With a lineage that stretches back to the 1950s, the 2022 chevrolet Corvette is a mainstay of performance-car culture, and the current C8 model takes that tradition to a new place with a 490-hp V-8 engine mounted behind the passenger compartment and a still-affordable price tag.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Although the engine is in a new location—now behind the passenger compartment instead of in front of it—it remains a 6.2-liter V-8, albeit one making 490 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. With the dual-mode performance exhaust that is part of the Z51 package, it makes 495 horsepower.
The Z51 option also adds an electronic limited-slip rear differential, more aggressive brakes, and summer tires. An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic (a Corvette first) is the sole transmission. It is controlled either by a push-button gear selector on the center console or by using two large steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles. A manual transmission is not available for the new 2022 chevrolet Corvette.
In our testing, we recorded a zero-to-60-mph time of 2.8 seconds for the new 2022 chevrolet Corvette and the quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds at 122 mph in a car equipped with the Z51 performance package and the optional FE4 magnetorheological dampers. We managed a braking distance of 149 feet from 70 mph and recorded 1.03 g’s on the skid pad. Even in base form, however, the new Corvette is capable of heroic handling and delivers big thrills on both road and track.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The Corvette earns EPA fuel economy ratings of 15 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined. We subjected it to our own 200-mile highway fuel-economy test and recorded 26 mpg, 1 mpg less than expected.
The last generation–remember the Corvette with the engine in the front?–managed a 27 mpg result in the same test. For more information about the Corvette’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The Corvette remains a pure two-seater, and the futuristic interior is lined in materials such as leather, real metal trim, and imitation suede; it even has a fancy stitched headliner. Speaking of the roof, it’s removable on the coupe, just like those of previous Corvettes, and it fits inside the trunk that’s just aft of the engine compartment. The rear trunk also can accommodate two golf bags, and a front trunk offers space for luggage or cargo while the roof is stowed.
The driver sits behind a squared-off steering wheel and a 12.0-inch reconfigurable gauge display; a large infotainment touchscreen is angled toward the driver for ease of use. The interior design takes the driver-focused concept to the max, bisecting the cockpit with a tall bank of switches for the car’s climate-control system. Overall, the new Vette’s cabin is quite good.
Upgrading to the 3LT package gets you upgraded materials such as sewn leather on most of its interior surfaces, plus carbon-fiber trim. The new Corvette offers two trunk areas, one ahead of the passenger compartment and one behind the engine, for a total of 13 cubic feet of storage space.
Chevrolet says the Corvette can fit two sets of golf clubs in the rear compartment when they are stacked on top of each other. In our testing of the 2022 chevrolet Corvette, we were able to fit our set of clubs easily, so Chevy’s claim seems valid. When it came to seeing if there was room for our carry-on-size suitcases, we were able to fit one in the Corvette’s front trunk and two in the rear compartment.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
The 2022 chevrolet Corvette can be had with a limited number of driver-assistance features, and none are standard on the base model. For more information about the Corvette’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
