Driving Impressions: 2024 Corvette E-Ray Compared to Z06 & Stingray

With the arrival and first deliveries of the new 2024 Corvette E-Ray, we are finally getting some honest-to-goodness reviews of Chevy's first performance hybrid by their new owners. Not that the hand-picked YouTuber reviews we've seen over the last few months haven't been honest, it's just that most don't have skin in the Corvette game and so they will say whatever to keep those First Drive invites coming. These reviews like this one we are sharing from a new E-Ray owner featuring unvarnished opinions is exactly what we've been waiting for. .

Leading up to the arrests, the task force (comprised of CHP, San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, This driving review comes from a guy on YouTube named Geared Media and last week we shared a quick video of his as he had all three Michelin wide-body Corvette tires on the ground for a quick comparison. He has previously owned a C8 Stingray and now drives a C8 Z06, and this E-Ray is actually for his wife to drive. In that last video he was also in the process of installing a Hooker Blackheart exhaust which is now on the car.

Now, the E-Ray has just 200 miles and he is still in the 500-mile break-in period as he shares this POV video as he cruises the backroads and switchbacks in the area around his home. He does caution that he is still under the break-in and that his impressions may change once the car is ready to be driven hard.

During the 10-minute video, the new E-Ray owner starts off by talking about the E-Ray's front motor and the battery regeneration and he also talks about how that regen feels like as the brakes are being applied (and the battery is being replenished). He also discusses how the Active Fuel Management keeps the E-Ray in V4 mode longer as the front motor provides more of the drive power of the car for longer periods, and he's noticed that just driving around in town normally has been getting him pretty good fuel economy as he shows his current trip has yielded 22.4 mpg.

He also thinks the car is quieter than his previous Stingray, but notes that could be due to still being under the 500-mile break-in, and that's despite him having the aftermarket exhaust. Right now, he says he's not quite hearing some of the pops and exhaust garbles that he was accustomed too in the Stingray. "It doesn't seem as rowdy yet, but that could change," he says.

Finally, our new E-Ray owner also talks about some of the new 2024 equipment on the E-Ray, namely the soft-close frunk and the new driver aids for lane departure, emergency braking, and more.

Watch the video

Source: Keith Cornett - Corvette Blogger

Posted 4/12/24