The Chevrolet Camaro is a compact car built from 1981 to 2026 over 6 generations. Most were assembled in Canada — 68.6% of those on record. Between 1971 and 2024 it grew 14 cm longer and gained 321 kg. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6, V8. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Camaro is
The Chevrolet Camaro is a compact car that Chevrolet built from 1981 to 2026 — 46 model years. Our measurements put it at 6 generations, the current one starting in 2010. It has been offered with 4-cyl, V6, V8 power. Its closest siblings in the Chevrolet range: Spark, Cobalt, Metro.
Where the Camaro is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 2,637 Camaros on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2G1 | 1990-2015 | |
| the United States | 1G1 | 1981-2023 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Chevrolet VIN decide which of these 6 lines your Camaro belongs to. What every character in a Camaro VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Chevrolet Camaro adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Camaro generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Camaro's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Camaro that gives 6 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-1972 | 470 cm | 270 cm | 1407 kg | - | - |
| 1974-1979 | 488 cm | 270 cm | 1477 kg | +18 cm | +70 kg |
| 1980-1981 | 502 cm | 274 cm | - | +14 cm | - |
| 1982-1987 | 477 cm | 257 cm | - | -25 cm | - |
| 1988-2002 | 488 cm | 257 cm | 1426 kg | +11 cm | - |
| 2010-2024 | 484 cm | 285 cm | 1728 kg | -4 cm | +302 kg |
Between 1971 and 2024 the Camaro gained 14 cm in length (+3.0%) and 321 kg in weight (+22.8%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Camaro that is 321 kg against 14 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Chevrolet Camaro tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Camaro owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Chevrolet Camaro have? Power & range
The Chevrolet Camaro is offered with 3 powertrains — 3.6L 6-cyl, 6.2L 8-cyl, 2L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 3 for the Chevrolet Camaro, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.6L · 6-cyl | Automatic (S10) | RWD | Regular |
| V8 | 6.2L · 8-cyl | Automatic (S10) | RWD | Premium |
| 4-cyl | 2.0L · 4-cyl | Automatic (S8) | RWD | Premium |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Camaro by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Chevrolet Camaro. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Camaro | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 204 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 3,444 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Insurance | $3,424/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 1,680 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Chevrolet Camaro?
The Camaro is a compact car, built from 1981 to 2026 across 6 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6, V8.
Where is the Chevrolet Camaro made?
Across 2,637 cars in our records the split is: Canada (68.6%), the United States (31.4%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Camaro have?
6 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2010. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the Camaro grew 14 cm longer and gained 321 kg.
What is the Chevrolet Camaro warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Camaro reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Camaro?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Chevrolet
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Silverado | 1999–2026 | 444 | 27 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 2005–2026 | 64 | 109 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chevrolet Traverse | 2009–2026 | 75 | 23 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 1995–2026 | 169 | 24 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chevrolet Corvette | 1981–2026 | 153 | 21 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chevrolet Colorado | 2004–2026 | 84 | 25 mpg | 4.0/5 |
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