[4thirty5]

Let's admit it the new 3 series has a beautiful interior , I think it's time for the 5 series to get some love , the interior seems a bit to outdated considering the new a6 just came out. Any speculation on when the 5 series interior will
Be updated?

[AP]

I can't see them doing anything significant other than perhaps idrive 7 and the new instrument cluster. Blimey the car is only 2 years now and it's outdated??
It's a good quality interior and don't personally see any need to change significantly.
It would cost a lot of money to redesign to be like the 3. Thought I read here that bmw wanted to differentiate the 3 from the 5 anyway.

Perhaps the new 3 is what you want then?

[ADS-UK]

Originally Posted by BMW320Tune

Let's admit it the new 3 series has a beautiful interior , I think it's time for the 5 series to get some love , the interior seems a bit to outdated considering the new a6 just came out. Any speculation on when the 5 series interior will
Be updated?

I think you'll find that the new G20 interior quality is still a notch below G30 interior. Otherwise, it won't make sense to price G30 higher than G20. You won't know the difference until you sit in one and drive it.

[enigma01]

Originally Posted by BMW320Tune

Let's admit it the new 3 series has a beautiful interior , I think it's time for the 5 series to get some love , the interior seems a bit to outdated considering the new a6 just came out. Any speculation on when the 5 series interior will
Be updated?

No, not really. There is nothing to admit.

Care to elaborate which part of the G20 3er's interior you found so attractive? The digital instrument cluster?

And the A6? If you prefer all digital touch interior, sure, the A6 is great. I just happen to like physical buttons that I can operate without being distracted.

Actually, I prefer quality analog instrument clusters too. Clean and easy to read. Maybe I am decidedly in the minority?

[AP]

Don't think so. Ergonomics are very important and the problem with screens is that you have to look at them to operate, and that means taking your eyes off the road. The volume knob is a classic case of something that simply works as you know where it is and can operate whilst looking at the road.

To give what I think is the probably the worst example of ergonomics in a car in terms of safety is Tesla where this big screen controls just about everything.

Humans are analogue and I feel for ergonomics we need to interact with analogue devices. I'm not against displays but I think what is is displayed on them and when has to be carefully thought about and not to put on them just it's the latest fad and looks "cool". It may impress many people but that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.
Blimey that was very nearly a rant!

In summary happy with 5 interior and see no need to change it and other than what I mentioned previously suspect bmw will not do anything significant even when the client comes out.

[ibk11]

The G20 interior looks very similar to G30 in terms of design. What am I missing?

Personally I'm in favour of less is more with interiors. Lately I'm in the habit of switching off the HUD, switching off the main screen etc at night, it's all just too distracting.

[AP]

Yes g20 looks similar to the g30 but I wonder what the materials are like, difficult to say from pictures. The g30 uses high quality soft touch plastics just about everywhere so it feels like a quality product. Whether the g20 is as good in that respect I don't know and you would have to sit in one to get that opinion.

We'll just have to see , obviously if it was up to g30 standards then I think they would have a winner on their hands although I suspect as it's a 3 it will sell well regardless

[ztx84]

I do like the G20 interior, but I must admit that I feel the G30 interior has a very good balance between 'classic' BMW and new tech... I am not a huge fan of some of the new design language coming into cars with huge screens all over the place (e.g. Mercedes) etc. The G30 is a very very nice place to be when driving, it is, in my view, very well designed, has some excellent materials, and is very well screwed together. So for me it ticks all the right boxes.

[Bibbles]

I'm not a fan of the G20 interior although I should wait until I see it in the flesh. Too much shiny metal making it's way around the dash for my liking.

[ArchJR]

I see how it can be frustrating for the 8-series, Z4, X5, and G20 3-series to have a new interior design language so quickly after the G30 launch. The mere existence of the new interior elements - vents, gauges, iDrive screen shape, and gear selector - makes those parts in the G30 feel dated, even if they look perfectly fresh in a vacuum.

I applaud two elements of the G20 (and the other new models). First, BMW did not follow Audi's lead in replacing physical controls with touchscreens. If ever BMW dispenses with ergonomics for the sake of flash, I'm out. Second, BMW learned what a poor choice gloss black plastic is around the primary controls and replaced it with wood or metal.

I will likely choose an M340i after my 540i. I always preferred the smaller car, but wanted a properly luxurious interior. It seems I may have the best of both worlds here.

[BigKutta]

The G20 is a mini G30 and the interior looks very similar, so what am I missing here? As a matter of fact, every 3 series has inferior materiel quality on the inside than its bigger brother, the 5. And i dont expect that to change.

[HighlandPete]

Not sure how something like this is dated.

Picture posted by Blackraven in the touring thread.

[Mach550]

Only thing that looks good about the new 3 series are the aluminum vent designs...other than that it's pretty economy looking to me.

[Cortexiphan]

Probably, with facelift, idrive 7 along with the modular controls and the the new digital 'live' dash will come to 5. Other than that, I don't think there will be any changes, nor there should be.

[mobilejo]

Originally Posted by BMW320Tune

Let's admit it the new 3 series has a beautiful interior , I think it's time for the 5 series to get some love , the interior seems a bit to outdated considering the new a6 just came out.

The 3 looks good for a 3, but its clearly a more economical interior than the 5. That's not an accident by the way.

I'm probably the wrong person to ask though; I don't judge quality, comfort or performance based solely on release date.

[timmahh]

The new 3, X5, 8 etc. all have common design on the inside, we've seen that for a number of years from BMW.

The G30 was finalized for production [clearly] before the new interior came into play. The 5's interior is more along the lines of the 7's interior in terms of layout.

The most notable differences are:
-New digital cluster
-Updated iDrive
-New layout by the shifter, new shifter design, button reconfig
-Disc slot dropped
-HVAC controls moved up between the two center vents

.. so yeah, the new interior looks a little more modern/futuristic because well, it's new, and doesn't have a big HVAC control anymore. Not sure how much the interior of the 5 would change with an LCI. Likely safe to assume latest iDrive, maybe the new cluster screen, but not sure if the center stack and shifter area will be reworked or not.

Regarding the finishes; as it has been in the past, the higher end models will have better quality or optional finishes, whereas the 3 may not.

Here's your G20 interior, looking at the shifter area:



And here you've got the 8; same overall design, but obviously a difference in materials:

[mobilejo]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Does anyone know why this car doesn't have the same wood trim on the lower centre console sliding door thingy & around the idrive knob as it has on the upper trim pieces?

I've never seen one that doesn't match in those areas.

[VWtoBMW]

Originally Posted by BMW320Tune

Let's admit it the new 3 series has a beautiful interior , I think it's time for the 5 series to get some love , the interior seems a bit to outdated considering the new a6 just came out. Any speculation on when the 5 series interior will
Be updated?

Fit and finish overall, quality of materials, etc on a 5 is far superior to a 3, even the latest ones. I have been between 7's and 5's for the last 10 year and regardless of the latest and greatest that comes out in a 3, I would not get one. Don't get me wrong, the 3 in a phenomenal car, but prefer more a upscale look and feel.

[saporitj]

Originally Posted by mobilejo

Does anyone know why this car doesn't have the same wood trim on the lower centre console sliding door thingy & around the idrive knob as it has on the upper trim pieces?

I've never seen one that doesn't match in those areas.

I noticed with the configurator that if you select the IND trim color like Plum Brown trim the console is black while the dash is blown. I prefer that look and wish it came like that for all the trims.

[mobilejo]

Originally Posted by saporitj

I noticed with the configurator that if you select the IND trim color like Plum Brown trim the console is black while the dash is blown. I prefer that look and wish it came like that for all the trims.

Interesting.

I have piano black and just replaced the piece around the iDrive controller with a new one, but the unit comes as a package with all of the other parts on the centre console, so I actually have the full lot in piano black which I am about to put on ebay.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by BMW320Tune

Let's admit it the new 3 series has a beautiful interior , I think it's time for the 5 series to get some love , the interior seems a bit to outdated considering the new a6 just came out. Any speculation on when the 5 series interior will
Be updated?

Sorry, but I like my G30's current interior much better. I don't like that they removed the knobs from the HVAC system. Don't like that they removed the in dash DVD/CD player slot either.

Don't care much for the center console with cheapie looking touch buttons for iDrive, don't care for the shifter and don't even get me started with the start/stop button in the center console.

Not crazy about the new digital
gauges either.

I do however like iDrive 7.0 presentation of menus and functions in the touch screen better than the tiles with buried sub menus as in iDrive 6.0. Hope there is an upgrade path for that in the near future.

Don't like the shape of the door handles. Nitpicking much? Perhaps, but from my vintage point there is nothing wrong with this interior. If you like it so much, then buy a G20 3-Series or G05 X5 SUV is that simple.

[JohnEnglish]

Originally Posted by AP

I can't see them doing anything significant other than perhaps idrive 7 and the new instrument cluster. Blimey the car is only 2 years now and it's outdated??
It's a good quality interior and don't personally see any need to change significantly.
It would cost a lot of money to redesign to be like the 3. Thought I read here that bmw wanted to differentiate the 3 from the 5 anyway.

Perhaps the new 3 is what you want then?

In the upcoming roadmap thread they said the G30 would get iDrive 7, the new gauge cluster, and the 530 HP V8 when the LCI happens in mid-2019.