2010 Chevrolet Camaro Overview Change Vehicle

This 2010 Chevrolet Camaro review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2010 Camaro, and includes Chevy Camaro safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

Not content to let the Ford Mustang rule the sales charts, General Motors finally resurrects the Chevy Camaro for 2010. The all-new Camaro rides on a rear-drive platform, offers V6 or V8 engine choices, and wears a body designed to recall the classic 1969 Camaro. The interior is retro, too, offering space for four passengers even if the car is better suited to two.

The new 2010 Chevy Camaro is sold in LS, LT, and SS trim levels. The LT and SS models are further defined by 1LT, 2LT, 1SS, and 2SS equipment packages.

The Camaro LS is pretty basic, and you can tell it apart from other models by its 18-inch gray-painted steel wheels with bright trim rings. If you think they look a lot like the wheels that came on mid-1970s Camaros, you’re right. Chevy has named this design a “heritage” wheel.

Moving up to the 1LT is advisable if you seek a power driver’s seat, fog lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, floor mats, and expanded OnStar telematics service. You also need to get a Camaro 1LT if you want access to the Camaro’s long list of optional features. Grab the Camaro 2LT and you’ll enjoy heated side mirrors with an auto-dimming feature for the driver, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Ultrasonic rear parking assist, Boston Acoustics speakers, Bluetooth hands-free calling, a USB port, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an auxiliary gauge pack in the center console.

The Camaro 1SS has a much more powerful V8 engine, special front and rear styling treatments, a rear spoiler, 20-inch polished alloy wheels with summer performance tires, a performance suspension, a limited slip differential, a different rear axle ratio to maximize acceleration capability, and Brembo brakes. The Camaro 1SS mixes and matches the standard equipment from the LS, 1LT, and 2LT in a unique way – see the Chevrolet website for details. For a loaded Camaro, the 2SS is the way to go. It’s outfitted exactly like the 2LT, but with all the go-faster SS goodies.

Options for the Camaro are mainly available on the LT and SS models. Floor mats, a limited slip differential, and a bunch of cosmetic upgrades are available on the LS model. The Camaro 1LT and 1SS can be optioned up to near 2LT and 2SS equipment levels, while the 2LT and 2SS models are available with a two-tone interior accent package with leather seats. A monotone leather treatment, heated front seats, remote engine starting, a power sunroof, and a HomeLink universal remote are also optional on the 2LT and the 2SS. An RS Package that includes high intensity discharge (HID) headlights, special Midnight Silver 20-inch alloy wheels, unique taillights, and other detail changes is a popular option for any Camaro LT or SS.

Like any good sports coupe, the 2010 Camaro is injected with a healthy dose of power and performance. Choose the LS or LT model, and you’ll get a 3.6-liter, direct-injected V6 engine making 304 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 273 pound-feet of torque at 5,200 rpm. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, and a six-speed automatic transmission with TapShift manual control is optional.

The Camaro SS is a much more powerful beast. It’s got a 6.2-liter V8 engine under the hood, good for 426 horsepower at 5,900 rpm and 420 lb-ft of twist at 4,600 rpm with the manual transmission. If you don’t want to row your own gears, the optional TapShift six-speed automatic drops horsepower to an even 400 and torque to 410. Chevy recommends that this engine run on premium unleaded, but says it is not necessary.

Fuel economy is slightly better with the optional automatic than it is with the standard manual gearbox. Also, for Camaro LS and LT models, the car is slightly lighter in weight. The EPA says the V6 engine with the manual transmission gets 17 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway while the automatic is rated to return 18 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the open road. For SS models, the manual is rated 16-city/24-highway while the automatic should get 16-city/25-highway.

One thing the Camaro has that the Mustang doesn’t is an independent rear suspension. That typically means a more civilized ride quality and better handling, but Ford is working wonders with the Mustang’s live rear axle, so you’ll need to test drive both and decide for yourself. Additionally, Chevrolet claims that the Camaro balances its weight in a 52/48 split front to rear.

Every 2010 Camaro includes six airbags, traction and stability control, and four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with brake assist. The standard OnStar system includes Bluetooth hands-free calling, in addition to Automatic Crash Response, which allows rescue personnel to find the car after an airbag deployment even if the Camaro’s occupants are unable to respond to the OnStar operator. The optional Ultrasonic rear parking assist system helps to detect objects that might be hidden behind the Camaro’s towering rear deck, such as children.

In crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Camaro receives a 4-Star rating for the driver and front passenger in the frontal impact assessment, a 5-Star rating for the driver in the side-impact test, and a 5-Star rollover resistance rating. The NHTSA does not provide a rating for a rear passenger in a side-impact collision. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not performed crash tests on the Camaro.

Reliability predictions are favorable. Consumer Reports thinks reliability will prove to be better than average. J.D. Power and Associates is taking a more conservative approach, and believes the Camaro will return average dependability over time.

Since Chevy spent lots of time driving around Germany’s famed Nordschleife course at the Nurburgring during the Camaro’s development, we had high expectations for the car. Our test sample was the Camaro 2LT with the RS Package and an automatic transmission, and we pushed the car as hard and fast as possible on our own Santa Monica Mountains test loop, within reason, of course. The verdict? This is the best Camaro ever, but it’s still too long, too wide, too heavy, and too hard to see out of to be considered a proper sporting machine.

Still, the Camaro LT is plenty of fun to drive, especially if you’re looking to take a trip down memory lane. The retro interior design cues, the view over the hood, and the bulging rear haunches visible in the side mirrors really make driving the Camaro feel like you’re piloting a resto-mod pony car. And all that development work in Germany pays off in a car that exhibits great balance and surprising agility thanks in part to its four-wheel independent suspension and giant 20-inch performance tires.

The V6 engine is energetic, too, but the automatic transmission lacks a manual shift gate, which we prefer to the TapShift buttons on the steering wheel. We also thought the automatic’s Performance Algorithm Shifting software was frequently confused about what it should be doing, and that the Camaro V6’s fuel economy ratings are rather optimistic after averaging 19.5 mpg with an emphasis on highway driving. Other complaints center on poor brake pedal feel and response, steering that’s slow off center and isolated from the front tires, the enormous steering wheel and shifter knob, and the around-town ride quality with the 20-inch wheels.

The Camaro, then, is a cruiser. This is a car for showing off in and not for serious driving. We’d suggest that Chevy install a Lap Band, shrink the Camaro down a bit, and head back to Germany to work on the steering and brakes. Keep all the retro bits, though.

People buy Camaros because they look cool and go fast. And that’s fine, especially when it comes to the all-new 2010 model. There’s plenty to like here, and as long as you don’t tackle a narrow, twisting road with one, you’re probably going to be very happy with your new Chevy. Have fun.

By Christian Wardlaw