When I first slid into the driver's seat of a 2010 Montero Sport last month, I was genuinely surprised by how well its interior has held up. As someone who's reviewed dozens of SUVs over the past decade, I've developed a pretty good sense for which vehicle features stand the test of time - and frankly, most interiors from that era feel dated the moment you open the door. But the Montero Sport? It's different. The moment I gripped that leather-wrapped steering wheel and took in the dashboard layout, I realized this wasn't just another old SUV - it was something special that still has lessons to teach us about thoughtful design.

What struck me immediately was the seating configuration. The 2010 model offered what I consider one of the most versatile three-row arrangements in its class, accommodating up to seven passengers with what I'd describe as remarkable comfort for a midsize SUV. The second-row seats slide forward nearly 8 inches - a feature many modern SUVs still don't get right - while the third row actually fits normal-sized adults instead of just children. The leather upholstery in higher trims has proven surprisingly durable; the one I examined had over 120,000 miles on it, yet the driver's seat showed only minimal wear. Climate control deserves special mention too - with separate rear controls and vents that actually work effectively throughout the cabin. In my testing, the temperature difference between front and rear seats was less than 3 degrees Fahrenheit even on a 95-degree day, which is better than some 2023 models I've tested.

The infotainment system, while primitive by today's standards, had this beautiful simplicity to it. No complicated menus, no laggy touchscreen - just straightforward controls that you could operate without taking your eyes off the road. I found myself thinking about how we've traded usability for complexity in modern vehicles. The 2010 Montero Sport's audio system, particularly the available Rockford Fosgate premium setup with 860 watts of power, still delivers sound quality that would put many current base-model systems to shame. There's something to be said for physical buttons and knobs that you can find by touch alone - a design philosophy that seems almost revolutionary today.

Storage solutions throughout the cabin demonstrate what I call "considered design." The center console isn't just a bin - it's divided, with specific spots for phones, coins, and even sunglasses. The door pockets actually fit modern water bottles, which seems like a simple thing until you try to find one that does in other SUVs from the same period. Cargo space measures at 16.5 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 46.5 with the third row folded - numbers that remain competitive even today. What impressed me most was the thoughtful placement of the 12V power outlets - one up front, one in the center console, and another in the cargo area, recognizing that passengers throughout the vehicle might need power.

This brings me to why the 2010 Montero Sport's interior continues to resonate. It reminds me of that quote about cultural changes not happening overnight, that it takes "total consensus and a collective show of force to generate solutions." The interior design feels like it was created through exactly that kind of thoughtful process - every element feels considered, every feature feels like it emerged from genuine consensus about what drivers actually need rather than following fleeting trends. There's a harmony to the layout that suggests different teams actually talked to each other during development. The materials chosen strike this perfect balance between luxury and practicality - soft-touch surfaces where they matter most, durable plastics where they make sense.

What the Montero Sport achieved in 2010 was creating what I'd call an "outstanding environment" - to borrow from that same quote - that demonstrated how an interior could feel premium without being fragile, sophisticated without being complicated. The proof is in the ownership experience: these vehicles have maintained their appeal because the interior doesn't just look good in showrooms - it works well in daily life. The design team clearly understood that true excellence comes from solving real problems for real people, not just chasing specifications. As I stepped out of that Montero Sport after my extended test drive, I found myself wishing more modern manufacturers would look back to this kind of thoughtful, consensus-driven design approach. Sometimes, the best innovations aren't about what's new, but about what works - and the 2010 Montero Sport's interior works beautifully, even after all these years.