On Ramp Test

There are few times when acceleration is more important than merging onto a highway. We took this vehicle to a particularly difficult on ramp tested it out.

With a 6.2 liter, 400-horsepower engine, merging onto a highway can be done without fear -- except Camaro visibility is like driving in a broom closet, so you might have to stick your head out the window Ace Ventura-style to make sure nothing is approaching. Okay, so we're exaggerating a bit, but it is a concern. And while the vehicle is pretty large (15.9 feet long, 6.3 feet wide), steering is precise, so slotting into traffic is easy. If traffic stops short after a quick merge, massive Brembo brakes slow the vehicle like a short leash on a small dog.

The Verdict: Merge when and where you want with confidence, but pay careful attention to blind spots. 

Small Garage Test

We have a small two-car garage that's a good proxy for how easy or difficult it is to maneuver a vehicle at low speeds in a tight spot, and here is our experience with this vehicle.

The first time we tried to park the Camaro in our garage, we had to shift back and forth into reverse gear a couple times, and we got out of the vehicle twice just to make sure we weren't backing into our neighbor's garage opposite ours. It’s a bit difficult to judge where the front of the vehicle is due to the long hood, and the tiny rear window makes backing up a guessing game you hope you never lose. The vehicle has a turning circle of 37.7 feet; for reference a Chevrolet Tahoe has a turning circle of 39.0 feet and a Chevrolet Aveo has a turning circle of 33.0 feet.

The Verdict: We would trade a cupholder, the auxiliary gauges, and 5 horsepower to get rear-sonar or a backup camera.

The Facebook Test

Did you know you can bring 700 friends with you to a dealership? Just upload the car you are looking at to Facebook or Twitter and let the comments roll. Here is a sampling of what our friends said about this vehicle when we uploaded a photo and asked, "What do you think?"

The very first comment left went something like this, "Hot Damn!" We also got a "Can you drive it to Boston?" (Answer: no). Many amateur comedians were curious if it "transformed", and one friend exhibiting a prior knowledge of muscle cars asked, "I'm sure it hauls, but is it responsive?" (Answer: Yes). There were also plenty of thumbs ups to go around.

The Verdict: If we had been standing in the parking lot of a dealership we probably would have interpreted the crowd noise as a giant "Buy it!"

The Chris Test

You don't know Chris, but pretend he's your best friend…5'11", average build, and always slow to call "shotgun". We asked Chris to spend some time in the backseat of this vehicle while we drove it around and here's what he had to say.

Chris definitely had to channel his inner contortionist to squeeze into the back seat, but once he was back there he remarked that the "seats were very comfortable" although his "knees were forced into the front seat." While he wasn't too bothered by the leg room, hard acceleration did cause his head to hit the low-sloping roof, which forced Chris to keep his head down for most of the trip. Note that the Chevrolet Camaro is a four, not five person, vehicle. There is no rear center seat.

The Verdict: Chris said the maximum amount of time he would spend in the backseat was one hour.

Gratuitous Golf Bag Test

We don't know why, but when talking about trunks people always ask, "How many golf bags can you fit back there?" We broke out our full set of woods and irons and used it to judge this vehicle's cargo room.

If the trunk opening was an indicator of the size of the trunk, the Camaro would probably fail this test. That said, if you can maneuver whatever it is you're looking to store past the opening, the trunk itself is surprisingly both wide and deep (11.3 cubic feet). With respect to golf clubs, assuming you take any drivers out first, you'll have no problem fitting two golf bags horizontally in the trunk, and if you fold the back seats flat into the passenger cabin, you could probably even fit three vertically.

The Verdict: Be it golf bags or grocery bags, the Camaro has more room than you would expect -- assuming you can fit everything through the trunk opening.

Los Angeles Traffic Test

The only thing worse than bad traffic is sitting in an uncomfortable vehicle in bad traffic. We took this vehicle out into the worst traffic in America to evaluate the comfort of the interior.

We found the seats in our vehicle to be perfectly comfortable during our eye-rolling stint in LA Fourth of July traffic, and while there is no lumbar adjustment, we never felt we needed it. Even a full day behind the wheel didn't leave us feeling any aches. The air conditioning was annoyingly loud even on a low setting, and was accompanied by a high pitched whine noticeable when the vehicle was at rest. The Brembo brakes are wonderful for slowing the Camaro down from high speeds, though in stop and go traffic they grip hard and quick, so remain wary of tail riders driving too close to your bumper.

The Verdict: While we'd much rather drive the Camaro on open roads, if you happen to get stuck in traffic or spend long hours behind the wheel, you won't be punished for it.

"Wish I had…" Test

Sometimes we're so excited to buy a vehicle that we overlook things we might question in a year.

Depending on where gas prices go, and your own financial comfort, you might find your self saying "Wish I had got the V-6." We averaged 15.6 miles per gallon over 520 miles of mixed driving, though the vehicle is rated at 16 city / 25 highway. It's not that we didn't love the 400 horsepower from the V-8; believe us, our right foot is currently going through withdrawal. It's just that we just know the V-6 Camaro with 300 horsepower is plenty fast too, and we averaged 23 miles per gallon when we drove one (for comparison, it's rated at 18 city / 29 highway with an automatic). Consider too that the V-8 is optimized to run on premium fuel though it runs without issue on regular fuel too.

The Verdict: If you are on the fence about the V-8, you won't be disappointed with the smaller V6. That said, if the above isn't a huge concern for you, by all means hop in an SS. At a starting price of $31,040 it's a great value.

Bluetooth Test

More and more vehicles are coming equipped with Bluetooth, but not all systems are created equally. We tested this vehicle for ease of setup and call quality.

It took us exactly one minute and nineteen seconds to pair our phone to the vehicle's standard Bluetooth system, without the aid of a manual. It was an extremely intuitive process. At highway speeds recipients of our phone calls could tell we were calling from a car, but remarked the call quality was good with minimal outside road noise. While the system allows you to store pre-defined and voice-activated numbers, we would like to see a system that imports and recognizes contacts directly from your phonebook.

The Verdict: Simple, easy to setup, and above all, no "can you hear me now?"

Sound System Test

We tested this vehicle's sound system at limits you might not explore, but like horsepower, you like knowing the wattage is there even if you never fully take advantage of it.

The Camaro 2SS comes standard with a 245-watt Boston Acoustics 9-speaker sound system. We found the clarity to be quite crisp, even at higher levels, and the bass could be heard from about 25 feet away from the vehicle if that's how you like making your presence known (because unfortunately the exhaust note isn't going to do it). The USB hookup worked with both an iPod and an iPhone, and there is an auxiliary jack too if you need it. The head unit was easy to use and controls simple navigate, though we should note if you want to replace it with something aftermarket, it's going to take a lot of custom work as the stock unit is highly integrated with the heating, air conditioning and ventilation controls.

The Verdict: If you are looking at a Camaro that doesn't have the Boston system standard, we say go for the upgrade, it's well worth it.

The Parent Test

What does a parent of three young kids have to say about this vehicle? Would it make the cut if this was the main driver? We enlisted a resident parent to give us their expert opinion on the vehicle's prospects for hauling little members of the family.

It doesn't take an expert to tell you the Camaro isn't a family car, but there are plenty of parents out there who would love just an ounce of justification to buy one, so here goes. Using the LATCH system, our tester was able to install a car seat in one minute and nineteen seconds (albeit sans screaming kid). He remarked due to the cramped space, installation was awkward, and the lack of a center rear seat made him a bit nervous as he likes the option of placing a child away from the vehicle sides. That said, the Camaro does come with child seat-friendly rear curtain side airbags (as opposed to chest mounted), and our tester said the driver proximity to the rear seat was a plus. As an aside, there wasn't a kid we drove by that didn't drop their jaw, point, or yell "Bumblebee!" when they saw the Camaro, so this car will win major points from your kids even if it isn't the most convenient option for transporting them around.

The Verdict: Those in the car seat and stroller stage probably should look elsewhere, 4-years old and above could work (but only if you had a more capable option for a second vehicle).

The Valet Test

Brett, the valet at our local upscale restaurant/club has had seat time in more vehicles than Jay-Z and Jeff Gordon combined. We asked him for his unique perspective on this vehicle.

Brett was a huge fan of the exterior and thought the interior was a lot nicer than the Dodge Challenger's interior. Asked to rate the vehicle on a 10-point scale, he was fairly effusive with a 9, a 10 reserved for an Aston Martin Vanquish or DB9. He'd also probably park it up front due to how new the Camaro is (and still fairly rare in Southern California), and expected a patron would tip around $10. Brett's total vehicle price estimate of $35-38K was close to the $37,460 sticker, and Brett's only criticism was the exhaust idle was way too soft (we couldn't agree more).

The Verdict: Skip the lot and hit the valet, you'll turn heads and your car will be up front when you walk out.

"That Road" Test

If you are someone who enjoys driving for the sake of driving, then you have "That Road" to remind you a car is more than just a car. We put this vehicle through our local "That Road" and here's what we thought.

We drove the Camaro straight up the California coast and loved the V-8's endless amounts of torque for blasting by the Pacific. The ocean-hugging curves north of Malibu were handled with confidence (you don't want to slip up there), but we would like to have felt more connected to the pavement. Steering feel is a bit isolated and lighter than we like too. That said, the independent rear suspension always kept the vehicle planted and body roll was not a noticeable part of the experience.

Verdict: The Camaro proved to be a great road trip car well suited for "That Road."

Specs:

2010 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS
Base Price: $33,430
As Equipped: $37,460
Engine Size and Type: 6.2L V-8
Engine Horsepower: 400 hp
Engine Torque: 420 lb.-ft.
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Curb Weight: 3,902
EPA Fuel Economy: 16/25
Observed Fuel Economy: 15.6
Length: 190.4 in.
Width: 75.5 in.
Wheelbase: 112.3 in.
Height: 54.2 in.
Legroom (front/rear): 42.4 / 29.9 in.
Headroom (front/rear): 37.4 / 35.3 in.
Max. Seating Capacity: 4
Cargo Volume: 11.3 cu. ft.
0-60: 4.7 seconds