2020 C8 Corvette Reviews Roundup: A New Mid-Engine King

The first C8 Corvette reviews hail it as the boldest thing to come out of Detroit in decades. So far, it’s doing the brand justice.

The C8 Corvette is easily the most hotly anticipated vehicle reveal of the past several years. Often times, with that much hype it’s exceedingly difficult to live up to the expectations. Over the past few months, however, we’ve all been given a sample of what is to come. And the future seems to be quite nice. Despite the lofty benchmark, the Corvette team more than delivered. So what is everyone saying? We’ve rounded up a few of the best C8 Corvette reviews for you to enjoy.

Corvette Forum

Our very own Derin Richardson got the opportunity of a lifetime. Richardson was formally invited by Chevrolet to drive the C8 Corvette in Las Vegas on behalf of Corvette Forum. After a breathtaking drive through Lake Mead National Park & Valley of Fire State Park, Richardson also tested the C8 out on the track.

To put it simply, we here at Corvette Forum have tasted and seen that the ‘Vette is good. Excellent braking, upgraded steering, insane grip, and cloud suspension take this Corvette into a heavenly realm of automotive performance.

Donut

So what does the ever-entertaining Donut Mediahave to say about the new mid-engine Corvette? Many good things. One thing that stands out as exceptionally cool was the Performance Data Recorder (PDR) This feature allows for a fully-informed experience in track scenarios. Combined with a beefy dry-sump 6.2L V8, the C8 will make for a great track car any day.

Disheartening for Donut, however,  is the lack of a manual transmission, but it’s more than made up. Donut host James Pumphrey boldly states this to be the best Corvette interior to date. “This is the nicest cockpit in any Corvette ever,” says Pumphrey “This is like no American car dash I’ve ever seen.” To complement the driver-oriented interior is a stunningly unique yet familiar look for the Corvette.

Perhaps most astounding for Donut is that all of these features can be had for around $60k. That’s a sentiment we share. The sheer levels of bang-for-buck performance and quality are downright unholy.

The Fast Lane Car

While many are impressed with the pricepoint or handling, The Fast Lane Car (TFLC) sees the ride comfort as the C8’s strong suit. “The best part about this car, just like all the Corvettes that came before it,” says TFLC “It’s gonna be super comfortable… Even with a standard suspension, you cruise along. It’s quiet, it doesn’t shake, it doesn’t vibrate…” Developing nearly 500hp with that level of comfort is a tall task. But, Chevy managed to deliver.

The Straight Pipes

“The most important thing about a car like this is when people give you a thumbs up, you wanna be able to rev at them,” says The Straight Pipes ” And you can rev at them just holding both paddles in!” Our hosts were absolutely giddy with the new paddle features in the C8 Corvette. “And on top of that,” continues The Straight Pipes, “You can do a rolling launch! Which, I have not seen in any other car that we’ve driven.” The C8 simply continues to impress with new features never before seen in an American car.

Engineering Explained

Once again, the exclusion of a manual tranny is lamented. This time by Engineering Explained host Jason Fenske. Engineering Explained finds the C8 to have acceptable visibility out front, but to be sorely lacking in the rear. The steering wheel was also found to be oddly shaped for hand placement. Another negative was the exclusive passenger seating arrangement.

Engineering Explained finds the instantaneous power delivery exhilarating. Fenske even likens it to supercar acceleration. The interior quality is also seen as a huge improvement over preceding Corvettes. Brakes are further noted as a plus along with the lightning-fast shifts of the dual-clutch transmission.

The C8 was very impressive for Engineering Explained. And those great impressions all come at only $60k. “The real story of course with this car, is the value,” mentions Fenske “0-60 in 2.9 seconds with a naturally aspirated rear-wheel-drive vehicle… for $60,000.”

Motor Week

According to Motor Week, the C8 isn’t quite a supercar yet, but it is a screaming performer. “This is not your father’s Corvette…” says Motor Week. “It’s now less of a lumbering boxer and more of a light on its feet MMA fighter.” The C8 earned some pretty high marks from one of the most prolific auto reviewers of the past few decades. The newfound nimbleness has gone a long way for the Corvette. But above all, Motor Week finds this ‘Vette to be an absolute joy to drive.

Consensus

All in all, the C8 Corvette reviews prove it to be a triumph in every sense of the word. There are a few negatives. But, this current iteration set lofty goals and excelled in achieving them. This vehicle is a piece of history in the making. And it’s all available for under $60k!

Photos for Corvette Forum by Derin Richardson 

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