Can a 2021 Chevrolet Corvette Z51 Serve as a Daily Driver? Motor Trend’s Scott Evans Says YES!

In an August 6, 2022 article written by Motor Trend’s Scott Evans, the question is finally answered – and quite decisively by all accounts – as to whether or not the new mid-engine Corvette Stingray is “all the car you need” for all of the day-to-day stuff…More simply put, is it a good daily driver?  His answer is a highly qualified YES!

The article was written after Evan’s fourteen-month evaluation of a new, mid-engined Corvette – in this instance, a 2021 Z51 coupe.  He used the car for a variety of day-to-day activities, including grocery shopping, vacations (sans children of course), trips to the hardware store, and even transporting the family Christmas tree!  In each instance, the car rose to the occasion.  It also performed mightily on the race track when pitted against a Porsche Cayman GT4.

The eighth-generation Stingray, at least from Evan’s perspective, provides reliable transportation and is adaptable enough to make it practical for most any situation.  True, driving it to the aforementioned vacation required the use of multiple carry-on bags (given solely to the fact that the car’s trunk (and frunk) are both too small to accommodate anything larger than that.  Also, on those rare occasions when a large item(s) needed to be delivered to the home, a courier service may have been called into action, but neither of these scenarios posed any real issue, and each had acceptable workarounds that sounded practical (how many of us have an Amazon truck at our front doorstep at least once (if not several times) per week?)

Part of what makes the new Corvette a viable daily driver is the level of comfort experienced by its occupants.  The car proves to be equally comfortable for both local and long-distance commutes, thanks in large part to its “class-leading ride quality, unusually comfortable sport seats, and high-speed stability.”  Evans also commented that the use of “My Mode” settings, which (for him) included softer suspension, better brake feel, a louder exhaust note, and lighter steering, all afforded him a driving experience that was at once comfortable and exhilarating.  The fact that he could also cruise at 100mph without any trouble didn’t hurt matters either.  Using the car’s built-in nose lift with GPS tagging feature was also a huge contributor, as it allowed the car to navigate curbs, steep driveways, and other obstacles with ease.