15 Photos of Old-School Car Interiors That We Still Miss

Few things capture the essence of bygone eras quite like old-school cars, and we’re talking about way more than the vehicle design and paint job. Looking inside these rides is a blast from the past that hits you right in the face, from the plush red velvet seats to the gleaming chrome accents. Check out these nostalgic pictures of car interiors from decades past.

Some kids yelled “Shotgun,” as they darted toward the front passenger door of their parents’ car, shoving their siblings out of their way. Others made a beeline for the third row of their parents' station wagon, so they could make faces at the drivers behind them as they looked out the back window.

Red velvet interiors were the pinnacle of automotive opulence back in the day. Think rolling out the red carpet, but instead of walking down it, you got to drive around town in it. It was the same essence of elite luxury.

Imagine the horror that old-school swivel seats would evoke within the folks regulating vehicle safety at NHTSA. Nonetheless, these seats were an innovative way to park and socialize with passengers or to scold backseat drivers at stop lights.

A road trip in a Chevy Conversion van was simply top-tier. This van was a living room on wheels, from the rotating plush seats and carpet to the end table with built-in cupholders and the curtains on the back windows. Not to mention, the monochromatic color theme was next-level (especially the burgundy ones)

True story: My favorite car I’ve owned was a 1997 Buick Park Avenue. That thing rode like a couch. The cushy seats and wood grain interior delivered the optimal ambiance, ideal for Buick’s discount-Cadillac aim at the time.

If you don’t drool at a red-and-white interior color combination, you might want to have a psych evaluation done. Leather did the palette the most justice, especially when a slender white steering wheel was in the mix.

Orange, red, green, aqua — it didn’t matter. Quilted, bright-colored leather interiors were all the rage, and they 100% deserve a comeback among the drab and boring options we have available today.

Chevy’s old-school stitching and piping really made their interiors pop, especially when multiple colors were involved. The piping, often seen along the edges of seats and door panels, added a contrasting trim that screamed sophistication.

Bench seats in the front were so roomy and comfortable, but since they bred extra passengers in the front and snuggling, but driving their safety breaches, unfortunately, stuck them in the past.

Whether they were polished wood, metal, bright white, or otherwise painted, steering wheels used to have so much more class back in the day. Today’s plain-Jane leather steering wheels just don’t feel the same between 10 and 2.

Seriously, the space that used to be inside a vehicle was commendable, and legroom was of the utmost importance. We crave that kind of roomy interior nowadays.

Before black took over car interiors, all the bells and whistles inside vehicles were chrome. The eye-catching accents were a signature feature that adorned everything from dashboard trims to door handles and air vents, creating a striking contrast against softer materials like leather or fabric seats and surfaces.

Tuck and roll upholstery in old-school car interiors was known for its distinctive, quilted appearance. This technique involved tightly tucking the fabric or leather into narrow channels, creating a series of plush, padded rolls that were both comfortable and sexy looking.

Suede interiors were understated and elegant all at once. The material provided a soft, velvety texture built for both comfort and style.

These seats, with their shorter backrests, created an open and airy feel within the cabin, allowing for greater visibility and a sense of spaciousness. While they may have sacrificed some of the support offered by modern high-back seats, the low-back design still took our breath away.

For more nostalgia, please sign up for our free newsletters.