Interior Design No longer coach, but not quite first-class, the 2005 Chevrolet Corvette’s interior is a big improvement but still isn’t of the caliber expected in a car at this price.

Cheap interior materials were the chief failings of the previous-generation Corvette, the C5. Potential customers balked at forking over north of $40,000 for a sports car equipped with Cavalier-grade plastics inside, and rightly so. Therefore, in creating the new sixth-generation model, the C6, Corvette designers made sure to upgrade the cabin.

No longer coach, but not quite first-class, the 2005 Chevrolet Corvette’s interior is a big improvement but still falls short of the caliber expected in a car of this price. We’re not the first critics to claim that customers who are already shelling out this kind of coin for the Corvette’s incredible performance and gorgeous styling wouldn’t mind spending another grand for real aluminum interior trim, the best plastic money can buy, less monotonous décor, and metal door sill trim rather than the decal-decorated plastic on our test car.

That said, the new Corvette is hard to fault when it comes to interior design. Controls are exactly where you expect them to be, are clearly labeled for easy use, and don’t require reference of the owner’s manual to decode – though first-time riders have trouble locating the well-integrated door release handles.

We did get frustrated with our test car’s optional navigation radio, which had small primary function buttons, required precise and forceful use of on-screen buttons to achieve the desired effect, and displayed every single finger smudge on its surface. Plus, in our convertible, the screen washed out in sunlight and produced problematic reflections. We’d save the cost, buy a map, and stick with the standard radio.

Assembly quality was also first-rate, and despite parts and panels that would flex under pressure, everything was solidly affixed to the car. The new Corvette is much tighter inside than the old Corvette.