New reports and spy shots shed more light on 2022 GMC Sierra interior changes.
If you weren’t a fan of General Motors’ decision to stick with the old-school column shifter for the light-duty GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado models, there’s good news. Per some new spy shots posted by GM Authority, the GMC Sierra 1500 in particular loses the column unit for a console-mounted setup instead. According to those photos, the L-shaped selector is more or less identical to the one in the Hummer EV, right down to the gloss black insert atop the lever with a silver plastic surround.
This sort of shifter will also remove any mechanical linkage to the transmission. That happens by way of GM’s “Electronic Precision Shift” technology, which aims to reduce noise and vibration. With that large column shifter gone, it also frees up some space adjacent to the gauge cluster and infotainment system for other controls. Unlike many other manufacturers who choose to put the windshield wiper controls on the right-hand stalk, the spy shots also GM sticking with a single integrated switch for the windshield wipers and turn signals.
What else is there to see?
The shots shown by GM Authority also give a more precise look at the center stack. Specifically, there’s a new infotainment screen with a bezel angled out of the dashboard. Unlike Ford’s disposition toward large, sometimes portrait-oriented screens, GM’s refreshed trucks look to offer a more modest, widescreen experience. As far as diagonal screen size, it’s tough to say exactly how large that new screen is. However, it may be a small improvement on the 8-inch display you can currently get in the Sierra Denali. With the wider display, GM shifted the HVAC vents to rest on top of the dashboard, rather than on either side of the infotainment system.
New climate control buttons and knobs are also shown. This time around, they’re tilted more toward the occupants than simply placed on a completely vertical center stack, so that’s a nice ergonomic improvement.
As for the final product, we’ll have to wait a little bit longer for the trucks to actually arrive. While the chip shortage is wreaking havoc on production across the industry, GM says the trucks are still coming this year. Naturally, as the Sierra’s twin, we expect these changes to translate to the Chevy Silverado 1500 as well.
The Sierra spy photos are on the GM Authority website here.
