2015 Chevrolet Camaro LS 3.6 manual

[regfootball]

HIGHS:

Sexy looks

Price and value at this trim level

Surprised that I liked the improved interior

Six cylinders came standard

GIRTHY wide cabin and comfortable seats

Ride wasn't bonecrushing punishing at least

Nice view out the front and good side mirror visibility (despite the squashed roof)

Roof did feel squashed but not as severe as I feared

Not quiet inside, but not excessively loud.

Cupholders, nice setup

 

LOWS

Shifter a bit notchy.  I would not get this car with a stick.....stick...with the automatic

Hard to drive smoothly (unless you own the car for a few weeks first I imagine)

Lots of business and effort to just get it to drive smoothly.

Engine sound not anything to write home about, and not terribly refined.

Can the parking brake lever BE any bigger or look any cheaper

Front end felt heavy, didn't feel greatly balanced, FWD cars feel better

Whole car felt big and heavy actually

Suspension nothing to write home about, nor was steering

I get it's not a luxury car, it just felt unrefined and slapped together like old school GM

Even still, the bunker feel would get old

Hardly any trunk

This v6 manual version is enough of a turd, it really makes you understand this car needs a v8 to tap its character.

Car would suck as a daily driver

 

SUMMARY

 

I thought with good deals on 15 Camaros I would check one out.  We know the car will be changed a great deal when the new ones come out.  I was checking to see if that made it a great buy now.

 

I would not waste any time on the LS manual.  I really do believe an automatic may have made the big difference here, probably enough to transform the car (I have never much liked the GM 3.6 anyways).  The v6 is nothing to write home about and the driving experience did not do anything for me.  Otherwise, I was surprised that the interior did not turn me off so much.  The low roof and small glass did annoy me but not as much as i had feared.  The car felt cobbled together and old.  The supposed refinement of the 2016 version is therefore probably well worth the wait.

 

A friend who has rented Camaros at the airport on business before had said as much about the car.  Lets hope the 16 model brings big improvements in drive and refinement all around and makes the car more than just a pretty face.    C-

Edited May 24, 2015 by regfootball

[Frisky Dingo]

I think the 6MT V6 cars are actually more enjoyable to drive than the auto SS.