C8 Owners Seeing Nearly 30 MPG In Normal Driving Conditions
Chevy Cylinder Deactivation allows C8 owners to see crazy high fuel economy numbers without any sort of extreme fuel-saving techniques.
We’ll be the first to admit that the last thing we’d buy a C8 Corvette for is fuel economy. However, if that is a selling point in a sports car for you, we have great news. The EPA estimated 27 miles per gallon highway seems to be a tad understated. According to C8 owners, they are seeing numbers even higher than that on the highway.
Autoevolution brought to our attention this collection of C8 owners in a Corvette Facebook group discussing their fuel economy. Some of the numbers coming up are pretty shocking. C8 owner Wayne Schell is at the forefront of this breakthrough. In a drive from New York City to Huntington Beach, California, he averaged 29 miles per gallon for the whole trip. Not just the highway, but the entire trip. Even more insane is the fact that on his last two tanks of fuel, he averaged a mind-melting 32 miles per gallon. Seeing a Corvette out-do some sub-compact performance cars in fuel economy is pretty remarkable.
How are these insane numbers possible, you ask? It boils down to Chevy’s Cylinder Deactivation technology. When cruising along, the engine deactivates four cylinders, allowing this sub-three-second zero-to-sixty monster to sip fuel as it if were nothing more than a Chevy Cruze. While modern Chevy small-block V8s have always had a somewhat impressive fuel economy number, this step in technology is what sets it apart.
It isn’t exactly new to the Corvette name, though. Cylinder Deactivation was brought to the Corvette namesake with the C7 body style. However, even C5 and C6 owners will tout the remarkable fuel economy they get thanks to overdrive gearing and grunty low-end torque, allowing you to cruise along at low RPMs. Combine all this with the aerodynamics of a Corvette, and you’ve got yourself a winning formula.
Of course, that fuel economy is really only going to hang around on the freeway. While it isn’t the absolute worst city rating we have seen, the EPA estimate 15 miles per gallon around town is a bit of a tough pill to swallow. Not to mention, that is assuming you can control your right foot with the fun pedal. Still, it’s hard not to be blown away by its highway antics. Another C8 owner, John Paul, put it best.
“Pretty amazing. Flat road on half the cans and Kia level fuel-economy from a sub-three-second, 1G skidpad, fire breathing monster,” writes Paul in his Facebook post.
We tend to agree, mister Paul. While it may not be as practical as some Kias, it certainly looks better. It’s a whole lot more fun to drive, too.
Photos: Autoevolution
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