FERRARI California Review

Moving past that, the ergonomics of the dashboard are nice, with the only exception being the digital speedo, which has just the right size to be read... by a mouse. Ferrari also has an issue with infotainment.

Unbelievably, the navigation is optional even on the 458, so you have no right of asking for such standard amenities in the California. Well, once you’ve paid for it, you end up with a mediocre 6.5-inch touchscreen unit, sourced from the Fiat-Chrysler part bin. The same conclusion is true for the climate controls area.

Nevertheless, the shapes of the dash fit the car’s exterior lines. We were particularly pleased by the way in which the air vents raise from the leather adorning the fascia.

Up front, the California’s cabin feels rather airy, more so than a Porsche 911, for example. Alas, the standard seats aren’t quite up to the GT job. The shape they built over the magnesium frame is fine, but the padding is frugal and you feel that.

In the back, you can choose between a parcel shelf setup and a pair of extra seats. Our tester featured the latter. To put things shortly, the setup is more cramped than in a 911, so do not even think about asking an adult to ride in there. Despite this, the feeling of having an extra space is still much better than what you get in the 458, even with the small shelf of the Coupe version.

A few movements later, we were accessing the trunk via the folded rear seats. This space is a true friend, offering 12 cubic feet (340 liters), or 8.5 cubic feet (240 liters) if you have the top packed.