than MB or Lexus, but still.
My friends parents have an MB GL suv and I have to say that I was not impressed at all with the quality of the interior. We took a 5 hour trip in it so I had plenty of time to look around and feel things out. The interior design wasn't bad, but there was a lot of plastic materials for a $50k+ car.
I have to say that Audi seems to use top notch materials in pretty much all of their interiors, but I do not think the overall design/layout is as good as BMW's, IMO.