Chevrolet Corvette vs Mercedes-Benz SL-Class: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Chevrolet Corvette typically lists for $73,999 against $97,873 for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (same model years — 2020–2023 — national medians from live listings). The newest shared model year is 2023 — one of these nameplates is no longer sold new, so the comparison covers the older used market only. 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 $66,861 vs the AMG SL43 at $75,635; 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 ($66,861) faces the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class AMG SL43 ($75,635); the most common trims on the market are the PREFERRED 2LT (26.9% of Chevrolet Corvette listings) and the AMG SL43 (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 | $66,861 | 15.5% | AMG SL43Most popularCheapestPriciest | $75,635 | 100.0% |
| PREFERRED 2LTMost popular | $71,973 | 26.9% | — | ||
| 1LT | $72,182 | 3.6% | — | ||
| PREMIUM 3LT | $77,720 | 24.2% | — | ||
| E-RAY PREMIUM 3LZ | $107,212 | 2.7% | — | ||
| Z06 STANDARD 1LZ | $109,142 | 3.2% | — | ||
| Z06 PREFERRED 2LZ | $114,995 | 3.4% | — | ||
| Z06 PREMIUM 3LZPriciest | $123,982 | 14.1% | — | ||
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $73,999 | $79,500 | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class +$5,501 | 14–19 MPG | — |
| 2022 | $69,365 | $97,873 | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class +$28,508 | 19 MPG | — |
| 2020 | $64,895 | $58,516 | Chevrolet Corvette +$6,379 | 19 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2018 | $62,618 | $41,950 | Chevrolet Corvette +$20,668 | 16–19 MPG | 20–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $55,787 | $43,993 | Chevrolet Corvette +$11,794 | 16–19 MPG | 20–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $50,613 | $34,999 | Chevrolet Corvette +$15,614 | 16–21 MPG | 19–23 MPG |
| 2015 | $47,403 | $31,000 | Chevrolet Corvette +$16,403 | 16–21 MPG | 17–23 MPG |
| 2014 | $42,990 | $31,995 | Chevrolet Corvette +$10,995 | 20–21 MPG | 17–20 MPG |
| 2013 | $46,692 | $31,817 | Chevrolet Corvette +$14,875 | 17–19 MPG | 17–20 MPG |
| 2011 | $38,950 | $23,995 | Chevrolet Corvette +$14,955 | 16–19 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2009 | $34,412 | $21,488 | Chevrolet Corvette +$12,924 | 16–19 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2008 | $31,495 | $16,900 | Chevrolet Corvette +$14,595 | 18–19 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2007 | $28,995 | $16,773 | Chevrolet Corvette +$12,222 | 18–19 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2006 | $26,995 | $15,993 | Chevrolet Corvette +$11,002 | 18–19 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2005 | $24,771 | $14,999 | Chevrolet Corvette +$9,772 | 19 MPG | 13–17 MPG |
| 2004 | $23,000 | $15,900 | Chevrolet Corvette +$7,100 | 19–20 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2003 | $24,995 | $13,992 | Chevrolet Corvette +$11,003 | 19–20 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 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 (2020–2023), the Chevrolet Corvette is cheaper: it typically lists for $73,999 versus $97,873 for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (national medians, July 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 $66,861 vs $75,635 for a Mercedes-Benz SL-Class AMG SL43; the most common trims on the market are the PREFERRED 2LT ($71,973, 26.9% of Chevrolet Corvette listings) and the AMG SL43 ($75,635, 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.