Car Review: 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Camaro has been one of the most iconic muscle cars of the automotive industry ever since its introduction back in 1966. The Camaro is still relevant today with Chevrolet releasing the new 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The ZL1 is a more muscled-up version than the V-8 Camaro and stocked with a supercharged V-8 that produces 650 horsepower.

It offers both a manual transmission and a quick automatic transmission. You can get the Camaro ZL1 as a hardtop coupe or a soft-top convertible with an aggressive-looking front. However, it does have poor visibility and a tiny back seat. The ZL1 has a fully stocked touchscreen infotainment system and other features that people may want in their car.

Now the 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 wasn’t made for everyone. It was specially made for people who like cars that are loud and fast. There is a track-ready version for the Camaro in the 1LE package that provides great handling making the performance in going, stopping, and cornering that much better.

While it does have less horsepower than its competitors the Challenger SRT Hellcat and the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 it outperforms them in all other metrics. Here in the following passages, we have for you the 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 review that you might want to look into. So let’s get into it.

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The New 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Price

Now in recent years, the Camaro has gone a few changes that are considered to be controversial however the recent changes have made it look less ugly. The most recent update, however, has been insignificant because all that changed was the addition of a new color for the Camaro called the Rally Green.

The 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 comes in two trims. There is the convertible version which costs around 70,695 dollars and the other trim on offer is the coupe which is around 64,695 dollars. Now for its price, the Camaro ZL1 is one of the best muscle cars you can buy.

There are no other muscle cars in the market that provides this great performance within 65000 dollars. The closest to it is the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 which costs around 74000 dollars. While the Hellcat is cheaper with the base price set around the 62000 mark it does lack in overall performance.

While we here at PartsCargo prefer the coupe with the standard manual transmission the optional LE package is very tempting and a great upgrade for anyone who wants it. In terms of daily driving, you may find it hard to deal with the ZL1 as the new suspension upgrade does feel a bit stiff.

So we prefer the coupe with the standard manual transmission and instead of the LE package we prefer the performance data and video recorder (PDR) option. This way you can record what you do with your Camaro throughout the day and it costs only 1300 dollars.

2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Engine, Specs, & Performance

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is a beast on its own right. Chevrolet borrowed the 6.2-liter V-8 from the Corvette Z06 and fitted it in the ZL1. The new Camaro provides ample power while being easy to handle and that’s more than we can say for most of the muscle cars in the market today.

Like you expect with Camaro when you are revving it up it will leave a trail of thunderclaps on the road that will make everyone look. When it comes to performance the 2020 Camaro ZL1 is amazing. The supercharged small-block V-8 provides ample power with both manual transmission and automatic. Nowadays however people are opting for the fast-shifting automatic because of the quicker acceleration times than the stick.

Now whether you get the automatic or the manual transmission one thing is for sure, you will leave your competition in the dust if you are in the drag strip. Chevrolet has made focused on the handling and balance for the ZL1 and it shows clearly.

The handling is smooth with communicative steering and the rear-drive chassis is well balanced making the ZL1 a supple and smooth ride on the road. However, what makes it even greater is the fact that it has ZL1 gear which elevates its performance and handling by some great margin.

Now there are adaptive dampers in the ZL1 gear that will change according to the driving mode selected but the stiffness and balance do remain consistent more or less. If you want even more out the ZL1 one then we suggest you get the LE package.

The LE package takes the already powerful ZL1 and elevates it to almost supercar territory. The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with the LE package is wider and has semi-slick near-race tires, it also has manually adjustable front suspension and exclusive spool-valve dampers. All these things make for a beast that chews up racetracks like its nothing.

Meaning if you are looking for extreme performance then you will be fairly satisfied with this Camaro. Along with great performance, the braking performance is phenomenal as well. The 2020 Camaro ZL1 stops within 143 feet when traveling at 70 mph. Now you don’t expect any muscle car to be frugal with fuel and the Camaro ZL1 is no exception.

With the EPA rating of around 20 mpg, it’s not much to look at however the real mpg for the ZL1 is even lower coming in at around 17 mpg. As you can see it is not the best when it comes to fuel economy but it wasn’t made to be economical either. However, this can be considered good considering the amount of horsepower it produces.

2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Interior, Connectivity, & Safety

Now even with the new upgrades in design, the Camaro is still one of the worst looking muscle cars around. It has the same thick roof pillars and high windowsills that you can find in other Camaros. However, it is fitted with some out of the box features that may surprise you.

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 comes standard with power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Now you don’t expect the Camaro to be made your family and it Chevrolet made sure it states this point with the interior lacking cupholder counts and cargo space.

The tight cabin is also an indicator that while you can fit more than two in the car, but only two people will be perfectly comfortable within it. Now if you are looking for cargo space well then this isn’t the car you want. While it does have some space behind the rear seats but calling it cargo space would be a stretch. Chevrolet fitted the ZL1 with an intuitive user-friendly infotainment touchscreen.

The screen has clear menus, large on-screen buttons, and the latest must-have features such as a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot with 4G LTE plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Along with that, the ZL1 comes standard with Bose audio system, wireless phone charging, and a driver head-up display.

Making the 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 one of the most stocked muscle cars out there in terms of connectivity. Now the Camaro ZL1 is yet to be tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). So we can’t for sure speak for the safety of the muscle car.

However, the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 does come standard with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, forward-collision warning, rear parking sensors. These features together should provide good overall numbers when it is tested. Chevrolet offers 3 years or 36,000 miles limited warranty and for the powertrain, there is 5 years or 60,000 miles warranty and for the complimentary maintenance, only the first visit is covered.

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A True American Icon

That concludes our 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 review. The Camaro is a true American icon and the ZL1 carries on the torch for the brand. The muscle car is one of the best in the market, especially for its price range.

So if you are looking to get a muscle car then most definitely check out the 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Let us know in the comments below if you like the ZL1 or the Hellcat or the Mustang Shelby GT500. Till next time, Sayonara!