Chevrolet Camaro Interior Review
Obviously, no car built low and sleek is going to offer much extra interior
room, and the Camaro is no exception. And compared to the Mustang, the
Camaro is lower and more difficult to get into and out of.
Another aspect of being in the Camaro is that the seating position,
for those in front, is low and somewhat reclining, with your legs extending
forward. Still, once you're in, the overall driving position, including
control layout and instrumentation, is actually pretty good and lends itself
quite well to the business of enthusiastic motoring. The front seat passenger
has about the same seating position, except the engineers placed the engine's
catalytic converter so that it creates a hump in the passenger's footwell,
which could be an annoyance to some. And when the passenger seat is empty,
the seatback flops forward under hard braking, a perennial annoyance in
these cars.
The tiny rear seats are shaped with deep buckets in the cushions, and
they're suitable only for small packages or really small people who don't
complain. Cargo space is also limited. Open the rear hatch and there's
a modest crosswise bin behind the rear axle, and a higher shelf that's
behind the rear seats. We're talking groceries for two. The rear seats
fold forward to expand luggage space, but if cargo space is a priority
you probably wouldn't be looking at a Camaro to begin with.
Chevrolet Camaro Road Test
Even in its base form, the Camaro will feel sporty to many drivers.
The low driving position and low center of gravity contribute to a hunkered-down,
responsive feel. And while the live axle layout at the rear might seem
dated, it gets the job done.
The engine is positioned somewhat rearward, enough so that with the
V6 is actually behind the centerline of the front wheels. This enhances
handling, by moving weight from the front to the rear. The front suspension
is upper and lower control arms, not struts. And the rear axle is suspended
on coil springs with a system of links that keep it properly located.
With the optional Performance Package, the Camaro (or Firebird) becomes
a remarkably good handling car-- better, in fact, than many that wear the
"sports car" label and cost a good deal more. Driven conservatively
the ride is smooth enough for reasonable sports car expectations and well
controlled. Driven with more enthusiasm, our Performance Package Camaro
had exceptional directional stability, good feedback through the steering
wheel and turned into corners with linear precision. We think it's one
of those cars that make you look for the long and winding road.
And we can't emphasize enough the significant role the 3800 V6 plays
in this. It's obviously not as fast as the V8-powered Z28, but it's fast
nonetheless, drives great, and hits several targets on the affordability
scale.
Chevrolet Camaro Lineup