Chevrolet Corvette vs Mercedes-Benz SL-Class: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Chevrolet Corvette typically lists for $70,944 against $93,596 for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (same model years — 2022–2025 — national medians from live listings). The Chevrolet Corvette takes fuel economy (18 MPG combined vs 16 MPG). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the STANDARD 1LT at $63,999 vs the AMG SL63 at $132,475; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Chevrolet Corvette STANDARD 1LT ($63,999) faces the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class AMG SL63 ($132,475); the most common trims on the market are the PREFERRED 2LT (23.0% of Chevrolet Corvette listings) and the AMG SL63 (100.0% of Mercedes-Benz SL-Class listings). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Chevrolet Corvette | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| STANDARD 1LTCheapest | $63,999 | 16.1% | AMG SL63Most popularCheapestPriciest | $132,475 | 100.0% |
| PREFERRED 2LTMost popular | $68,800 | 23.0% | — | ||
| 1LT | $69,998 | 4.3% | — | ||
| PREMIUM 3LT | $74,698 | 21.5% | — | ||
| 2LT | $80,489 | 3.3% | — | ||
| Z06 STANDARD 1LZ | $105,084 | 3.4% | — | ||
| Z06 PREFERRED 2LZ | $114,500 | 5.1% | — | ||
| Z06 PREMIUM 3LZPriciest | $120,706 | 13.2% | — | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Chevrolet Corvette prices · Mercedes-Benz SL-Class prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Chevrolet Corvette typical | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class typical | Difference | Chevrolet Corvette MPG | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $88,298 | $144,861 | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class +$56,563 | 14–19 MPG | — |
| 2023 | $70,944 | $92,700 | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class +$21,756 | 14–19 MPG | — |
| 2022 | $67,082 | $93,596 | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class +$26,514 | 19 MPG | — |
| 2019 | $64,948 | $53,960 | Chevrolet Corvette +$10,988 | 15–19 MPG | 20–23 MPG |
| 2018 | $60,500 | $43,973 | Chevrolet Corvette +$16,527 | 16–19 MPG | 20–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $56,995 | $41,991 | Chevrolet Corvette +$15,004 | 16–19 MPG | 20–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $49,999 | $34,999 | Chevrolet Corvette +$15,000 | 16–21 MPG | 19–23 MPG |
| 2015 | $46,499 | $31,988 | Chevrolet Corvette +$14,511 | 16–21 MPG | 17–23 MPG |
| 2014 | $42,188 | $29,999 | Chevrolet Corvette +$12,189 | 20–21 MPG | 17–20 MPG |
| 2013 | $46,407 | $31,490 | Chevrolet Corvette +$14,917 | 17–19 MPG | 17–20 MPG |
| 2011 | $37,726 | $20,300 | Chevrolet Corvette +$17,426 | 16–19 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2009 | $33,999 | $21,393 | Chevrolet Corvette +$12,606 | 16–19 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2008 | $30,785 | $17,736 | Chevrolet Corvette +$13,049 | 18–19 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2007 | $27,994 | $16,721 | Chevrolet Corvette +$11,273 | 18–19 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2006 | $27,008 | $15,683 | Chevrolet Corvette +$11,325 | 18–19 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2005 | $23,995 | $13,742 | Chevrolet Corvette +$10,253 | 19 MPG | 13–17 MPG |
| 2004 | $22,500 | $15,000 | Chevrolet Corvette +$7,500 | 19–20 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2003 | $24,728 | $13,231 | Chevrolet Corvette +$11,497 | 19–20 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 1999 | $18,612 | $17,445 | Chevrolet Corvette +$1,167 | 18–20 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (October 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Chevrolet Corvette or Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
Comparing the same model years (2022–2025), the Chevrolet Corvette is cheaper: it typically lists for $70,944 versus $93,596 for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (national medians, October 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Chevrolet Corvette or Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
The Chevrolet Corvette: its typical rated version returns 18 MPG combined versus 16 MPG for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is more reliable — Chevrolet Corvette or Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
NHTSA lists an average of 2.4 recalls per model year for the Chevrolet Corvette and 0.0 for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class — an edge for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Chevrolet Corvette STANDARD 1LT typically lists for $63,999 vs $132,475 for a Mercedes-Benz SL-Class AMG SL63; the most common trims on the market are the PREFERRED 2LT ($68,800, 23.0% of Chevrolet Corvette listings) and the AMG SL63 ($132,475, 100.0% of Mercedes-Benz SL-Class listings). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/chevrolet/corvette/vs/mercedes-benz/sl-class.
Dig deeper
Chevrolet Corvette — live listings & specs Mercedes-Benz SL-Class — live listings & specs Chevrolet Corvette prices by year Mercedes-Benz SL-Class prices by year Chevrolet Corvette MPG by year Mercedes-Benz SL-Class MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.