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P100DHG.
Member
I've been in love with the Model S since the day I first saw it. I think it is a piece of American art. I went into the Pasadena store in 2014 for my first test drive (best place to test drive a car ever in the hills above the Rose Bowl) and I walked away disappointed with the seats. The leather was loose on the seat and the car had under 1000 miles on it but it looked like it had 90,0000 on it. The lack of storage in the door didn't bother me. At the time the center console was an accessory that could be installed after delivery. But unfortunately I just couldn't get over the seats. I left disappointed. It was like meeting my idol and in real life it just wasn't what I imagined in my head.
Well things evolved to premium ventilated seats and I ordered my 90D. My love affair was reignited. I have always been obsessed with the exterior of the Model S but now I just love the interior. Finally minimalism met realism and the marriage is perfection.
Owning a Tesla is owning a piece of technological history, it's owning a piece of the green revolution and it's owning a piece of true American art.
Well things evolved to premium ventilated seats and I ordered my 90D. My love affair was reignited. I have always been obsessed with the exterior of the Model S but now I just love the interior. Finally minimalism met realism and the marriage is perfection.
Owning a Tesla is owning a piece of technological history, it's owning a piece of the green revolution and it's owning a piece of true American art.
I agree with the original post. The original interior was a striking, harmonious and bold repudiation of the over designed bling found in other luxury cars, even Audis. The interior actually dealt with space, not just decoration. And it’s not just the seats that have been visually downgraded. The scrap of fuzzy leather on the dash, the busy touch unfriendly control stock on the steering wheel and the traditional console come to mind. It is unfortunate that you now have to spend thousands of dollars on a center console that many of us do not want for both functional and aesthetic reasons. I have 62,000 miles in the original seats and find them more comfortable than the new ones.
While the S is still the best piece of design on the road, they unfortunately responded to criticism of the interior materials in the form of design changes instead of addressing the real problem: substandard plastics and leather quality.
I understand that some people prefer busyness and bling to simple minimalism. I think the eventual solution should be to offer the car in each of the two very different interior personalities.
I’m turning in my beloved 2013 for a new one next month, mainly for fear that a rumored new interior will further downgrade the original concept. Let’s hope the new Volvo interior designer rises to the original vision as opposed to making the S more “normal”. In my mind, luxury is rich and sensuous simplicity, not bling and labored design.
While the S is still the best piece of design on the road, they unfortunately responded to criticism of the interior materials in the form of design changes instead of addressing the real problem: substandard plastics and leather quality.
I understand that some people prefer busyness and bling to simple minimalism. I think the eventual solution should be to offer the car in each of the two very different interior personalities.
I’m turning in my beloved 2013 for a new one next month, mainly for fear that a rumored new interior will further downgrade the original concept. Let’s hope the new Volvo interior designer rises to the original vision as opposed to making the S more “normal”. In my mind, luxury is rich and sensuous simplicity, not bling and labored design.
mbhforum
Active Member
I do love the fact the doors don't have deep pockets which usually gets filled with junk.
On another note, I don't find the interior made cheaply at all so far. I am coming from a 2010 BMW and don't feel like I've downgraded in that department. Apparently, I am I the minority and perhaps I am just in my honeymoon stage?
I'm with you. I quite like the quality of my 2016 70D. I've had some fancy interiors (AMG grade Benz, British, Italian) and yet the Tesla does not feel cheap to me either. No it doesn't feel like a Rolls but it also does not feel cheap.
hill
high fiber member
lest we forget - grey was quietly discontinued, as is the ventilated option. We got grey, and it was incredible how in just the 1st hour (unlike our 10yr old Lexus hybrid SUV) of sitting on it, the hip supports had already wrinkled. That is definitely NOT timeless beauty.
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⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️
Village Idiot
I find my all black interior to be perfect. None of those light interiors, you posted pictures of, look good to me.
Thanks @calisnow for this thread. Totally agree. When I have a loaner, there is always a feeling that it does not have the feng shui of my 2012. You have put that into words. The DWR aura is not for everyone... some people are all about function. For me, there is no added function that would be more valuable than the zen feeling of my 2012.
TexLaw
Member
I agree that the original, 2012 interior is sleeker, lighter, and more aesthetically appealing. I got to ride in one a couple or few years ago, and it was a very pleasant experience (and what gave rise to my Teslust that I finally have indulged).
However, much of what I thought about during that ride (other than "wow") was how little utility there was in that interior. It looked great, but it couldn't do much. It was a marvelous, minimal interior for a weekend/joyride sort of car, but it did not seem to do much for the daily driver. I appreciate aesthetics. Heck, I love them, but aesthetics run second place to function when it comes to something I am going to live in (such as my home or primary vehicle). Someone mentioned Frank Lloyd Wright and how the 2012 interior made them think of his work. Frank Lloyd Wright designed some beautiful homes, absolutely beautiful, but they were/are just as challenging to live in as they were/are beautiful.
Some folks want and enjoy that. I respect that, but I'm very much a "function over form" guy when it comes to something like a car. Sure, I would love (LOVE) to have both, but it's a very rare case when some balance need not be found. The new interiors do a pretty good job of it, and I prefer them to the 2012. In fact, I even prefer the aesthetics of the 2017 seats over both the 2012 and 2015 (the 2015 being my least favorite). The 2012 seats do evoke that same E-Class Jag feel that the original nose did, but they also seemed a little . . . flat for the interior, like something was left out.
However, much of what I thought about during that ride (other than "wow") was how little utility there was in that interior. It looked great, but it couldn't do much. It was a marvelous, minimal interior for a weekend/joyride sort of car, but it did not seem to do much for the daily driver. I appreciate aesthetics. Heck, I love them, but aesthetics run second place to function when it comes to something I am going to live in (such as my home or primary vehicle). Someone mentioned Frank Lloyd Wright and how the 2012 interior made them think of his work. Frank Lloyd Wright designed some beautiful homes, absolutely beautiful, but they were/are just as challenging to live in as they were/are beautiful.
Some folks want and enjoy that. I respect that, but I'm very much a "function over form" guy when it comes to something like a car. Sure, I would love (LOVE) to have both, but it's a very rare case when some balance need not be found. The new interiors do a pretty good job of it, and I prefer them to the 2012. In fact, I even prefer the aesthetics of the 2017 seats over both the 2012 and 2015 (the 2015 being my least favorite). The 2012 seats do evoke that same E-Class Jag feel that the original nose did, but they also seemed a little . . . flat for the interior, like something was left out.
P100DHG.
Member
So I had some time to burn and I went over to Mercedes and test drove a S550. This is likely considered the principle of car interiors. I'd argue it isn't. I am sure many of you know this but I'll just say it anyway, Tesla uses the same shift levers, window controls and many interior parts that can be found in Mercedes cars. Today reaffirmed to me that Porsche in fact has the nicest interior quality though it is busy. I'd say Tesla is way up there. It's on par with Mercedes that's for sure and today just made me so happy to have spent $130k (with tax) on an American made gem.
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
Careful what you wish for ... Volvo interior design is not the answer 
activejustin
Member
I would say in my first test drive of a Tesla, two things immediately struck me. The Rolls Royce smoothness and torque essence of the power delivery. The second thing was the very shopworn and shoddy nature of the 2012 interor in the demo. I would say the interior quality has improved greatly since then. However I am still amazed at how worn the seats look in the showroom floor models, with holes literally worn in the leather at my local dealership. They need to work on the quality and durability of the leather interiors. Also bring back the drilled leather even if it is not ventilated, I prefer the look, reminds me of the best BMW or Mercedes models which are drilled leather.
Love the classic furniture references. But I'm not sure any of the Tesla dash designs really pull off the "floating in space" illusion. The big touchscreen and center dip seem to preclude that - your eye sort of expects a center console to be there whether it's there or not. A horizontal screen like in the early Model 3 pics might resolve that. I remember growing up with my parents' 1970s Duster where the dash really did run in a smooth line from side to side and I sat in the middle of the front seat bench! Can't do THAT anymore. I think the local law requires my kids to be strapped into car seats until they declare a college major.
Honeymoon stage and you don't realize that most BMW have boring interiors as well. Definitely one of BMW weak points is their interior styling. Love their multi contour seats though.
I like this interior on a $60,000 Mercedes.
The lack of basic buttons annoy me. Very unsafe to look at the screen or instrument cluster to change basic settings while driving.
hill
high fiber member
funny you should mention that - because i'd recently read a post claiming how we owners are (in essence) a bunch of whining crybabies if/when we talk bad about leather not holding up. We have less than 5hrs on the driver's seat - and by the end of our 1st 40 miles, the grey leather looked as old/wrinkled as our 11yr old Lexus hybrid SUV's tan leather. How can an owner expect horrible upholstery quality to be remedied when demo cars are looking iffy - and yet considered to be 'ok' when demo seats too, look disappointing.
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Careful what you wish for ... Volvo interior design is not the answer
Pls.. how do you watch this and not tell me that volvo isn't the leader in interior car design?
its literally volvo and then everybody else right now. aka no competition
mbhforum
Active Member
Some of the design I like, some I don't. I liked the floating seats concept. I did not like the clear turn signals/stalks which reminded me of those clear pagers we all had in the 90's. Interior design is very much personal taste.
nico180
creating simple things - is true talent
SwedishAdvocate
Active Member
Full disclosure: I’ve unfortunately not been able to come up with the money to buy a Model S. I do however have the money to buy a Model 3 if it was available today, and I have a Model 3 reservation (No: ~260K)
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I just skimmed this entire thread and watched that Volvo YouTube clip.
First: Lets correct a misconception in this thread. The dude Tesla hired from Volvo is not a designer. He is an Engineer! Anders Bell was Senior Director of Engineering at Volvo and allegedly Volvo’s ‘Head of Interior Engineering’.
Second: I completely disagree with the OP in this thread.
I think the current Model S interior is a lot better looking than the first.
I like to push it in some corners. A completely flat drivers seat is not a good fit for any kind of inspired driving. And IMO it’s not in any way, shape or form more ecstatically pleasing than the current premium seats.
Just judging from pictures and video, I for example think the new Porsche Panamera interior is better looking than a the current Tesla Model S interior. The only thing I really don’t like is that you can’t (?) cover the cup holders in the Panamera. I much prefer the current Panamera to that Volvo You concept.
And the front exterior design of that Volvo You concept is almost as far from good looking as you can possibly get…
Lastly: I like completely black interiors. They are a lot more practical and much easier to keep looking mint.
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I just skimmed this entire thread and watched that Volvo YouTube clip.
First: Lets correct a misconception in this thread. The dude Tesla hired from Volvo is not a designer. He is an Engineer! Anders Bell was Senior Director of Engineering at Volvo and allegedly Volvo’s ‘Head of Interior Engineering’.
Second: I completely disagree with the OP in this thread.
I think the current Model S interior is a lot better looking than the first.
I like to push it in some corners. A completely flat drivers seat is not a good fit for any kind of inspired driving. And IMO it’s not in any way, shape or form more ecstatically pleasing than the current premium seats.
Just judging from pictures and video, I for example think the new Porsche Panamera interior is better looking than a the current Tesla Model S interior. The only thing I really don’t like is that you can’t (?) cover the cup holders in the Panamera. I much prefer the current Panamera to that Volvo You concept.
And the front exterior design of that Volvo You concept is almost as far from good looking as you can possibly get…
Lastly: I like completely black interiors. They are a lot more practical and much easier to keep looking mint.
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