2025 Chevrolet Corvette Expert Review
Reviewed by Billy Rehbock
The C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette represents the most innovative iteration of the American sports car. Not only did the Corvette finally make the move from a front- to a mid-engine layout, the C8 is the first version of Chevrolet's performance flagship to be offered as a hybrid and with all-wheel drive. The extreme Z06 model uses a flat-plane crank V-8 engine, positioning it as a formidable contender against the Porsche 911 and legitimately challenging Italian supercars such as the Ferrari 296 GTB and the Lamborghini Huracan. And we dare not forget the hero of the lineup: a new ZR1 boasting over 1,000 hp.
What's New
- Extremely powerful ZR1 variant
- Competition Yellow Tintcoat paint
- Hysteria Purple Metallic paint
- Habanero interior color
- Blue stitching available for black interior
- Velocity Yellow offered as caliper color
- Standard leather steering wheel airbag cover for 1LT, 2LT, 1LZ, and 2LZ trims
- New wheel choices for Z06
What We Think
Often called the C8 by fans, the eighth-generation Chevrolet Corvette has had an accolade-dazzled run. The entry-level Corvette Stingray won our 2020 Car of the Year award right out of the gate. GM's flagship sports car blew us away with extraordinary performance, impressive refinement, and off-the-chart value. We felt that few rivals could challenge the C8 as a daily driven supercar. A year behind the wheel of our long-term Corvette Z51 proved that it's all the car you need.
We were just as smitten with the Corvette Z06, which we named our 2023 Performance Vehicle of the Year. Record-braking test results placed the fastest version of the Z06 in benchmark territory for supercars, with a decadent-sounding flat-plane crank V-8 engine contributing to its exotic aura. The Z06 Convertible performed strongly in our 2023 Car of the Year evaluations as well, attaining finalist status due to its masterful blend of drama and comfort.
The next page of the C8 Corvette's story is only starting to be written. Our initial experiences with the Corvette E-Ray, a hybrid model with all-wheel drive, have been overwhelmingly positive. We summed up the newest addition to the lineup as "a discount Z06 with better fuel economy," exhibiting rapid acceleration and sublime handling.
We have only noticed a few downsides in our testing of the various Corvette models over the years. Some folks didn't love the extraverted Hot-Wheels-esque styling and others disliked the squircle-shaped steering wheel. When we drove the Corvette in the desert, anything we stored in the frunk got hot. In our testing, these shortcomings were easy to overlook. No matter how it was equipped, the C8 Corvette demonstrated its legitimacy as a world-class supercar. After a blisteringly fast ride-along in the ZR1, we can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the most powerful Corvette ever made.
Performance and MPGs
Chevrolet equips every 2025 Corvette with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Gasoline-only models are exclusively rear-wheel drive, and the hybrid E-Ray features all-wheel drive enabled by a motor driving the front wheels, a Corvette first.
2025 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
- Drivetrain: RWD
- Engine: 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V-8
- Horsepower/Torque: 490 hp/465 lb-ft
- Efficiency (city/highway): 16/25 mpg*
- Acceleration (0-60 mph): 2.8-3.3 seconds
2025 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
- Drivetrain: RWD
- Engine: 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V-8
- Horsepower/Torque: 670 hp/460 lb-ft
- Efficiency (city/highway): 12/21 mpg*
- Acceleration (0-60 mph): 2.6-2.8 seconds
2025 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
- Drivetrain: AWD
- Engine: 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V-8 and electric motor
- Horsepower/Torque: 655 hp/595 lb-ft
- Efficiency (city/highway): 16/24 mpg*
- Acceleration (0-60 mph): 2.6 seconds
2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
- Drivetrain: RWD
- Engine: 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8
- Horsepower/Torque: 1,064 hp/828 lb-ft
- Efficiency (city/highway): 10/17 mpg (MT est)
- Acceleration (0-60 mph): 2.5 seconds (MT est)
*2024 model-year figures
2025 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray: A Hybrid Supercar
The C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette debuted a number of firsts for the American sports car. The move to a mid-engine layout was groundbreaking in itself, but the Corvette E-Ray's hybrid all-wheel-drive system is an even more dramatic change for the nameplate.
Chevrolet outfits the E-Ray with a 1.9-kWh battery pack, powering a front motor that drives the front wheels. This motor can drive the front wheels at speeds up to 45 mph, after which point the V-8 engine fires up to also drive the rear wheels. Chevy outfits the Corvette E-Ray with a 12-volt battery that's used to run the V-8 engine's auto stop/start system.
Corvette E-Ray models roll on staggered 20- and 21-inch wheels and make use of Chevy's Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 adaptive suspension. Other enhancements include a Brembo carbon ceramic brake kit and a wider track to make space for the electric motor. E-Ray models ride 3.6-inch lower than Stingray models.
Features specific to the Corvette E-Ray are the Charge+ and Stop/Start buttons positioned on the console. The infotainment system can display output from the gas engine and electric motor, as well as electrical system efficiency. Cosmetic touches include an available Electric Blue racing stripe, standard carbon flash badging, and optional bright badging. Other touches that can be outfitted on the E-Ray include a black exhaust setup, carbon-fiber aero accents, and carbon-fiber wheels as options.
This Is It: The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
The ZR1 is back, and the new version wears its badge well. Boasting 309 more hp than its predecessor, the new ZR1 packs an incredible 1,064 hp and 828 lb-ft of torque from its twin-turbo flat-plane-crank V-8 engine codenamed the LT7. Chevrolet says this isn’t just a boosted version of the Z06’s engine; it gets its own internals, cams, and cylinder heads, in addition to an extra oil scavenge stage, additional cooling, and a supplementary port fuel-injection system.
With the aero kit, the ZR1 is good for a top speed of 215 mph, Chevy says. Also according to the automaker, the ZR1 is expected to run the quarter mile in less than 9.7 seconds at 150 mph. We can’t wait to put the ZR1 through our round of instrumented tests to experience its extreme capabilities. Given it’s a RWD car, it may not improve upon the Z06’s 0-60 mph time. Look for the ZR1 to hit the scene in mid-2025, with prices likely starting around $150,000. If that’s the case, it would be an absolute bargain compared to the Ferrari SF90 and Porsche 911 GT2 RS.
Technology
Chevrolet outfits the 2025 Corvette with a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display and 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. Basic audio comes courtesy of a 10-speaker setup from Bose, and a 14-speaker arrangement is available as an upgrade. E-Ray models display performance data specific to the interaction of electric motor, battery, and engine. Chevrolet's Performance Data Recorder makes use of a dash camera to log lap sessions. We're fond of the nose lift system that can raise the Corvette's front end based on GPS pins.
Safety
Even though the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette places a greater emphasis on performance than driver intervention technology, the sports car comes equipped with a suite of active safety technology. All models receive lane keep assist with lane departure warning, automatic high-beams, forward collision alert, and following distance indicator. Rear cross-traffic alert and side blind zone alert are standard above the base trim level.
Cargo Space and Interior Room
For all of its high-performance chops, the Chevrolet Corvette is remarkably practical. The trunk is large enough to swallow golf clubs. Combined cargo volume between the trunk and frunk measures 12.6 cubic feet. The current-generation Porsche 911 doesn't have a trunk and its frunk measures 4.6 cubic feet. Headroom inside the C8 measures 37.9 inches, although the top can be removed on all variants for an infinitely high ceiling. Legroom maxes out at 42.8 inches.
Corvette Stingray vs. Z06 vs. E-Ray: Which Is the Best?
The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray comes equipped in 1LT, 2LT, and 3LT trim levels. It can also be upgraded with the Z51 package to add performance suspension, Brembo brakes, and a rear spoiler.
Z06 versions of the Corvette are also offered in a trio of trims: 1LZ, 2LZ, and 3LZ. The Z07 Performance package here adds a unique suspension setup with Chevrolet's Magnetic Selective Ride Control adaptive damping and Brembo carbon ceramic brakes painted gray, and aggressive Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup 2R tires.
Our pick of the lot is the Corvette E-Ray, which boasts performance adjacent to the Z06. The hybrid Corvette costs less than the hardcore gas-only model and returns better fuel economy. Like the Z06, the E-Ray comes in 1LZ, 2LZ, and 3LZ trims. The ZER Performance package is offered with its own performance suspension setup and Chevrolet's Magnetic Selective Ride Control. The ZER setup also adds Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.
