The Chevrolet Corvette is a two-seater built from 1981 to 2026 over 8 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 100% of those on record. Between 1971 and 2026 it grew 7 cm longer and gained 139 kg. Engines offered: Hybrid, 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 Corvette is
The Chevrolet Corvette is a two-seater that Chevrolet built from 1981 to 2026 — 46 model years. Our measurements put it at 8 generations, the current one starting in 2020. It has been offered with Hybrid, V8 power. Its closest siblings in the Chevrolet range: Silverado, Equinox, Camaro.
Where the Corvette 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 4,783 Corvettes on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1G1, 1GY | 1981-2026 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Chevrolet VIN decide which of these 8 lines your Corvette belongs to. What every character in a Corvette VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Chevrolet Corvette adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Corvette generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Corvette'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 Corvette that gives 8 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-1973 | 456 cm | 245 cm | 1411 kg | - | - |
| 1974-1979 | 464 cm | 245 cm | 1515 kg | +8 cm | +104 kg |
| 1980-1983 | 471 cm | 249 cm | 1522 kg | +7 cm | +7 kg |
| 1984-1996 | 448 cm | 244 cm | 1447 kg | -23 cm | -75 kg |
| 1997-2004 | 456 cm | 265 cm | 1460 kg | +8 cm | +13 kg |
| 2005-2013 | 444 cm | 266 cm | 1447 kg | -12 cm | -13 kg |
| 2014-2019 | 449 cm | 271 cm | 1511 kg | +5 cm | +64 kg |
| 2020-2026 | 463 cm | 272 cm | 1550 kg | +14 cm | +39 kg |
Between 1971 and 2026 the Corvette gained 7 cm in length (+1.5%) and 139 kg in weight (+9.9%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Corvette that is 139 kg against 7 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Chevrolet Corvette tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Corvette 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 Corvette have? Power & range
The Chevrolet Corvette is offered with 2 powertrains — 6.2L 8-cyl, 6.2L 8-cyl Hybrid. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 2 for the Chevrolet Corvette, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V8 | 6.2L · 8-cyl | Automatic (S8) | RWD | Premium |
| Hybrid | 6.2L · 8-cyl | Automatic (S8) | AWD | 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 Corvette by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Chevrolet Corvette. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Corvette | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 153 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 5,382 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Insurance | $1,290/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 2,476 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Chevrolet Corvette?
The Corvette is a two-seater, built from 1981 to 2026 across 8 generations. Engines offered: Hybrid, V8.
Where is the Chevrolet Corvette made?
Across 4,783 cars in our records the split is: the United States (100%). 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 Corvette have?
8 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2020. 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 Corvette grew 7 cm longer and gained 139 kg.
What is the Chevrolet Corvette 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 Corvette 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 Corvette?
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 Camaro | 1981–2026 | 204 | 25 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chevrolet Traverse | 2009–2026 | 75 | 23 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 1995–2026 | 169 | 24 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chevrolet Colorado | 2004–2026 | 84 | 25 mpg | 4.0/5 |
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.