Chevrolet Corvette vs Mercedes-Benz SL-Class: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Chevrolet Corvette typically lists for $73,113 against $95,242 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 $65,900 vs the AMG SL43 at $75,474; 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 ($65,900) faces the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class AMG SL43 ($75,474); the most common trims on the market are the PREFERRED 2LT (25.3% of Chevrolet Corvette listings) and the AMG SL63 (51.8% of Mercedes-Benz SL-Class listings); at the top of the market, the Z06 PREMIUM 3LZ ($124,393) faces the AMG SL63 ($134,995). 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 | $65,900 | 16.2% | AMG SL43Cheapest | $75,474 | 48.2% |
| PREFERRED 2LTMost popular | $70,232 | 25.3% | AMG SL63Most popularPriciest | $134,995 | 51.8% |
| 1LT | $71,075 | 4.7% | — | ||
| PREMIUM 3LT | $76,597 | 25.2% | — | ||
| E-RAY PREMIUM 3LZ | $106,170 | 2.5% | — | ||
| Z06 STANDARD 1LZ | $106,221 | 3.6% | — | ||
| Z06 PREFERRED 2LZ | $116,238 | 4.3% | — | ||
| Z06 PREMIUM 3LZPriciest | $124,393 | 11.8% | — | ||
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 | $85,920 | $148,890 | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class +$62,970 | 14–19 MPG | — |
| 2023 | $73,113 | $94,500 | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class +$21,387 | 14–19 MPG | — |
| 2022 | $68,057 | $95,242 | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class +$27,185 | 19 MPG | — |
| 2018 | $59,995 | $44,952 | Chevrolet Corvette +$15,043 | 16–19 MPG | 20–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $55,320 | $42,991 | Chevrolet Corvette +$12,329 | 16–19 MPG | 20–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $50,999 | $34,999 | Chevrolet Corvette +$16,000 | 16–21 MPG | 19–23 MPG |
| 2015 | $47,194 | $33,998 | Chevrolet Corvette +$13,196 | 16–21 MPG | 17–23 MPG |
| 2014 | $42,995 | $30,990 | Chevrolet Corvette +$12,005 | 20–21 MPG | 17–20 MPG |
| 2013 | $45,687 | $32,803 | Chevrolet Corvette +$12,884 | 17–19 MPG | 17–20 MPG |
| 2011 | $38,771 | $21,697 | Chevrolet Corvette +$17,074 | 16–19 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2009 | $32,900 | $19,996 | Chevrolet Corvette +$12,904 | 16–19 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2008 | $31,477 | $15,633 | Chevrolet Corvette +$15,844 | 18–19 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2007 | $28,915 | $14,997 | Chevrolet Corvette +$13,918 | 18–19 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2006 | $27,167 | $15,948 | Chevrolet Corvette +$11,219 | 18–19 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2005 | $24,491 | $14,798 | Chevrolet Corvette +$9,693 | 19 MPG | 13–17 MPG |
| 2004 | $23,250 | $14,999 | Chevrolet Corvette +$8,251 | 19–20 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2003 | $24,599 | $13,823 | Chevrolet Corvette +$10,776 | 19–20 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 1999 | $18,995 | $15,945 | Chevrolet Corvette +$3,050 | 18–20 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 1998 | $18,996 | $14,200 | Chevrolet Corvette +$4,796 | 18–19 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 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 $73,113 versus $95,242 for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (national medians, August 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 2.5 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 $65,900 vs $75,474 for a Mercedes-Benz SL-Class AMG SL43; the most common trims on the market are the PREFERRED 2LT ($70,232, 25.3% of Chevrolet Corvette listings) and the AMG SL63 ($134,995, 51.8% of Mercedes-Benz SL-Class listings); at the top of the market, the Z06 PREMIUM 3LZ ($124,393) faces the AMG SL63 ($134,995). 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.