My Camaro LS Review - Dayton Auto Show

[StoutFiles]

I thought I would wait a few days and collect my thoughts before I wrote up a review. I apologize for the small novel or lack of incredible detail ahead of time.

I'll get the non-Camaro parts out of the way first. Short and sweet.

Competition:

Mustang: It was locked. LOCKED. Way to drop the ball Ford! The real kicker though...nobody was even around it! I took a peek inside, interior looked nice, but if I can't feel it then what good does that do me. They had a '09 model, there wasn't a crowd for this but people were getting in. I jumped in to see what I felt the Camaro needed to beat, an outdated interior.

Challenger: Had a pretty good crowd...you have to admit, a black SRT looks damn sexy. What a boring interior though! Other than than shifter, there's nothing fun about the cabin. Quite roomy though.

Z: Nissan didn't bother to show up. Ouch.

Genesis: Nobody was around it when I got in. Nothing special about this car from first glance.

Beetle Convertible: Just kidding. I did have a good laugh when I saw this though.

Camaro: First Impressions

I saved the huge GM section for last. Once I got in to the GM cars, I couldn't hold the excitement any longer and started hunting...and there it was! Victory Red Camaro! Let me tell you, this car looks beautiful in person. Words can't not describe how the lines just shoot off this car...and hell, this is the non-RS version. There was a huge line just to get in...about 5 people, but that's huge considering there was no line for any other car. A bunch of people around it, all taking pictures and just loving it.

On the truck, the opening is small but it's of...almost normal size. I've seen the video where they fit two golf bags in the trunk, it's still hard to believe they pulled it off. Truck size is just fine though, don't want to sacrifice the curves of the exterior for more trunk space.

Exterior: 10/10


I went and talked to the GM people around the car. They dropped the ball twice. First off, "Stan", a 60ish year old guy, smug as can be, needed to be tested. He failed on both questions I asked, saying there was never a problem with Cyber Gray because "it's right over there on the ZR1". Um, thanks Stan? He confirmed there was a problem with the Hurst which I said "Well I'll take the delay to have GM install it at the factory" and he replied "Your dealer will install it no matter what you do." Great job Stan! Please exit yourself stage left! The girl there got easier questions as she was good looking...she knew where the USB port was going to be on higher models, knew the prices of all models, and knew the exhaust pipes are larger on the SS. Good for you good-looking girl.

The other problem I had was GM did NOT put a sticker price on this car. I know how much it costs, but Joe Average will think it costs more than it does. Which they all did. A conversation I heard:

"How much does this cost?...I can't see the sticker price."
"Haha, they probably don't want you to know."

Sigh. I found myself going out and assisting people with price questions for a while. Come on GM! If you're going to show off the base model, at least impress them with the low price! I swear, all of GM needs to take Marketing 101.

GM Staff: 3/10


I jumped in the passenger side first as there was no line. My first impression...disappointment. The passenger side is just not the place you want to be in in this car, especially the base. With the black interior, it's just a sea of black. The door inserts on a LS don't break up the black well and the dash, well the dash seems to stretch on for eternity. I wish they would've put SOMETHING on it....a logo, anything! Break up the black sea a bit!

Did I hate the console? No, not really. It's...different. Different is good! I sat in over 50 cars before the LS and all the consoles are the same few setups over and over, slightly varied here and there. I like that they tried something new here...and even though it's a little bare it's unique. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the 4 gauge pack is needed to complete the console area. I think it would have made a world of difference to have it in. There was hard plastic, and if you push the plastic it will groove in some. That's upsetting when touching, say, a BMW's plastic, but how often are you feeling the dash? Does it really matter? It looks fine...if it helped them cut costs then oh well.

Passenger Side: 5/10


I hopped in the back seat and let people check out the passenger seat with me in back. It was relatively comfortable, I had ample room. Granted, I'm only 5'9". A few inches more and there may have been some headroom problems, the head clearance isn't the greatest thing in the world.

Noticing where people were sitting comfortably in the driver's seat, people in the left rear will NOT be comfortable. Someone will have to suffer, whether it be the driver or left-rear passenger. Also, just as a question...is there any way to recline the seat faster? I had to power recline it forward and back to get in, and the same process to get out. It was a little slow and annoying, just something to note. In conclusion, one person fits comfortably...one not so comfortably. Really though, the back seat isn't for adults.

Back Seat : 6/10


The driver's seat was a lot better than the poor passenger. Having something to look at is a lot better than a big black expanse. First off, the view is unforgiving...your head has to reach the ceiling to see what's going on. It's a good thing the engineers realized this...the seat can shoot up and down vertically. No matter your height, you'll get your head up there.

The throwback speedometer is definitely different, but it's a nice change. I'm not used to it but I'll get there. Everything is easy to reach and use, a good sign. The cloth seats are quite comfortable, if you're getting cloth no worries there. The steering wheel is big but not overwhelming.

Driver's Seat: 7/10

I still think this car is all in the driving though, and a car show doesn't let you know what that'll be like. I've seen no reviews so far knocking the Camaro for how it drives, so I can look past the interior faults to give us performance and a beautiful exterior. Also, anyone getting the 2LT or 2SS will surely see some improvements to the interior review...that's just what happens when you bring a base model to a car show.

I apologize for no pictures, I forgot my camera. It's nothing that hasn't been shown a thousand times over anyway.

LS Overall : 8/10

[jeffny09]

cool

[Vash]

Nice review. Did this Vic Red one have steelies or the alum wheels?

[Angrybird 12]

Great review, thanks

I am getting the LS with the Gray Interior, I think on it the door panels and strip across the dash will also be gray. if it is I am sure it will break up the Black expanse some, but I have plans for an emblem and plaque to go on the passenger's side.. I will take a picture of it when I get the car.. that will be my first Mod along with replacing the GM chicklets with a more appropriate emblem... more on that AFTER I get my Camaro.

I have no problems with the trunk or the back seat.. remember I also have a Sky and this will be like a SUV compared to it...I don't need a back seat unless we are going to haul one of the wife's grand kids in it...
I can hardly wait to get mine and write my own review of the car... I feel like it will be here the first or second week of May...(keeping fingers Crossed)

[Number 3]

Thanks for posting.

Surprised you rated the back seat higher than the front passenger seat though. is your rating just relative to other back seats? or is the Camaro itself a 6 in the rear, but 5 in the front passenger.

I would like to see some height adjustment in passenger seat as well. Me, I'm 6 feet tall and sit taller. I have the driver seat full down anyway. But shorter folk will have difficulty without that adjustment, I think, in the passenger seat.

[StoutFiles]

I wasn't expecting much from the back seat. Passenger seat has higher expectations.

[EarliestMemory]

Nice writeup, StoutFiles! I was there on Saturday, and answered a lot questions myself, especially regarding price. The GM'ers were nowhere in sight when I first got to the Camaro. I agree with your assessment when I did see them later on - not enthused, not anxious to get out there and interest people in this - or any - of their vehicles. I was much more impressed with the Buick/GMC Product Specialist whose ear my husband bent for a good while.

Driver's seat - you got it to go up/down? I tried - 'cause I NEED it to go up. I didn't think the LS did, so I was leaning way up, trying to get an idea of what the view would be with the seat raised (I'm 5'0"). One thing that stood out to me: several of the reviewers have complained about the small windows, but honestly, I couldn't see what they were complaining about. I just know I can't wait to get my 2LT.

And yes, the Challenger was gorgeous, but the Camaro was the only car there with a line.

Vash - this car did have the steelies. I didn't take pictures, because there are already tons of pictures of this car in the photos forum.

[BryGo]

Very nice post.

However, if you were to do the AVERAGE out of your scores, it totals 6/10. I detect some bias there to get it back to 8 overall. Unless your basically stating the exterior is what it's all about.

I'll also give a pass for the GM staff that you talked to, which has nothing to do with the car. That'll bump up the score a little.

[StoutFiles]

However, if you were to do the AVERAGE out of your scores, it totals 6/10. I detect some bias there to get it back to 8 overall. Unless your basically stating the exterior is what it's all about.

Exterior + Interior / 2 = Total. I averaged the three interior scores (passenger, back seat, and driver seat).

Driver's seat - you got it to go up/down? I tried - 'cause I NEED it to go up.

Yeah, it "pumps" up, there was no power on raising it. If the seat wasn't raiseable, I couldn't drive this car...I'd probably kill someone. You have to sit high to see over the hood.

[The BIRDman]

actually the overall is more like a 6 (or at least your overall)

[The BIRDman]

Originally Posted by BryGo

Very nice post.

However, if you were to do the AVERAGE out of your scores, it totals 6/10. I detect some bias there to get it back to 8 overall. Unless your basically stating the exterior is what it's all about.

I'll also give a pass for the GM staff that you talked to, which has nothing to do with the car. That'll bump up the score a little.

haha true

[Hylton]

Originally Posted by StoutFiles

Beetle Convertible: Just kidding. I did have a good laugh when I saw this though.

Funny guy!

[FenwickHockey65]

Damn, I forgot about the Dayton Auto Show. I was home all weekend with nothing to do too.

Damn.

[jrmurphy33]

I apologize for no pictures, I forgot my camera. It's nothing that hasn't been shown a thousand times over anyway.

I was there on Thursday, ill post the pics tonight. .

There were no dealers there, and the GM staff was pissed, at least the guy I talked to. As he expected at least one of the Dayton Dealers to show up.

The Challenger was an SRT-8 priced at almost 46k. It was very large and in my opinon not very cofortable. I was more impressed by the 23k Camaro.

Stout - we need to get all of us Ohio people together.