Ok. So most of you guys know I recently traded my 14' stingray 2lt coupe for a 16' Charger Hellcat. It wasn't an easy decision as I've pretty much driven a Corvette exclusively for the last 13 years. Having a baby and one car is why I made the move. That being said it was a great move. I am very happy with my new car while at the same time I'll always miss my Corvette.

As far as a comparison I'll do my best. It's going to be one of the most ridiculous comparisons out there as the two vehicles couldn't be more different, but some have asked so I'll do it.

Where to start? Power!!! I have always felt and still feel like the c7 was underpowered. Its a fast car but I would have liked to see it produced with 500+ hp. I feel that the performance gap between the stingray/z51/GS against the Z06 is to great. After owning a Cts-v for a short period of time in between my c6 and c7 the c7 never really felt powerful enough. That being said just because it didn't feel powerful doesn't mean it wasn't, it was just lacking a little imo. The hellcat doesn't have that issue lol. The power is abundant and border line accesive but I don't mind. It's nice to know im sitting in a car that will pretty much beat anything that even looks at me the wrong way (in a straight line!) Where as in the Corvette I never felt that confident. Traction can sometimes be an issue in the hellcat but once you figure it out it's very very rewarding. Win Hellcat.

Handling. There is nothing much to say here. The Corvette can run circles around the hellcat around a track with more turns than straight aways and will eat it for breakfast in a twisty rroad. Corvettes are always an impressive handling car and the handling will be missed. The hellcat can take a turn at speed but the Corvette is alot lighter and forgiving. Win Corvette.

Interior quality and comfort​. The c7 had great interior quality but cant really be called a comfortable car especially under daily driving conditions again this is my opinion. The hellcat is extremely comfortable but lacking bolster support. That being said after driving a Corvette to work almost every day for 13 years I am enjoying the added comfort of the hellcat. As far as interior quality they are really both great no creaks or rattles in either if the two cars. Dodge messed up with that dashboard though. Using that cheap plastic really pisses me off. I really wish they would have used a different softer touch material like the Corvette. Seat material seems to be of better quality in the hellcat however. Everything aside from the dashboard is of great quality in the hellcat and really well put together. Draw!

Infotainment.... BIG WIN for the hellcat. Chevy just didn't provide the Corvette with a good infotainment unit plain and simple. Anyone who wants to argue that fact should try some others and then you'll see the difference. The uconnect system in the hellcat is perfection. Simple, fast, and just an overall pleasure to use.

Gas mileage. Using my two cars as an example of gas mileage is a little dumb. I drive my car about 13 miles a day and spend most of my time at stop lights instead of actually moving. That being said I did enjoy a final 500 mile drive in the Corvette and the same 500 mile drive in reverse in the hellcat. At an average speed of around 70 mph the Corvette was giving me 26mpg, while on the way back the hellcat gave me a surprising 22.5mpg. I was being a little more aggressive with the hellcat on the way home as it was my first drive with it and we'll it was a nice open road that I wanted to unleash 707 hp on. I did and it was a ton of fun. All that being said I have been filling up more with the hellcat. Corvette win.

Fun. That's the word. The hellcat is just a blast to drive. Anytime you want to smile just mash your foot into the floor and enjoy. It really is a ton of fun. I don't care about every little bump in the road. Where as with the Corvette I would cringe every time I went over the slightest bump. I found myself having more fun with the Corvette and smiling when on a nice twisty back road but we don't have many of those in Brooklyn NY lol.
Win Hellcat because having all the power at your disposal is just incredible.


Looks and styling while obviously being subjective win Corvette.


Anyway that's really all I can say after only a week of ownership. I needed a backseat and I still wanted to enjoy my car. I think I found the best car I could in my buget that checked almost all the boxes. I can only hope that the Hellcat will be as reliable and enjoyable as far as ownership as the corvette was.

Again comparing these two cars is kind of ridiculous as one is a great sports car while the other is a straight up muscle car. I do however recommend the hellcat for anyone who finds themselves in a similar position to mine in need of a back seat or even just looking for a change. I will always miss corvette ownership and im sure I'll have another one or few down the road.

Questions and comments both welcome.

Mods I'd like this to stay in c7 general as it is c7 realted and other members have asked for my opinion on the two cars. It would be nice if it stayed here where they can find it.

 

Good to hear you're happy, but this thread doesn't belong in this forum.

 

Great review and comparison, no arguments from my end. You made a good choice out of necessity and you picked a winner. Enjoy the 700+ horsepower and the new addition to your family.

 

Always appreciate the kind words thanks man

 

Enjoyed your review. It reinforces why I have a Z06. It's good you like your purchase, buyers remorse is a bitch and I have a neighbor going through it right now with his new
Ford F-150 Raptor. He's grown to HATE it.

Congrats on the newest family member and enjoy the Hellcat!

 

Good review-just curious how obvious it is that you have the Hellcat model of the charger-ie badging, design clues, etc.

 

Glad you enjoyed... Sucks for your neighbor. I made sure to take my time, do my research, and test drove as many cars as I could think of before purchase. Actually test drove the hellcat 3 times before buying it.

 

The Hellcat has awesome power, but the negative is that it doesn't come with street tires capable of making maximum use of its 707 HP.

Last month at a drag strip with the DA at about 1000', I went head-to-head with my factory stock "underpowered" C7 Stingray (Z51 / A8) against a factory stock Challenger Hellcat (A8). My C7 was ahead of the Hellcat by about five car lengths at the end of the quarter mile, turning 11.77 @ 117.78 MPH to the Hellcat's 12.02 @ 122 MPH. The horror! The horror!

 

Brooklyn,

Thanks for sharing your impressions. I'd quibble with you a little on the power question because straight-line speed just isn't my thing as a "twisties" guy. If a C7 can give away nearly 300HP and leave the more powerful car far behind, it's got plenty of power. That gap is also closed quite a bit because I'm guessing the C7 is close to 1K lighter.

I enjoyed your review.

 

I'm still new to the car so I'm not exactly sure how to tell the difference between the hellcat and an srt-8. I'm pretty sure it's just the badging on the side of the car and thats all so it's not very obvious at all. The car is definitely a sleeper.

 

Thanks for taking the time to do the write-up. I agree that the comparison is not necessarily appropriate between these two cars. Maybe a Hellcat and a Z06 would be closer to an apples-to-apples comparison, at least in terms of power. Regardless, I enjoyed your perspective, and I'm glad you found a car that could replace your Vette and give you a backseat for your child. At least you didn't go for the four-door Charger. Four doors...

 

I don't disagree... As I said comparing these two cars is a little ridiculous as they couldn't be more different. One being a sports car built with the track in mind and the other a muscle car built for the drag strip. The power difference is very significant though and you feel it.

 

I did get the four door lol. Felt more planted than the Challenger for some reason.

 

You are correct. Tires should be wider with more grip. Dealer mounted brand new pirelli p zero's for me (as part of my negotiation) so I won't be changing them for a while. When I do however I will be looking at different tires with more contact and grip. Swap out the tires and the car runs 10's. Not that I'll be going to the track.

 

I tend to compare cars using power to weight. When you consider the power to weight ratio, the Hellcat still has a slight edge on a non-Z06 C7. But it's not that much. The torque difference is probably what you notice the most between the two cars and gives you the sensation that the Hellcat feels faster.

With either of these cars the biggest challenge when launching them is keeping the power down and not spinning the tires. Personally I think Dodge should have given the Hellcat AWD. What's another hundred pounds or so, and it would have really improved traction and handling.

 

Thill after watching review after review the key with the hellcat is launching in 2nd and getting into the power slowly instead of mashing your foot into the floor. It really does work and even on Street tires when you get it right there is very little wheel spin. I do agree though that an AWD version of the hellcat would've been pretty amazing but I think it would lose a little bit of its appeal as it might feel a bit to easy. Who knows?

 

Yes, I'm sure in a straight line. I don't like straight lines.

I agree that the perception of torque and burning rubber often fools you into thinking you're going faster than you are. I also just looked up the specs, and the power-to-weight ratio of a C7 (non Z06) and Hellcat is much closer than I thought w/ the 1100 lb. weight difference.

 

Nice write-up. I enjoyed reading it. Thank you for taking the time to provide an informative compare and contrast by someone who has actually driven both vehicles. I am a dedicated Chevy Corvette person but I can truly respect the performance that is being put out on the street by other manufactures. It is good healthy competition which only pushes others to keep improving.

Drive safe and have fun!

 

My pleasure and thank you. I've been a very dedicated Corvette guy myself for most of my driving life but times called for a change. The 3rd gen Cts-v is really the only car that was comparable to the hellcat but even used a little to expensive (for me). If they were in the same price range I would have stayed with the GM product.

 

I see that you live in Brooklyn....I see what you mean about the roads...Where are you located in Bk? I'm in Dyker heights and have a 73 convertible and a 91ZR-1....

I like the look of the hellcat....Its Definately has tha muscle car look which I like.....Is yours auto or standard? I've been a corvette guy for the past twenty years and drove a 2015 vette for three days at Ron Fellows performance driving school in Vegas..Car handles unbelievably and does have a nice power to weight ratio.....Hard to argue with 707 HP and over 600 ft.lbs of torque though..

Enjoy...