Remember the days when muscle car was synonymous with crappy interior? Well, it looks like those days are long gone – replaced by a new era where pony car buyers actually care about the quality of the interior, the materials of the dash board, and the overall aesthetics of the cabin.
One can say that Ford bucked the trend of pony cars having ugly/crappy interiors when it introduced the all-new Mustang for the 2009 model year. The interior of the all-new 2010 Camaro, however, wasn’t as lucky. With its subpar materials and rather unappealing aesthetics, Camaro fans who have either sat in or driven Ford’s cross-town muscle car rival clamored for a better interior. Having criticized the Camaro interior every step of the way, we at GM Authority put ourselves squarely in this category. As such, it brings me great joy to report that our dreams and/or prayers will finally be answered by GM!
Citing an unnamed GM insider, Edmunds reports that the 2012 model year Camaro will get a “substantially reworked interior.” While Edmunds wasn’t able to get many details about the much-needed update, their insider did say that the dash – specifically the large span of blackness in front of the passenger – will see most of the changes.
While these are much-welcomed changes, we sincerely hope that they will be accompanied by a redesigned steering wheel and both pairs of gauge clusters. What’s wrong with these elements in their current state? Simply put, they’re tremendously tacky in trying way too hard to be retro. Finally, we hope that an optional built-in (read: non-mountable) navigation system will join the the 2012 Camaro and its redesigned interior.
And that pretty sums up what we want from a new Camaro interior. What other changes are you hoping for? Let us know in the comments!
[Source: Edmunds]
Comments
Can I get an amen for an ejection seat? AMEN!
What a great website! As a former owner of 3 Mustangs over 40 years, I test drove the Camaro and would add what you have mentioned. The stick shift knob is leather but the stitching can be felt everytime you go to shift. They need a round knob (maybe a Hurst) or the round aluminum one Mustang offers. The retro guages I think are fine…I remember the round ones people put down there in the 1950s, but they should have just the really useful stuff, not transmission temperature. A nav system is OK for an option but many people don’t want something that will eventually be obsolete, even with updates. Ford screwed up by putting the Mustang’s nav system way below eye level. I kind of liked the two retro cluster guages, not as retro as the Mustang which used the original 1964-66 fonts on the number sets. I am passing buying the Mustang because I liked everything about the Camaro except the interior. I thought it was awful that for $1700 you could buy TWO front only Brembos on the Mustang, but the Camaro 2SS has them standard on all FOUR wheels. I’m a senior citizen and I may be the oldest guy driving a Camaro in Las Vegas, but comparing both Mustang and Camaro, the road-holding ability of the Camaro, the smoother ride from its longer wheelbase, and its sure-footed stopping with its Brembos were all pluses for me…not counting the independent rear suspension. One other thing, the balance on the Camaro is almost ideal…52/48. The Mustang’s 55/45 showed itself as the front only Brembos faded quickly on one test. Seems Ford put the 14 inch Brembos in front but put the smaller 11 somethings on the rear…a bad move I think. Keep up the good work on this site, guys. Bob Foss
DO NOT CHANGE THE INTERIOR OF THE CAMARO- IT’S ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS FOR BUYING IT. ALL MANUFACTURERS SHOULD STUDY IT AND LEARN FROM IT. IF YOU DON’T LOVE THIS INTERIOR YOU ARE VISUALLY ILLITERATE.
I AM ASTOUNDED AND DISAPPOINTED.
I love my new 2011 Camaro and the only thing to consider changing would be the a/c / heating “dials” I love the steering wheel and how it fits my hands and fingers, I love the speedometer and Navi window and i do not have the 3 gauges mounted onto the console, if I did I could “live” with the placement, it is very retro looking. My city mileage has only been 15/16 but I never had so much fun driving this car as well as the looks and comments, so it’s worth it, the highway mileage is outstanding, I have gotten up to 33 with me driving it like a race car!
What do I want? I want a Camaro with a Ford Interior. Look at the 2011 Explorer. Heated and COOLED seats, radar for your blindspots (and adaptive cruise control), and it self parallel parks. A camaro may not need auto park, but with large blind spots, radar for the side mirrors should be a must…adaptive speed control would also be big.
The Explorer (and most cars these days) have the option of a built-in navigation system with a rear view camera feature. The Explorer is also keyless with push button start. It has a Sony HD radio. Sure I like XM Radio…but HD radio is almost as good and its free. No new car stereos should come without HD radio.
The whole Micosoft Sync MyFord Touch is pretty cool and useful. Weather and traffic overlays on your navigation map? Outstanding! I know GM likes On-Star and I think that On-Star is useful…especially for emergency services, but I like to see my directions….not have them read to me. How about a Hybrid system…On-Star Online. A touch screen graphical view of your navigation and car systems (also accessible via phone app…like the new On-Star App) and an On-Star operator for emergency actions. Features like weather and traffic overlays could be a subscription service like On-Star but it would be even better if you could download that from your iPhone or other device.
Keep the HUD. If you have never driven with a HUD, try it. You’ll never want to live without it. It keeps your eyes on the the road. In fact, I’d build the radar technology into the hud. But I’d feed navigation info from my car into the HUD and not On-Star. I could go on…I love the Camaro, but this is a tech world these days and the Camaro needs to be part of the convergence of technology and provide it at least as options, if not as standard equipment.
New interior…awesome! Can’t come soon enough. It’s the only reason I haven’t bought one yet. With this and the bump in horsepower I will definitely be buying a 2012 Camaro. Great website!
Absolutely. The Mustang’s interior — as much as it pains for me to say this — is better. But then again, it’s been around for two generations in its current incarnation, giving Ford more time to perfect it.
Let’s see how the Mustang-eatin’ Camaro looks in 2012!
PS – thanks for the complements Glen. Really appreciate it!
Alex
Founder, GM Authority
My wife and I just turned 50 y.o.. We enjoy driving our C5 Corvette and we are looking at purchasing another convertible sport’s car. We realy enjoy the outside look of the Camaro but when we test drived one it became obvious that the interior quality and desing were below expectation. We also tried the Pony GT with with upgraded interior…WOW! what a difference. The thing is…I realy like the Camaro and I will definitly wait few months to see if GM confirms or not that the interior of the Camaro will be upgraded…if not, we’ll purchse the Convertible Pony GT. :((
I think the unique styling of the interior is what make these cars what they are and the personality enthusiasts look for. If I wanted fuel efficiency and ergonomics I’d buy a camry.
Lee — I agree that uniqueness is key. But what’s at stake here is not the styling, it’s the quality of the materials: soft touch vs. hard touch plastics/rubber and the quite bland area in front of the passenger. And the wheel isn’t the most comfortable, either. And since the Camaro is a sports car, it should have as many ergonomic points as possible to increase driving comfort at high speeds and maneuvering the vehicle in more extreme conditions (than say a Camry). It should also have better materials than a Cruze… which it currently doesn’t. With this upgrade, it will attain both — a new wheel and better materials. And it still beats the Camry hands down!
hmmm, i dunno, i’ve driven BOTH the new Mustang and Camaro and the argument over interior “quality” is B.S. now if you want to argue over styling, your opinion is your opinion. but the Mustang is in NO WAY higher quality. to say so is a lie, period. the only nod the Mustang gets over the Camaro is in interior design for the use of real metal in the dash and better interior color options and combinations.
everything else is purely subjective.
I’d kindly disagree. The Mustang’s cabin has better quality materials. To say otherwise would simply be ludicrous!
I’ve spent considerable time with both pony cars and the material differences are glaring! Soft touch dash and door panels, real metals (as you pointed out), and luxury-status leather in the ‘Stang. The only thing “soft touch” in the Camaro, on the other hand, are the leather seats, which aren’t as prestigious and “grainy” as the ones on the Ford.
As you said, design is subjective… and I like the design of both, so that’s not what’s at issue here. But the bland passenger area on the 2010 and 2011 Camaros sure don’t help its case, hence the changes announced today to the 2012 model.
Finally, the wheel on the 2010/2011 Camaros is not as good as that on the Stang. The one in the Camaro is hard, unattractive, and difficult to grip; the Mustang’s is soft and grippy. This was also a major area of contention – and the reason for the new wheel in the 2012 model.
What say you?
The clamour from the great unwashed , visually illiterate , illeducated, and uninformed [ that ensure the mediocrity of almost all cars ] to change the superb , award winning , innovative and beautifully executed interior design of the new Camaro is
almost unbelievable as is G.M.’s craven capitulation to their inane requests.
Replacing the unique exquisitely designed steering wheel with a generic , flat .cheap looking wheel from the Cruze econo box is madness.
As you leave engineering to the engineers please leave design to the designers.
The clamor from the great unwashed, visually illiterate, ill-educated, and uninformed [that ensure the mediocrity of almost all cars] to keep the horrendous, non-award winning (that steering wheel never even came close to wining an award), rushed to market, and visually unappealing interior design of the new Camaro is almost unbelievable as is G.M.’s inability to have realized this from the onset.
Replacing the unique-for-no-reason and totally unergonimic steering wheel with a beautiful, well-designed, comfortable, and awesome-looking wheel from the Cruze is pure genius.
——
See, it could be spun both ways! Having driven both vehicles extensively, however, I can confidently say that the wheel in the Cruze is the best wheel I’ve ever held in a sub-$35,000 vehicle. Seriously — the wheel makes the Cruze feel like a sports car! It’s grippy and perfectly ergonomic, it looks great, and it fits a sports car much better than what we have in the 2010 and 2011 Camaros. Just because the wheel is in an entry-level compact vehicle doesn’t mean it has to suck; it just means that it’s that much better than what the Camaro offers. Have you held the new wheel? Have you driven the Cruze with its wheel?
PS: how in the world can you call the interior of the Camaro beautifully-executived? It’s tasteful — in a throwback way… I’ll give you that. But the quality of the dash and the plain-ness of the passenger-side area takes away from what is a stunning vehicle from the outside. For me, the wheel and the dash ruin it. Now that Chevy has fixed both, I will make the Camaro my next car. In two years.
Both the exterior and the interior of the Camaro have won awards- this is a fact and not debatable – and your hysterical bleating and that of many others has led me to seek out and buy the 2011 Convertible , at some considerable expenditure of time , to obtain the exquisite original interior. You should really just by a Cruze, clearly blandness and uninformed, ill educated design is your standard and your contribution to the immense boredom factor in the design of most cars.
You clearly have no idea what just happened, do you? I took your original comment and — using the exact same structure you chose — turned it around to make an argument FOR the changes in the interior.
You do understand that design and beauty are in the eye of the beholder — right? They’re both purely subjective. But let’s talk facts: when and where is it a “fact” that the Camaro interior won an award? Can you provide a link to this phenomenon? You can’t — since it never happened!
I’ll turn a blind eye to the remainder of your foolish and slandering comment — since being “informed” is my job — and I do so on a daily basis in driving, interviewing and speaking to sources. In any event, congratulations on buying a vehicle whose interior is inferior to the much-better 2012 Camaro in every single way… and paying more for it. Long live the dinosaurs… or not.
Design and a sense of beauty are not subjective, as an Artist/Educator , in one of Canada’s Four Art Colleges, I deal with these issues every day and there are quantifiable rules and principles that we engage with and teach. I can only suggest that you become more informed and expand your horizons. That this car has been changed by comments from individuals that have nothjing but some vague stereotypical cliched notions of design without any in depth knowledge of this particular discipline ,makes all of our lives less than they can be.
Richard — it’s great that you can put design into quantifiable principles (not being sarcastic, I honestly think so). But have you actually driven the Camaro with the current wheel and then… say a Cruze — with its wheel?
Do you not realize the indescribable ergonomic difference between one and the other? The current wheel may look cool from your quantifiable point of view, but it pales in comparison to the wheel used on the Cruze, Volt, and new Malibu. Moreover, I greatly prefer the design of the new Chevy corporate wheel to that used in the 2010-2011 Camaro.
If you’re a designer, you should know that design doesn’t exist in a vacuum. There is always a person (client/customer) that votes with their money — and the greatest design (and product) ultimately wins.
Maybe from a purist perspective, the wheel you love is perfect. But I’m not a designer — and I hate it. At the end of the day, who buys the Camaro more — designers such as yourself… Or average folks who like good product and think they have good taste? I think the answer to that is clear.
Lastly, I expected more from a gentleman and scholar such as yourself… At the very least, I would hold you to a higher standard than to personally attack others about this topic. It never pays to be a snob.
Cheers – and nothing personal.
Alex
Founder, GM Authority
You said it yourself, Alex,you are not a designer,and you presume too much, ,because of you and a horde of people like you ,I am, in the labourious process of
negotiating to buy a Camaro Convertible, thousands of kilometres away, with all lhe attendant extra cost and extra time . Far from being a ” snob ” I am justifiably angry and extremely irritated that the car that I have waited for fso l;ong has been effectivbely sabotaged by the automotive illiteracy of people like yourself.
Nope, not a designer. But I know cars. I live and breathe cars. And I know an improvement when I see one.
How is it that a car is “effectively sabotaged” by a change for the better? Do you even have a license? Do you know how to drive? Have you ever driven the Camaro longer than a 10-minute test drive at your local dealer? Your ardent ignorance is beginning to give me the felling that you have the automotive literacy of a rock.
Alex, get an education- rethink what cars really mean to you, and if you really want to punish yourself ,buy a Miustang V6 Automatic and thrash around in oblivion
BUT PLEASE DO NOT DEGRADE THE ICONIC CAMARO, for petrol heads like myself this is a car you must accept and not violate by your subjectivity.
Richard — how well do you even know me? Here you are telling someone whom you’ve never met and about whom you know absolutely nothing about to “get an education.” Seems like you’re the one who needs to dig his head into the books. Actually, what I think you need is an introductory course in human interaction and rudimentary ethics!
To that effect, when did I ever degrade the iconic Camaro? It’s my favorite car to date — and I will own one in the next two years. Seems to me like you need to do some driving and really get a feel for the current wheel compared to the new one. Have you even seen the new wheel? Have you held it in your hands? And what other beef do you have with the updated interior?
Lastly, here’s the irony of your peabrain argument: “…this is a car you must accept and not violate by your subjectivity.” Does the fact that you’re here — praising the subpar wheel of the current Camaro — unleash YOUR OWN subjectivity?
Like I said earlier, design is subjective. Looks like you’ve contradicted yourself one too many times.
By the way — still waiting to see the links for the various “awards” won by the Camaro’s interior.
I have spent countless time on long distance phone calls and $2400 more than on my original order for a 2011 Camaro Convertible , just to avoid the upcoming changes to , and the desecration of , the interior , and I am still on the phone to a Dealership at the opposite end of Canada – all because of the clamour that some people have generated that has amazingly persuaded G.M. to butcher this interior with badly glued on stitched suede,an unrelated steering wheel from a bland econo box bottom of the line car, the removal of the retro graphics from the retro guages,
and on and on. Hardly surprising that my comments are laced with some degree of
anger.
Richard — I feel that we’re repeating ourselves. Let’s get down to the specifics — what do you NOT like about the revised interior?
Well at least you have a sense of humour , but i do wonder – you claim to be informed ,but you are unaware of the awards that the Camaro has received for both it’s interior and exterior and evidently have not bothered to google this.
As a final thought compared to Chrysler, Ford , B.M.W. and virtually any other manufacturer , Chevrolet has set new standards for interior design with this car and it is
truly depressing that it has received such a negative response.
That’s because the Camaro has never won any awards for its interior! I’ve asked numerous times but you haven’t provided any links…
Can you actually provide specifics about you actually dislike about the revised interior — or is this all hypothetical?
Why are you unable or unwilling to research these awards ?
I thought the interior discussion was exhausted – have you actually looked at the
many photos/videos of the new interior ?
Richard, for a college professor, you seem to lack the capacity to read… or follow directions for that matter. But maybe those aren’t required when you’re an art professor.
Let’s put things as they are: YOU are the one claiming that the Camaro’s interior won some kind of a design award. Rather than repeating the same thing over and over again, why not shut me up by providing hard evidence of these awards? To date, I’ve asked you thrice to provide links to these supposed awards. You have yet to do so. I have a feeling that you’re simply making these awards up. Are you?
Finally, to answer your question — have I actually looked at the photos/videos of the new interior? I’ll do you one better — I’ve seen it in person! See, the GM Authority team — which I am part of — actually does this for a living… and we cover auto shows, compare vehicles, and attend other events like nobody’s business.
So yes, I’ve seen the new interior and it’s leaps and bounds better — addressing everything I disliked about the interiors of the 2010-2011 models. You should sit in one and drive one before forming an opinion — I would expect nothing less of a seasoned scholar such as yourself.
If you look in the 2011 Camaro Brochure [ would this be difficult for you ?] you will find on page 3 – CAMARO THE 2010 WORLD CAR DESIGN OF THE YEAR.
If you then carefully turn to page 6 you will see in the top right hand corner –
A 2010 INTERIOR OF THE YEAR – SPORTS CAR CATEGORY – WARDSAUTO.COM.
You can obtain a copy of this brochure entirely free of charge at your nearest Chevrolet Dealership. I am amazed that you are unaware of this , especially given your supposed involvement with G.M.
correction – top left hand corner of page 6, I wouldn’t want you to miss it.
Richard — you’ve really outdone yourself here! I can’t commend you enough for actually sticking to the topic at hand and (gasp!) following directions. I’m literally shaking with excitement stemming from my pride of your ability to do so.
Quick question for you: what OTHER vehicle was the Camaro’s interior up against when it was given the Wards Auto award? The Challenger?
As for my “supposed involvement” with GM — there is no such thing. GM Authority is not “involved” with GM; we are an INDEPENDENT destination. You can see that if you carefully scroll to the very top of this page. See the GM Authority logo… followed by “The Ultimate Independent Destination For Everything General Motors” tagline? You can also scroll to the bottom of this very page. I didn’t realize reading was optional for today’s college professors!
Before I lose your attention to an abstract design element that exists in the Z plane, I asked a question in this very comment — and would immensely appreciate an answer.
So it appears that G.M. Authority is not in fact an authority on anything as you have so capably demonstrated , does G.M. even know of your existence ? I have little patience and a great aversion for the amateur in any field of activity but perhaps your whole exchange is fueled by some obscure sense of humour and a persistent ability to never acknowledge when you have things completely wrong.
Richard — you really don’t have the capacity to follow the simplest of directions and conversations — do you? And here I was thinking I was having a constructive discussion with a scholar!
Here was my question to you in my previous comment:
“Quick question for you: what OTHER vehicle was the Camaro’s interior up against when it was given the Wards Auto award? The Challenger?”
Are you going to answer that or just hint at GM Authority’s “lack of authority”?
What I find astoundingly laughable is your complete and utter denial of the fact that design is subjective. No matter what you say, design is a matter of taste. If you don’t like it, go home! How is it that they let you teach art in a university? Did you buy your way in? You seem to completely lack the ability to reason with points of view that are not in line with your own.
To summarize (lest you already forgot): there is a question awaiting your most thoughtful of answers. Cheers!
There are colleges and universities all over the world that teach design in it’s many forms and there are countless students that pay high tuition fees to acquire this knowledge, perhaps you should do the same…
The Camaro award for interior design was given in the Sports Car Category which means , listen carefully, [ It’s not a boxing match! ] that it was compared with the other sports cars that are sold in N.America.
Again — a matter of taste. Anyone who prefers the interior of the 2010-2011 Camaro hasn’t sampled what’s available in the Mustang. It pains me to admit it, but that interior is better in every single way. And as much as you may think that this is in bad taste, it’s the consensus among the automotive media all over North America.
Have you ever driven a 2010 and newer ‘Stang? Have you taken one around a track and then done the same, back to back, with a Camaro? I have — and the interior makes a huge difference in the Mustang.
Yet in all this wonder no awards for the Mustang and the Automotive press are rarely any more knowledgable about design than the great hordes that will buy cars like the Hyundai or the Kia and all their ilk. Just like the exquisite Corvair, G.M.’s briliance with the Camaro is beyond their understanding.
NAVIGATION! Get that navigation into the 2012 Camaro and I will buy a Camaro!
Well, yes, a touch screen in-dash nav isn’t available yet… But how about OnStar?
I find it even more useful on my 2011 Cruze, especially with the Virtual Advisor feature that allows me to send a Google Map address to OnStar… Then I can retrieve directions to it from my Cruze automatically!
Guys…I would have bought the Camaro V6 2011, had the interior been a lil better.. Now im really confused, whether i Shud go for Mustang’s interior or Camaro’s appeal.. Having heard Camaro is getting an interior overhaul, it’s worth waiting..
i have now owned my new 2011 Summit White Camaro Convertible for 3 weeks and over 3000 kms and I am even more relieved to have the original interior design.
The Mustang’s ” built to a price point” tawdry non dimensional interior and it’s ” let’s just cut off the roof ” exterior convertible appearance should be a message to Ford to spend a liitle more money and do the job right. As with everything , you get what you pay for, and , as sales have demonstrated , it’s well worth paying more for the Camaro.
Congrats Richard! Enjoy the Camaro, mate!
I saw the 2012 Camaro SS Convertible (white with the orange stripe & black interior with the orange accents and stitching) at the Inland Empire Auto Show in Ontario, CA yesterday. I can attest that the interior is much improved. The quality of the dash is a nice upgrade. Soft-touch materials are in much wider use; however, some cheap plastic panels, generally below the belt-line are still in use. The new corporate steering wheel looked “right” and felt meaty. The contrasting orange French stitching was nice and tactile. I’m still a bit disappointed in the lack of a proper high-resolution navigation screen, and while OnStar will do the job, I’m not sure I want to continue to pay the monthly/annual subscription fee.
Since the car wasn’t on, I couldn’t see the rear view camera in action, although I knew the camera was part of the package as I could see it on the rear lid.
I’m not sure why people think the Mustang has a “better” dash/interior. While the Mustang offers Ford’s high-quality navigation system with Sync, the center stack is very cheap-looking plastic and plain control switches. The side panels are no better. The balance of the interior is nicely done and pleasing to the eyes, but the interior of the Mustang gave me pause and it’s hard to recommend it, except maybe in the Boss 302 or Shelby 500 GT trim. However, at those price levels, buyers deserve a higher quality interior.
I’m glad to see GM addressing some of the consumer complaints at this time. If possible, car companies shouldn’t wait for a 5-year life cycle to address complaints that are fairly easily mitigated. Mid-cycle significant refreshes are becoming more and more common to keep the product fresh in consumers’ minds.
Alex way to go, Richard good for you (not being sarcastic you wanted the old interior and you got it i applaude that) as for the steering wheel thing why didnt they just use a corvette wheel??
I agree with many of the opinions posted about the interior of the Chevy Camaro 2012 Vs Mustangs. I’m in the market for a Muscle car and looking to get one soon, Ive test driven both the SS 2012 Camaro and a 2013 GT 5.0 Mustang. The one obvious difference in the interiors of both cars was the quality of material and overall design. The 5.0 Mustangs interior is much better and not made of cheap hard plastic like the the SS Camaro. I’d love to see an in-dash Navigation system with backup Camera and Audio control option installed in the 2013 SS. I’m waiting it out to see what changes will be made to the 2013 SS interior, hope GM is listening to all the input from potential buyers like myself. Other than that the Exterior of the Camaro is stunning and flat out better than the mustang. Today’s Muscle car buyers are tech savy and look for better quality interiors as well as performance.. I’m just not too crazy about having to pay an additional $200/yr for onstar.
Eric — you’re absolutely about the interior materials. The ones in the Mustang definitely feel as if they’re of higher quality and are more expensive/upscale. They look better, too. No contest there.
In regards to the 2013 Camaro — MyLink with a 7-inch touchscreen is coming:
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2012/03/chevy-mylink-finally-makes-its-way-to-the-2013-camaro/
Also, you don’t *have* to pay for OnStar, although I personally would — given the added piece of mind offered by the service when it comes to safety, not to mention the convenience of the RemoteLink smartphone app.
In addition, the Camaro is much more “livable” as a daily driver thanks to an independent rear suspension; that solid rear axle in the ‘Stang — while much improved over traditional designs of the past — hurts (literally) on bumpy/cracked/unrefined roads.
Certainly allowed to your opinion. But the interior on the 2010 Camaro is by far better than any interior I have ever seen on a Mustang. I have owned one of them as well… The AC knobs are perfectly design. Very functional and a clean style. The 4 pack gauge is awesome as well the whole interior has a great retro feel, which BTW is what GM and all those scream for them to produce the Camaro again said to do. Keep it retro looking. They had many focus groups and received opinions for all types of people and groups, and they all said keep it retro.