The upcoming 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV has the potential to be one of the key vehicles that helps transition the industry towards electrification. With Ford’s full-size F-150 winning the sales crown decade after decade, the electrified trucks likely have the best chance of success to sell in large volume. Taking a significantly different approach than Ford’s F-150 Lightning, the Silverado EV shares pretty much only the name with its conventional internal combustion counterpart. Plenty has already been written about vehicle range and how the F-150 and Silverado EV stack up towards one another. What we’d like to focus on is what a dramatic shift this EV’s styling is for Chevy trucks. Read more…
Chevrolet surprised us with a reveal of the 2019 Silverado even though we are still a couple weeks away from the North American International Auto Show and it is still only 2017. If there are any surprises with this design it is that the bowtie brand continues to gravitate back toward its milestone 1988-98 truck design. The two tiered grille remains, but the body sides appear to attempt some stylistic connection to the passenger car line within the brand. This is the new Trail Boss trim so it will be interesting to see what variations in the styling are featured among the typical myriad of trim levels. Read more…
When Chevrolet introduced the Traverse way back in 2009 few would have guessed that it would soldier on without a major revamp until 2018. Eight model years is ancient in today’s marketplace, especially in the hot crossover segment. The Traverse remains the brand’s largest crossover and slots below the jumbo Suburban and Tahoe SUVs. All the basics characteristics that made the Traverse remain; front wheel or all wheel drive with available 8-passenger seating. The exterior styling seeks to draw the Traverse into line with the rest of Chevy’s lineup. It finds a balance between the sleek lines of the new Equinox and the blocky Suburban, complete with wide sail shaped C-pillar. This time around the Traverse is distanced from its GMC Acadia platform-mate by featuring class leading legroom for third row passengers whereas the GMC has shed weight, length, 3rd row space, and cargo volume. Improving on the packaging of the outgoing Traverse this new large crossover now has under floor storage behind the 3rd seat. Like the Acadia, the Traverse now offers a base 4-cylinder turbo that will certainly improve fuel economy and a V6 that allows for a respectable 5,000 lb towing capacity. A 9-speed automatic should allow for better efficiency than the outgoing 6-speed. Smart stop-start technology should also help save fuel around town. A myriad of driver assist and safety features bring the Traverse up to date including forward collision alert, front pedestrian braking, low speed forward automatic braking, lane keep assist, full speed forward automatic braking, surround vision, adaptive cruise control, and intellibeam headlamps. It has been a long wait for the new Traverse but it looks like Chevrolet has done its homework to pull this large crossover in line with the best of the industry.
The recipe to building pickups used to be an easy one. Add a powerful engine to a well-baked frame that can haul a lot of stuff while towing a trailer safely and you could reliably find some farmers or tradesmen who would keep coming back for another serving every few years. But palates have changed and increasingly the stuff pickups are tasked with hauling is passengers, which is the only way to explain why the Silverado we just sampled does a convincing job of a luxury sedan with an open trunk. How else can you explain the need for LED lights, wireless phone charging, ventilated front seats and an 8″ touch screen in a pickup? Those are some flavorful modifications to a basic recipe. Lucky for you, dear readers, your AT Editors are always hungry and willing to sample the best a company can cook up. Read more…
As enthusiasts, we love to complain about the cars that manufacturers offer in foreign markets but withhold from us in the United States. One body style that has a tendency to be offered in Europe and Asia but seldom here is the hatchback. Chevrolet has humored us and decided to offer its fully redesigned Cruze as a sedan and hatchback in the land of the free. The Cruze hatchback promises the added versatility and utility that is normally restricted on a conventional sedan. Indeed, the Cruze hatch offers 47.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded down. Like the 2016 sedan, the hatch offers a standard 1.4L turbo 4-cylinder as well as support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. We anticipate powertrains and options to largely mirror those of the sedan. We expect to see the Cruze hatchback on sale next to its sedan sibling in the fall. Now, if we could just convince Chevy to offer a Cruze wagon…
While green car enthusiasts have been watching Telsa and its exotic electric cars, the world should take notice: today GM unveiled the Chevrolet Bolt EV. The Bolt EV is significant because it has the potential to be the first mass market EV with a 200 mile range. Mass market means a starting price that Chevrolet assures will be ‘around $30,000’ after federal tax credits. The Bolt was unveiled last year as a concept and just a year later we are seeing the production version which will be built at GM’s plant in Orion Township, MI. While a full charge will take up to 9 hours with a 240-volt charging unit, an hour of charge accomplishes 25 miles of range. This EV offers more than just electrified propulsion. Other technologies packaged into the Bolt EV are an integrated rear camera mirror that virtually eliminates blind spots and surround vision. The instrument panel is festooned with a 10.2″ tablet-like display that can reportedly be controlled by simple, intuitive gestures. Chevrolet promises to have its newest electric vehicle available to customers by late 2016.
The Bow-Tie marketers would have you believe the Trax is a custom-built small SUV they’ve gifted to modern urbanites to conquer the rigors of big living in tight spaces. We’re here to tell you it’s actually just a high(er) roof Chevy Sonic that will appeal to average car buyers both young and old that have proven again and again that when given the choice they’d rather sit higher in their vehicle. There’s nothing wrong with that and indeed a whole new class of tiny crossovers are entering the fight for buyers’ attention. We spent a week living with a mid-range Trax LT to see if it could earn our recommendation. Read more…
Chevrolet followed up the new second-generation Volt with a good look at what kind of full electric vehicle it intends to offer in just a few years. The Bolt Concept is targeting a $30k price (after government subsidies) and a 200-mile range from an all-new GM developed battery pack. The Bolt certainly looks ready to transport a young family around with good space for four and an easy to access hatch for cargo. We’re glad to see the styling isn’t nearly as off-putting as the BMW i cars and we’re glad to see GM hasn’t let soft sales of the first gen Volt slow down its plans for electric development.
Loyal Chevrolet Volt owners have proven a valuable resource to GM Team members tasked with following up the ambitious plug-in hybrid with an all-new 2016 model. From faster acceleration to better charging cord storage, Volt owners led GM toward a more conventional looking sedan inside and out that now features much improved usability. Engineers redesigned every powertrain component for reduced weight and improved efficiency. A larger capacity battery now supplies 50 miles of electric range before firing up the 1.5-liter I4 to keep the juice flowing. With a 200 pound weight loss, Chevy expects 41 mpg when the gas engine is running. Cheap gasoline won’t be around forever, and when it’s gone you might find yourself liking what the new Volt offers.
