2009 Ferrari California

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability

Interior - What the Auto Press Says

Auto writers are impressed with the Ferrari California's elegant, comfortable interior. While its roomy cargo hold adds some practicality to this sports car, its useless back seats don't. However, the rear seats are optional.

• "Any lingering questions over the vehicle's purpose or styling instantly slip away as soon as you slide into the cabin, thanks in part to the thousand hours Ferrari's aerodynamicists spent honing the California's shape in the wind tunnel. Coddled in the most exquisitely-crafted hand-stitched leather, you're instantly met with a sense of occasion." -- Autoblog
• "The cabin is fitted out with the usual Ferrari aplomb of creamy hides and expertly crafted trimming." -- Popular Mechanics
• "The interior is magnificent, and the suspended bridge in the middle console and the superbly comfortable seats are a feast to the eye." -- Edmunds

Seating

The Ferrari California offers a 2+ seating arrangement -- meaning, its optional back seat is too small for adults. Otherwise, the California features a parcel shelf for on-board storage. Critics, on balance, find that the California's front seats provide a lot of comfort and support, and particularly like the fact that its cabin is driver focused. Its rear seat, however, is too cramped for passengers.

• "A grand tourer it may be - in juxtaposition to the track-focused 430 Scuderia - but it's clear from the start where the California's cockpit places its emphasis. The seats are aggressively bolstered. The tachometer dominates the instrument binnacle, framed by over-sized shift paddles. The steering wheel, though fully adjustable, sits right in your chest for optimal control, its prancing horse dominating the hub flanked by the manettino chassis control switch and bright red starter button." -- Autoblog
• "[W]hile the passenger foot space is a little tight for those over 6 ft, the driver's position, with its reach-and-rake adjustable steering, is nearly perfect." -- Popular Mechanics
• "Ferrari refers to the California as a "2 plus," rather than a two-plus-two, an oblique reference to rear seating that would be severely confining for passengers who happen to be equipped with legs." -- Car and Driver
• "There's even a pair of simple backseats for a couple of extra bags. Yes, just bags. There's no way adults could sit there; there's simply not enough room." -- Edmunds

Interior Features

In addition to elegant trim and superior craftsmanship, the California's cabin also comes equipped with top-grade features -- including a new infotainment system that features a 6.5-inch touch-screen.

Cargo

The California provides a good amount of cargo room for an exotic sports car. The trunk holds 12.7 cubic feet with the top up and 9.2 cubic feet with the top down. What's more, drivers that don't opt for backseats get a storage bench instead. However, the available rear seats fold down, allowing lengthy items to be stowed in the trunk.  

• "[T]he California should be an extraordinary practical sports car in which you can bring along more than in a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti - more than in a VW Golf, even." -- Edmunds
• "There is also a handy pass through that allows you to carry long objects such as golf bags." -- Road and Track
• The backseats are "more useful for extra baggage and can fold flat to allow pass-through from the generous trunk, which together with the trick folding hard-top makes the California the most versatile Ferrari in the company's range, if not in its history." -- Autoblog