Used 2020 Chevrolet Corvette

The 2020 Corvette marks a sea change for Chevrolet’s iconic 2-seat sports car. After more than 60 years of having a V8 up front powering the rear wheels, the 2020 Corvette Stingray finally, officially, becomes what driving enthusiasts have been desiring for decades: a mid-engine layout. This puts the Corvette on terms with Ferraris, Lamborghinis, McLarens and Porsches.

While the previous Corvette was hardly a slouch, Chevrolet had reached the limits of extraction. Placing the engine in the middle puts more weight over the rear wheels, which enhances acceleration, grip and overall balance. The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray can do 0-60 mph in less than three seconds and hit a top speed of 194 mph, all while feeling more balanced when thrown into turns.

Yet the Corvette still manages to be livable and quite comfortable for daily commutes. Then there’s the striking design. As either a coupe with a removable roof panel or a convertible, the 2020 Corvette might just be mistaken for an Italian exotic. Perhaps most shocking is the new Corvette’s starting price. Chevy has managed to keep it under $60,000. That’s far, far below the supercars it can now call true rivals, and still significantly less than a Porsche 911 or Acura NSX.

The outgoing, 7th-gen (C7) Corvette was the best-handling to date. The new C8 is even better. Out the gate, even the base Stingray shaves nearly a second off the former’s 0-60-mph time. When equipped with the Z51 Performance Package — and yes, you’ll want this $5,000 package — the new 2020 Corvette will hit 60 mph in less than three seconds. And we’ve already mentioned it will chase a top speed of nearly 200 mph. Remember, this is a car that starts at $60,000.

The Corvette still uses a big, naturally aspirated V8 engine. No turbos means no turbo lag. Instead, you just get an immediate answer to what your right foot asks. Acceleration is exhilarating, made all the better by the sounds of the Corvette’s exhaust and the sense of that V8 rumbling behind your back. Steering feel is precise, well-controlled and nicely weighted.

For all its performance, the reality is that most Corvettes will spend much of their lives living on ordinary roads with ordinary cars. We’re happy to report that Chevy’s new star athlete makes even the most of mundane commutes. When not being flogged, the 2020 Corvette’s ride quality is quite comfortable. Switch the drive mode from Sport or Sport+ to Tour, and the vehicle relaxes itself and its entire driving character. Further refinement and attitude adjustment can be had via the optional magnetic ride control, a $1,895 option.

If there’s one ingredient that’s missing compared to prior Corvettes, it’s a manual transmission. All new 2020 Stingrays use an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic. The switch isn’t a huge surprise given buyer preference for automatics, and the new one in the C8 Vette does a great job. Shifts are smooth and seamless, and the DCT easily puts the Corvette’s nearly 500 horsepower to the ground. Of course, steering-wheel paddle shifters are present should you want to control when shifts occur.

As before, the Corvette retains simply two seats — one for driver, one for passenger. But as with everything else about the new Corvette C8, its cabin is radically different from every model before it. If there were ever a “driver-focused” cockpit, this is it. Just about everything is canted toward the driver, including the 8-inch infotainment screen.

One of the most polarizing elements of the new Corvette is the long spine of buttons that nearly encroach into the passenger side. They operate climate controls, including the available seat heat/ventilation. It can look confounding at first, but is easier to learn and operate than we expected, with indentations that your fingers will learn over time. Yet there’s no denying that the panel that houses all the buttons and its rising side can make the passenger feel isolated.

Back on the driver’s side, there is a good amount of space to work, and we found the seats comfortable for the haul. Another pleasant surprise is the squared steering wheel inspired by race cars. Its shape acts as a frame for the standard 12-inch digital instrument cluster. Also new are the transmission controls. Instead of a traditional gear, you’ll press a button to get into Drive, Park, Neutral and Reverse. The optional Rearview Camera Mirror can turn from glass into a rearview monitor that provides a real-time, uninhibited rear view.

As for storage space, it’s actually not bad. Despite the engine moving to the rear, there’s enough room in the trunk for two sets of golf clubs.

Your eyes can judge as easily as ours, but we think the new 2020 Corvette Stingray is stunning. Its design looks far, far more expensive than its actual price. With the move to a mid-engine design, the Corvette now enjoys the strong rear, muscular architecture that houses its heart. Its nose remains appreciably long, and the rest of its composite body is a canvas for sculpted sides, air intakes and other bits that scream of its performance potential. The roof features a “double-bubble” design, and on Corvette Stingray Convertible models it can retract at speeds up to 30 mph and in as few as 16 seconds.

Z51 PERFORMANCE PACKAGE
Available on any trim of the 2020 Corvette C8, this package adds a throaty performance exhaust, performance tires, electronic limited-slip differential, and upgraded suspension, brakes and cooling system. Moreover, it offers a bump in power and enables the 2020 Vette’s headline-making sub-3-second 0-60-mph time.

OPEN-AIR EXCITEMENT, STANDARD
Whether you opt for the Corvette Coupe or Corvette Convertible, you can get an open-air experience. That’s because the Coupe’s body-color roof panel can be removed. If you want an even easier and quicker way to wind in your hair, opt for the Convertible with its power-folding hardtop

The new Corvette C8 Stingray arrives in three trims: 1LT, 2LT and 3LT. The base 1LT form includes 8-way-power seats covered in leather, keyless access with push-button start, dual-zone climate control, and removable body-color roof panel. The standard infotainment system is an 8-inch touch-screen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, 10-speaker Bose audio system, plus a 12-inch digital instrument cluster that can be configured to your liking.

We think the 2LT model is even more recommendable, and adds premium amenities like heated/ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, blind-spot monitoring, navigation, head-up display, the slick Rear Camera Monitor, a Performance Data Recorder, 14-speaker Bose audio, and wireless phone charging.

At the top of the lineup, Corvette 3LT models add GT2 seats in upgraded leather, and extend the use of leather and suede on the inside. Optional and recommended on all trims is the Z51 Performance Package (see Favorite Features). Other options are extensive and range from a front-suspension lift system that can save the front end from scrapes, to Magnetic Ride Control suspension, an array of exterior paint colors and wheel options, and even the color of the brake calipers and seatbelts.

The 2020 Corvette continues to use a 6.2-liter small-block V8 engine, now dubbed the LT2. With its pushrod configuration, it has some old-school traits — no dual-overhead cams here. Yet it’s been revamped to remain relevant and satisfying in its new home. The engine now makes 490 horsepower out of the gate, a 35-horse bump over the previous model. Checking the option box for the performance exhaust (included in the Z51 package), increases that number to 495 horsepower.

The engine continues to power the rear wheels. The sole transmission is an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic. The Corvette has various drive modes, including Sport, Touring and Z-Mode, which allows individualized driver settings.

The engineering versatility in the C8’s design makes this car a peek into the near future. It may not seem it at first, but a modular, mid-engine design like the new Corvette allows a vastly greater variety of powertrains and hybrid systems than traditional front-engine designs. In an age where electrical connections are increasingly replacing mechanical ones, the C8 is primed to be GM’s testbed for new technologies as they become available.

6.2-liter V8
495 horsepower @ 6,450 rpm (495 with performance exhaust)
470 lb-ft of torque @ 5,150 rpm (470 with performance exhaust)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: N/A