Chevy Corvette’s Controversial Wall of Buttons Will Go Away by 2025: Report
The design is polarizing even within GM, and the automaker has reportedly decided it’s time for a change.
The C8 Corvette is impressive in all its various trims, but one aspect of the car that takes a little getting used to is its ergonomics. The interior is dominated by a tall center tunnel which extends up towards the dashboard, peaked by a long array of switchgear known as the "wall of buttons." For the uninitiated, it's confusing to use—especially for a passenger. It also makes the already-tight mid-engined Corvette cabin seem even more claustrophobic. It's been rumored to be on the chopping block for a few years now, but today we have a fresh report from CorvetteBlogger that claims changes are imminent.
The site claims it learned of a conversation that happened amongst several General Motors engineers during the Corvettes at Carlisle event in Pennsylvania in late August, claiming the design was on its way out. The change to the car's interior has been rumored since 2021, however now a date of roughly 2025—likely the 2025 model year—is cited as the time when the setup will be scrapped.
Whether or not the layout is easy to use for owners is debatable. What isn't debatable is that the C8 Corvette's interior isn't quite as roomy as its predecessor's, and for good reason. The tunnel is taller and there's no longer any access from the passenger compartment to the rear cargo area. The result is a less airy and open interior.
The "wall" makes this just a hair worse. It increases the height of the center tunnel, places a bulkier barrier between the driver and passenger, and doesn't clearly delineate whose controls belong to whom. Arranging the driver's switchgear on the driver's side of the car, and likewise for the passenger, is always going to make more sense ergonomically.
GM design boss Michael Simcoe is apparently not a fan of the wall of buttons, and has allegedly been pushing for it to be altered. How exactly the interior will change to accommodate the new scheme is unclear, though. This is just a rumor, so naturally no details of the supposed redesign were provided. Our first indication of a change will likely happen once the 2025 models roll out for camouflaged testing, and spy photographers fire up their cameras.
Got a tip about the C8 Corvette's rumored new interior? Send me an email: peter@thedrive.com
