LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE
2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS
This rocket still satisfies at 20,000 miles and counting.
WHAT WE LIKE: Praise for the Camaro’s exhaust sound and the power and flexibility of its engine continues to fill the logbook. The purely American symphony generated by the LT1 V-8 from idle to its 6500-rpm redline is among the car’s greatest strengths.
Perhaps most surprising, however, is our coupe’s consistent real-world fuel economy. At 20 mpg, it continues to exceed the EPA’s 19-mpg combined estimate—and this isn’t a car we drive like a Toyota Prius. Given our Camaro pilots’ disinterest in helping boost average economy, and despite several tankfuls that registered in the low teens, it’s an impressive performance. Notably, our best tank, at 25 mpg, matches the EPA highway rating. But boasting about the fuel economy in a 455-hp pony car is like going to a Top Fuel drag race and raving about the kettle corn.
Although the Camaro’s interior has been a source of criticism, some notes since the last update compliment its modern design, which eschews the retro overtones that afflicted the previous-generation Camaro. We continue to be impressed with the seat comfort and support, especially on long-distance drives. Other laudables? One editor appreciated that the selected drive mode is retained through key cycles. Put it in Sport, and it stays there. We wish we could say the same for the rev-matching feature, but we’ll take every little victory.
Overall, we like the Camaro family so much that, since our long-termer’s last update, the model earned its second-straight 10Best Cars award.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE: Family trips are a pile of laughs in the Camaro, partially because of its wild impracticality but also because burnouts are universally loved among eight-year-olds. Even so, the rear seats and seatbelt receivers are at such an angle as to make fastening children and their seats a hassle, and then there’s the yoga required for adults to get back there to attempt the task in the first place. Even staffers roughly five and a half feet tall lack headroom when seated in the back. No surprises here.
Small-item storage is an ongoing gripe, and more than one editor finds the ambient interior lighting too bright with the IP fully dimmed. Our staffers’ kids, though, love the color options for the door and dashboard backlighting.
And, yes, some of us are still discovering that it’s impossible to see out of this thing. Several commenters again noted that they’d rather drive a Ford Mustang for daily use, despite the Camaro’s performance perks.
WHAT WENT WRONG: While we’ve had no repair-related expenditures thus far, our SS is beginning to show signs of wear. Some drivers complain that there’s increased tolerance between the driver’s seat and its mounting rails, which allows the seat to move during braking maneuvers—although others, including this author, don’t notice it.
We added another quart of oil since our previous update (a total of 4.5 quarts in addition to the scheduled oil changes), which puts the average consumption rate at one quart every 4700 miles or so. A GM representative said that this rate “falls within normal consumption.”
WHERE WE WENT: Being a coupe limits the Camaro’s desirability as a family hauler, so it sees fewer road trips than other long-term test vehicles. Except for one 300-mile trip to the west side of Michigan, all of our driving has been limited to the roads around C/D World Headquarters in Ann Arbor. However, don’t think that excuses the Camaro from rigorous chassis exercise, given the workout the absolutely horrible Michigan pavement gives the suspension. We switched to Pirelli Sottozero winter tires at 19,451 miles in preparation for doing our best Stig Blomqvist impressions in the coming snowy months.
Months in Fleet: 9 months Current Mileage: 20,801 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 20 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 19.0 gal Fuel Range: 380 miles
Service: $184 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Average Fuel Economy: 20 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 19.0 gal Fuel Range: 380 miles
Service: $184 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
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