When the C8 was released we couldn’t get enough of them during the COVID days. When they finally started trickling in, people complained of subpar stitching and something between the driver and passenger. The wall, as it is known, is a large grab handle and a vertical stack of buttons of all sorts of configurations. With the updated 2026 Corvette, much like Berlin in 1989, the wall is starting to come down.
Now it isn’t a huge issue, but the wall is a bit divisive. Being a driver-centric car, it is only understandable that most of the controls and buttons would be facing the driver. All trims of the Corvette—Stingray, E-Ray, Z06, and ZR1—will receive this new interior. More welcoming to the passenger, the updated car will receive three screens: a larger 12.7-inch center console display, an expanded 14-inch diagonal driver information center, and an all-new 6.6-inch auxiliary display to the left of the steering wheel.
“The design team considered every element — from materials, to stitching, to layout of the interior – for the 2026 Corvette,” said Phil Zak, executive design director, Global Chevrolet. “Paired with the new screens and technology, the refreshed interior enables a refined experience for the driver and the passenger.”
The center console with its wall is the main difference you’ll see immediately. All crucial controls are still at the driver’s fingertips, but the mode selector has been relocated to be in line with the gear selector. A new wireless phone pad is integrated below the infotainment screen with a cover, should you be doing some spirited driving and not want to lose it when pulling 1.0g lateral.
The volume knob was reported to remain a priority and is now bigger with a lit base so you can turn up and down ‘Twisted Sister’ at your leisure. The HVAC controls are now under the center display (wall coming down) so there is less obstruction between the driver and passenger. They’ve even thought of the passenger with a new USB-C2 port below the grab handle.
“Corvette is the ultimate American sports car, which is why it has remained the luxury sport segment leader for more than 20 years — with the next competitor a distant second in terms of market share,” said Scott Bell, VP Chevrolet. “With these updates, the mid- engine Corvette will continue to cement its leadership for years to come.”
Even the cupholders have been redesigned to include hand-wrapped inserts with ambient lighting. On the higher trims, they’ve even added aluminum to where you’ll be placing the Big Gulp.
Cheers!
M. T. Blake
