Chevrolet Corvette

The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car designed by Chevrolet, a division of General Motors. The first model was introduced in 1953, and is has been produced in seven different generations. The Chevrolet Corvette is currently in its final model year before a full redesign. It received an 8.8 rating from U.S. News, and ranked 4^th in the Luxury Sports Car category and 3^rd in the Luxury Convertible category. It impresses reviewers with its everyday usability, agile handling, and terrific engine.

Performance

The Corvette is a great performing car that is easy to live with on a daily basis and comfortable to drive. This is reflected in its 8.9 performance rating from U.S. News. The base coupe and convertible come with a 6.2-liter V8 that generates 430 horsepower and 424 pound-feet of torque. The dual-mode exhaust (which is optional to buyers) increases output to 436 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. The 427 and Z06 models come with a 7.0-liter V8 that generates 505 horsepower to go with 470 pound-feet of torque. All models come standard with a six-speed manual transmission. The Magnetic Selective Ride Control feature optimizes certain performance components (including suspension) to help enhance the driving experience based on their personal preference. Depending on the model, carbon ceramic or cross-drilled disc brakes are available.

Interior

While the performance is excellent, the interior is the most disappointing aspect of the Chevrolet Corvette, which is reflected in its weak 7.1 interior rating from U.S. News. The Corvette received new seats with additional side bolstering last year to help keep occupants in place during hard cornering. The seats are comfortable and offer good support, although the outward visibility could be improved. Each model comes standard with power-adjustable leather seats, while memory recall seats, microfiber suede seat inserts, and heated seats are optional. The Corvette does not come with many standard features but many features are optional (for a price). This includes Bluetooth, a nine-speaker Bose stereo, and navigation. The Coupe model offers 22.4 cubic feet of cargo space in its rear hatch, while the convertible comes with 11 cubic feet, which is competitive for its class.

Pros/Cons

Reviewers love the Chevrolet Corvette’s engines, saying they have relentless and linear power delivery. The high-performance models are extremely fast, and offer excellent acceleration times. While the fuel economy numbers won’t blow you away, they are fairly efficient for the class. The Corvette has excellent handling abilities, even on higher performance models which require firmer suspensions to support more aggressive driving. While the performance is excellent, the interior leaves something to be desired. It is functional, but is lacking in quality and does not come standard with many features. The cabin controls have received lackluster reviews, and some reviewers have said the optional navigation system makes using the audio system more complicated.

Other Features

According to the Chevrolet website, the base Coupe Corvette starts at $49 600, while the Convertible starts at $54 600. Higher trim levels cause the price to increase, as does adding various features. According to U.S. News, buyers paid on average somewhere between $50 000 and $70 000 for a Corvette. Although it hasn’t been crash tested by either the NHTSA or the IIHS (like most high-end sports cars), it has received positive safety reviews from critics. It comes with the basis standard features, including traction control, dual front and side airbags, and anti-lock brakes. The only real complaint is about the forward and rearward visibility, which is lacking, making it tough to see nearby obstacles and drive the car in close quarters.