2021 Chevrolet Camaro

The 2021 Camaro starts at $26,195 for the base 1LS trim. It competes obviously and undoubtedly against the Ford Mustang and the Dodge Challenger. We’ll also consider the 2020 Toyota 86 even though it’s not as powerful as the trio and also because there is no Nissan 370Z for 2021. But then the Camaro is not just a muscle car, but it also handles and tackles corners impressively. The Camaro has a price advantage over all of the competition as it starts at such a low price while all of the competition charges more than $1000 more for their base models. Hence we have taken the 1LT trim of the Camaro equipped with the stronger V6 engine against base trims of the other cars for comparison and analysis. So let’s see if the Camaro holds up well with the capable competition. 

The 2021 Chevrolet Camaro comes in four trim lines which are 1LS which is the barebones, extremely cheap base variant that comes with a pretty decent feature set for the price and a stunted availability of packages. However, it is available with 7 package options, but most of them are exterior and interior appearance packages. The 1LT trim is basically like a 1LS trim with a power-adjustable front passenger seat on the inside along with a cheat code that gives access to a more powerful V6 which is optional for the trim doubling the number of available packages. And some of these packages are the real deal and not just beauty boosters like the LT 1LE Performance Package that adds a performance suspension, bigger wheels, and other goodies.

The 2LT trims further add two major features that are heating and ventilation for the seats as well as dual-zone automatic climate control. And this one bumps up the number of packages available to 18. Chevy really has a thing for packages and these trims are just the same thing and it mostly all about the packages on offer. However, the 2LT trim can be equipped with an available LT 1LE Track Performance Package along with many others available. Stepping up to the 3LT trim, you get some added features on the inside as well as on the safety front. The following table shows a clearer picture of the trims their prices and features-

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The 2LT trim gets some extra convenience and comfort over the base two trims along with a truckload of packages and options to choose from. The 2LT trim with the optional V6 engine and the preferred transmission along with an exterior package of your choice that comes with larger wheels on offer would be an ideal choice. The engine is more than enough powerful and there are tons of available customization options to choose from. 

The Chevrolet Camaro gets a standard 2.0 L Inline-4 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission while an 8-speed automatic is also optional. The engine puts out 275 hp and 295 lb-ft of maximum power and torque. This is the only engine option available in the base 1LS trim whereas from the 1LT trim and upwards, the Camaro also gets the option of a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 335 hp and 284 lb-ft. This engine is also mated to the same manual, but the automatic on offer is a 10-speed unit. Although there is no drastic power difference between the power outputs of the two engines, in fact, the V6 is even low on torque compared to the Inline-4. 

But the soundtrack from the V6 is much more pleasing to the ears as it offers a proper exhaust note. The V6 powered Camaro can reach 60mph in 5 seconds and cross the quarter-mile mark in 13.5 seconds. The numbers are superb and the performance delivered by the V6 is amazing. The throttle response and power delivery are on point and the car is plenty powerful. Even the Inline-4 engine is also powerful enough, but the V6 is just better and is much better sounding.

The Camaro is the most powerful and the fastest as we can see among the competition and the price range. The Mustang and the Challenger follow while the Toyota is the least powerful among the competition. The Mustang is the one that comes with the most torque whereas the Challenger even while costing the most and with a V6 under the hood, stays below the Mustang in terms of power output as well as the speed by a slight margin. The Camaro however dominates the power as well as speed game while keeping the price tag highly competitive. 

How well does the 2021 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe Drive and Handle?

This is a segment where muscle cars have had a bad reputation in the past, but the 2021 Camaro holds up with sports cars even while being a muscle car. In fact, it is better than some sports cars belonging to even higher classes and price ranges. The car is super engaging and is a bliss to drive around. The steering is super responsive and highly accurate while delivering a great in-hand feel. 

The Camaro has the best handling after the Toyota 86 followed by the Mustang. Whereas the Challenger is not a bad driving vehicle but the added size takes a toll on its maneuverability. The Chevy Camaro can further be equipped with the LT 1LT Track Performance package that adds suspension components (from Camaro SS) including dampers, rear cradle mounts, ball-jointed rear toe links, and stabilizer bars that again improves handling significantly.

How efficient is the braking performance of the 2021 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe? 

The 2021 Camaro has a respectable braking performance also. It comes with 12.6-inch rotors in the front and 12.4-inch ones in the rear. These function effectively and stop the car at a distance of 124ft. But equipped with the available Brembo 4-piston front, 4-wheel brakes the Camaro stops at 112 ft. Even though these are not the best figures in the segment, the Camaro does perform pretty well in terms of braking.

The results of the comparison of the braking distance are actually surprising as the Challenger stops in the shortest distance despite being such a large and heavy vehicle. The Toyota and the Mustang follow the Challenger which is confusing as the Toyota 86 is the lightest and the Mustang is the heaviest. The Chevy Camaro takes the most distance to stop from 60 mph, by a slight margin. But overall the Camaro performs adequately well, but not just up to the mark.

The 2021 Chevrolet Camaro delivers a fuel economy of 19 mpg in the city, 29 on the highway, and combined mileage of 22 mpg. These are definitely not the best figures in the segment and the Camaro loses out in fuel efficiency what it gains much more in terms of performance. The 2021 Camaro gets a large 19.0-gallon fuel capacity which can provide a range of 361 miles in the city, 551 miles on the highway, and a combined range of 418 miles. 

The least powered Toyota 86 delivers the best fuel economy of 27 mpg combined. The Ford Mustang comes in at a second place, but the Challenger is the one with the best range as it comes with a pretty good 23 mpg of combined efficiency along with a large 18.5 tank. Thus the Challenger provides the best range of 425 miles followed by the Camaro with an even bigger tank. However, opting for the V8-powered models of any of the three muscle cars here can plummet the fuel efficiency drastically.

The inside of the Chevy is pretty good and it gets quite premium in the highest-end trim. The base trims are basic and the interiors look skeletal. The cabin looks premium in the higher 3LT trim while the lower trims are not really pleasing. But the actual problem is in outward visibility, as it is very little. Even to the front as well sides, the visibility is on the lower side, while rearward visibility is obviously bad. Overall the Camaro comes with an okay cabin and there’s nothing much to be excited about. 

The seats in the Camaro can opt-in various color-themed leather including Jet Black, Medium Ash Gray, Kalahari, Adrenaline Red, and Ceramic White. The seats are supportive and provide good comfort, in the front row of course. The second row of seats is practically useless for adults and children could be seated there. The Camaro is definitely not the most spacious in the segment and definitely not the best option to consider if more than two people expect to travel in it. But then it’s a coupe and coupe’s don’t come with plush, spacious rear seats. The luggage capacity is also very low measuring at 9.1 cu-ft. 

The Dodge Challenger, earlier disregarded due to its larger footprint, now dominates the interior segment with the most space on offer. The Challenger offers comfortable space for two people in the second row and decent seating space for three people. The Challenger is the only five-seater in the competition if that shows how spacious this car is. It also comes with a best-in-class cargo capacity of 13.5 cu-ft. The Camaro along with the Toyota 86 seriously lacks interior space and stands even below the Mustang which resides in second place after the Challenger. Few standout interior features of the 2021 Camaro include-

• Front bucket seats
• Available Recaro performance front bucket seats
• Aluminum accents on door trim and shifter cap
• Leather-Appointed Seating Surfaces
• Heated and ventilated driver and front passenger seats
• Ambient Lighting

How intuitive is the 2021 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe’s infotainment unit?

The 2021 Camaro is equipped with a Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus System with an 8-inch diagonal HD color touchscreen display. However, the lower trims get a slightly smaller 7-inch unit. The 3LT trim is also equipped with a color digital Head-Up Display display with readouts for vehicle speed, tachometer, selected gear, g force, high beam indicator, turn signals, outside air temperature, audio system, turn-by-turn directions, and phone information. The audio system in the Camaro is a 6-speaker unit in the lower trims whereas the 3LT trim comes with a 9-speaker Bose audio system.

The following are the most important infotainment features-

• Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus System with 8" diagonal HD color touchscreen
• Bluetooth audio streaming for two active devices for compatible phones
• Head-Up Display
• Cloud-connected personalization for select infotainment and vehicle settings
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability 
• Available Connected navigation system1 with enhanced voice recognition

The 2021 Chevrolet Camaro looks, well, like a Camaro itself. There are subtle changes on the exterior and a lot of packages on offer to make the exterior look bolder and sportier. In the stock exterior, the Camaro looks a bit creepy from the front, but with some packages added, it retains the signature Camaro looks. The base models with the wider black line in the front end consisting of the grille and the headlights is a love of hate element that personally I’m not a huge fan of. 

When it comes to wheels, there are a whole lot of options on offer, the RS Package comes with various wheel options including 20-inch 5-split spoke, bright silver-painted aluminum wheels, 20" Caliente wheels, and 20" 5-split spoke polished forged wheels with a black star center cap. The Camaro can also be specced with a decklid-mounted rear lip spoiler along with a front splitter and different colored brake caliper options. The Camaro is like an empty canvas that can be specced up to a beautiful looking, mean machine by choosing the right options and packages.

All of the cars in the segment have their own distinct looks and we know that they have always been mostly the same way they are now. The Challenger is the largest among the competition in all dimensions while the Ford Mustang is the heaviest while also delivering the most ground clearance. The Camaro has managed to keep the weight on the lower side. However, the odd one, the Toyota is the lightest and smallest among all of these cars. The following are some of the most important exterior features- 

• Available Orange/Red/Yellow painted brake calipers
• 18" Silver-painted aluminum wheels
• Available 20" 5-spoke, Carbon Flash-painted aluminum wheels
• LED headlamps with LED signature, automatic on/off with automatic delay 
• Available power sunroof
• Available body stripe options

The Chevrolet Camaro has been crash tested and rated by both NHTSA as well as IIHS and it gets impressive ratings from both agencies. NHTSA has given it an overall 5-star rating which is super impressive. It also gets an amazing rollover rating of 5-stars which is rare and is praiseworthy. IIHS has also rated the Camaro and given it an impressive rating of Good under most parameters. The 2021 Chevrolet Camaro comes with some important safety features including-

• StabiliTrak, stability control system with Brake Assist 
• Daytime Running Lamps, LED
• Rear Park Assist
• HD Rear Vision Camera
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Forward Collision Alert 
• Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert

2021 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe vs 2021 Ford Mustang Coupe

The 2021 Ford Mustang is the best competitor against the Camaro and the battle is neck to neck in cases. However, the Camaro is faster and more powerful than the Mustang while also being better handling and more engaging to drive. The Ford Mustang with the smoother EcoBoost engine delivers better efficiency figures whereas the Camaro provides more range.

2021 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe vs 2021 Dodge Challenger Coupe

The Camaro is the better option in terms of power, speed, handling, and driving dynamics. However, the Dodge Challenger absolutely dominated in terms of interior space and comfort. The Challenger also performs the most efficient in terms of braking performance. Overall it is a choice between space and handling and the choice is subjective.

2021 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe vs 2021 Toyota 86 Coupe

Well, this is not an actual competition as the cars differ too much from each other. But overall for the price paid, the Camaro is the better option. It comes with a more powerful engine and although it is not as great-handling as the Toyota, still holds up pretty well. But still, only the Camaro can be compared to the 86 in terms of driving dynamics.

The 2021 Chevrolet Camaro is a superb option in the segment offering great powertrain options coupled with impressive performance. The handling and driving dynamics are the best of any muscle car in the segment. When it comes to interior space, the Camaro is definitely not the best, but it is spacious enough for two people. The fuel economy is far from the best, but then for a great-handling muscle car that’s actually not the most important concern. Overall the Camaro is the best option for the price paid.