What CarGurus' Experts are Saying About the Chevrolet Camaro – Fifth generation: 2010-2015

From its debut as a 1967 model year vehicle until it left the market in 2002, the Chevrolet Camaro had been a staple of America's pony car scene. Without it, the Ford Mustang went relatively unchallenged, as the Dodge didn't revive the Charger sedan until 2006, and the Challenger coupe until 2008. So, when the Camaro finally returned for the 2010 model year, it was sure to make an impact. The fifth-generation car, which spanned 2010 until 2015, did away with the sleek, streamlined design Chevrolet had adopted in the 1990s. Instead, the new Camaro showcased a retro-inspired look reminiscent of the first- and second-generation cars.

Under the hood, shoppers had a choice of either a V6 or a V8. The 3.6-liter V6 engine slotted into lower-priced trims, although its 304 horsepower and 276 pound-feet of torque instantly made this "rental-car-spec" Camaro a true muscle car. For drivers who need the low rumble of an American V8, the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter engine produced 426 horsepower and 420 pound feet of torque. Interestingly, those numbers dropped down to 400 and 410, respectively, when the Camaro was fitted with a 6-speed automatic transmission, rather than the 6-speed manual. Shoppers who want even more from their Camaro can look into the ZL1 trims which, starting in 2012, employed a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, good for 580 horsepower and 556 pound-feet of torque. The starting MSRP on a 2012 Camaro ZL1 was $54,095, making it one of the great performance bargains of the decade.

When compared with Mustangs and Challengers of the time, the fifth-generation Camaro stood out as a more capable performer along twisty roads. While the other pony cars retained much of their "great-in-a-straight-line" driving style, Chevy had taken pains to tune the Camaros suspension against more athletic competitive benchmarks.

Inside, the Camaro also left the austerity of the earlier-generation models behind. A touchscreen infotainment system arrived, and the car's interior technology adopted a clear visual language. Square gauges in the driver's information binnacle, a quad of analog gauges at the base of the center stack, and chunky round dials with d-pad-style controls all added to the Camaro's retro flavor. Chevrolet would evolve this design over the years, culminating in today's sixth-generation car.