Consumer Reports took a 2023 C8 Stingray for a road-test and did an in-depth analysis, which was largely complimentary. They gave it a high score of "87", compared to these other sports cars:
-"82": 2022 Mazda Miata; 2023 Mini Cooper; 2023 Toyota Supra (3-way tie)
-"78" 2023 Porsche 718 Boxster
-"77" 2022 BMW 2 Series
Here's some selected quotes from their article, which is lengthy:
Handling agility is superb, thanks to immediate turn-in response from the near-telepathic steering and barely a trace of body roll through corners. This is a car that deserves to be driven on a track to fully experience its astonishing levels of grip and powerful, secure braking ability. As we found out on the road-course track at the CR Auto Test Center, the Corvette is a sheer delight when driven near its limits, attacking corners with verve and gobbling up straightaways as if it hasn’t eaten in days. And although the Corvette has extremely high capabilities thanks to its mid-engine weight distribution, taut suspension, and sticky tires, we found it quite controllable at its limits, and it shouldn’t scare off less skilled drivers. Even with its otherworldly performance, the ride from the optional adaptive suspension system is civilized in the Tour setting. In that softer setting, the Corvette provides a docile driving experience that isn't punishing, cushioning bumps better than most hardcore sports cars. Switching the car to its Sport or Track modes stiffens up the suspension, and gives the exhaust a sharper note that your neighbors would likely appreciate you reserve for your favorite mountain road.
Opinions were mixed when it came to the optional, racy-looking GT2 seats in our tested Corvette 2LT trim. The large, poweradjustable side bolsters hold you in place through corners with tenacity, but they proved too narrow and restrictive, even when moved to their widest setting, for some drivers. If these seats fit you, the firm cushions are comfortable; if they don’t, the constrictive character will likely get annoying on longer drives. The Corvette comes standard with a removable targa-top roof panel that can be stowed conveniently in the rear trunk aft of the engine. Once you understand how the roof panel gets secured in the trunk (the instructions in the owner’s manual are a bit confusing), it’s an easy process for two people, and not that difficult to perform solo, as well. The roof panel doesn’t leave much room left over for cargo in the trunk, though, and the front trunk (or “frunk”) is pretty small. As with other sports cars, there are compromises. The Corvette is so low to the ground that getting in and out could count as your daily yoga routine. Side and rear visibility are practically nonexistent, due to thick side pillars and a tiny rear window. And the long line of climate-control buttons perched on a ledge in between the driver and passenger are difficult to use, especially when driving.
We’re extremely dismayed that forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection aren’t available at all on the C8 Corvette, and that blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning are not standard on the base 1LT trim. Best Version to Get The first step is to decide between the coupe and convertible body styles. Note that the coupe has a detachable roof panel, known as a “targa top,” that can make the Corvette feel almost as open-air as the convertible. Either way, we would go for the mid-level LT2 trim to get the upgraded audio system, heated seats, heated steering wheel, lumbar support adjustment, and the essential blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning active safety systems, the last two in light of the Corvette’s extremely limited side- and rear visibility.
Ride comfort With the optional Z51 suspension with magnetic ride control fitted to our Corvette, the C8’s ride is surprisingly comfortable, especially in comparison to other serious-minded sports cars like the BMW Z4, Porsche 718 Boxster, and Toyota Supra. Still, even in the softer default Tour mode, the adaptive suspension will feel on the firm side compared to most cars, but large potholes and other road imperfections don’t beat you up with a harshness or jarring character like in many other high-performance sports cars. We found it reasonably comfortable and absorbent for everyday driving. Switching the suspension to Sport or Track modes stiffens up the ride considerably, and these settings are best left to those occasions when you’re carving up a beautiful twisty twolane or clipping apexes at a track day.
Noise There’s a fair amount of noise inside the Corvette’s cabin, but it’s the quality of those sounds that matter here. The V8 hums along in a fairly sedate and civilized fashion during normal driving, but its close proximity and throaty V8 roar bring sheer delight to the Corvette’s occupants when it’s pushed hard, adding to the unique two-seat experience. Enthusiasts will also enjoy the faint blats from the exhaust with each upshift. Wind noise is well controlled with the targa top in place, but the cabin gets blustery when it’s removed. The wide high-performance summer tires also bring extra road noise, expansion-joint slap, and noticeably kick up sand from dirty roads into the wheel wells.
Braking The Corvette’s braking performance was remarkable, with stable and repeatedly short stopping distances on both dry and wet surfaces at our test track. The brake pedal delivers a firm, substantial, and powerful feeling that inspires confidence that it can haul the sports car down from speed quickly. The only slight negative we encountered is that sometimes the transmission’s noticeable downshifts can make it a bit harder to gauge your exact stopping point perfectly.
Interior fit and finish The C8’s interior is, finally, more fitting with the Corvette’s price and position as a top-flight sports car. Most of the panels throughout the cabin have a high-quality look, even if some of the pieces that look padded are actually hard. We appreciate the nice metal details, plenty of contrasting stitching on the doors, dashboard, center console, and steering wheel. We also like that the lower portion of the dashboard, including the glove box door, is padded instead of just hard plastic. The chrome and glossy black gear selector controls also look nice, and the glove box and the bin underneath the center armrest are both fully lined. The door pockets, too, show no visible mold line or rough edge—as they do in most cars—and are fully lined. Letdowns are few They include the flimsy-feeling plastic instrument cluster shroud, exposed seat-mounting bolts, and the low-quality-sounding paddle shifters. The optional GT2 leather seats are very nicely tailored, with perforated center sections and plenty of white contrasting stitching on the side bolsters and headrests. But, the upper, carbon-fiber portion of the seatbacks have a noticeably rough edge. Both the frunk and the rear trunk aft of the engine are nicely lined with very soft, pretty thick carpeting.
We came away from the experience impressed by the C8 Corvette's performance and ... thrilled with its fun-to-drive nature.
-"82": 2022 Mazda Miata; 2023 Mini Cooper; 2023 Toyota Supra (3-way tie)
-"78" 2023 Porsche 718 Boxster
-"77" 2022 BMW 2 Series
Here's some selected quotes from their article, which is lengthy:
Handling agility is superb, thanks to immediate turn-in response from the near-telepathic steering and barely a trace of body roll through corners. This is a car that deserves to be driven on a track to fully experience its astonishing levels of grip and powerful, secure braking ability. As we found out on the road-course track at the CR Auto Test Center, the Corvette is a sheer delight when driven near its limits, attacking corners with verve and gobbling up straightaways as if it hasn’t eaten in days. And although the Corvette has extremely high capabilities thanks to its mid-engine weight distribution, taut suspension, and sticky tires, we found it quite controllable at its limits, and it shouldn’t scare off less skilled drivers. Even with its otherworldly performance, the ride from the optional adaptive suspension system is civilized in the Tour setting. In that softer setting, the Corvette provides a docile driving experience that isn't punishing, cushioning bumps better than most hardcore sports cars. Switching the car to its Sport or Track modes stiffens up the suspension, and gives the exhaust a sharper note that your neighbors would likely appreciate you reserve for your favorite mountain road.
Opinions were mixed when it came to the optional, racy-looking GT2 seats in our tested Corvette 2LT trim. The large, poweradjustable side bolsters hold you in place through corners with tenacity, but they proved too narrow and restrictive, even when moved to their widest setting, for some drivers. If these seats fit you, the firm cushions are comfortable; if they don’t, the constrictive character will likely get annoying on longer drives. The Corvette comes standard with a removable targa-top roof panel that can be stowed conveniently in the rear trunk aft of the engine. Once you understand how the roof panel gets secured in the trunk (the instructions in the owner’s manual are a bit confusing), it’s an easy process for two people, and not that difficult to perform solo, as well. The roof panel doesn’t leave much room left over for cargo in the trunk, though, and the front trunk (or “frunk”) is pretty small. As with other sports cars, there are compromises. The Corvette is so low to the ground that getting in and out could count as your daily yoga routine. Side and rear visibility are practically nonexistent, due to thick side pillars and a tiny rear window. And the long line of climate-control buttons perched on a ledge in between the driver and passenger are difficult to use, especially when driving.
We’re extremely dismayed that forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection aren’t available at all on the C8 Corvette, and that blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning are not standard on the base 1LT trim. Best Version to Get The first step is to decide between the coupe and convertible body styles. Note that the coupe has a detachable roof panel, known as a “targa top,” that can make the Corvette feel almost as open-air as the convertible. Either way, we would go for the mid-level LT2 trim to get the upgraded audio system, heated seats, heated steering wheel, lumbar support adjustment, and the essential blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning active safety systems, the last two in light of the Corvette’s extremely limited side- and rear visibility.
Ride comfort With the optional Z51 suspension with magnetic ride control fitted to our Corvette, the C8’s ride is surprisingly comfortable, especially in comparison to other serious-minded sports cars like the BMW Z4, Porsche 718 Boxster, and Toyota Supra. Still, even in the softer default Tour mode, the adaptive suspension will feel on the firm side compared to most cars, but large potholes and other road imperfections don’t beat you up with a harshness or jarring character like in many other high-performance sports cars. We found it reasonably comfortable and absorbent for everyday driving. Switching the suspension to Sport or Track modes stiffens up the ride considerably, and these settings are best left to those occasions when you’re carving up a beautiful twisty twolane or clipping apexes at a track day.
Noise There’s a fair amount of noise inside the Corvette’s cabin, but it’s the quality of those sounds that matter here. The V8 hums along in a fairly sedate and civilized fashion during normal driving, but its close proximity and throaty V8 roar bring sheer delight to the Corvette’s occupants when it’s pushed hard, adding to the unique two-seat experience. Enthusiasts will also enjoy the faint blats from the exhaust with each upshift. Wind noise is well controlled with the targa top in place, but the cabin gets blustery when it’s removed. The wide high-performance summer tires also bring extra road noise, expansion-joint slap, and noticeably kick up sand from dirty roads into the wheel wells.
Braking The Corvette’s braking performance was remarkable, with stable and repeatedly short stopping distances on both dry and wet surfaces at our test track. The brake pedal delivers a firm, substantial, and powerful feeling that inspires confidence that it can haul the sports car down from speed quickly. The only slight negative we encountered is that sometimes the transmission’s noticeable downshifts can make it a bit harder to gauge your exact stopping point perfectly.
Interior fit and finish The C8’s interior is, finally, more fitting with the Corvette’s price and position as a top-flight sports car. Most of the panels throughout the cabin have a high-quality look, even if some of the pieces that look padded are actually hard. We appreciate the nice metal details, plenty of contrasting stitching on the doors, dashboard, center console, and steering wheel. We also like that the lower portion of the dashboard, including the glove box door, is padded instead of just hard plastic. The chrome and glossy black gear selector controls also look nice, and the glove box and the bin underneath the center armrest are both fully lined. The door pockets, too, show no visible mold line or rough edge—as they do in most cars—and are fully lined. Letdowns are few They include the flimsy-feeling plastic instrument cluster shroud, exposed seat-mounting bolts, and the low-quality-sounding paddle shifters. The optional GT2 leather seats are very nicely tailored, with perforated center sections and plenty of white contrasting stitching on the side bolsters and headrests. But, the upper, carbon-fiber portion of the seatbacks have a noticeably rough edge. Both the frunk and the rear trunk aft of the engine are nicely lined with very soft, pretty thick carpeting.
We came away from the experience impressed by the C8 Corvette's performance and ... thrilled with its fun-to-drive nature.
