Back when the C4 appeared in 1983 I really, really wanted one. And I couldn't even drive yet, at least not for a few more months. The initial reviews were glowing, further feeding my infatuation. Then, six months later, negative reviews appeared. Suddenly the car rode terribly, trembled over imperfect roads, and rattled profusely. Why didn't the magazines report this earlier? In my mind, this will always stand out as the epitome of a common syndrome: positive initial reviews, followed by more critical ones.

Fast forward two decades and we have the C4's newborn grandchild. Once again, the magazine reviews are gushing. But will this continue to be the case? To find out, and to learn whether my complaints with the C5 were rectified, I took a C6 six-speed for a test drive.

The occasion was a visit from my father. Coming through the Detroit airport he was smitten by a cinnamon C6 in the terminal's GM store. Might this car replace the 350Z he sold a few months back?

Styling

When I first saw photos of the C6 I didn't feel much had changed other than replacing the pop-up headlamps with fixed ones and sharpening up the creases over the fenders. Overall, no big deal.

On the road, different story: I spot the C6 instantly. Frankly, it looks like the C5 was supposed to. Early styling prototypes of the C5 had very tight proportions, with almost no rear overhang. Then the rear end was stretched out to contain a spare tire and the windshield was laid back because that's what certain people within GM thought was sporty. The resulting car was still attractive, but to my eye appeared a bit too long and lean, at least until your eye reached the massive posterior. Much like the Acura NSX many claimed the new Vette overly resembled.

Well, the feared uproar over no spare tire never materialized. As a result, none was ever actually included. So GM put the C6's mufflers where the spare tire well used to be and lopped a good four inches off the rear. They also reduced the rake of the windshield, further shrinking the perceived length of the car. I've liked the styling of the C5, but with the C6 on the road it just doesn't look right anymore. The new car looks considerably more purposeful and aggressive--in person even more than in photos--without resorting to any tacky add-ons.

The interior redesign is less successful. Unlike in many past Corvettes you won't find any styling gimmickry within this one. But, aside from nicely detailed instruments, you also won't find much character. The appearance is very generic, especially compared to the Audi TT or revised 2005 Boxster. Heck, even compared to the far less expensive Hyundai Tiburon.

In line with a current fashion that is quickly becoming last year's fashion, the center stack is finished in silver-gray plastic. Bits of textured aluminum can be found on the doors and shifter. These look okay in the dark gray interior of the car I drove, but clashed with the otherwise warmer tan interior of the car I subsequently rode in. There's a reason Acura and Subaru pair satin trim with dark gray interiors and faux wood with tan interiors. Of course, faux wood doesn't belong in a Corvette, but the tan interior needs something different.

The materials themselves are a bit higher in quality than the C5's, and the bits fit together more tightly and precisely. But, overall, the interior still doesn't scream "quality."

Accommodations

The more upright windshield makes for an improved driving position. No longer are the A-pillar and windshield header too close for comfort, correcting one of my major complaints with the C4 and C5. Despite the low seating position the cowl (windshield base) is itself low enough that you do not feel at all buried in the car.

An even larger improvement: the shifter is no longer positioned too high for comfort or fitted with a knob designed for square-palmed giants. It's right where your hand wants it, and the knob is shaped perfectly for the average human right hand. I cannot say how much I appreciate this.

Interior room remains above average for a two-seat sports car, though that's not saying a whole lot. You'll feel cozy, but not cramped. The optional translucent roof panel lends the interior an airier ambiance. The dealer said they never stock a Corvette without it.

The car I drove was fitted with the optional sport seats. You want them for both comfort and support. Adjustable side bolsters and multiple lumbar adjustments are always a good thing. I wish far more cars offered them.

Cargo volume is good, which is to say very good for a sports car. The opening and the cargo area beneath it are unusually wide, spanning nearly the entire width of the car. Cargo area vertical depth is less impressive, but still easily sufficient for luggage laid on its side or golf clubs. A larger issue: the area is hard to access since the hatch opening remains entirely atop the rear of the car.

On the Road

With 400 horsepower, the C6 Corvette is the most powerful car I've ever driven. And it feels like it. Much like the Mustang Cobra I drove last year, but even more so, getting to sixty is a not-so-simple matter of flooring the throttle for a couple of seconds, shifting quickly, then flooring the throttle for a couple more seconds. Why "not so simple?" Because the redline approaches so quickly it's hard to shift near said redline without hitting the nearby rev limiter. A tach in the head-up display (HUD) helps. (Yes, you definitely want the HUD.) Maybe with a bit more time in the car I might have been able to relax enough to enjoy the thrill of such massive acceleration. As it was I spent my time at full throttle concentrating on the tach that appeared to float just over the nose of the car. An embarrassment of riches. The solution: back off that throttle a bit and enjoy the sound of the still-very-American-but-more-refined exhaust note. Even at half-throttle this is a very quick car.

About those hurried shifts: they are now enabled by much smoother and shorter throws. Like the shifter itself, a most welcome improvement. Some might find the feel a bit notchy, but that's how I like it.

I wish the steering could be so improved. It directs the car accurately enough, but I'd like quicker responses and more feedback. I wish the Corvette steered more like a Honda S2000 or Mazda RX-8. Or, even better, like a Miata or MR2, but maybe that's too much to ask from this size and class of car.

The Corvette's width also detracts from its sportiness. Although the C6 is an inch narrower than the C5--GM apparently recognizes an issue here--it remains three to four inches wider than most competitors. As a result, despite weighing little more than they do--it's 3,200-pound curb weight is commendable in this age of 3500-pound compacts--the Corvette feels like a much larger, more massive car. It's just not flingable the way I want a sports car to be. (The 350Z suffers from similar issues, by the way.)

A final detail: a smaller diameter steering wheel wouldn't hurt. My Mazda Protege5, like many sports cars these days, has a much smaller steering wheel, and I've come to really appreciate its contribution to the agile character of the car.

Aside from these issues, the chassis is excellent, especially with the optional Z51 sport suspension fitted to the car I drove. The C6 goes where it is pointed with commendable balance--no excess of understeer here--and very little lean in hard turns. The wide high performance rubber just plain sticks. With so much power going through the rear wheels, oversteer is easily induced with the right foot, but also easily modulated. Get crazy and the stability control smoothly cuts in, but otherwise it minds its place. You can turn the system off, but I personally would not.

Time was Corvettes had terribly rough rides. The C6 even with the Z51 suspension gets only moderately abrupt on heavily patched and pockmarked roads. And on fairly smooth roads it rides quite comfortably. Unlike in the 350Z, tar strips and the like do not induce constant vertical motions. Though still not up to a conventional steel-bodied car, the C6 does feel considerably more solid than the C5, much less the trembly C4. Overall, the new Corvette is much more livable than most sports cars. Of those I've driven, only the RX-8 and Z4 compete in this category.

But then there's the road noise. On many road surfaces there is little such noise to speak of. But the road into which the dealership's lot exits is not one such road. Within seconds of leaving the lot I could tell my father would not be buying this car. Once the car hit roughly 25 MPH a low roar--think idling jet plane from half a mile--issued forth from the cargo area. (The convertible has a bulkhead between the passenger and cargo areas, which should sharply reduce this noise.) My father dislikes road noise, and even though this noise was absent on most other roads it killed the appeal of the car for him. If this might also bother you, I advise test driving a C6 on the roads you frequently travel to see if they are the roar-inducing sort.

Back at the dealer, we decided to briefly sample a second Corvette without the Z51 option to see if the standard tires would produce the same roar. They did, though not quite as much and starting at a slightly higher speed.

The second Corvette was fitted with GM's magnetically adjusting shocks. I very much liked how these improved the ride and handling of the Cadillac SRX. In the Corvette, however, I could detect little difference in ride quality even with these shocks set to "comfort."

Chevrolet Corvette Price Comparisons and Pricing

Generally this is where I refer readers to my pricing website, truedelta.com, but I don't have many competing models in the database because their volumes are so low. I do have the Mazda RX-8 and Nissan 350Z in the database. They are about $10,000 less expensive, but also offer considerably lower performance. Frankly, you just cannot buy C6-level performance short of a 911, and then you're spending another $20,000.

Me, I don't need this level of performance. In the sort of driving I do I'd more enjoy the considerably less expensive Mazda RX-8 (as a daily driver) or Honda S2000 (as a second car).

Last Words

Generally, the new Corvette is everything a Corvette should be, with a striking design and amazing performance. Yes, it needs a more exciting interior, livelier steering, and less road noise before I'd personally lust after one like I did the C4 as an adolescent. But these are relatively minor details compared to the ills that afflicted the C4 two decades ago. I'm not foreseeing revisionist reviews in the auto press on this one. So if ultra-high-performance is what you're after and you have the finances, the Corvette is a huge bargain. Don't expect much of a discount, though, as I'm far from the first person to recognize this.

A Note on Chevrolet Corvette Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a Corvette rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Chevrolet Corvette reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the Corvette--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Some of my reviews of related vehicles:
2004 Chevrolet Corvette review [C5]
BMW Z4 review
Mazda RX-8 review
Nissan 350Z review
Porsche Boxster review
Amount Paid (US$): 50000
Model Year: 2005
Model and Options: loaded 6-speed coupe