Be sure to open both apps and check the price on both before booking your ride. Sometimes the price difference (for both short and long distance rides) are substantial. Sometimes Lyft is cheaper, sometimes Uber or sometimes they're close in price. I don't have a preference one or the other. So if one is $5-10 cheaper, I take it. When going from the suburbs into the city, it can be a much much more significant price difference. Again, sometimes one or the other is just much cheaper.
FWIW, I've had 2 or 3 rides in lyft/uber cars whose interiors were not as clean as I would prefer (just meaning that the car mats and upholstery could be a bit cleaner or well maintained), but the same could be said for some cab interiors. And it really just depends on who shows up as far as how "clean" or "new" the interior is. Not to mention, I've been in a few friends' cars in high school and college that were
(far worse than any cab/lyft/uber). At least lyft/uber are not full of clutter, don't have anything in them that could stain my clothes, and don't smell of cigar or cigarette smoke or whatever else.
I like that you can see on the app where the driver's car is. And the drivers are usually friendly enough. I usually don't talk when I'm alone in a lyft/uber (I read) and generally the driver doesn't talk to me unless I'm looking out the window and not reading and they are feeling chatty. It's also easy to digitally share your ride with someone else (friend, family member) so they can keep track of exactly where you are for whatever reason.
The best part is no money exchanging hands and you know upfront what the ride will cost and you have time afterward to think about what you want to tip rather than in the moment.