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2023 Chevrolet Camaro. Today’s muscle car is more than just a grumpy face with a bellowing V-8 exhaust note. The Camaro’s best party trick used to only happen with the steering wheel straight, but modern chassis technology makes Chevy’s only four-seater sports coupe an exciting dance partner. Available as a hard-shell coupe or soft-top convertible, the Camaro packs some serious personality. Power has three tiers, starting with a 275-hp turbocharged inline-four, stepping up to a 335-hp V-6, and escalating to a 455-hp V-8 from the C7 Corvette. The current sixth-generation Camaro is getting up there in age, as it has out-survived the Cadillac ATS platform it’s based on by at least five years. While its oldest nemesis, the Ford Mustang, enters another generation thoroughly remade for 2023 Chevrolet Camaro remains largely the same—though we are not complaining. While its fate isn’t exactly cemented, we still have hope that 2023 won’t be the Camaro’s final year, even while other muscle machines such as the Dodge Challenger and Charger fall limp after 2023.
2023 Chevrolet Camaro Exterior
The 2023 Chevrolet Camaro doesn’t undergo any significant changes beyond paint choices, badging, and wheels: new 20-inchers are added to the LT, LT1, and SS trims.
The Camaro’s sleek profile exudes retro confidence. The body’s designed for showing off, though its charm doesn’t carry over to the cabin. It earns two points for the exterior, good for a 7 here.
A high beltline and low roof, combined with a long nose and stout rear haunches, combine for classic sports car styling. The Camaro wears it with pride, even though exterior proportions seriously sacrifice interior space.
From our review research, the best way to experience any new 2023 Chevrolet Camaro is the SS with the optional 1LE Track Performance package. It adds distinct appearance pieces such as black-painted 20-inch wheels and satin-black exterior accents as well as unique interior bits that include microsuede trim and more supportive Recaro front seats (SS models only).
However, the most important upgrades are the ones that affect performance. Every 1LE has a dual-mode exhaust system, enhanced powertrain-cooling components, more powerful brakes, a limited-slip differential, and special suspension tuning that strikes a Goldilocks balance of not-too-soft, not-too-stiff, but just right for track-day action. While we love that even models with the four-cylinder and V-6 engines offer a 1LE package, we’d choose to pair the best chassis hardware it with the 1SS trim that only comes with the hearty V-8. That decision would coincide with picking the standard manual transmission, of course.
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2023 Chevrolet Camaro Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The base 275-hp four-cylinder isn’t slow—we tested a manual model that proved surprisingly quick. But uneven throttle responses and unpleasant, unsporting sounds relegate it to the budget-buyer’s choice. On the other hand, upgrading to the 335-hp V-6 completely changes the car’s character. The gutsy six has its own distinctly searing soundtrack. The Camaro LT1 and SS feature Chevy’s iconic small-block V-8, with 455 horsepower and 455 pound-feet of torque. Its tremendous low-end torque, linear power delivery, and chest-compressing acceleration are enhanced by the optional dual-mode exhaust, which erupts with a sharp bark at startup and thunderous sounds during wide-open-throttle blasts. The standard six-speed manual transmission maintains the enthusiast’s spirit. (For cars not equipped with the 1LE package, the six-speed manual transmission is standard.)
An eight-speed automatic is optional with the four-cylinder engine, and a slick-shifting 10-speed automatic can be paired with the V-6 and V-8. The Camaro’s astonishing chassis provides a car-and-driver connection (see what we did there?) that’s unparalleled among pony cars. Its solid structure engenders precise handling and a quality feel. Its well-balanced ride is firm enough to be agile on curvy roads yet still compliant on rough surfaces. Paired with the 1LE setup, the coupes transcend their class—competing with sporting machinery with fancier names costing much, much more. The 1LE-equipped models are taut on the track yet relaxed on regular roads. Their electrically assisted power-steering systems have reasonable efforts and highly accurate responses. The hot Chevy completes the performance trifecta with excellent brakes; the brake pedal consistently provides progressive and reassuring response. The 1LE models get even more powerful, track-ready Brembo brakes.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The 2023 Chevrolet Camaro with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed automatic is rated at up to 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. The V-6 and V-8 powertrains are less frugal, with the six topping out at 18 mpg city and 29 highway and the eight topping out at 16 mpg city and 26 highway. Still, the latter engines performed well on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen. We’ve tested each of the Camaro’s three available engines paired with the manual transmission and they were all within 1 mpg (plus or minus) of their government highway ratings. For more information about the Camaro’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
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2023 Chevrolet Camaro Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The Camaro interior is an improvement versus the previous generation, with better materials and a more modern look. Its comfortable front seats and straightforward layout are high points, but its torturously small back seat and compromised visibility inhibit its practicality as a people carrier. An optional head-up display is useful and not offered in the Dodge Challenger or Ford Mustang. The Camaro also can be equipped with customizable ambient interior lighting, which adds a cool appearance. The Chevy outshines its rivals on the track and in the fun-to-drive department, but its back seat is basically unusable for adults. The Camaro is also outmatched in terms of cargo space and interior storage. It held the least amount of carry-on luggage compared to its space-stingy rivals and has a laughably small trunk opening.
Infotainment and Connectivity
Every Camaro has a user-friendly touchscreen that supports Chevy’s Infotainment 3 software. While the larger 8.0-inch touchscreen fills the space better, the plastic bezel looks chintzy, and its downward angle is awkward. Otherwise, its mix of controls and organized menus is appreciated. Chevy’s setup has everything standard—intuitive controls, attractive menus, responsive feedback, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that can be accessed without plugging a smartphone into a USB port.
2023 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
The 2023 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 straddles the fine line between the everyday and the racetrack. Using the standard Camaro (reviewed separately) as a building block, the ZL1’s tornado-like performance makes the 455-hp Camaro LT1 and SS trims feel like mere gusts of wind. Credit the ZL1’s trim-exclusive 650-hp supercharged V-8 and its wide, marshmallow-sticky Goodyear F1 SuperCar tires. An available 1LE performance package unleashes an even more ferocious beast by adding even wider and stickier tires, adjustable camber plates at each corner, and Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve dampers by Multimatic. Consider the Camaro ZL1 as a street-legal NASCAR Cup Series racer.
Exterior
In 2023, Chevrolet makes no major changes to the Camaro ZL1. The spoiler made of carbon fiber for the ZL1 1LE is no longer available.
Our preferred ZL1 is the coupe with the standard manual transmission. While the optional 1LE Extreme Track Performance package for the 650-hp model is transformative and enticing, the ZL1’s overly stiff suspension setup makes it difficult to live with on a daily basis.
Powertrain, Engine, and Performance
The 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 in the Camaro is a well-mannered and tractable engine that produces power throughout the rev range. Whether paired with the standard six-speed manual transmission or the optional 10-speed automatic transmission, the supercharged small-block V-8 engine is a veritable locomotive. The quick-shifting automatic transmission provides ZL1s with even faster acceleration times than the manual transmission. Even in its most basic configuration, the Camaro is a satisfying performer, with responsive and communicative steering, a well-balanced rear-drive chassis, and a surprisingly compliant ride. The ZL1 only enhances these characteristics. Its adaptive dampers adjust their stiffness based on the selected drive mode, but even the most extreme modes do not ruin the car’s decent, albeit firm, ride quality. Want more? The 1LE Extreme Track Performance package, exclusive to the coupe, elevates the ZL1’s lateral performance to that of a supercar. The package’s wider and more grippy tires, manually adjustable front suspension, and exclusive spool-valve dampers aid in tearing up racetracks and leaving drivers satisfied. The ZL1 can stop from 70 mph in 143 feet, and its brake pedal is as firm as a performance vehicle should be.
Energy Efficiency and Real-World MPG
The phrases “Camaro ZL1” and “fuel efficient” should not appear in the same sentence unless the phrase “is not” comes between them. The ZL1 with an automatic transmission is rated at 13 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway. With the manual transmission, the ZL1 achieves an estimated 14 city mpg and 20 highway mpg. The ZL1 1LE equipped with a manual transmission returned a pitiful 17 mpg on our 75 mph highway fuel-economy route, which was part of our extensive testing procedure. Visit the EPA website for more information about the Camaro’s fuel economy.
Cargo, Comfort, and Interior
It turns out that 650 horsepower and a ZL1 badge do nothing to improve the visibility of the current-generation Camaro’s exterior. It has the same thick roof pillars and high window sills as every other Camaro. Nonetheless, every 2023 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 comes well-equipped from the factory. The standard features include power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and automatic climate control with dual zones. Regarding the ZL1, performance and aesthetics take precedence over all other concerns. As a result, there is minimal interior storage space for small items. It is almost a tacit admission on the part of Chevrolet that the Camaro comfortably seats only two people. A trunk with an oddly-shaped opening is located behind the useless rear seats.
Informational Entertainment and Connectivity
With clear menus and large on-screen buttons, Chevrolet‘s touchscreen infotainment system is one of the most user-friendly in the industry. It features a Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The ZL1 comes standard with nearly every infotainment option that Chevy charges extra for on lesser Camaros, including a Bose audio system, wireless phone charger, and head-up display.
Price
The entry-level 1LS starts at $27,495 and includes cloth upholstery, a 7.0-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless connectivity, and 18-inch wheels. Check out the Camaro 2SS if your budget is $45,995, and consider adding the $7,000 1LE package for a track-ready vehicle with everyday amenities such as an 8-inch touchscreen and Bose audio. Minimum price for the supercharged V-8 ZL1 is $69,695.
2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS
After the premiere, it was a race against time for the Ford Shelby GT500 and Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye coupes. Despite its age, the V8 still produces 650 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque. Since the car has a 6-speed manual transmission, the 10-speed automatic transmission is a waste of time.
2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS Exterior
The 2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS distinguishes itself from its less powerful siblings with its distinctive alloy wheels, trunk spoiler, and bonnet. Additionally, the front has black tie and slot badges. The 1LE Extreme Track Performance option adds a large carbon fiber rear spoiler and unique cases, as well as a four-port splitter.
The wheelbase of the Coupe and Convertible versions of the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro SS is the same. When the door mirrors are fitted, the vehicle measures 190.2 inches long and 75 inches wide. In other words, this version has a much lower 52.6-inch droptop height than the 52.6-inch droptop. The coupe has smaller sides and a larger overall size than the sedan. The SS’s intended sports car character bothers me greatly with its 3,907-pound gross weight.
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2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS interior
There are a few alternatives to remote storage indoors. The 2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS has a smaller trunk than the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger, Chevy’s main competitors. The boot capacity of the Camaro Coupe is 9.1 cubic feet. The 2023 Dodge Challenger is the only car in its class that seats five people. While the Ford Mustang’s front seat is the roomiest, cars with sloping rooflines often have less headroom and legroom as a result.
There are some similarities between the SS’s interior and that of the older Camaros, but this model has more options and features. The Recaro front seats in particular have plenty of microfiber in leather and suede and contrast stitching. With a D-shaped steering wheel and Bluetooth connectivity on a smartphone, customizing a vehicle has never been easier. However, the view around the window is still awful, and the back seat is cramped.
Young people use only the second grade of the Camaro. Hunting rifles up to two meters high, passengers are allowed to ride in the back of the plane, as long as they have enough head and legroom. Recaro bucket seats provide excellent comfort and support for both the driver and front seat passengers.
2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS Engine
Power and torque are provided as standard via a six-speed manual transmission on the LT4, which makes driving fun. On the other hand, the CVT would be nicer. Their bulky and sticky tires make it possible to perform useless burns. As long as you keep a steady pace and don’t accelerate too much in the first few hundred feet, you can quickly overtake other cars without having to change gears.
1/2/3LT models come standard with a 3.6-liter V6 that makes 335 horsepower and 284 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, but a ten-speed automatic transmission is also available. The four turbo and V6 engines are powerful enough to drive in the city or on the highway. See, the base Camaro’s turbocharged four-cylinder generates more torque than the optional V6 (and does so at lower rpm).
It is possible that the excellent sound of the V6 engine will convince you to prefer it over the V4. Ten-speed automatic transmissions are ideal because they won’t slow you down or slow you down. Paddles attached to the steering wheel also allow you to steer the boat with your body and various gears.
2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS release date and price
There is no destination fee for the new 2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS. Pricing for the 1LS Coupe starts at $25,000. The 1LT Camaro is $500 more expensive than the standard model. At $27,500 and $31,500, respectively, the 2LT and 3LT versions are mid-range options. As for trim levels, the 2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS comes in LT1, 1SS and 2SS versions (each reviewed separately), with prices starting at $37,500 and going up to $42,550. For up to 63 thousand dollars it was necessary to purchase the most extreme ZL1.
