I see your point. It depends if you are talking closer to the dash, which it will be....and be a longer reach for arms...... or you are talking clearance for knees and lower torso areas. It would be further away from back of seat, more room for upper torso.... but possibly closer to seat of seat. Due to the angle of column.
Maybe flipping the 59 wheel over and laying it on the column will give a reasonable mock up of what a flat wheel will do.

Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn