Should Chevrolet Camaro SS Be Your Go-To Muscle Car For 2022?

The Chevy Camaro, as we know it, lives on borrowed time. While production of the current generation has been extended from 2024 to 2026, we know its Days Are numbered, as what comes after it may be electric or no longer feature the traditional coupe design we know and love. Of course, the same thing is happening to other muscle cars. There’s already proof that the next-generation Mustang will be a hybrid and we know the Challenger, along with the supercharged Hemi V-8, is getting axed in 2024.

To help us understand why the 2022 Chevrolet Camaro SS should be the go-to muscle car for next year, Joe is taking us around a brand new, well spec’d Camaro SS, finished in one of the two new colors – Vivid orange. It’s worth noting that the SS starts at $37,345, while the 2SS (currently the most popular) goes for $42,165.

This particular one, as equipped, costs around $49,000 and has almost every conceivable option, available, including the aero package, 10-speed automatic, ceramic-white leather inserts on the door panels, and a lot more. But options aside, what makes the Camaro SS stand out?

While the Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger are all great value for the money, they are actually quite different. The Challenger is the closest to an old-school muscle car. It’s still able to take corners, like any modern car, but it’s not what you would call athletic. The Mustang is somewhere in the middle, between comfort and performance, while the Camaro is the sportiest of the bunch, in terms of the chassis.

Of all the muscle cars currently on sale, Camaro is the closest to a full-fledged sports car. Unfortunately, the extra structural rigidity comes at a price – less interior space. That said, the cockpit shines with simplicity through minimalism and excellent ergonomics, even if the Mustang’s dash features slightly better materials. Camaro also comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, unlike the Mustang and Challenger.

The main reason for considering the Camaro SS is, of course, the engine. While the Mustang loses 10 horsepower for 2022, the Camaro still boasts 455 horsepower and 455 pound-feet (617 Nm) from its 6.2-liter, normally-aspirated OHV V-8. In this case, it’s mated to a 10-speed automatic, shared with the Ford Mustang, but there’s also the option of a six-speed manual. As standard, the SS also gets a limited-slip differential.

With the 10-speed automatic, the Camaro SS is capable of a 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) time of 3.9 seconds, with a 12.1-second quarter-mile time, at 118 mph (190 km/h). Add another 0.3 seconds for the manual version, which is still properly quick. The Camaro SS is also the lightest of the bunch. This vivid-orange example, in particular, tips the scales at 3,788 pounds (1,718 kg). To put things in perspective, a similarly-equipped Mustang GT would weigh around 3,900 pounds (1,769 kg), while a Challenger SRT8 – 4,350 pounds (1,973 kg).

Using the paddles to upshift reveals a tiny bit of delay, but otherwise, the car puts the power down very effectively. The Camaro SS comes with 245/40 ZR20 tires at the front and 275/35 ZR20 at the rear, but even without the optional magnetic ride suspension, the ride is supple. The massive Brembo brakes come with 13.6-inch, fully-ventilated front discs and color-matching calipers

Joe concludes that, with the Camaro SS, “you are going to get the best feedback out of the bunch when it comes to steering wheel input and what the front end of the vehicle is doing”. In the end, we can say that the Camaro is the muscle car that comes the closest to being a sports car and maybe even being one. At the same time, it manages to retain some of that classic American muscle feel, while combining it with modern technology and because of this, it’s a winner in my book.