The Lemon Index
2019
20218th generation (C8)
24 owner complaints, first 3 years 19 mpg combined, EPA
Similar cars, same year
2020 Ford Mustang 802020 Chevrolet Camaro 412020 Dodge Challenger 24
Lemon Index: 100 = the average car, lower is better.
When problems show up
Only 18 complaints listed a mileage: too few to say when problems show up.
Questions to ask the seller
- Were recalls 20V581000 (seat belts), 20V588000 (brakes) and 20V489000 (electrical) done? It has 4 recalls in all. Ask for the dealer printout, or check the VIN.
- Any rust or damage underneath, or doors and hatches that don't close right?
- Any oil burning, leaks or check-engine lights? Ask for oil-change records.
- Do the wipers, washers, defrost and mirrors all work?
- Chevy sent dealers 924 repair notes for this car. Was this one done: “This informational bulletin provides information on Internal Engine Noise or Damage After Oil…”?
From this year's own recalls, top problems, top repair bills and Chevy's repair notes. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
How serious. Out of all 24 owner complaints filed so far (every year since it was sold, not just the first 3), owners reported:
“Average car” = what the same number of complaints would include at the rate across every model year we track. Owners report these themselves; NHTSA doesn't confirm the cause.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
Check engine light on? Look up any code →
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 0K to 1K miles (1K to 2K km) on the car (18 of all 24 complaints filed so far listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
In owners' words
There is a strong smell of gasoline in the trunk. The smell is stronger when the gas tank is recently filled or full.
2020 Chevrolet Corvette owner · NHTSA complaint 11385574
More owner reports
I tried to register the vehicle and cannot register the car. It fails smog. 02 sensor not ready. The battery has not been disconnected since it's first mile driven.
NHTSA complaint 11343348
The front trunk of the vehicle flew open while driving causing blocked visibility and created bent hinges for the lid. This happened on a city street and did not take it on the highway afterwards for safety reasons
NHTSA complaint 11338884
Fixes owners look up most.
From 192 YouTube videos · 154.2M views · 2020–2025 Chevrolet Corvette
What owners say one repair costs on YouTube
Most-watched topics
- Transmission & shifter155K views
We Have to Replace the Transmission On our 2022 Corvette C8!!!vTuned garage · 155K views
Before you buy, watch
My early problems with C8 Corvette Z06 ownership & making it sound BETTER THAN A FERRARI!Hoovies Garage · 572K views
A C8 Corvette Now Costs LESS Than a Toyota Highlander: But Should You Buy One?The Fast Lane Car · 324K views
2020 C8 Corvette Problems - Ex-Engineer Speaks OutRevMatchTV · 117K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them. The 2020 is the same generation.
Costs are the middle (median) of the dollar amounts people say out loud in these videos, so one wild number can't swing it. They aren't verified bills or sales; real prices depend on year, miles, condition and where you live. Tap Hear it to jump to the moment.
Problems Chevy told dealers about
Chevy sent dealers 924 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- This informational bulletin provides information on Internal Engine Noise or Damage After Oil…
- Tick noise from the engine cold, initial start
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Recalls 4
- Seat belts · recall issued 2020
The driver's seat belt retractor may not lock as intended during a crash.
- Brakes · recall issued 2020
Sensor connection contamination in the electronic brake boost system may cause an interruption of communication between the sensor and the brake boost system.
- Electrical · recall issued 2020
Despite visual and audible warnings, the vehicle can be driven with the front trunk lid unlatched.
Show all 4 recalls
- Latches/locks/linkages · recall issued 2020
The release button located inside the front trunk compartment may not function after the vehicle has been shut off for ten minutes.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Canada? See recalls at Transport Canada
Every Chevrolet Corvette recall, all years · All Chevrolet recalls
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Corvette C RWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
| Chevrolet Corvette 2 DR RWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
Fuel cost and engines
About $3,950 (USD) a year in fuel (EPA estimate at U.S. prices, 15,000 miles or 24,000 km a year). Engines: 6.2L 8-cyl.
Every Chevrolet Corvette year. 2020 is highlighted. Lower is better.
Show 3 older years (1997–1999, YouTube reviews only, no complaint data)
Newest year first. Red = worse than average, gray = about average, too new (2023+: a partial score, marked “partial”) or too few complaints to score. #1, #2… = that year's YouTube rank among the 22 Chevrolet Corvette years with enough videos (#1 = the year owners and reviewers talk about most positively). It is not a reliability rank.
Embed this chart
Put this chart on your site, blog or forum. Free, with the credit line built in; the 2020 bar is highlighted.
<iframe src="https://lemonindex.com/embed/cars/chevrolet-corvette/?y=2020" title="Chevrolet Corvette reliability by model year (The Lemon Index)" width="100%" height="629" style="border:0;max-width:720px" loading="lazy"></iframe><p style="font-size:13px;margin:4px 0 0">Data: <a href="https://lemonindex.com/cars/chevrolet-corvette/2020/">Lemon Index</a> (2020 Chevrolet Corvette reliability)</p>Quick answers
Is the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew a bit more than the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 115; 100 is average, lower is better). The Chevrolet Corvette year with the fewest complaints per car sold since 2010 is 2021.
What are the most common 2020 Chevrolet Corvette problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are body structure (42%), engine (17%) and wipers & visibility (12%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette have?
4 safety recalls (latest: brakes). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette get?
19 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Does the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 12% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette cost in fuel a year?
About $3,950 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette have?
6.2L 8-cyl.
What Chevrolet Corvette year is better than the 2020?
Nearby, the 2021 drew fewer owner complaints per car sold (about a quarter as many complaints as the average car).
The Lemon Index counts owner complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model years (100 = average, lower is better). It measures complaints, not crash safety. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works