17 Simple Ways to Instantly Improve the Interior of Your Car
Dec 30, 2024
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A stylish vehicle exterior catches stares as you drive down the street, but what about the inside? Your car interior could use some upgrades, especially if it’s older. With numerous options, you can take the design anywhere you want it. Here’s your guide to interior car mods and how to make it look better.
1. Use a Trunk Organizer
While you and your passengers won’t use a trunk organizer most of the time, this tool will prove to be a worthwhile investment when you need to fill up your trunk.
If you struggle to keep your cargo organized, a trunk organizer will separate your trunk space into different blocks, allowing for easy packing and unpacking.
Our pick: HOTOR Trunk Organizer for Car & SUV
2. Install Heavy-Duty Floormats
Are you tired of staining your car’s interior with dirt and mud? Heavy-duty floormats show you how to upgrade your car interior through cleanliness.
Once the mats have gathered a healthy amount of debris, just remove them. Then, spray them down with water and put them back in place. Most floormat brands have a universal fit, so you can use them in any vehicle.
Our pick: Motor Trend FlexTough Floor Mats for Cars
3. Add Bluetooth
Bluetooth arrived on the scene in 1994, though it took over a decade to become mainstream in vehicles. That said, if you drive an older vehicle, there are other ways to stream your music without Bluetooth capabilities.
You can use an independent kit that doesn’t connect to your car’s speaker or plug a small adapter into a USB charging port. The radio can get painfully stale and repetitive. Regardless, Bluetooth is one of the best car interior modification ideas on the market.
Our pick: JVC KD-SX27BT Car Stereo with Bluetooth
4. Upgrade Your Speakers
How can you use new speakers to modernize an old car interior? If your stock speakers just aren’t cutting it, consider upgrading. You can buy an inexpensive set of speakers from JBL or Pioneer and immediately improve your car’s sound quality, including the all-important bass.
Quality speakers paired with Bluetooth make for the ultimate listening experience in a vehicle. Podcasts, music and phone calls sound much better when the system provides quality sound.
Our pick: JBL GTO609C 270 Watts 6-1/2″ Premium Car Audio Component Stereo Speaker System
5. Repaint Your Car’s Interior Trim
If you’ve noticed that your car’s coloring on the dashboard and control panel has begun to fade, a simple repainting can bring your interior back to life. Painting cars is usually an expensive and time-consuming process, but the project becomes much simpler if you can paint your desired parts without removing them.
You only need some car trim paint and a steady hand to restore your car’s faded interior or add a new color.
Our pick: Dupli-Color HVP106 Vinyl and Fabric Coating Spray Paint
6. Buy a Dashboard Camera
A high-tech dashboard camera will undoubtedly make your car’s interior look cooler, but it also serves a practical purpose that could help you out of a serious bind. With a nice dash cam, you can learn how to upgrade the safety of your car interior.
If you get into a car accident, the camera will protect you from fraudulent insurance claims and provide concrete evidence for investigations. If you live in a high-traffic area, this tool could help you prove your innocence one day.
Our pick: ROVE R2-4K Dash Cam
7. Make Driving Safer with a Phone Mount
Speaking of safety, a phone mount can make drives smoother and help you comply with the law. More states require hands-free driving, so this device can assist in compliance.
These mounts also help you not lose your phone between the seats. Plus, your cellular device becomes more accessible. With an easy-to-see mount, you can change music, use the GPS and call friends without using both hands. Just slap it on your dashboard or control panel, and you’re ready to go.
Our pick: Miracase Phone Holders for Your Car with Metal Hook Clip
8. Add a Steering Wheel Cover
If you’re wondering how to modernize an old car interior, focus on the steering wheel. The device you use to control your car should be functional and stylish. Steering wheel covers have comfortable grips and customizable designs, so you can make your cover fit your car’s color scheme.
Covers also serve a practical purpose along with their design. Leather wheels can deteriorate and peel off after heavy usage. If that happens to you, just slap a custom cover over the damage, and it’ll feel like a brand-new steering wheel again.
Our pick: Valleycomfy Microfiber Leather Steering Wheel Cover
9. Get New Seat Covers
Besides the steering wheel cover, you should also protect your seats. If the condition of your car seats is becoming an issue or you just want a new interior, get new seat covers to spruce up your interior.
Some covers provide more cushioning, others are pet-friendly, and you can choose from a wide array of colors or customize them yourself. Overall, seat covers are inexpensive and easy to clean and install — just slap them over the old seats and enjoy!
Our pick: FLORICH Seat Covers for Cars
10. Customize Your Seatbelts
Seatbelts serve such an important function that we often don’t pay attention to their visual appeal, but a well-designed set of seatbelts really pops inside an otherwise unmodified car.
Look for seatbelts that clash with your vehicle’s interior. For example, installing red or blue seatbelts can drastically change your car’s personality if you have a dark interior. With this item, you can get a solid car interior modification that combines style and safety.
Our pick: Amooca Soft Auto Seat Belt Cover
11. Install Ambient Lighting
A few well-placed LED light strips can change the entire ambience of your car’s interior. Put them under your dashboard, along the doors and under the seats. With these interior car mods, you add a unique atmosphere your friends and family won’t get anywhere else.
You can change the color schemes and patterns with the push of a button. Just make sure the lights don’t interfere with your vision while driving! Intense illumination could make the drive dangerous.
Our pick: Hovano Car LED Lights
12. Get Racing Pedals
Stock pedals often contain cheap materials that wear down over time. Racing pedals, however, are made of sleek brushed metal that stays the same. If you recently bought a luxury sports car, you can even add custom pedals with the brand’s logo.
Swapping them out is easy, as you only need to change the pedals. The rest of the drivetrain system remains intact. With new pedals, you learn how to make your car look better and drive like a Ferrari.
Our pick: Sparco 03779AN Race Silver Pedal Set
13. Attach a Middle Console Cover
The middle console can sometimes be a nuisance, especially if it doesn’t provide sufficient cushioning. If your car has this problem, a console cover is an easy solution.
It will make your vehicle’s cabin more comfortable and provide another chance to introduce more color. These car interior modification ideas might not be evident to all your passengers, but other car enthusiasts will appreciate the attention to detail.
Our pick: ESKONKE Car Center Console Cover
14. Add Door Accents
Other car enthusiasts will also notice door accents, which can add some major bling to your otherwise bland car doors. A few hints of gold and silver can make your car’s interior look like it belongs in a luxury vehicle.
These rare colors are more powerful in small doses, so be careful not to go overboard with the accents. Consider what looks natural for your car and what fits your personality. If it fits both, the door accents are among the best car interior upgrades.
Our pick: RLB-HILON 1Set Exterior Door Handle Compatible with Hyundai Accent 2006 to 2011, Dodge Attitude 2006 to 2011
15. Rearview Mirror Upgrade
You might think your current mirror is sufficient, but many stock mirrors offer a limited range of views. A bigger mirror will improve your vision and make navigating traffic much easier. As a bonus, it will also make your vehicle look more futuristic.
A new rearview mirror is useful when considering how to modernize the interior of an old car. With modern technology, it’s become even better. Mirror manufacturers have made their products wider, thus reducing the risk of missing your blind spots. Plus, the installation is easy with simple clip-on assembly.
Our pick: JOYTUTUS Rear View Mirror
16. Give it a Cleaning
Some car interior modification ideas don’t require assembly or a specific vehicle. You may just need cleaning supplies to spruce up the inside when it gets dirty! Experts say to wash the car at least once weekly, though that may be less realistic with busy schedules. How can you keep it clean?
The trick is to keep a carwash supply kit nearby. Include your essentials, such as sponges, cloths, gentle cleaners and wax. It can be easy to forget the hose, so get an adjustable nozzle to give your paint the light treatment it needs.
Our pick: AUTODECO 42Pcs Car Wash Detailing Kit
17. Hang Fuzzy Dice
Lastly, keep it simple with fuzzy dice. These car interior upgrades are a classic — perhaps a cliché — and make your whip look cooler. If you don’t like dice, consider an air freshener or one of your favorite pictures. Regardless, you can upgrade and make your vehicle more fun.
Why do people hang dice from the rearview mirror? Some believe in superstitions that the dice will help them win money. Others follow the tradition as it stemmed from World War II. Fighter pilots would hang dice on their mirrors for luck as they went into battle.
Our pick: Soleebee Pair Fuzzy Plush Dice Car
How to Upgrade the Interior of Your Car
When considering car interior upgrades, you don’t have to overhaul your car completely. Instead, start with minor changes and see how you feel. Once you get the itch, you’ll want to make even more changes to enhance your ride.
Originally posted 6/20/23 – Updated 12/30/2024
