10 Cars With The Most Luxurious Interiors Under $50k
After reaching record highs in 2022, new car prices have now begun to plateau as supply chain shortages ease and borrowing rates increase. According to Kelley Blue Book, the average new car cost $48,451 in 2023, virtually identical to the average price 12 months prior. Prices for luxury cars have seen decreases in recent months, with the average sale price dropping 3.3% compared to August 2022.
So, for anyone holding out to buy a new luxury vehicle, now might be the time to enter the market. One of the biggest considerations for buyers across all luxury vehicles is the quality of each car's cabin, both in terms of upscale upholstery and competitive tech. There's no need to break the bank to find a luxury vehicle with an excellent interior either, as the entry-level options are more enticing than ever, with several best-selling models seeing fresh upgrades for 2023. Every luxury carmaker promises comfort, quality, and a laundry list of features, but these ten cars are a cut above the rest in the sub-$50,000 price bracket.
Mercedes-Benz GLA
It might no longer boast the freshest design on the market, but the Mercedes-Benz GLA still checks all the right boxes when it comes to affordable luxury. The entry-level SUV shares much of its interior with Mercedes' other smaller cars, but that's not a bad thing. In fact, it's quite the opposite, as the brand consistently has some of the best interiors in the segment. Many of the most luxurious additions are paid add-ons, such as leather upholstery, wood trim, and the brand's distinctive 64-color ambient lighting system.
Nonetheless, with a starting price of $37,500, there's plenty of headroom for extras before hitting the $50,000 mark. Be too liberal with the options list, and the GLA's value for the money starts to pale compared to the competition, especially given that larger and faster Mercedes SUVs aren't that much more expensive. However, on the interior alone, the GLA is still up there with the best of them.
Genesis G70
Genesis might still be an upstart brand in the luxury car world, but its interiors consistently punch above their weight and surpass many of the segment's more established players. The G70 sedan is a great example, with a starting price of $39,400 for 2023, and has a cabin that's competitive with some cars that cost tens of thousands of dollars more. Its exterior was updated for the 2022 model year, giving it a fresh and slightly polarizing look. The refresh also saw some additional tech features added to the interior.
Climb the trim list, and there are plenty of additional luxury extras, like plush leather, a heated steering wheel, and 12-way power seats for the driver and front passenger. The infotainment system was also updated for 2022, with a new look that better differentiates from Hyundai's standard system. Alongside the interior, the G70's driving dynamics are also competitive with what else is offered in the segment. This makes it an appealing all-rounder even if the Genesis cars remain a rare sight on American roads.
Kia Stinger
When it comes to getting maximum interior bang for the buck, South Korean automakers are a pretty safe bet. Case in point: the Kia Stinger, which provides levels of performance that rival the German segment leaders, also offers a cabin that feels more premium than its sticker price might imply. It was updated for the 2022 model year with a wider range of options, including a premium Harman Kardon audio system and 8-way adjustable power front seats.
With a starting price of $36,690 for the GT-Line trim, buyers can afford to spec multiple options packages and still stay within budget. Unfortunately, though, it won't be for long because this popular car is being discontinued in 2024. Even though the performance and luxury were there, the Stinger had low sales numbers, and with a high market demand for SUVs, it sealed the sports sedan's fate. For now, though, it remains one of the best-equipped cars in its price bracket, both in terms of performance and luxury.
Genesis GV70
Much like the G70 sedan, Genesis' smallest SUV makes no compromises on its interior. The GV70 boasts a cabin that manages to be both sleek and feature-packed, with generous quantities of synthetic leather adorning the interior and options for real leather seats in higher trims. Two wheels sit in the center console to control the infotainment and drive modes; the latter sports a crystal construction that mimics high-end luxury cars with price tags twice as much.
If there's one criticism we had of the GV70's interior during our time with the car, it's that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were only available in wired form, with no wireless option. That strange omission aside, there's very little to dislike about the SUV's cabin, especially considering its starting price of $44,900 for the 2.5T AWD. The top-spec 3.5T AWD is a little over budget at $57,500, but we found the base engine to pack more than enough punch.
Alfa Romeo Giulia
Although sports sedans represent a shrinking portion of the American car market, they're far from dead. The Alfa Romeo Giulia proves as much, with a starting price of $42,480 for the 2024 model year. Base models get a 280 horsepower four-cylinder engine, and four trims are available, with three just about sneaking in under the $50,000 price point. The Giulia is one of the more athletic sedans in its class, providing proper competition to the segment-leading BMWs. Its interior is also highly competitive with its benchmark rivals.
Even the base spec trim comes with leather-trimmed seats, 10-way power-adjustable front seats, and an 8.8-inch infotainment touchscreen. Available upgrades include heated seats, a 14-speaker Harman Kardon Audio system, and a heated steering wheel. The Italian charm associated with Alfa Romeos is present and may well be enough to convert some buyers who have previously stuck with offerings from German carmakers.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Mercedes gave its C-Class sedan a thorough overhaul for the 2022 model year, with our reviewer concluding that it felt more like a mini S-Class than ever before. With its $44,850 starting price, it's far from the S-Class in price; in fact, it's a great option for buyers looking for a wallet-friendly luxury car. Like all Mercedes-Benz cars, it's filled with tech, although plenty of the best features are only available through the options list for an extra cost.
The carbon fiber-style plastic adorning the cabin is a love-it-or-hate-it feature: It doesn't do a compelling job of passing as the real deal, but it's still an improvement on the glossy black plastic that plenty of rivals make do with. The MBUX infotainment system feels suitably high-end too, even though we weren't entirely convinced of its navigation accuracy. Minor quibbles aside, though, the C-Class is an imposing car, both in terms of its smooth ride and its upscale cabin. The premium sedan segment is now more competitive than ever, but the C-Class makes the cut and then some.
Lexus RX
While the RX 500h, at least in F Sport Performance trim, is far from perfect, its cabin is among the best in its class. Lexus is renowned for its build quality, and the RX proves exactly why, with a high level of fit and finish throughout the car and materials that feel suitably premium for the price. It's not the roomiest SUV on the market, and larger buyers might have trouble fitting into its unusually compact seats, but it makes up for those compromises in other ways.
For example, the plastics all feel more high-end than many rivals – there's only minimal piano black finish here — and the touchscreen is both intuitive and responsive. While SlashGear wasn't so keen on the car's exterior styling nor its pricing, considering it barely squeezes in under budget with a starting MSRP of $49,950, its interior does make up for the rest of the car's shortcomings.
BMW 330e
Despite the many competitors challenging for the crown over the years, the BMW 3 Series is still considered by most to be the benchmark in its class. With a starting price of $45.600, the 2024 330e is one of the best-equipped trims for under $50,000. For that, buyers get a gas-electric hybrid powertrain with 288 horsepower and a cabin befitting of a class leader. As well as the ubiquitous gloss black plastic trim, two choices of wood trim are available alongside the brand's SensaTec faux leather upholstery for the seats and inserts.
Most BMW buyers will primarily be heading to the brand's dealerships in search of a great driving experience, and the 330e delivers on that front, too, although we found its hybrid system to be almost detrimentally mild when we tested the current generation car in 2021. Even so, there are still plenty of reasons to buy BMW's segment-defining sedan, not only because its interior is better than ever.
Mercedes-Benz GLC
Freshly revitalized for 2023, the Mercedes-Benz GLC boasts a suite of interior upgrades that keep it a step ahead of the competition. Much like the C-Class, the GLC takes plenty of influence from the flagship S-Class sedan, with a larger, revised touchscreen featuring an updated version of MBUX. The wood and leather-look trim is also a welcome upgrade, even if there's a little too much glossy black plastic in places.
There's also a long list of options available, although buyers looking to stay within a $50,000 budget won't be able to make full use of them, as the base-spec SUV starts at a little over $47,000 while adding all-wheel drive makes the price jump another $2,000. Aside from the interior, much of the 2023 model is standard GLC fare: The exterior is sleek and attractive, even if it's not changed much from previous model years, and performance is generally competitive, but falls short of the segment's best. Still, there's a reason the GLC remains Mercedes' best-selling car, because for the money, it's tricky to get an SUV with a more upscale cabin.
Lexus ES
A midsize sedan focused on cosseting smoothness; the Lexus ES won't win any prizes for agility. Even in ES 300h F Sport Handling form, it plays the role of a long-distance highway cruiser much better than a sports sedan, but the result is a ride that feels just as luxurious as its interior. Lexus buyers expect a cabin that's well put together, but at long last, the ES also delivers one competitive on tech. The annoying trackpad in previous Lexus cars has been replaced with a touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and for the first few years of ownership, internet-connected services like Destination Assist and WiFi Connect are complimentary.
After those trial years, however, they're only accessible through paid subscriptions. Thankfully, features like the sports-style heated and ventilated seats of our F Sport Handling tester didn't require continual payment to function and proved to be both comfortable and supportive. Like many of the cars here, the ES is only a few bucks short of the $50,000 mark in F Sport Handling trim, but for buyers looking for durable luxury and less concerned about driving dynamics, it's well worth considering.