2016 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible Road Test & Review

Given this story is about the Chevrolet Corvette Convertible, America’s favorite sports car, you’re probably expecting this review to start off extolling the virtues of its 455-horsepower V8. Or perhaps you’re thinking more along the lines of its amazing handling. How about say, its stunning good looks? Or maybe something more along the lines of how excited other motorists get when they see the svelte convertible on the road?

Well, the fact of the matter is all of this is true—absolutely true in fact.

Of course, it’s a Corvette, so all of that is given.

No, the most surprisingly remarkable thing about the C7 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible is how quiet it can be. No kidding, in the Eco mode, just tootling along, the Corvette’s ferociously fire-breathing powerplant—the same one capable of launching the two-seat roadster from zero to 60 in 4 seconds, is just as quiet as a luxury sedan. Further, even with its near racing car handling capability, the Corvette rides remarkably smooth with very little tire roar intruding into the passenger compartment. Given the nature of the models preceding it, we’re almost shocked to be able to say, this new Corvette Convertible is just as much grand tourer as it is sports car.

Models & Pricing

With pricing starting at $59,995, Chevrolet is offering the Corvette Convertible in six trim packages.

The base package is the 1LT. Standard features include Brembo brakes, xenon headlights, heated exterior mirrors, keyless entry and pushbutton start, dual-zone automatic climate control, cruise control, leather upholstery, OnStar and WiFi capability, Bluetooth telephony and audio connectivity, an eight-inch touchscreen interface, a rearview camera, and a Bose audio system.

The $64,995 1LT with the Z51 performance package adds 19-inch front wheels and 20-inch rear, aerodynamic trim pieces, larger front brakes with slotted rotors all around, a more aggressive suspension tuning setup, an electronic limited slip diff with a cooler, dry-sump oiling for the engine, and a dual-mode performance exhaust system.

The $64,155 2LT trim package adds autodimming exterior mirrors, a head-up display, a cargo area cover, heated and ventilated seats, driver memory settings and an upgraded audio system with a subwoofer. The $69,155 2LT with Z51 adds the Z51 equipment to the 2LT trim package.

The $69,445 3LT package adds premium leather upholstery, an interior color instrument panel, navigation, and the Performance Data Recorder. The $74,445 3LT with Z51 adds the Z51 gear to the 3LT.

Optional for the Z51 package are adaptive suspension dampers, which are mated to an upgraded traction management system.

Design

Capable of folding or deploying in 21 seconds—at speeds up to 30 miles per hour—the Corvette’s padded convertible roof can also be operated outside of the vehicle using the remote key fob. Fitted with a glass rear window and lots of insulation, it’s as if you’re driving a Corvette Coupe with the top raised. It really is that quiet. Happily, the car also looks good with the roof in place. This cannot be said for all convertibles.

With the top folded though, the sleekly aerodynamic styling of the Corvette snaps sharply into focus. This is one terrific looking automobile with the top down. It really shows the profile of the car to best advantage. In fact, to our eye it looks even better than the Corvette Coupe. There’s a certain heaviness to the rear ¾ view of the coupe. This is considerably relieved in the convertible.

As has been a styling element of Corvette convertibles for quite some time, the signature waterfall panel sporting the renowned Corvette crossed flags is a nice touch between the two seats. Dual cowl-shaped elements enhance the appearance of the rear deck right behind the seats by adding additional visual interest. If you look closely at the taillights, you’ll note a set of vents right beside them, this is where air exits after flowing over the differential and transmission heat exchangers. The vents in the lower rear fascia serve the same purpose.

Photo by Chevrolet Media

Features & Controls

New for the 2016 model year, is flat-bottomed steering wheel wrapped in leather. Another thing you’ll appreciate is the way the decorative stitching enhances the appearance of the wheel without being intrusive when you grip it. Corvette interiors have come a very long way since the C6. You’re treated to a straight-up premium experience in the Corvette these days. Everything is wrapped in soft-touch materials, there is no overtly plastic looking plastic to be found anywhere in the car.

The wraparound instrument panel says immediately the car is all about the driver, and it almost gives the impression of a single-seat racing car. The instrument panel also features reconfigurable screens to reflect the chosen performance parameters. The track mode has a specific screen, as does the sport mode, the touring mode, and the eco mode. These are also reflected in the head-up display. However, the car also gives you the ability to customize the readouts to show whichever instrumentation format you prefer, regardless of the drive mode selected. The full-color driver information center is standard, regardless of the trim package you select.

A particularly nice touch is the small individual climate control LED screen and controller positioned beneath the passenger’s HVAC outlet. With it, the passenger can set the temperature for their side of the car to their personal preference.

The available Performance Data Recorder’s forward-facing camera shoots video as you attack twisty roads, racing tracks, or autocross circuits. With the capability of overlaying performance parameter readouts, graphics display steering wheel angle, braking pressure input, throttle inputs, road speed, .g’s of lateral acceleration, transmission gear selection, and more. A very useful tool for honing your driving skills, it’s also useful for showing off your Corvette’s prowess to your friends. The video footage is stored on a SD card, which can be uploaded to any computer.

Comfort & Cargo

Long distance comfort is another newfound aspect of the C7 Corvette Convertible.

The seats in our 2LT Z51 test car were exceptionally accommodating, even after several hours of driving. Remarkably supportive and exceptionally handsome, they’re a huge part of why the C7 Corvette is the game changer it is. A two-seater, legroom is a non-issue; as is headroom—even with the roof in place. Just close coupled enough to remind you it’s a sports car, the Corvette still feels spacious with two people aboard.

The steering wheel tilts and telescopes, so finding a comfortable driving position is an easy feat. The electrically adjustable seats nicely complement this endeavor. Storage pockets in the doors have a specific dock for water bottles; the glovebox is spacious enough for most needs, and locks electrically.

The trunk is wide, but kind of short and shallow. Still, you can fit soft bags for a weekend getaway for two. It’ll also hold more than enough groceries and/or other items like dry cleaning and etc. to serve as a competent daily driver for those mundane tasks. The top stores in a well, positioned ahead of the trunk, so you have the same amount of cargo capacity whether the roof is deployed or folded away. Chevrolet says the trunk is good for 10.0 cubic feet of cargo. And, yeah, it’ll accommodate a pair of golf bags.

Safety & Crash Test Ratings

Aside from its sheer agility, the Corvette’s standard safety features include ABS, traction control, stability control, a pair of front and side airbags, remote start, a rearview camera, and a driver-selectable ”weather” driving mode which retards throttle inputs in inclement conditions. Neither NHTSA, nor the IIHS have crash tested the Corvette Convertible, so no data exists in that regard.

Engines & Fuel Economy

The Corvette Convertible’s 6.2-liter LT1 engine makes 455 horsepower and 460 ft-lbs of torque. The optional performance exhaust system fitted to our test car raised output to 460 horsepower and 465 ft-lbs of torque. Our car also had the eight-speed rev-matching automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

Earlier, we mentioned the driver mode selector. Five modes are offered; Weather, Eco, Tour, Sport and Track. The Tour mode is the default setting for everyday driving; Weather mode is designed primarily for added confidence while driving in rain and snow; Eco mode is for achieving optimal fuel economy; Sport mode is for spirited road driving, and Track mode is for track use.

Depending upon the chosen setting, parameters adjusted include the gauge cluster configuration, the electronic throttle control response, transmission shift points, and the active fuel management system, which can run the engine in V4 mode in the eco setting to improve overall fuel economy. Other adjustable parameters include the flow characteristics of the exhaust system, the electronic limited slip differential, steering resistance, suspension system, launch control, active handling, traction control, and performance traction management.

The EPA says you can expect to see 20 miles per gallon overall, 16 in the city, and up to 29 on the highway. We nailed the 20 mpg overall figure in a mix of city, highway, and aggressive back road driving.

Photo by Chevrolet

Driving Impressions

In case you didn’t know, the days of the fiberglass Corvette are long gone. The C7’s body is formed from composite and carbon fiber panels on a hydroformed aluminum frame with aluminum and magnesium structural components. The convertible weighs 3,362 pounds. Given the 460 horsepower and 465 ft-lbs of torque of our performance exhaust-equipped C7, the word “fast” barely begins to describe the car’s acceleration.

Further, the aerodynamics are light years ahead of the last C6 Corvette convertible we drove. That model had a tendency to feel rather light on its feet at greatly elevated speeds. This one feels solidly buttoned, and yet thoroughly maneuverable. Long story short, you feel like a super hero behind the wheel.

With the mode selector set to track, at wide-open throttle, the Corvette’s sophisticated bellow can be heard three counties distant. And it sounds absolutely sublime. There’s no questioning the performance potential of the car. The sound alone tells you everything you need to hear. And, as seductive as it is, buried within the menus of the eight-inch touchscreen is the ability to switch the Corvette to what the system labels “stealth” mode. The C7 goes so quiet; you’d think Cadillac made it. It’s positively uncanny.

What’s more, the adaptive suspension system endows the Corvette with the ability to ride almost as smoothly as a Cadillac too. The Jekyll/Hyde personality the Corvette engineering team has given the C7 is almost surreal. Supple on harsh pavement, quiet when you need it to be, and brimming with luxurious touches, one can easily live with this Corvette as a daily driver.

And yet, when you light the fuse, explosive capability is just an ankle flick away. The C7 Convertible easily pulls well over 1.0g in cornering situations, and Chevy engineers say under the right circumstances it’s even good for 2.0g’s of lateral acceleration. There was a time in the not so distant past when racing cars couldn’t match that figure. Meanwhile, braking, steering precision, and agility are all right on par with the grip. Beyond competent in so many different ways, this is the most multi-faceted Corvette ever offered.

Final Thoughts

Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, there exists no production automobile capable of offering more performance for the money than the Chevrolet Corvette—period. And, this is only enhanced with the Convertible version of the car.

Everything out there with similar levels of performance costs a whole lot more. It used to be people could say; “Yeah, but look what a plastic piece of junk you get in the bargain.”

With their flimsy body panels and Playskool-inspired interior treatments, earlier Corvettes were all go and very poor at show. They were good-looking cars (mostly), but they also looked cheap.

Yeah—it really isn't like that any more.

If you genuinely love to drive, and you have the means, do yourself a favor and pick one up. You won’t be mad at yourself for doing it—ever.

Pros & Cons

Pros: Outstanding value for the money, astounding performance potential, comfortable, good looking, and hella fast…

Cons: Insurance will likely cost you big time...