Similar to their dinner party attire, these two competitors take a completely different approach to cabin layout. The Taigun has a very practical, no-nonsense design with great ergonomics and durable quality. The Astor is a bit swanky with scarlet upholstery and a mix of different textured materials. With light-colored materials, the Taigun feels more airy compared to the Astor’s cramped cabin. Also, the Astor’s wide center console results in less room for the driver’s left leg.

The steering position of the Astor, which is slightly offset from the driver’s seat, is striking. In comparison, the Taigun offers better vision and an overall sense of space. The soft-touch materials in the Astor feel nice, but Taigun’s hard plastic will definitely last longer than it looks pretty.

The Astor’s steering wheel appears slightly smaller in circumference. Even the buttons on it could use a better feel, like the Taigun where the buttons have a solid tactile feel. There’s a fully digital driver’s display in the Taigun, but with negative space on either side that’s wasted. Thankfully, the center screen is configurable to some degree. Meanwhile, the Astor’s unity isn’t remarkable either. The MID has a default image of a white Astor that can get pretty tedious to watch endlessly. Then the digital speedometer and tachometer are difficult to read while driving.

The front-row seats in the Astor are quite comfortable, with the right amount of support and power adjustment. The Taigun seats aren’t bad either, and with more movement in the manual seats, it’s easier to find the right driving position. Go to the back and there’s an unexpected surprise. In the Astor, the seats are – in contrast to the front – a little harder and offer little lower leg support.

The middle passenger will find it difficult to sit down comfortably due to the expansive seat contours. But there’s decent head and knee room for my height, and the panoramic sunroof takes the ambience up a notch. Switch to the Taigun and the special shape of the seat will catch your eye. It is rounded towards the end. So round that behind the driver only the right leg would fight for lower leg support. Apart from that, the Taigun is a better place to spend long hours in. It’s a spacious cabin (thanks to clever measures like the roof scoop) that’s easier to get in and has big, plush and comfortable seats.

Finally, the boot sill is lower in the Taigun compared to the Astor, and the trunk itself is deep and usable with less intrusion. However, the bay in Astor is shallow but not very deep and narrows to accommodate the rear wheel arches. 60:40 split seats in both seats contribute to practicality.