SUVs have become the most popular segment on the road, mostly thanks to the superior practicality, the high seating position, and the added safety over a normal sedan or wagon. As the market became absolutely saturated with the SUV body style, many automakers have designed their SUV interiors to be eye-catching. And thanks to the advent of the luxury SUV trend, automakers are increasingly experimenting and using exotic materials within their interiors – such as forged carbon fiber, Swarovski crystals, and even treated copper.
While some SUV interiors have been reviewed as being a bit too much, many are considered to be works of art – beautiful to look at, comfortable to touch and look at, and intuitive to use. From Italian to Korean makes, these 2022 SUVs have some of the most stunning interiors.
10 Genesis GV70
The Genesis GV70 is the mid-tier offering from the Korean brand. Based on the G70 sedan, the GV70 shares most of the drivetrain components and the diesel engine – but the gasoline engines differ. The GV70 gets a 2.5-liter turbocharged i4 and a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6.
The GV70 has a beautifully designed interior with a simple, yet elegant layout. While the steering wheel design is still up for debate, the dashboard and controls are exquisitely made and placed. The seats are comfortable, and the entire interior can be covered in leather – for a price. The GV70 – and the rest of the Genesis range for that matter – are definitely near, or on par with, the more expensive competitors.
9 Kia Sportage
The new Kia Sportage is a massive departure from the outgoing model. While the exterior design may be controversial for some, the interior is definitely more premium than the price suggests. The previous model Sportage was fine, but it had started to show its age.
The new Sportage dashboard went for the modern look, with dual screens – one for the instrument cluster and one for the infotainment. A feature that would delight many is the fact that Kia has kept the climate controls separate from the screen. The rest of the interior shares the modern look, with soft leather being an option. As with most cars at this price point, some scratchy plastics can be found lower down in the interior, but that is hardly of any concern.
8 Volvo XC90
The Volvo XC90 has been around since 2015, but it is still a masterclass in a minimalist yet elegant design. From the unoffensive soft corners to the beautiful leather and the optional two-tone steering wheel, the XC90 is just brilliant.
Volvo has recently updated the XC90’s infotainment to run on Google’s Android operating system, instead of their own system. This makes operating and connecting extremely straightforward and easy – just like all Volvo products should be.
7 BMW iX
The BMW iX is the brand’s first bespoke electric car and as such has some features and design elements not found on other ICE, and even electric, BMWs. For one, the interior is different from all other models as there is no transmission tunnel in the front of the cabin and no prop-shaft tunnel in the rear – which usually impedes foot space.
The dashboard and steering wheel are also completely different. The wheel has a squarer shape to accommodate the large instrument cluster screen. The instrument cluster and infotainment screens are connected and curved, to give a sophisticated look to the cabin. The thin air vents add to the whole bespoke style. Overall, a really good, well-built, and excellently designed interior.
6 Jaguar F-Pace
The Jaguar F-Pace has recently had a facelift and has been changed to fit in with the new thin and angular Jaguar design language. The headlights and taillights are new, and the whole exterior of the car just looks better.
The interior had a big overhaul. The instrument cluster is now a screen, the infotainment screen has been changed to look like the one found in Land Rover products and the steering wheel is more elegant. The seats have also been updated with more interesting and premium-looking designs. Overall, it is a great ‘budget’ luxury SUV.
5 Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne has always had a great interior – from the first generation model with its weird triangular steering wheel to the second gen with the beautiful dashboard, and now the third gen, which more closely resembles the 911.
The interior is less cluttered than in the previous generation, but it still offers all the functionality. The dashboard is dominated by a huge infotainment screen, with only a few physical buttons near the gear selector. Unlike many other VW Group products, the Cayenne does still have a physical tachometer in the instrument cluster – which is pretty cool.
4 Aston Martin DBX707
The new Aston Martin DBX707 has the same interior as the normal DBX, but with a few subtle touches extra. The dashboard is elegantly designed with flowing lines curving around the central infotainment screen. The 707 gets some huge shift paddles on the round wheel – unlike many other Aston Martin products – and the instrument cluster is fully digital.
The entire interior is covered in leather, some of which is perforated. On the 707 model, the leather comes in some pretty questionable colors, but it still looks good. The 707 model can be optioned with the AMR green inlays in the seats and stitching to contrast the elegant design.
3 Rolls-Royce Cullinan
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is, no doubt, the most luxurious and comfortable SUV on the planet. It is elegance put into a tangible medium and tailored into a car. The general design follows the Rolls-Royce trend since BMW took over in the late '90s, but its interior accentuates the fact that it is an SUV.
As with all Rolls-Royce cars, the choices are quite literally endless when it comes to materials and options. From the extremely soft leather and the embossed Spirit of Ecstasy logo to the wood inlays on the dash and steering wheel and the crystal glass infotainment controller. The interior is the best in the business in terms of comfort and personalization.
2 Range Rover Vogue
The new Range Rover is a logical step up from the previous generation – which was no slouch. The new interior is much more minimalistic, and the ‘floating’ infotainment display gives off an air of top-tier luxury. Well, with a starting price of over $100,000, it should be the best non-über luxury SUV on the market.
The new Range Rover features a fully digital instrument cluster, neatly tucked under a binnacle and not just tacked onto the dash like in the Hyundai Tucson. The new steering wheel is elegant and the 2/4 spoke design helps create a Mercedes-Benz S-Class level of luxury. Definitely one of the best minimalist interiors currently on the market.
1 Bentley Bentayga S
Finally, the Bentley Bentayga S. While it may not be the best-looking vehicle on the exterior – especially with those taillights – the Bentayga has one of the most gorgeous interiors of any vehicle on sale. Most of the design elements are shared with the Continental and Flying Spur, which is definitely not a bad thing.
The Bentayga S’ interior is slightly more aggressive than the first-gen Bentayga’s, but it still keeps the luxury and comfort factor. There are more colors to choose from and the optional wood or carbon-fiber inlays on the dashboard are more prominent. The Bentayga should certainly win an award for its interior, and we hope we see more from the British marque.