1999 Chevy Corvette Review
1999 Chevy Corvette Review
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Used Corvette for sale
Appraise This CarChevrolet Corvette model years
Chevrolet Corvette types
- Coupe
- Convertible
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- High performance. Daily-driver livability. Bargain sticker price.
Cons
- Some cheesy interior bits, slow kick-down with automatic transmission.
What’s new
A hardtop model aimed at enthusiasts is introduced, and its options list is short. Other Corvettes can be equipped with numerous options including a new heads-up display and a power tilt/telescope steering wheel.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1999 Chevrolet Corvette 2dr Coupe and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $5.35 per gallon for regular unleaded in California.
Monthly estimates based on costs in California
$360/mo for Corvette Base
Corvette Base
vs
$246/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Vehicle overview
More than forty years after the 1953 Corvette debuted Chevrolet introduced the fifth-generation Corvette for 1997. The C5 almost didn't happen. Originally scheduled for release in 1993, the Corvette was killed for a short time before performance zealots within General Motors resuscitated the project and made the new car a reality. With the addition of a hardtop model to the lineup, three different Corvettes are available for 1999.
Pushrod power, in the form of a reworked, 5.7-liter V8 engine dubbed the LS1, motivates the Corvette. Horsepower is rated 345 at 5,600 rpm, while torque measures 350 lbs.-ft. at 4,400 rpm. The result? Equipped with the standard four-speed automatic transmission, the Corvette will hit 60 mph in a shade over five seconds. Opt for the six-speed manual transmission and you'll cut less than half a second off the trap time. To help reign in the power on slippery surfaces, acceleration slip regulation (a.k.a., traction control) is standard equipment. EPA mileage figures are phenomenal for a high-powered sports car; the Corvette will return 28 mpg on the highway with the manual tranny.
Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes keep stopping distances short with larger rotors than previous Corvettes. Front tires are 17 inches in diameter, and rears are a whopping 18 inches across, which contributes to an excellent .93g of road grip. The rubber stays planted well too, thanks to a fully independent, four-wheel short/long-arm height-adjustable suspension. Optional on coupe and convertible is an Active Handling system, which keeps the Corvette in line even if the driver isn't.
Body panels are still composed of a material other than metal, though no longer fiberglass. Sheet molded compound wraps around an ultra-stiff structure that features a full-length perimeter frame with tubular steel side rails. The windshield frame is aluminum, and the instrument panel is attached directly to a beefy cross member designed to reduce noise and vibration. A sandwich composite floor with a lightweight balsa wood core damps noise and vibration while making the floor exceptionally stiff.
Inside, a dashboard with analog gauges and intuitive radio and climate controls greets passengers. Luggage space beneath the coupe's rear hatch glass is an incredible 25 cubic feet, made possible with the use of dual mid-ship mounted fuel tanks that are snuggled within the Corvette's structure. Even the hardtop and convertible can tote more cargo than any Corvette in history. Inside, the car feels more airy, thanks to a narrower door sill and taller height combined with a low cowl.
Improvements for 1999 are few but significant. Aside from the introduction of the enthusiast-oriented hardtop model, a heads-up display (HUD) and a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel can be purchased for installation on the coupe and convertible. Also available on those two models is Twilight Sentinel, an automatic headlight system. Red Magnetic Metallic paint is optional for those wishing to spend extra money on such things.
Yes, the Corvette is an outstanding effort and competes favorably with the best in the class. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like a million bucks, to our eyes. Long, low, and lean, the Corvette is certainly attractive. We take issue, however, with the thick truncated tail and the odd-looking air scoops for the front brakes. Other critics have complained of derivative styling cues and the lack of chrome-finished exhaust tips. Still, the Corvette's new shape will wear well into the next century, particularly in convertible format.
Don't let the fact that the C5 will swallow two golf bags sway you into thinking this a gentrified sporting coupe. The 1999 Corvette is among the best true sports cars your money can buy.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 1999 Chevrolet Corvette.
5 star(92%)
4 star(6%)
3 star(2%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
62 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
5 out of 5 stars
6th Corvette -1999 C-5 Coupe
Cynthia B. Baine, 02/25/2015
1999 Chevrolet Corvette 2dr Coupe
Purchased in December 2014 with 18,893 original miles, all numbers matching, all options, automatic, and Magnetic Red. With the exception of a 1967 427/435 owned years ago, this is the fastest factory stock Corvette ever made. Comfortable, fun to drive, excellent design mechanically and interior, great Bose sound system, and generally the car that makes people stop and go, man I need one … of those beauties.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Amazing Performance for the Money
zr77, 04/05/2013
1999 Chevrolet Corvette 2dr Hardtop Coupe
I've had my 1999 corvette for approx 1 year. I purchased it from the original owner who used it mainly as a show car and it had 90K miles. Almost completely stock with the exception of an exhaust. I LOVE driving this car. Great exhaust note, handles very well, acceleration is smooth. You can drive it easy or like a mad man. I've started to track my C5 and grow more and more amazed with … it every day. I can drive it to client meetings, getting 32-33mpg on the highway to flogging it at a race track (road racing) for a 3 day weekend and it keeps asking for more. Parts are cheap and plentiful. Only complaint overall interior design. GM cheaped out with the interior but the LS1 makes up for that.
5 out of 5 stars
C5 ragtop... a dream turned reality
aC5ragtopforEd, 12/22/2009
1999 Chevrolet Corvette 2dr Convertible
For years I drooled over 'Vettes and due to my height (6'8"), I could never fit in one. Then along came the C5 and changed all of that. There it was.. screaming my name out... torch red with oak interior, 6sp, Bose, the works. I've never had a lick of trouble with the car, and its been impeccably maintained for the past 10yrs, never in the rain or snow. Still looks factory fresh. And my … plates say it all: LUCKYME
4.75 out of 5 stars
Cherry runs like new. easily a steal
vestedvette, 01/28/2013
1999 Chevrolet Corvette 2dr Hardtop Coupe
I traded a much more expensive 2012 car to get the Vette I always wanted.
Can't believe I found a 14 year old car with only 60k in mileage.
Its not even broken in yet.still handles like every vette if not better than all pre - 2000s I'm having a blast. Instant Classic. .. love it
1999 Corvette Highlights
Coupe
Base
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 18 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $360/month |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 24.8 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Safety
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original0
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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