2022 Chevy Corvette Gets Worse Fuel Economy

Chevrolet hasn’t made any large changes to the 2022 Corvette that would drastically alter the vehicle’s performance or fuel economy figures, but the new model year gets worse fuel economy than before. Official EPA figures for the 2022 Corvette are 16 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway, and 19 mpg combined. Curiously, the 2022 Corvette has gained 1 mpg in the city, but has lost 3 mpg on the highway compared to the 2021 model.

The reasoning for the difference is interesting. You see, it’s not Chevy’s fault, as the blame lies on Corvette buyers.

The EPA requires automakers to base their vehicles’ fuel economy figures based on volume. For 2021 models, the majority of Corvette buyers are optioning their sports car with the available Z51 performance package. That includes sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, Brembo brakes, performance suspension, a performance exhaust system, a unique rear axle ratio, an electronic limited slip differential, a rear spoiler, and a front splitter. Together, these components result in worse fuel economy compared to a regular Corvette.

"The EPA fuel economy numbers are based on which package is most popular,” GM spokesperson Trevor Thompkins told Autoblog. "For 2021, Corvette Stingrays equipped with Z51 accounted for nearly 70 percent of Corvettes sold, because our customers are looking for the highest level of performance. Due to [the] success of the Z51 package, we will be reporting model year 2022 EPA fuel economy numbers based on the Z51-equipped Corvette Stingray’s results — 16 city, 24 highway and 19 combined."

If the Z51 package brought the Corvette’s highway figure down by 3 mpg, why did the city rating go up by 1 mpg? That’s a good question. That small increase is due to the 2022 model’s upgraded direct injection system, revised Active Fuel Management range, and improved engine calibration.

As a high-performance sports car, we don’t think the decrease in fuel economy will affect interested customers. They are, after all, buying a mid-engine sports car with up to 495 horsepower, a zero-to-60 mph time of 2.9 seconds, and a top speed of 194 mph.

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