I know it has been said before that sedan sales are on the decline, but just a little over a year ago Chevrolet quoted that hatchback sales had seen a 9 percent market growth. On the heels of that, Chevy introduced the Cruze Hatch and for 2018 they now offer it with the 1.6-liter turbodiesel power plant.
Apparently, automakers are bucking tradition at this year’s big auto show in Detroit as several held pre-press day preview events at which they launched significant new vehicles. These included Chevrolet, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz.
The North American International Auto Show in Detroit has not even officially opened its doors yet, and already there are debuts and big news coming from the Motor City. Chevrolet and Ford have held pre-event events and trucks are the big news.
Fall is in the air, and that means it is time for the State Fair of Texas. Aside from the world-famous corny dogs, one of the main attractions is the auto show, the largest of its kind on American soil.
Those of you following the heavy-duty pickup segment know that manufacturers have been locked in an all-out brawl for quite some time now. Three-quarter and one-ton trucks have not only been getting stronger but have gone upscale, and they feature many of the same creature comforts as the top-of-the-line passenger cars and SUVs from the same brands, Chevrolet included.
As I sit down to pen a few words about the 2017 Chevrolet SS performance sedan, I feel as though I am writing its obituary. And to some extent, I am. No more than four years after this four-door Camaro arrived on U.S. soil it is destined for the history books.
General Motors must think I have a large family or something, as they have sent me one version or another of their extra-large family sport ute (AKA Carryall). I admit I am a fan of the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL vehicles, but five in the test driveway over the past two years – overload, perhaps?
What is the longest-running nameplate in the automotive industry? If you said Suburban you would be correct. Now in its 81st production year, the Chevrolet Suburban Carryall offers all of the latest safety and infotainment technology available while still being the mother of modern land yachts to transport families and their stuff.
If spending an afternoon cruising along the California coast in December sounds like your idea of fun, you’ll understand why I had such a great time recently while taking the 2016 Chevy Malibu for a spin. Now only is the car fun to drive, it’s loaded with state of the art tech.
In 2013, Chevrolet performed a major overhaul on its bestselling model, the Silverado 1500. Just two years later they have given the pickup a makeover along with a few new technology items. We reviewed the top-of-the-line High Country Silverado last year and earlier this year we tested the Z71 1500. We spent last week driving the 2016 Silverado High Country.
Chevrolet recently pulled the curtain back on a couple of new models headed into showrooms this winter. Actually, these are all-new versions of current models – the Camaro Convertible and the Chevy Cruze – and they will be arriving soon as 2016 models. Each gets new design inside and out, updated technologies, and the latest, most economical powertrain offerings.
Sometimes when the weekly review vehicle arrives in my driveway I just sit and scratch my head and wonder why it is in the press fleet. Case in point, the new 2015 Chevrolet City Express. Similar to the Ram Promaster City Wagon we reviewed recently, automakers are addressing the urban utility van segment, which apparently was underserved.
If you have seen any of the Chevrolet Silverado pickup commercials on television lately you might have noticed mention of a certain metal element in the brand’s marketing piece – steel. Chevy is making no excuses in its efforts to get the point across that its trucks are still made of steel, and not a certain other element like aluminum.
The diesel engine is once again back under the hood of Chevrolet cars, and this time it is a good thing. The Cruze compact sedan boasts a wide range of trim packages and since last year offers a turbocharged 2.0-liter clean diesel engine for clean, powerful motoring with fuel economy of up to 46 mpg on the highway.
Chevrolet says they are no longer going to compete in the midsize sedan segment. Instead, as they debuted the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Hybrid at the New York International Auto Show this week, they said they are going to win the segment with this car that is longer and lighter, has more interior space and improved efficiency.
Chevrolet unveiled its electric future at the Detroit Auto Show today, showing journalists the next-generation extended range electric vehicle Volt and an all-new electric vehicle to be named Bolt. Volt extends its EV operating range by 31 percent and the new Bolt EV concept is said to eliminate range anxiety by delivering up to 200 miles per charge.
Last week I spend a day with Chevy at their Milford Proving Grounds. I saw first-hand demonstrations of Chevy’s latest vehicle safety features, and I left feeling like it might be time to finally upgrade my GM vehicle to the latest version: GM’s newest technology may not be completely automated, but the technology removes a lot of guesswork and anxiety.
Following the makeover of its light duty pickup models, Chevrolet has given its Heavy Duty lineup of trucks a thorough overhaul as well. Featuring all-new exterior styling and all-new cabs and interiors, the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD get the latest technology and powertrains offered by the automaker including a bi-fuel option burning gasoline and compressed natural gas (CNG).
For years, GM pickup buyers that wanted a really fancy truck had to purchase a GMC Sierra Denali to get the finery of a luxury automobile in a rugged package with a cargo box. That’s changed that for 2014, as the blue-collar brand now offers the new Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country ready for the Denim and Diamonds Ball.
With each passing model year the field of fullsize SUVs has grown smaller as many automakers have chosen to go to a large crossover utility platform. Not so at GM. Chevrolet has redesigned the 2015 Tahoe inside and out looking to make the model more functional and refined while also keeping the vehicle relevant for consumers wants and needs.
I have a favorite new sport sedan and its the 2014 Chevy SS. This is Chevrolet’s first rear-drive performance sedan in nearly two decades and that last one had a nickname of “Shamu.” The Chevrolet SS sedan utilizes GM’s global rear-wheel-drive architecture that also underpins the Camaro but the new SS is more than merely a four-door Camaro, much more.