2010 Chevrolet Corvette

The Corvette Z06 (*Est. $74,285) used to be the top-of-the-line Corvette, but now it plays second fiddle to the monstrous ZR1. The Z06's hardcore nature meant that testers always found it choppy, harsh and hard to handle compared to the base Corvette. It's lighter, faster and has better brakes than the base car. The Corvette Z06 packs a near-supercar wallop at a much cheaper price than the ZR1, however. It wrings 505 horsepower from its 7.0-liter, V-8 engine, racing to 60 mph in just under four seconds, according to Edmunds.com.

The 2010 model year brings a fourth model to the lineup: the Corvette Grand Sport (*Est. $54,770 to $58,580). The Grand Sport replaces the optional Z51 package offered on the 2009 Corvette, which firmed up the suspension and added better tires and brakes. Early reviews of the 2010 Corvette Grand Sport are positive, but they're limited in scope as of this writing (all the published write-ups are based on a brief encounter with the car at a General Motors test track).

The Grand Sport carries over the base Corvette's 430-horsepower V-8, while incorporating performance modifications borrowed from not only the now-defunct Z51 package but also from the high-performance Corvette Z06 as well, including that car's up-rated brakes. (A version of the base Corvette engine with a dry-sump oiling system, built at the same facility that makes the Z06 and ZR1 engines, is available in the Grand Sport if you spec the car with a specific set of equipment.) Visually, the Grand Sport incorporates Z06 design elements, too, such as its wider bodywork and prominent hood scoop. After his experience with it, Autoblog's Sam Abuelsamid notes that the Corvette Grand Sport is more composed at the handling limit than the Z06, costs only around $6,000 more than the base Corvette, and still comes in about $20,000 below the Z06, making it "one of the best performance bargains on the road." The Grand Sport is offered as a coupe or convertible, with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

All Corvettes are rear-wheel-drive two-seaters. A six-speed manual transmission comes standard, and the base model offers an optional six-speed automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. For 2010, launch control has been added as a standard feature on all manual-transmission Corvettes across the range. Use of the feature will not negatively impact the car's warranty status in any way. (A similar feature in the 2009 Nissan GT-R has been removed for 2010 because of warranty concerns.) Expect 16 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined for the base model (one mpg less with the automatic) and 15 mpg city, 24 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined for the Z06.

Corvette's interior is criticized

The Chevy Corvette's interior is a frequently derided by critics. Jonny Lieberman, writing for TheTruthAboutCars.com, pulls no punches in his summation: "Corvettes are designed by people that have never sat inside a Porsche for people that never will sit inside a Porsche. That's the only possible explanation for such inattention to detail. The seats are crummy, the shifter's covered in crummy leather and there are some extremely low-rent plastics in frighteningly obvious places." Edmunds.com is more reserved but no less critical, noting that the interior "looks rather plain and there are too many chintzy plastics."

The base Chevrolet Corvette comes in four trim levels. The 1LT includes leather seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless ignition, cruise control, OnStar, satellite radio, a power driver's seat and more. The 2LT adds Bluetooth, perforated leather, a power passenger seat and a power top for the convertible. The 3LT adds more luxury, with heated seats, a Bose stereo, memory driver's seat and more. The 4LT adds a two-tone leather interior.

The Chevy Corvette isn't a notably reliable car, according to feedback received in owner surveys. Average reliability is reported in one major survey and poor reliability in another. Chevrolet backs the Corvette with a three-year, 36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Nearly every source we looked to has tested the top-of-the-line Chevy Corvette ZR1 (covered separately). Edmunds.com, ConsumerGuide.com and ConsumerReports.org also thoroughly test the more affordable base and Z06 models, as well as the Corvette convertible. Road & Track includes the Corvette Z06 in a 10-car comparo. TheTruthAboutCars.com tests a base 2009 Corvette outfitted with the now-defunct Z51 performance package, but several of the observations still apply as the engine and interior are unchanged for 2010. Early First Drive reviews of the Z51's replacement, the 2010 Corvette Grand Sport have been posted by Motor Trend, Edmunds Inside Line and Autoblog.com. We found fuel-economy estimates at FuelEconomy.gov and reliability ratings at J.D. Power and Associates.