Best Year Chevrolet Camaro

‍The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro

The 2016 Chevy Camaro is the first of the sixth generation. This model year redefined the Camaro as a sportscar instead of the previous Muscle car label. The car combines a powerful engine with crisp handling and responsiveness. It also offers a smooth and comfortable ride.

The car has a more organized interior, better material, and very good safety ratings. It comes with various technologies and safety features, which make it an excellent choice among other generations.

Style

For the 2016 model, General Motors has tried to refresh the look of the Camaro by removing many cartoonish features, which were seen on the previous model. The car seems toned down and yet maintains its aggressive look.

The 2016 Camaro retains a lot of aggression from one angle and seems toned down from another angle. For example, the front grille and fascia seem toned down from the previous model. But look at the Camaro from the side, and it still maintains its muscular aggression.

It is evident that the designers worked hard to refurbish the interior of the 2016 Camaro. This model has better materials, a more organized and consistent look, and a much more spacious feel than prior models. The center console and dashboard sit lower to offer a sense of more space in the cabin.

The cluster houses large digital gauges installed in a Star Wars-themed housing. The large air vents offer a modern sense of style even today.

Performance

The Chevy Camaro has been considered a muscle car ever since its launch in 1967. However, for the 2016 model, GM decided to change that label. First off, the 2016 Camaro came with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, which incited a lot of sarcastic laughter. No one could imagine a powerful muscle car to house a simple in-line four-cylinder engine.

But with advanced technology and following the market trend, GM was able to shell out over 275 hp from the turbocharged four-cylinder. With around 295 pound-feet of torque, the Camaro could hit 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds.

The engine is coupled with either an eight-speed automatic transmission or a Tremec manual transmission with six speeds. With this powertrain, the Camaro can make a quarter-mile within 14 seconds.

For those looking for a more powerful variant, there is an option of a 3.6-liter V6 engine. This engine is tuned to deliver around 335 hp and offers 284 lb-ft. This engine takes the Camaro to 60 mph in less than five seconds from a stopped position. The V6 has an impressive howl and sounds like a combination of an old Ferrari and a modern F1 car.

This engine is also coupled with a 6-speed stick shift manual or an eight-speed, paddle-shifted automatic. The powertrain is super-quick and responsive, often giving a neck-breaker of acceleration, as you would expect from a Camaro.

The vehicle also has exceptional stopping power to match the powertrain. The quad-piston Brembo brakes come standard on all variants. The basic version comes with 18-inch wheels; the LT and SS flaunt twenty-inch wheels.

The suspension and tires on the 2016 Camaro provide considerable grip and traction. You will not have the rear end of a car hurling all over the place, even after hitting a pothole at very high speeds. The tires that come stock on the 2016 Camaro are Goodyear Eagle Sport sized at 245/50R18, which provide exceptional cornering grip and handling.

The car also comes with a drive-mode selector with Tour, Sport, and Snow modes. With different modes, the driver can fine-tune the stability control, throttle response, shift timing, and steering weight. The 2016 Camaro can handle tight corners with needle precision in Sport mode, without any under or over-steer.

The addition of some more advanced technologies to the suspension and steering system of the 2016 Camaro has made the nose lighter. The 2016 Camaro feels more responsive and predictable in corners than any of its predecessors.

Still not good enough for you? Then there is the Camaro SS, which comes with a monster V8 under the hood. This is the variant that offers the Camaro the real sport-car feel. The SS can be had with an automatic or manual transmission and comes with regular or magnetic suspension. Nonetheless, on any variant, if you press down on the throttle, you will almost feel that time has slowed down. 60 mph comes in around four seconds.

The V8 engine is shared with the faster Corvette. It is 6.2 liters and can produce a whopping 455 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque. Whether manual or automatic, the transmission is responsive and works smoothly with the powerhouse. Together, the powertrain makes the Camaro a brutal and mighty machine.

The 2016 Camaro seems to have taken off the muscle car label due to its crisp and responsive handling. The steering still feels slightly bulky in the Tour mode but is very responsive to driver input. Switch to Sport mode, and the car sticks to the road surface as if with glue. The ride is smooth with the standard 18-inch wheels and does not give much feedback of the road surface. But with the 20-inch wheels, you will feel every crest and dip in the cabin.

A Camaro SS with conventional suspension works fine when running over speed limits on sparsely populated farm roads. But here is where the magnetic suspension comes in. It seems to be a considerable smoothness to the ride. You will notice the Camaro races over uneven pavements and even some dips and crests as if it were skiing on snow. This is the ride quality that sports cars provide and is not found on muscle cars.

Comfort

The 2016 Camaro is up to 200 pounds lighter than its predecessors, depending on trim level. The weight loss is attributed to the smaller body, which is 2.3 inches shorter, an inch narrower, and an inch shorter than its prior models.

The car’s interior is redesigned to offer much better headroom and a sense of spaciousness. The seats are well-positioned and offer sufficient support and bolstering. The seat can be lowered to fit drivers wearing helmets.

Over the previous Camaro, the 2016 model has a lower dashboard due to the gone era of CD players. It also skips the hand-operated parking brake to make room for a big screen and armrests. The backseat, however, does not seem to be very comfortable for long rides. It is too short for adults and does not offer too much legroom.

Safety

The 2016 Chevy Camaro gets good ratings from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The vehicle gets “Good” ratings in the crashworthiness tests, with only roof strength receiving an “Acceptable” score. The NHTSA has not rated the vehicle, but since it shares a lot with Cadillac CTS and ATS, it is believed to be equally safe.

There are numerous safety features on the 2016 Camaro, which come standard across all variants:

• ABS – Antilock Brakes sense when the tire has stopped spinning in case of a hard brake. It then pulsates the brake’s pressure on the wheel to prevent it from locking up, leading to vehicle skidding.
• Stability Control: It senses when the suspension limits are exceeded and then reduces engine power to slow the vehicle down and ensure the driver maintains control of the car
• Front Airbags: These are designed to protect the front seat passengers in case of a frontal impact
• Side Airbags: These protect the passengers if the vehicle incurs an impact on either side
• Overhead Airbags: These protect the occupants’ heads in case of a rollover or a significant rear or side impact
• Knee Airbags: These help protect the lower parts of the occupants’ bodies
• Pretensioners: If the vehicle anticipates an imminent collision, this system tightens the seatbelts to keep the occupants safe
• Security Alarm System: Helps protect the vehicle from unauthorized entry or usage

More advanced technology is also used on the 2016 Camaro, as it comes with a rearview camera, a blind-spot monitor, and a collision warning system. But other features like adaptive cruise control and lane management systems are not available.

Features

Many features come standard on all variants of the 2016 Camaro. These include:

• Power mirrors, door locks, and windows
• Rearview camera
• Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming
• Cruise control
• The seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
• Two USB ports and an auxiliary audio jack
• Power-operated front seats
• Keyless ignition
• Multiple driving modes

The higher variants LT and SS add the following:

• Eight-inch touchscreen
• Bose audio system
• Ventilated and heated front seats
• Dual-zone climate control

Many optional features can be mounted on all trims of the Camaro. These include:

• Navigation
• Remote start
• Heads up display
• Moonroof
• Heated steering wheel
• Wireless phone charging
• Ambient lighting with “Car Show” mode to dazzle an audience

Fuel Economy

Since there are three engine types on the Camaro, the fuel economy is quite different for each one of them. However, it remains competitive with its biggest rival, the Ford Mustang.

With the four-cylinder, turbocharged variant, the Camaro reaps EPA ratings of 22 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined when coupled with the automatic transmission. The car gives 21 mpg in the city, 29 on the highway, and 24 mpg combined with the manual transmission.

With the six-cylinder 3.6 liter engine, the Camaro gets 19 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined when running the automatic. The manual variant gets 18 mpg in the city, 27 mp on the highway, and 21 mpg combined.

The Camaro SS, powered by a 6.2 liter V8 coupled with an eight-speed automatic, gets 17 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 20 mpg combined. With the manual transmission, it gives 16 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and 19 mpg combined.

How Much Does the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro Cost?

The prices of the 2016 Camaro range between $18,000 and $37,000. These values depend on many factors such as location, optional features the car has, the trim level, mileage, and vehicle condition. The average price of the 2016 Camaro is around $25,000.

How Much Does it Cost to Own a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro?

On average, a Camaro owner spends around $33,000 on the car. This amount includes gas, maintenance, spares, repairs, and insurance. Broken down, it comes to around $6,600 per year of running costs. Competitors like the Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang have considerably lower running costs per annum.

Why is 2016 Considered Best Year for Chevrolet Camaro?

The 2016 model kicked off the sixth generation of the Chevy Camaro. It is faster, smoother, and offers more sports car-like handling than its predecessors. It is also considered the most reliable of all Camaros and provides modern technologies for a lower price.

JD Power has given the 2016 Chevy Camaro a reliability score of 4.5 out on a scale of 5, which is higher than most vehicles. With such a high score on reliability, you can feel at peace when driving around in this vehicle.