The Chevy Corvette is the quintessential American sports car. Whether your Corvette is a coupe or a convertible, you can be sure your neighbors are envious of its sleek exterior. 

With fans such as President Joe Biden, it’s no surprise this automotive icon boasts admirers far and wide. The Corvette has also garnered critical accolades. In fact, the 2020 Stingray won ALG’s Redesign of the Year Award and Kelley Blue Book’s Sports Car Resale Value Award for 2020. It also earned MotorTrend’s Car of the Year.

However, one MotorTrend reviewer called a feature on the 2020 Corvette Z51 “funky.”

The 2020 Chevy Corvette at a glance

The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (AKA C8) comes with a 6.2-liter engine capable of harnessing up to 495 hp (35 hp more than the 2019 model). Equipped with an eight-speed automatic manual, this Corvette mimics conventional transmission during day-to-day street driving. However, with Track mode, the Vette’s transmission mimics a professional race car. Additionally, the 2020 model has paddle shifters allowing manual overrides. 

The Corvette Z51

Soup up your 2020 Chevy Corvette with the Z51 Performance package. According to Car and Driver, the Z51 performance package allows the car to run continuous laps without overheating or losing braking efficiency. And it lets the C8 drive faster and handle better than the base Stingray. 

Costing an additional $5,000, the Z51 Performance package adds suspension components, stickier tires, and aerodynamic aids. You can also add FE4 Magnetic Selective Ride Control dampers and the Performance Traction Management system for increased racetrack performance. Car and Driver reported the 2020 Corvette Z51 clocked a searing 0-to-60 mph split of 2.8 seconds.

The 2020 Corvette Z51’s wow factor 

MotorTrend loved a lot about the 2020 Corvette Z51. But one of the biggest compliments the publication gave was its ride quality, hailed as second to none — except maybe the Porsche Cayenne. The MotorTrend tester also surprisingly said the Corvette’s ride is so supple it’s better at long drives than an SUV. That’s high praise for a sports car.

MotorTrend also loved how the 2020 Corvette Z51 handles on the racetrack. It claimed kudos for its 0-to-30 mph time of only 1 second — the same as an all-wheel-drive Lamborghini.

One ‘funky’ feature

Despite all the gushing, MotorTrend called the 2020 Chevy Corvette Z51’s steering wheel “funky.” That’s thanks to its shape and control placement. Still, with its big metal paddle shifters, the steering wheel boasts a sturdy, pricey feel.

Also, though the HVAC controls’ placement between the driver and passenger might feel funny at first, it offers easy accessibility to the most frequently used controls instead of hiding them behind a touchscreen. And that’s in addition to secondary buttons located on easy-to-access touchpoints.

The 2020 Chevy Corvette C8 Z51 left critics wanting more  

According to the folks at MotorTrend, there isn’t much to dislike about the 2020 Chevy Corvette Stingray. But it left them “wanting more.” That’s because the base C8 lacks many of the more exciting features that come with performance models such as the Z06.