Ward’s Auto is back with its annual list of the ten best car interiors, which this year has been picked from an original field of 46 contenders. To be eligible, the cars needed to be all-new or feature significantly updated interiors.

While last year there was a definite mix of automakers on the list, in 2013 it is Asian brands that have dominated it.

Out of the ten cars that made the list, seven are from Asian brands.

Surprisingly, only three of the ten cars are luxury models. They include the Acura RDX, Cadillac XTS and Lexus GS 450h.  

For the RDX, testers were most pleased with the cabin’s excellent fit-and-finish and sporty style. For the XTS, it was the CUE interface that won the most praise, and for the Lexus GS 450h, the most visually stunning to the testers, it was the rich leather surfaces, sporty style and exotic materials like bamboo and satin metallic accents that saw it picked.

For the evaluation process, testers 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 interface and connectivity features.

This year’s winners in alphabetical order are listed below, together with their lowest as-tested pricing:

Acura RDX ($40,315)
Cadillac XTS ($64,695)
Chevrolet Spark ($15,795)
Hyundai Santa Fe Sport ($35,925)
Kia Forte ($25,515)
Lexus GS 450h ($68,139)
Mazda6 ($31,490)
Nissan Pathfinder ($44,395)
Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn ($55,390)
Toyota Avalon ($42,449)

Follow this link to read up on the impressions for each of the vehicles.