SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Penton's WardsAuto announced the Ward's "10 Best Interiors" list of 2015. The list features three sedans, two 5-door hatchbacks, two pickup trucks, two CUVs and a minivan, proving that driving in style and comfort no longer requires breaking the bank on a costly luxury vehicle.

Editors selected the Ward's 10 Best Interiors after spending February and March evaluating 42 new interiors and scoring them on design aesthetics, materials, ergonomics, safety, comfort, value, fit-and-finish and driver information. The winners will be recognized during a special ceremony at the WardsAuto Interiors Conference being held May 13 at the newly renovated Cobo Center in Detroit, MI.

This year's winners:

• BMW i3 (BMW AG)
• Chrysler 300C (FCA US LLC)
• Ford F-150 King Ranch (Ford Motor Co.)
• GMC Canyon (General Motors Co.)
• Honda Fit (Honda Motor Co. Ltd.)
• Jeep Renegade Limited (FCA US LLC)
• Kia Sedona (Kia Motors Co. Ltd.)
• Mazda6 Grand Touring (Mazda Motor Corp.)
• Mercedes C400 (Daimler AG)
• Nissan Murano (Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.)

To determine the winners, editors drive the vehicles during their routine commutes and submit score sheets ranking each interior based on several criteria, including materials, ergonomics, comfort, safety, value, fit-and-finish and overall design. Scores also are applied based on the user-friendliness of the human-machine interface and the ability to link mobile phones and access vehicle information. The full story on the award winners is now on http://wardsauto.com, and the site will soon feature full write-ups and video reviews on each winner.

"It's important that great interiors be available in every class of vehicle, not just luxury models that most consumers will never be able to afford," says WardsAuto World Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter.

"In this year's competition, we saw a lot of evidence that automakers are thinking creatively about interiors and putting a lot of design horsepower into not just luxury vehicles, but pickups, minivans and family sedans. And they are investing more in high-quality trim materials, electronic features and other details that will surprise and delight shoppers," Winter added.

In addition to the awards being presented in a ceremony during the WardsAuto Interiors Conference, Ward's expects to have all ten winning vehicles on display at the event for attendees to experience and judge the interiors for themselves. The ceremony will include a live video review inside each vehicle, highlighting the key features that earned each interior its honor. Registration information for the conference can be found at http://autointeriors.com.

About WardsAuto

WardsAuto is a world-leading provider of automotive insights and analysis, having served the industry's information needs for more than 90 years. A Southfield, MI-based division of Penton, WardsAuto provides a forward-looking perspective on all aspects of the automotive business, from the tech center to the plant floor to the showroom. Its services include the premium WardsAuto.com resource and suite of customizable data reporting tools, the WardsAuto Interiors and WardsAuto Outlook Conferences, and digital newsletters and magazines. Subscribe to WardsAuto and attend its events by visiting http://www.wardsauto.com.

About Penton

Penton drives performance for more than eighteen million professionals each and every day. They rely on us to deliver: Insights, information, data & workflow tools to inform critical business decisions; networking & community to engage them with industry peers & partners; and marketing services to advance their business performance & deliver ROI.

Penton is a growth company with a track-record of strong performance and success and is backed by its co-owners: MidOcean Partners and U.S. Equity Partners II, an investment fund sponsored by Wasserstein & Co., LP.

For additional information on the company and its businesses, visit www.penton.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:  

Chris Lamphear
Director of Marketing
Penton Automotive and Trucking
248 799 2658
chris.lamphear@penton.com

SOURCE Penton

Related Links

http://www.penton.com