Final curtain call: The 2024 Chevrolet Camaro honors its muscle car roots, plus plenty of modern tech

By Russ Heaps

It's the end of the line for the Camaro as we know it. Pricing starts at $30,900.

Pros

Exceptional enginesEvery-person pricingFully customizable

Cons

Poor visibilityUseless rear seatEnd of an era

What's new?

Collector's Edition1LS trim and 4-cylinder engine discontinued

Taking a curtain call in 2024, Chevy Camaro is the epitome of the all-American muscle car with heart-stirring performance and iconic styling. Pricing starts at $30,900.

The 2024 Chevrolet Camaro returns basically unchanged. It sticks to its roots as a traditional muscle car but one packed with plenty of modern features and tech. Its well-tuned chassis and an impressive roster of engine options mean the Camaro is a blast to drive at any speed. As it has for decades, the Camaro competes most directly with the Ford (F) Mustang, as well as the bigger Dodge Challenger, which like the Camaro is also bidding adieu.

2024 Chevrolet Camaro pricing

The 2024 Chevrolet Camaro starts at $30,900. That gets you the 1LT coupe. Every Camaro comes with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard equipment. Stepping up to the 10-speed automatic transmission adds about $1,595 to the bottom line, and convertible models command a premium of about $6,000. Of course, if you want something even sportier with the bow tie, the Corvette Stingray starts in the mid-$60,000 range.

   Camaro 1LT  $30,900 
   Camaro 2LT  $32,900 
   Camaro 3LT  $36,900 
   Camaro LT1  $38,800 
   Camaro 1SS  $42,300 
   Camaro 2SS  $47,300 
   Camaro ZL1  $72,100 

These are manufacturer's suggested retail prices and don't include the $1,595 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).

Before buying a Chevy Camaro, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should pay. The Camaro, Mustang, and Challenger do equally well, holding their value over the years.

What's new for 2024?

The Camaro, as we know it, will go away this year, and GM (GM) is sending it off with very little fanfare. Sure, there will be a new limited-production Collector's Edition, but it's little more than a special paint scheme and some Collector's Edition badging. Chevy has also discontinued the base 1LS trim and the 4-cylinder engine for the 2024 model year.

Odds are Chevy will keep the Camaro alive in some form in 2025 and beyond. GM has been getting serious about electrification, which is probably the direction it will take the next-generation Camaro. In any event, we are nearing the end of an era with the gasoline-powered Camaro rounding the final turn. Meanwhile, the 2023 model year is the swan song for a key rival, the gas-fueled Challenger.

See: A eulogy for the muscle car

Power, ride, and handling

The 1LT, 2LT, and 3LT source their go from a 335-horsepower V6 engine. This is at least 25 horsepower more than either the Mustang (310 hp) or the Challenger (303 hp) wring out of their base engines. Unless you pony up for the 10-speed automatic transmission option, every Camaro comes standard with a 6-speed manual. The Mustang's standard automatic gearbox has 10 speeds, while the Challenger has eight. All the other trim levels use some variation of a V8 for thrust.

The driving experience reigns as the Camaro's biggest highlight. Its well-tuned chassis makes the Camaro agile enough to enjoy on a track or a winding canyon road. Even with the base V6, acceleration is satisfying.

The way the Camaro drives varies quite a bit depending on how you configure it. We find the base V6 engine strikes a nice balance of fun and efficiency while holding down the curb weight. However, we confess, we prefer the V8 armed with the manual transmission. We love the extra power and performance of the 455-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 that comes with the SS and LT1 models. The performance-tuned suspension does a brilliant job of managing all that caged energy.

Finally, the ZL1 model - a budget buster, to be sure - houses a supercharged version of the V8, producing a whopping 650 horsepower. Other standard performance upgrades include dual-mode exhaust, launch control, and Magnetic Ride Control.

The 1LE package, available for the SS model, adds all manner of performance upgrades, making the Camaro more of a track car. Think of it as a non-supercharged ZL1. The ZL1 has a 1LE package that further adds DSSV dampers, carbon fiber bits, special tires, and its own set of specific ratios when you order the manual transmission.

Engineered as primarily a performance car, the Camaro is also pretty agreeable as a daily driver. However, almost universally, our readers make the same two complaints: lousy visibility and a parcel-shelf-like back seat. We agree on both counts. Although the bulk of the visibility gripes center on the small rear window and bulky C pillars, some complaints were about difficulty seeing across the long hood to the front of the car.

Also on MarketWatch: 10 cool used coupes you can get for under $20,000

Fuel economy

Combined mileage differs from engine to engine, with a spread from 22 miles per gallon to 16 mpg. When married to the automatic transmission, the V6 in the more affordable trims delivers the 22 mpg number. That's less efficient than the Mustang's mileage with its base engine. Stay with the manual transmission, and the Camaro's combined number drops to 20 mpg. The V8 in the SS and LT1 models get 20 mpg with the auto and 19 mpg with the manual. And finally, the supercharged V8 gets 16 mpg with either transmission. Both V8 engines require premium gas, but regular is fine for the V6.

You can find more Camaro fuel economy information on the EPA's website.

Intimate cabin

Anyone suffering from claustrophobia may want to steer clear of the Camaro's cockpit-like cabin. Chevy didn't design it for everyone. However, if you do fit and can set up the ideal driving position, there are very few cars quite like it. "Fits like a glove," comes to mind. As already mentioned, visibility is an issue for many, and a family car, it's not. However, you'll appreciate the rear seat for additional storage when the stingy trunk fills up. Its 9.1 cubic feet of cargo space is less than that of the Mustang (13.3).

See: The best new cars and SUVs for tall people

Mixing old with new

The Camaro's front end is a bit of a love-it-or-hate-it design. However, the body lines create a muscle car that's decidedly modern but includes a few retro styling cues from classic Camaro models.

Chevy creates some visual variety across the Camaro model range. For example, the SS models have a unique front fascia that's a bit more aggressive than the lower trims, and the ZL1 has a sinister look all its own. There are also special appearance packages like the Black Appearance Package, Shock and Steel Special Edition, and Redline Edition.

As it's been for years, the Camaro is available as a coupe or convertible.

Our favorite features and tech

Muscular enginesThere isn't a bad engine under the hood of the Camaro. The base turbo-4 is strong yet efficient, the naturally aspirated V8 gives it true muscle car character, and you can still get a V6 for good measure. For peak Camaro performance, get the supercharged ZL1.

1LE packageAdd the 1LE package to the SS or ZL1 models to make the Camaro a V8-powered muscle car that's a beast on the track.

Manual transmissionWe love that every Camaro model comes with a 6-speed manual transmission. With stirring the gears becoming a lost art, it's good to see Camaro holding the line.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoNo cables to untangle or plug in. You get all the connectivity of these two interface systems without the chore of physically hooking them up to your infotainment system.

Proximity keyless entryStandard across the trim-level lineup, this feature automatically unlocks the doors when you touch the door handle, as long as the key fob is on your person.

Head-up displayAvailable on the Camaro 3LT and higher trims, this feature projects vital information, such as vehicle speed, onto the windshield just below the driver's line of sight, allowing the driver to keep eyes on the road.

Three engines

We applaud the Camaro's engine offerings. There isn't a bum mill in the bunch, but we do prefer the regularly aspirated V8 to the V6. Tied to specific trim levels, the Camaro offers three engine options. They are a V6, a V8, and a supercharged V8. The Mustang offers a turbo-4 or a V8.

Independent testers have timed the 0-60 mph run of the Camaro fitted with the V8 at just under 4 seconds. This is at least half a tick quicker than the Mustang GT with its V8.

Finally, the top ZL1 revels in a supercharged V8 making 650 horsepower. The ZL1 competes with the elite in American muscle cars like the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.

Read: Dodge unveils last super-fast, gas-powered muscle car

3-year/36,000-mile warranty

The basic warranty is for three years or 36,000 miles. The powertrain coverage is for five years or 60,000 miles. Both are common among mainstream carmakers like Ford and Dodge.

You might like: The 2024 Dodge Durango: The muscle SUV has macho looks and an impressive range of engines

Safety ratings

The government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the Camaro its top 5-Star overall safety rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Camaro its highest score of "Good" in four out of five crash tests. The exception being an "Acceptable" in its roof-strength test.

KBB's car review methodology.

This story originally ran on KBB.com.

-Russ Heaps

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03-06-24 0501ET

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