Although the styling was all new, many of the old themes were still present and there was no risk that anyone would mistake the new shape for anything other than a Corvette. Four tail lights, a Corvette staple since 1961 were prominent as was the long thin coke bottle shape reminiscent of the C3 introduced in 1968. When asked, Corvette owners made it clear that tradition was important to them and they got what they wanted.

The dash was also all new for the C5. It was more of a dual cockpit motif and hints of the C2 interior were present; note the grab bar for the passenger (right) which would be familiar to the passengers in C1 and C2 Corvettes.

More room in the footwell area was a welcome improvement; there was even room for a "dead pedal" on the far left so drivers could brace themselves during hard cornering. Entry and exit was easier due to a almost 4" lower door sill area and larger doors.