Freewheeling

Giant leaps by carmakers to spruce up interiors and customise them thrills Siddharth this month

AFTER WOWING US WITH PLENTY OF gorgeous designs over the past few years in particular, the car industry seems poised for another round. Except this time, it would seem the bedazzlement is moving inside. I mean inside the cabin of course! The work being done by carmakers on interiors has been as important as exterior styling. But it is often the part most of us do not notice – especially in the mass space. Sure, premium cars will impress and pamper with their opulent layouts, gadget-filled tech and the luxury of fine materials. But mass cars have been subject to the same of grey/black/beige plastics – with central consoles, round or rectangular AC vents and fabric or cheap faux leather seats.

But that is all now starting to change. A car’s interior is now not just getting prettier than before – with more thought to layout and ergonomics, but is also meant to look appealing by way of materials and textures used. So we find dash plastics getting softer to touch, seats becoming better contoured – with greater emphasis on under thigh and lumbar support, and a changing palette too. And this is here to stay – so expect not just brighter, fresher looking cabins, but also with a dash of colour starting to make an appearance. It is interesting to see the likes of Ford (first gen Figo) and Hyundai (i20 Active) offer some vivid colours on the dash plastic itself. But more recently Tata has impressed and surprised with the use of exterior body coloured elements for the AC vent housings of the Tiago. We are also getting a lot of cars now with piano black finishes or textured metal surfaces.

And all of this is essentially because the buyer is getting choosier – and is also now increasingly aware that in our kind of traffic, they spend a lot of time inside the car. And so they want their car to be not just comfortable but also an extension of their personality or in accordance with their tastes and colour leanings. And that is not all. Look at what we are getting even on a car like the Maruti Suzuki Ignis. Customisation is the next big thing according to many designers I have been speaking to, and the colour insert panels, texture and chrome add-ons and seat options on that car and its stable mate the Vitara Brezza, are an indication of that.

The soon-to-market Tata Nexon sub-compact SUV is the next product you can expect a fair amount of customisation in – and even Renault has toyed around with the idea now for its Kwid family (already hugely successful with exterior customisation accessories). The recently launched Honda WR-V also throws in many customisation options. Of the 23 possible accessory options there are some in the cabin. The choice of 4 types of seat finishes, illuminated door sills, colour coordinated mats and of course some tech too – like a reverse camera integrated into the interior rear view mirror. The upcoming Renault Kaptur also promises to offer many in-car surprises on this front!

So the point I am making is that we have not even scratched the surface. So brace yourself to be blown away. New colours, textures and materials are just the start. More innovative storage solutions, ways for your lifestyle and technology needs to integrate even further with your car, and the chance to be able to individualise the experience and interface. So consumers can rejoice and get ready, because this is not a uniquely western phenomenon. In fact if anything, a lot of the car manufacturers are looking at all of this with a greater focus on the developing markets, and yes for mass models and not just the mid or premium brigade. It is all coming – and coming at a rapid pace. And I for one could not be happier – no make that thrilled – about it! ⌧

A marked improvement in interiors is not a uniquely western

phenomenon