GM ‘really cares’ about interiors now, design chief promises

General Motors global design chief Ed Welburn has promised that his company now realizes the importance of vehicle interiors, after spending years viewing the cockpit space as a perfect place to cut corners and save money.

The executive argues that interiors now serve as a design battleground as automakers seek new ways to make their models stand out from the competition.

“A few years ago, GM was well behind the competition,” Welburn admits in an interview with Automotive News. “Interiors were well equipped and functional. They had everything but charm.”

The executive reportedly referenced the bland gray interior of a sixth-generation Chevrolet Malibu as an example of how GM interiors sometimes failed to be a “warm, inviting environment.” Tellingly, interiors were allegedly excluded from the product review process in some cases.

A handful of newer GM vehicles have been praised for their interior refinement. The Chevrolet Spark, Sonic, Corvette Stingray, Camaro, Equinox, Volt and Cruze have all been included in the Ward’s 10 Best Interiors lists in the past five years, along with the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali and several Cadillac models.

“The leadership of the company really cares about interiors now, and it shows,” Welburn concluded.