"Exactly. GM is just *now* learning that putting a crappy interior into an otherwise acceptable vehicle = no sales."
Are you saying the interior of riceburners is attractive?
"Are you saying the interior of riceburners is attractive?"
Well, I will. The interiors of Japanese cars are well put together and lacking in parts that come loose or fall off in the first few years, as well as having controls that are logical, fall readily to hand, and have good tactile feel. Also good-looking materials and decent design (with some exceptions). None of which were things that you could say about most American cars until recently, and still not for quite a few models.
Compared to the "GM Gray #1" plastic crap that GM's been churning out the last decade or so? For the most part, yes.
Why, for example, is the steering wheel offset 1-2" to the left in EVERY SINGLE ONE of the last generation GM full sized trucks and SUVs? And WHY did they make the dash out of such cheap plastic that it starts cracking in two years?
Ford at least seems to have a bit of a clue - they make their interiors out of more durable materials that don't scream "I BOUGHT MY PLASTIC FROM THE CHEAPEST CHINESE VENDOR EVER!!!!" Chrysler has good interiors as well, usually better than Ford's.
The Japanese tend to be mixed on their interior design, but they usually use materials that hold up more than 24 months and they're generally acceptable in terms of their design.